"5 Pearl Road -- Remiscences (in Bengali), by Meenakshi Datta

TfSQf  ~ UZ :

AA^ @UB

Ag TF@@hOS

Parabaas Bookstore

5 U 

TfSQf 

wMf ~qc J q c, rc,  W (TO, 1988)

~c f ~qc AaUS ~A rS | ~\ c J AvAc AaU jce  BfcS ~m J@  @a | A@ J O w AST AaU S ce ~m J@ AAaU j@ TAxv@ ~ | Av@U S@, Uc b-U OU, BU L@ sS @TUUc  o TrS | w cq j@Av ACS O, AcR ACS | -T dK ACS Ac  OU AaU S, ~qcq j@Tn SS C Ac S | ~T cA j @ZS A@a ZS S, J cA wUR Z AS S A@a, BUR S | Zc c J ~f sQ w @H,  gcS U@ g c, A@ec  @ZS @S Z ~Ag AaU J |

~AT sZS rS AS Acj r gA c A@S gcAa ZS ~qc Zc l AAaUS | cUAaUS, ~T @a j, ~AT T@ sF @c, T s-c cq @ c  cq ~T @a c | AS @S @ @, 5 U  | cAAv AaU J c gq : wAH | : wAHR Zc rf AaUS, A@ ~SF@T, Zc r dKAU O | AAS AaUS @ATASmv Aco@ R  | AAS AcS  cAmcf AOA@l @S | SAa AAS SA@ ZU AvS @ cdS | wfc TSK J wA aS j AZ s | ~AT ~crF v AZAS | ~qcR T AcS an AaUS, AcS |  AAS rS ~S |

@UB d R ~w j@AS ~qc c cA wUT Sr (Sr )  |  A W b@ ZUT ~qc R j@Av dHf TZTAZ | TAv S Z  rA A ,  NB @Sq ~cAo, TZ @S@T oS AO Sq, w Sq @S wS | ~AT Aa v@v@ UU ArS rA, ~ ~T ~\c c T wq cr wS @,  cU, wU , @S T@A jc  coFTkU@ | q  gkKHfS@ Z j@v ~LOS  UT |  wMf BASAaU j@q AAn R AaU ~T@ Z | jA@ Sr TZ @ Z ~S^ IUTU @ iU | ~T  TAv AO @A A Sr cUUS, wMf  |

STv BST, @H  A@aAS ~w rA^AS@S AFTU  wa, s F AaUS wMf  R ASTq OoF | 21r cA ASAv TS Z  A@ T lc sAR F BPSA@ @H v m @SAS @H kcc ZS rpAU kcA@mS | q Ac  AFTUAv AA@ | jq AFTU T cc AwAaUS, Sr , gK TZoF, dH r WK R kcA@mS @ jAaUS rT TS | gAL @AaUS ~^re@  | Sr A j \S 1359 ST j@Av @Ac UZS s j@T j@Av UqS ~a :

@TS, cAUAS ? FZ, c^ v wa U |
(oSFc wMf , rfASTq OoF |)
A^ UR ~B \S @f- Z ...

~qc c s TAv A Zcq TSswf, cr ~AAq, v cI AaUT - TS AhaU J sS il c @T wa ; A@ ~qc R wMf s m A ~  S  T ~AS | ce Sr@q TS AhaU wMf A j@v ~Ao@ TSswf | Av ~Tcm To dK TS c ~a j@v ~LOS  ~gHfS dHf, aAcAv ^ | ~T cr TBq UwAaU AS | q A@aAS  sZS of^S  j@ ^F j cUUS s AAS ~@Am@gc ~qc cA Aw ZS s ~qc Ac ha, nf j@Av ~\cf dHf,  ST wMf, ZS T-cc  ~ATR dH ~c@ AaUT | J mgAcXo qeAAB W b@q of^ cUAaUS, `Ayyub got married today' |

Ac Ac cq @ Am AaUS S, : wAH AaUS Qf | Uv  1955- rKA@ ~c 1956-j d | ~qc c c r @a@Aa ZS, wMf cB JAOr | wMf Ac  ASTq qeU OU s, JAOr ca ~ r  S | @@U S AcrK @S @H ~a  BAS S |

j@ @U ~qc jUS ~T cA FAHf mf@  AS | wMf cc of^S  ZFST ~oF@, J UZ cq @UB ~T iF AaU | AAS AaUS @ w^fcf jce Ac cF w^f Tq PmOf | ~qc sZS rA^AS@S  sS 1950 U ASBT ~oF@  ZS wMf  J AO | jq Av ASBT ~A@ MBSF AA, qUAT@ empA S BSF | ~qc AaUS AXf ~oF@, T @ jAaUS J ST gU wAa | kc\Uf ASBTgcS ~qc @S | rS anf wMf ~qc@  S @ d @U | ~qc B^ Acf TUTS Ac, c AXH,   ~m | wMf cc cFv Tvq a^ U S | Ac  AAS ASBq @ ~SUS wMf@ co c O @ | 52-U aAv Aw ~qc ~ AUS S, Zc c A US S, ~S@q oH ofSccq  BSF A | ~AT sZS ~qc W wMf@ ZAaUT ZS  rA^AS@S @ OU ja cc AcdXoOH @ | cc ~v ccA S @U wMf ~qc@ Ac @ A@S  AS er  |

cc@ ~TSF @ ~o wMf rAS@, A A @ AFw @US,  BfcS  TZ ZUS S | mf R ~SFSF aUT A @i ASr AUS swsw Aa^ @ | wMf sZS aU U ZS J SA@ Z qha U S, sAR wMf Zc AAaU,   k ~r AaU QT c |

U  cA ~qc c j@Av Tn W, cq-j i jce A ^F c^-TwT | j@U wMf j@v W U ASB BSF |

 Ac  j@ ^F ~qc @a wAa, j@v q v- @ jU O T,  SSS ZFcF | ~AT  cr ~c@, ZArR | A@ ZUT W U SS C, BSU ^ , W ASHgc waS | wMf j O aJ@ AU, @cc  JB FU U AU, ~ j@v SR, ~ j@v SR cUU,  ~T W OU cU ASO W AS wU | TIA qB W, r j@ AOU ^W | BSU @ ~O cT Z  c BSF | ACS O R @rS AB AcaS, Zc vAcU U WJK | U ~qc aAc, co Ac  U, TZ j@v ASO @  a, ~qc  A@ A@ ~aS | ~qc W wMf j@Av aAc AaU TASA SO r@ U rA^AS@S | gBcAB T ~qc BfcS aJO wa cU | wMf ~F^ rfTf, sTS Amo  O, TS Amo  mgc ~ TSq  e OS | j 5 U  ~ o cq o AS c rS LL cI sc Bw qU S,  cA oS ~@KH  iU wMf ~AFAc RJ BS e |

j@AS R cA @ AAa, jAw A j AJA T JA wMf cUU, ~B ~AT e q ~ Av- OU wUT | ~qc c mf Ac ~AT @ wMfA jce ~AS cUT | AS cUUT, ~B @ ~ wMfA @c S jce T@ AT | q @  ~T @a oq wMf | T @ T T m @S, cc A@ @ ~AS coS @S | wMf Zcq ~A BS, A@ cc r AaU wMfR ~qc@ AT cU c | S ~gFcr wMf Ac R ~qc@ ~AS cU,  ABg A@aq AT ~ S | ArQ@@ Ac @U  gA-gcv cU , ~T rAR rTrq@ ~AS cUaS - AAS j@T qgv Avv AaUS |

wMf Ac j@ca ToFq  aU B^ , RJ j@Tn ^S |  wMf c ~qc @ S S j@v AZ S jce  AZ @ U AS sS | ~qc @gc cUAaUS s RJ@ cUUT  T ~T AcR AS, AS @S AUS S | wMf@ cr @@AS cA U @ AaU |  @U ~U @ aU AS  cA AU |

A@ -SA @KH-j  wAc wMf ~qc
(TO, 1991; b@)

AFq, kKH T ^ Ar ~AT AZAS | ~qc R wMf Tm M^sv@ AS  B^AaU | ~qc  ST ZUS kKH ~T | A@ wMf ~qc STAv B AU | aU@ AS cr A@aAS wMf@ j@U @ AaU | AS ToF S BAS @c @ AJA gC  | ~qc@ ASO W AOl ZAa | q W wMf q ~T ZR | ~ATK ASATK, @ ^q s  BS | wTe rAT@cc, SAw @, @JO@U @ - jc ~T ToF AcZF AaU |  cU @@ AST^H @U   WT cFW @ TS A@\S |

j@c ~T j@v cr c U ASTA^ Aa, ~qc W ~ ha, jTS T ~S  cr | ~S@ sJ OSS J BSS s J TZ A j@c S cdUq U, v@ @ FJ @ c S ~c FJ@ S | AS wMf ~S@ c ~SS @U Z sc BSF, ~S A@aq AB US S | Zc cFcm ASO wMf W | ~S sZS OU sc BSF AJA A STaS ZS ~AT ~ ~T cS dAT BS J q cU  IU UT jce gc J@  U AS wMf W bA@ AUT | ~S Zc j@v co AUS S, q ~T ASAEO^  J@ a AUT R wMf  v J BSF Zc B UwU | A@ ~T ZS ~S@ AOASAS | wMf LAlwA BS Zc v Q @ ~T A@a cI ~wq AAS cA wUS AS ASBS BUBF^ dHf@ c@ cAS |

gwFnT U ~qc r WAv J@ U | rAr v W AS kH j@Av VFv U ~crK | SS WAv cAr gU,  j@Av c^R ~a ; wMf ~qc@  WAv A ASB ~qc S WAv ASU | c^ U wa vc cU | kKH@ jTSgc Z s ~qc @S@T cFW S Wv |  T  so wU q mU, , co ~mvAU @ A j sw AU rfArQS @UB | sAS a  O@A @a, c   sc R cA @ vS A @ c@ s @ |

(TI A, cJ-A@ @) wMf ~qc, BS qTT,
R : US BTS (TO, 1991; b@)

 ~A AaU ~ScF, mf Ac  ~USf - cc cUS j@Tn Tg Acnfq  T cAXoTf, AckKf, UcHFTf R AH | FcS Tq ~qc BSF wMf fWBfcS  AS jAaU | A@ O@A, eOUS, ^SUS, ~m mTf A^fS c @q  p AS, SSS TBcTkU@ @BR  BA Ua ASB@ | cAm cAm W T B^AS^H rZS, ASQ sF @, A@ fA O, jaR AaU ZUW ~S ~rT @B |   c ~AT AwAaUT ToFTwT ZUW | PTnf cf  ASAv d @AaUS |

r R Kv r@@ cU OU i sXo  T | Ar R ~TA@ AU ~mM, ~SFA@ pAcf cn cAXoBfcf ToF OUa Acr, gcS Uq | @U@ @A wArfU vTc haS R Ti Wv @aS ~^US | jq UUcSF i@ cAXoBfcf AXowm  ST jaS AQH @U@ B c^   @ew  @UOU AT MAZS Pci@ | rgsn S, mv S, cTc^@   @ - J ~m ha ~A kQ AcrKH, rAH cnA, A R BTS AO^Ac R @Ac OS @ XopA | ZS cc j@ ~AocrS  s sw c BSF cc@  TacB gK ~nTH @AaUS gK TZoF AO An@ | (of^S  AA jq An@Av ZS AH a @TFASmv Av TZn) | ZS cc @ @Ar  Quest An@, s UZ BSF -sw AcO R  ~@KHf AAK@ | Am U jc @  An@ @U@ @ cdc, @ ~c f ~qc R ~S  | @f @ Ac @X AScOS @US @AcB m@ rA^AS@S ~w s AcrAcFU USTkU@ AF ArQ@ Ag TF@@hOS-@ | aAv Ag sZS qeU wU ZS BFA   AL R U | An@  ~qc W, @Bq  T Zc cAr sR   cA | ZS ~T ~ 202 Acf jAgAS @ TI TI mS^A  UwU 5 U , @ZS 6 U mvfv of^-Brf AQH c^, TI TI BFA R ~T 7 @SA\  a VFv | Ac  ~qc @R sS S wMf@ a, sTS of^-Brf AaUS ~haF BAv | of^ R ~qc BSq dK M^s f@ | ~ Ac~S LLR of^S cB ZAaUS ~A R B wU @ cU sTSAv ~AgS ~T  gq@q B | ~SFA@ ~qc @ cUS ~A ASO m, S TZ Av jce @S cJ@gc AOc@ DKl U TZv @l @ | wMf TZS-ST Brf wB, FT | BSq rA^AS@S anf, mTf  c cFcoS Acm | of^ AaUS mmF f@, fW Av B Z JS, cArgw  Fxv-v S, OUS av j@Av Av | ~qc AO-~m, i g BSUv @ AAw J@ c  AS wMf@ q  nm |

Quest An@ Pci@ Sf @O@AO  S | AcXo ~r @H, Ar\f mofS Q @U B AaUS @ew  @UOU AT a U | ~qc  @ZSq ASB OAv a iS S, J qSmv@O BAw s wMf | sTS qU@Av@ cA U ~T Z q S, TS AaU  ~prF  |

Ai@ U @U@ j@v AcrK ~AocrS c  rAcr @ cAXoBfcf ~cS | oS c ~ @U | The God That Failed cq J UZ cq aS | a jq wf AAS  | jq wfq An@ AaU Encounter s @ AaUS AmvS m R ~Age AnmvU ( ~Age AnmvU aU AcAU AnmvU jZS TA@AS Axv cr Tr ) | ~qc BFA  g AUS  ~AocrS AS UZc ; BFA @U@ jTS Ac @ AUZU s ~qc US Ac | jq @U  Aq ~ Quest An@ ZO | ~SFA@ a J TT @r mofS Acr | BFA@ j@ fW AOAi AUZAaUS AAS s T UqSAv ~T TS ~a, `Your piece is more than excellent but ...' @ew  @UOU AT s A,~q,j-  jq o cAXoBfcf @\SR ~AS, sZS BS US ZS @X Fw @US |

~T T AA kKH O ca av | Sr T TAH (OA) ~ kKH TS | AA B^ ~w wMf wgc ~T o AAaU | I@I@ @J U OA@ av av cAv Zc BS, OJ@ AW  | WS @TUC j@Av ^ vCqU rA  AAaU ~T@ q UQ | ASB  A@ AO@Uq  c Zc U@ C rA , rf@U AKF   ZAa | ~qc BSU J@ A m R U cA ^W j@Av rJZ- @TcFm  Z s | ~qc Zc gU Uw | q @ wMf  ZASR rrAg AaU |

AA B^  wMf j@Av UU v@v@ v@ g AS jAaU  ASB  Uq @ chO AcaS O, cAUr R R chO w c @J | U@ SfU O Or  U IU |  SfU C co @AaU aU c gc | cq cU aU c | T ST Ai@ @ ZAaU  | chO@ v AS ~AT ~Ar MIJ @Aa, q T cUS  v j@v F ja,  F | sq ZUS T ^k cU ST ZUS AA |

~mvAU sc ~w s^q AaU ~qc A m mgAc@ BfcS | ~mvAU @ A BSq ~m  US | ~qc@ AOASq ~m ZAa, wMf cvq Zc ~Aco @H U | OU Zcq @  d @U  | q AS O@A, aU@ Z, mcTf c R TBc cq TpHgc OU , TZ @ZSq @S AcA c ~Agsw AZAS |  cA wU @ccR WvA AS |

~T sZS Ar@w AaUT ZS ~U AaU TA jAU  jR AT@ cA Av | AAS ~T J U Sq cAU cqAv  AAaUS s lwn TS  UZ AaU : PTnf@ : T A@ TS ~a ? sA TS @ c AT A@ QT @Aa ? ( j@T Ai@ U S) | ~T Zcq @MUf  cUUT, ~T j@ PTnf@ AOAS @U@ ... BSUT jAU PTnf ~Tq PTnf cf | A j BFA wMf @a jq w\ @AaU | j@AS wMf j cUU, PTnf cf BFA@ ZUW Z AS s OS j@AS (~wq \UZ @Aa, ZUW ~S ~rT) | ~U PTnf cf BFA TZ @ S OAaUS jAU AcK | BFA A j cUAaU AS @JAaUS AS | S SF sZS AUZUS ZS wMf Bw cf ST cFc @US ~ BFA \UZ @aS B cU |

j@A@ sTS @TU mgc, To R TpgAKHf wMf TAS  OAn pb - cf^S @ OA @ cU s, @A R @TU |  sTS  cU rUf cc AcdXo Aw ~qc@ Ac @AaU, TAS BdA ~cm T ~qc AcdXo Aw wM R BFA@  @AaU | T @q Ai@ AaU wM cA c AUr B v@ fQ @cS @H v-~Fv@  avaAv @ co Ai@ c S, ~ BFA U@ @ An@ c @ OUc | jc BFA-~@U-r (@U@ BSfA eZF @r@ R UZ@) OUc @f @ ? wM c^ R -FA@U ATFASmv rA^c S cUUS, AAS c ZO cS | AT rA^ wMf @a v@ Z sS, BFA @Sgc Aw AS ~ | o SR AaU s rA^ cA  AUr SB c, A@ wMf@ @ ^ @c S |

kKH R O@AU Acc-lc U aAc, q j@q W |  TIZS wMf ~qc, PTnf cf cJ-A@, SfO wMA@r WK (1981)

 A@ U S | j@AS ToFTwT sR  wMf ~ PTnf cf UQ @US aS aS j@Av wA ~a | R A wMf cA OU jUS | cI wU AUr wMf A@ SB Za | ~qc A@SS w ~n^, Zcq g haS - wMf BU wU @f c ! q ToF @fgc s v@ cU  ! I cw AB  Ucf BFA ; ZS s ~mq @ cU@ ~qc Ai@ v  sS | A@ q ToF wMf BFA@ S Zq a S | wM ZS BU | @ swsw @ S AUr SB  ~r | wMf ~  c^ ~A S BS wM  Z @ jU |  wM ~T@ cU R cqAv sZS cdU, AAS lw @US wMf ~ ~A@ - ~T q A@ c^ - cU |

~qc c TpF  wMf T OU jAaUS  @a | wMf g AaU SR s ~qc ZS @ | s BT@ Bfcl@U wH @SAS,  TpF  q W c @aS gTAU jce J cH @SF @S ~AgTS TS S Z J c @a | cA wTe ASAKXo  wa Z j@v AcTK co @AaUT ~AT | ~T TS AaU ~qc cA ~c@ J a^Tq Z AO | wMf@ cURAaUT @ | Tp   Bcc AAaU, jq c T@ ~ @ A @f c !

w Sca ~AT @U@ cq | sZS @U@ sT, Ac wMf  Z @  i S | rKc Z AaU  TpF A@aAS ~w, ZS  j@cq rsFrf | ~T  AaU TS T (cc Tg @ AA^ ~Sc@) | rK A@ wMf @d  Z @ Oq S | ~AT S @ SR@ AcrKgc ~So @ OU AwAaUT | AcaS @ ZS Ri QT Sq ~  |  OZ pA Z cI AS SR @A AS jU, ~ wMf SAS ~S BSF UZ cqAv |  W ~T @ S ~S^ mpA | @U@ a ~w j@ ^F wMf jq Wq jAaUT  A@rf AOA@ TS ~qc g | rA, d wS, cS@S @ @f A s wMf  c ABa | A@a  ASB A@Sa, A@a  c^  Aa | TAv SS J rA  B  jU, UB R ~S^ ~Ua  TZ ZU @ UwU | wMf@ T RZSq, Rq Wq ZAaUT, ZS v ~qc W AaU | ~qc TS c @Tq ~S^ ~g BU  TZ |  Wq @TUC vCqU  c ~AT wMf R o ZAa, r cq kKH@ cU s @T OJ T ^S  | pAcf BAS @S A@a @S cFZF Sq, c wMf rfA@ s^H R ~@UTpF T ~fS ~ A@a gc q S | SA@ c TpFq q ? j@ ~fS, ~fUfS OT  c Hfq A ?

aAcAU kKH ~qc R UcS TAT-j MBSF |

jq UZ ~S @TS UwU ?