Charmed in Chittagong

I have been busy. But not so busy as to not write my blog- the excuse for that is laziness. I experience bouts of busy time followed by a long hiatus of doing nothing. Well that was euphemism. I just get lazy sometimes. Anyways, the holiday in Chittagong was good. Far from being the do-nothing holiday I had planned, it was crammed with fun days, lots and lots of boat rides, and of course food. I did not get to read a word from the two books that I had carried with me but I had a good time. My two adorable cousins are a constant source of enjoyment with her bundle of energy, infectious laugh, and charming improvisations, the other with her infinite wisdom, candid heart and genuine curiousity. The things the two sisters have in common are an easy way of laughing, love for the swing, and friendliness. We went boat riding in the Foy’s lake, Bay of Bengal from the Patenga beach, and the Rangamati lake. The commercialization of Foy’s lake is a tragedy. Nothing remains of the natural habitat that surrounded the peaceful lake, and instead the calm and serenity of the place had been invaded by giant machines and mechanical giants. They have turned it into an amusement park. Only it would not amuse the people who loved the lake’s natural beauty and appreciated a breath of wilderness in the heart of the major port city. Rangamati lake is huge with dark waters which is rumoured to be so thick and sinister that a national swimming champion had died from daring to going into it. We crossed the lake to reach an island and had what may be called the most grassroots and close-to-nature luncheon of my life. We ate at peda-ting-ting, which is so famous that foreign dignitaries had come all the way to eat here. It is run by the tribal people and serves both tribal and deshi cuisine. They cook in their many different indigenous ways and the food was indeed famously delicious. The restaurant itself had a straw-roof with no walls, so that guests could take in the view of the surrounding beauty as they divulged in novelty gastronomic delights. The lunch was followed by a walk around the small island which was still pristine and free from the technological jungle of the mainland. The boat ride in Patenga beach was a different story altogether. No matter how dangerous and menacing, the sea continues to be one of the most liberating forces of nature. There is something about the vastness of the sea that makes people feel free. It could be the unending waters, or the illusion of a horizon, or the feeling of humbleness amid such enormity.
Whatever it is, it makes human realize there exists a kind of freedom where you can be free from your fears, likes, dislikes, family, society, country, and also from your very self. The kind of freedom that lets you just BE- no strings attached. That is the gift of the mighty seas to the humans. I suspect the people who live by the sea are so accustomed to this that they can hardly identify it as something distinct. But the occasional tourist or passer-by is overwhelmed by this freedom every time he comes close the sea or ocean.