Googleing around unknown
He was all alone , on the first step of a local shop. Mid night , dark sky with a hint of blue. Sleeping like a restored faith in him. Showing his berthing , movement of his 8 inch chest is quite loud. One hand underneath of his head and a mosquito coil just near to his hear. Flowing fumes are trying to cover him from the clever insects.
We have seen this while struggling to fix out our 9 bicycle from the carrier of Dhaka-Shrimongol bus. Middle of the night , it was Eid day. Happy faces are all around but that street child! We were shocked. He will be hardly 5. Learnt to survive at this age. His bent figure was lying over a polyethylene bag. Tranquil.
We came here to paddle around the unknown green territory of Sylhet . 5 days program stated from the day of Eid. Resolving the happiness of Eid in the shape of adventure. We are “Kewkradong a community biased to adventure.
Nine leaned bicycle was close to that boy so do we. David came up with an idea to help out that kid , who is just at the age his own kid Sheshthoo. This veteran super commercial photographer could sense it before us as he is a father of two kids. He requested us not to capture his face , the light and the scene! You might get an award out of your click , but dose it really make sense to that pure soul? He added , let’s do some for the kid. We tried to do as best as we could on that time and webbed an idea that can last for long. That made him happy! What else could have been that great as his silent smile? We loved that and tide a good turn knot in our mind to do like this for ever and ever.
We have started paddling. It was donning. Perfect light and gentle sweet breeze blowed our way. Heading towards komolganj following a sandwich metalloid road though Lawyachora reserve forest. Seductive tropical green forest is welcoming us. Dew drops are logging on the leaf. Mist covered road took turn to get a close view of a tea garden belongs to Duncan ‘s. Looking like safe house from the far as we used see them on TV serials. Pin drop silence , only the bhoooobhooooo sound is coming out from the friction of rubber made tire and road. Drizzling weather made some delay on our sweating as the path is scrolling up and down. Feel like heaven on wheels while following any slop and let the wheel rolls! It’s awesome when air was passing out beside the ear making a harsh sound!
Sky is covered with black cloud that resist us to pull out cameras so nothing could stop us enjoying the chill green Lawyachora forest. We were drifting quite gently as few of us was not that used to in regular cycling. But the �joss� of cycling triggered all of us so run again. While resting , communicate with local enthusiastic faces that were eyeing on us as we are aliens! Our helmet was the most attractive part out of our all apparatus. We fixed panniers on our bike carrier to be the host of our all materials- food , repairing tools and accessories.
After crossing Komolgonj found a problem on my left paddle and the tools we have brought not enough to fixed that instance. Ranjan Shing , motor mechanic of Halima Bazar came out with helping attitude to resolve the problem and he gave us a fixing tool which he was used to use on daily basis. We thanked him from the bottom of our heart and it appeared in our mind that we can hardly find anything bad through out the vicinity of our trip. Local inhabitants are always helpful and friendly and they are the main source of security but have to understand them first.
By this time cloud flew away for some time , it was not that sunny as we were expecting. We went to local police station of Kulaura and checked the place where we can dwell for first night. Hitch out many places but could not get anything that can work. At last got a place to pitch our tents.
It was raining , grass field was muddy that’s why we stored us over a long balcony of a Kulaura govt college. Our arrival news spread like anything so many peoples joined the party while managing all loads and many more were standing outside of the college boundary wall. Head of the Department of English came out from the mass and let us use the compound.
Next morning we are riding en route to Juree , new upazilla of this territory as a resting point. Roads are nice , few vehicle we have encountered so far. And drivers were showing their gesture by waving hands and leaving a space for our safety. This is a beauty , beauty of nature and the people and certainly its bit unorthodox in the town like beloved Dhaka !
Road to Bianibazar is very charming , most of time we faced ups and down and we have enjoyed a lot while running down though any slope. Day light disappeared when we hit Baianibazar. Local peoples are rich can easily understood by seeing the stores and shops but all of resting inns were closed to due to Eid vacation except Hotel Al-Fatah. As usual sub urban hotel , not that clean , not that good but ok.
Today we have to ride longest way , from Bianibazar to Jointapur. At first we have decided to halt at kanaighat but favorable weather helped us to do more. Took a turn while crossing Shahbag, a massive banyan tree was towering tall adjacent to a beautiful mosque. We have reached there by mid day though it was raining. Bank of river Shurma was muddy , we had to struggle to load our fully packed bicycles. Like other sub urban city , it’s crowded and packed. We took lunch in a local restaurant. We were about to divert to Borochutul as everyone was saying that could be place for tonight. But few members went on and there was no other alternative than catching them up again. They have already reached to Jointapur. We left behind due to taking pictures. It was beautiful out there, scenic, spectacular and very photo ganic, tough to resist any one having camera. So again we have lost almost an hour and half. Scout team started bugging after confirming the boarding and it was getting dark too.
We came up with an idea of derailing some ways from our prefixed course, followed route to gowainghat. We were slow like snells because no fixed destination we have for tonight. So googleing around unknown, where we can spend the night. Got it! Found tonmoy heading right from the road where streets has no name, into a grass field surrounded by bushes and a long canal beside. Say it will be staying here, everyone seducing everyone. So occupied an eye catching camp site with 3 tents and nine bicycles.
Problem was with food but local villagers helped us a lot. They let us cook oat meal for denier and provided security by a chowkidar otherwise we must have to leave the place as it was completely in the middle of nowhere named KataKhal. Thrice we have faced police and most importantly they helped us most. We discovered them very gentle and cooperative. What we usually heard and what we are getting. Its completely inspiring while talking with them about our trips. Everyone is so welcomed and so well behaved that cherished our thrusts for unknown!
Next day we ended up our trip via Salutikor and caught our bus to ordinary life.
Coverage on The Daily Star | Download PDF of The Daily Star coverage
Dhaka, Sunday, November 11, 2007
