Memoirs of Meerut

: “If you live away from the place of your identity then you live a life of refugee.”

 My friend said once. He is correct in many aspects. It’s has been more than twelve years since I left Assam. Most of the time there is paucity of time to spend enough time in home during my home visit.  I have missed most of the Bihu, Uruka bhoj, marriage and other moment of crisis where my presence in Guwahati is required.  In many places my family is the only family who can speak in Assamese in the city. Even if you live amongst friend and family it’s a kind of emptiness within.

“Once you start to live in a place, you start developing roots “the other day my friend said in a contradictory statement

That’s also true...

I lived in Dehradun from 2007to 2012. The city had nostalgia of my youth hood. The atmosphere at that time resembled much that of Guwahati in 90s. The landscape, simplicity of locals suited my temperament.  Besides developing professional skills and propagating in my profession out here I was acquainted with the rules of the jungle with end number of visit to Rajaji National Park and sometime Corbett national Park.  Developed lots and lot of friends and well-wisher and almost in a time where the feeling was as such that I belong here I shifted to Meerut.  (And in the meanwhile my much elongated journey as a bachelor also finished in Dehradun only.)

2012 to 2018 I was in Meerut.

I was little bit apprehensive in the beginning, but gradually roots developed here too.  Abu lane, Begam pull, shoprix mall gradually got incorporated in our daily lingo. Street food or Moglai dishes, Fish market came handy and also the proximity to Delhi was the very helpful while connecting to the main land. There were occasional news of gunshot, here and there or lifting of chain /car here and there in the news paper, there were history of riots. Only once I was shocked by such news when owner of a pharmacy which I frequented was shot dead by some miscreant.  No such thing bothered us during those six years.

In personal front..both of my child Pratysh and Pokhi were borne here

As far as professional achievement was concerned, out here also I was lucky... my seniors supported me , juniors believed me, support staff  gave me faith overall teamwork was awesome during numerous milestone (Infection control , NABL, NABH , others ) we covered together .

With my students too I had their faith, in my personal moment of crisis like when my son was sick, everyone stood beside me like a rock.

Shifting is a big physical and mental stress. With every year things I have acquired has compounded ..and this time it is with two kids its been a Herculean task ..

Just in a time when I began to have my roots entangled in Meerut...I shifted again...this time to Bharatpur, Rajasthan …

Rolling  stone? Destiny …. Don’t know

But life continues, like a river flows