In Turkish Airlines after a long time. Brings back memories of the Mongolia trip.

Where we are now…

The five of us are literally strewn all over the world right now. The one who stayed back in Atlanta clearly is having the most fun!!

My friend’s first trip outside of USA. In Turkish Airlines. In business class. His reaction when the staff came and a put a candle on his table to serve dinner…

I am back on that airlines… nearly 8 years later.

When are we hitting the road again?

Landed in Mumbai with barely any time to complete all the formalities and then get to the domestic terminal to catch the flight to Durgapur. Made it in time with a few minutes at hand.

Could not think of putting it to a better cause than try out the famous “cutting chai” of Mumbai!

I am here in India for work. I came a day earlier to check in on my mother-in-law. Sharmila arrived a few days ago, and you can see why; my mother-in-law is not going through a great phase. She appears to be but a shadow of her old self.

Sitting with her, watching her pained movements, and listening to the few words that drained her energy, too many memories of my father from six years ago came rushing back. It feels as if the second part of the movie is starting to unfold.

It is very difficult to watch the pain that age can put the elderly through. But such is the passage of life. The good moments were earned to help make these moments bearable.

She is not in a very good shape this time.

He is the person my parents were closest to. As were we three siblings, growing up. Pushing close to being an octogenarian, he is a study of discipline when it comes to life habits.

No trip to Durgapur can be conceived of without getting to see him and the family once.

I remember seeing in Mongolia first and then in some other countries the local use of old tires dug half into the ground in a series to mark the boundaries of households.

Here in Durgapur at a tea stall in City Center, the same is being used as a seat to relax and have a cup of tea!!

Wherever my siblings go, somehow the local dogs know they are around and will surround them looking for attention. This is when my brother and I went for a walk in City Center streets.

I missed both my sister in laws. One is still in Kolkata and the other was inside the house sleeping.

It is actually the sun rising on this overcast morning.

I am talking about my brother and my brother in laws. And when I say constantly on their phones, I do not mean they are doomscrolling in social media or news channels… they are actually making phone calls.

We had sat down by a street side tea vendor to have tea. My brother in law went straight for a stroll into the Chaturanga field to take a call!!

We lost Sarkar kakima a few months back. We were very close to her and her sons – Somu and Tutu. We were all neighbors when I was in middle school age.

We swung by their house to offer our condolences and go over some great memories of kakima.

View from my hotel room.