Awful tragedy

I thought of not to post this love story of awful tragedy but my conscious did not allow me to be silent, at least in this case. Because this case has many angles like inter-religion marriage, corruption, money power, police in-actions, true love, economic and social status. Because of all these, city has seen the unprecedented public and media resentments in this case. So I decided to post it for my readers. Better late than never.

In films we always find that a boy from a poor family fall in love with a wealthy father’s only daughter and they overcome the hurdles on their way and finally love wins and get married with the approval of parents and they live happily ever after. The story ends like this in most of the cases.

But real life stories seldom end like reel life stories. Rizwanur Rahman and Priyanka Tody love story has become a legendary love story of the city. The story shows us that real love does exist even today. Love is blind, it does not look for status, religion and nothing else. Rizwanur belong to a middle class or may be below middle class Muslim family, educated in St. Xavier’s college, gentle, sober. He was working as faculty in Arena Multimedia, a computer institute. Priynaka hails from a orthodox Hindu wealthy business family of Marwari community. Priyanka lives in a palatial house in Salt Lake city of Kolkata and Rizwanur in a small house in a narrow lane in Tiljala area.

They met in the same computer institute. Priyanka joined there for a course there. This difference of status and religion did not come on their way to fall in love and to further it to marriage. They knew the hurdles to be faced from her family hence they got married in accordance with the special marriage act. She moved to her poor husband’s home leaving the palatial residence literary with one cloth even leaving her costly N-series Nokia mobile phone, thinking that her father may give a police complaint of theft of that and ornaments. Her imagination was wrong.

Priyanka’s father lodged a complaint with local police station that Rizwanur abducted their daughter. But this did not hold good when they showed all proof of marriage and age proof certificates. Priyanka said I am with my husband, I have come here willingly and nobody abducted or forcibly brought me here. We are married and I want to live with my husband. The local police did not interfere further, they went back. But his father did not stop there. It is reported in the media that he was having unholy link with the police. When he did not get any help from local police he went to Police head quarters. Then the Police started unlawful actions for separating them by sending Priyanka back to her home. They were called to Police HQ three times and marriage witness Was also threatened. Priyanka all along was unwilling to go to her parental home back. She told to Rizwanur family members “Once I go there, I would not be allowed to come back again.” Rizwanur was pressurized to send her back to her home by the police. His friend later revealed that the police threatened for dire consequences if she is not sent home. Later, on Sep 08, 2007, on a written undertaking of her uncle assuring that she will be to Back to Rizwanur after 7 days, Priyanka went to her home. Mediator of this was none other than police. What made the police to act so much for breaking a legal marriage. Rizwanur was also assured of having communication with her but soon that was disrupted and both were separated. As apprehended, Priyanka never allowed to return to her husband and her 8 days married life ended abruptly. All communications were cut off and Rizwanur could not establish any communication with her till his death. Once he pleaded to his father-in law and mother-in law by SMS to listen Priyanka’s voice for once but his request was not met. Later, on the same day his body was found beside Railway tracks.

Role of police is now under a question mark. They are supposed to be the protector of the citizen but in this case they turned to be tormentor to the young couple. Since they all along trying to separate them as per the wish of Ashok Todi. It is unbelievable to think about the involvement of police for unlawful activities. It is understood that there is a clear ruling of Supreme Court on inter religion marriage for their protection. In spite of that the police has gone just in opposite direction.

There was tremendous resentments of the citizen against the police. Had it been in other part of India, there would have been a communal riot but here people from all walk of life, irrespective of religion including the print and electronic media stood with the family and shown their solidarity. All demanded for CBI investigation and justice. Calcutta High court gave a ruling for CBI investigation too and the same is in progress. There is nothing to say about the case now till its final judgment comes.

He realised that he is not going to get any protection from police. He did not approached to media or took any legal action bcoz Priyanka did not approve it. But now investigations revealed that finally he wanted to take help of some political leader and a meeting was fixed on 21 Sep 07 the day he died. It is now evident that his mobile was tapped and ‘they’ came to know from his conversations that he is going to meet political leader /minister and they wanted not to happen so. Next morning i.e. 21 Sep 07, he got a call and went out alone and never returned. His body was found on the raiway track.

It is awful. A poor innocent guy was fighting alone with money and muscle power. He can not win. Had he gone to media at the beginning, he would have saved his life. The rich can buy anything and the poor, the middle class people have to run from pillar to post to get the legitimate rights or justice. Surprisingly, the high ranking IPS officers who should be honest, dedicated and ideal and example of their integrity to the young generation, are involved in this case for the wrong reasons. The poor Rizwanur and Priyanka, newly married couple, having full of dreams in their eyes, having no money, had to surrender to the money power and a terrible tragedy came to their lives.

Riz’s college mourning his death.
Disclaimer : The story, facts are presented here based on print and electronic media reports, which may not be true.

 

Durga puja

Image of Maa Durga (seen with Demon Mahishasur, Lakshmi, Saraswati ,kartick & Ganesh ) (Pujo of Ekdalia Evergreen 2007 : Courtesy : Calcuttaweb.com).

Durga Puja is the year’s largest Hindu festival in India in the states of West Bengal, Orissa, Tripura, assam, Jharkhand and other part of Eastern India. In fact this festival has no boundary. It is celebrated in every cities of India, in some form or the other. It is celebrated in all metro cities of India and abroad. In Bangladesh, Hindus celebrate Durga puja.

On the day of Mahalaya, (the day pitri paksha ends and matripaksha starts i.e. seven days before Durga puja) at the crack of dawn all will be waken up to the tune “Jaago Durga” – a song that tunes the mind to the festive spirit. Last 75 years this programme is being broad casted by All India Radio at early dawn (like Ajaan). Nobody can miss this invocation of Mother Goddess Durga by “Jaago Durga”. Its not a piece of music ; it’s part of spirituality and our culture. Many tried to change this invocation programme but all were utter failure. Our culture did not accept anything other than this.

Durga puja has many forms. In northern India it is celebrated as Dussehra and in western India as Navaratri (nine nights) and as Vijayadashami in south India. Durga Puja or Dussera or Vijayadashami is celebrated through out the country in autumn (Sharat) every year. Although it is a Hindu festival, religion takes a backseat on these festive days. Durga Puja in Bengal, particularly in Kolkata takes a shape of a carnival, where people from all walk of life and backgrounds, regardless of their religious beliefs, participate and enjoy themselves throughout the nights. The Durga puja is a festival of Bengal, Bengalis, therefore wherever Bengalis are there Durga Puja will be celebrated there. This is the reason behind the Globalization of Durga Puja and celebration in Europe and America.

In the epic Ramayana, Rama invokes the powerful goddess Durga in his battle against Ravana. Although she was traditionally worshipped in the spring, due to contingencies of battle, Rama had no other go but to invoke her in the autumn. This untimely invocation in autumn is known as “akaal bodhan”. This invocation has become more popular in the society and started to celebrate it every year in a grand manner. The reason may be because of Rama, Rama’s battle with Ravana and winning of the battle which marked as the victory of good forces over the evil forces.

Dussera or Navaratri or Vijayadashami in other parts of India are the celeration of homecoming of Rama with his wife Sita after his victory over Ravana ( the king of Lanka), the victory of the forces of Good over Evil forces. Burning of effigy of Ravana is the part of the celebration in some parts of India.

Durga puja has many angles and accordingly it is celebrated at different parts of India. Durga puja celebrated by Bengalis is having little difference from the others. Durga is the the Goddess of divine power against all evils. The story goes that Mahisasur (the Buffalo Demon), through years of praying, received blessing from Lord Brahma, that no power can kill him which means he is invincible. But once gaining this power he started ravaging the whole world and killing people. And finally he wanted to uproot the Gods too. The Gods, in dismay, combined their powers to create a beautiful maiden, and each placed his or her most potent weapon in one of her ten hands riding a lion. Then there was war between Durga and the Mahishasur (the Buffalo demon) and finally Durga Killed the demon. Rama, as per the epic Ramayana, invoked this powerful Goddess Durga before the battle with Ravana. The invocation of Goddess Durga, by Rama is celebrated every year by Bengalis for five days. It is celebrated to mark the victory of Good forces over the evil. But this Durga puja has some social angle too.

In the modern society, this social angle acts more strongly than any other to celebrate. Durga, daughter of Himalaya, and wife of Lord Shiva and they have four children. The Idol worshipped in the pandals (temporary place of worship) is seen Goddess Durga killing demon Mahishasur and her four children are standing by the side of hers. This coming with her children is seen like our married daughters’ home coming with her family. When the married daughter come to her parental home with her husband and children, parents welcome their daughter with tears of joy and there will be happiness, joy and celebration in the family. The Durga puja too traditionally viewed as home coming of Durga, a married daughter of ours to her home with her children. The Godliness and social cultures, customs have mixed up and have taken a shape, which is beyond explanation but to be felt.

Therefore, it is a matter of our culture to invite daughters and son-in-laws during this festive season and all married daughters wait to join their parents. Parents gift them with new dresses, saree etc etc and since they come in the festive season, try to gift their parents too. All these five days lot of sweet dishes and special dishes will be prepared as per choice of their daughter and son in law. Every body, children, young and aged people wear new dresses on these days. On these days, people move from pandal to pandal to see the art, theme of the idols and pandals throughout night. The whole city, small or big will be glittering with dancing colorful lights, sound of microphones and sound of vehicular traffic and their horn sounds. But vehicles move like snails as people throng to the streets andwalk to enjoy the festive atmosphere. It takes a shape of carnival.

On fifth day when the idols goes out for immersion, all women come to the pandal to bid farewell with sweets, paan, sindoor. It creates an atmosphere like biding farewell to our own daughter when they leave for in-laws house for one long year. Women become emotionally charged with and tears rolls down from their eyes.

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