A Tale of My City

Its already midnight, as we boarded in the flight from Biju Pattnaik International airport to Mumbai and
from there to my destination Munich, Germany. My daughter is in half sleep mode on my lap, as I am
looking endlessly through the window outside. Ahh !! Bidding Good bye is the hardest ever task for me.
Yes, it’s now time to say bye to my native land Odisha. As I am floating in the midst of white clouds,
few thousand feet above my land, leaving behind my city, my own people, colourful PowerPoint slides
running through my mind, playing all lovely memories what I just freshly collected from my city...

I am from Rourkela, which is considered as one of the major cities of western Odisha. Also known as
Steel city of Odisha, a very small and quite city surrounded by hills and encircled by rivers like, Sankha,
Koel and Bramhani. There is a place in Rourkela named Vedvyas, which is the sangam of two rivers
Sankha and Koel River and named as Bramhani. It is a mythological belief that epic “The Mahabharata”
was written by Maharishi Vyas at this holy place. There is a century old puja being organised here on
the eve of JAGAR or MAHA SHIVRATRI, where thousands of devotees, from neighbouring state too,
make their presence here to celebrate the auspicious occasion. Due to the presence of ROURKELA
STEEL PLANT, people from different states have came and settled down here for their earning and
livelihood. So Rourkela is rich with varieties of culture, language and food and festivities. Few notable
personalities, who are recognised globally have their root in Rourkela, MIRA NAIR, BIBHU
MAHAPATRA (known face in fashion industry,USA) DILIP TIRKEY, DILIP RAY, BISWAPATI
SARKAR(TVF fame)
Yes, this is my city where I belong to, where I was born, where I took my first wobbly baby step, this city
has given me life and taught me how to live it. Still remember the wet smell of the soil of monsoon (back
in school, we used to be insanely happy, when it was declared a day Off due to heavy rain.. dancing on
street with friends while coming back to house ) . On a lazy chilly winter morning, how I used to curl
up like a cat beneath my blanket, and those hot summer afternoon eagerly waiting for kulfiwalas ( I
still wonder why all of them put a red cotton cloth around the matka !!).

Being born in a western Odiya family, there is a special significance for NUA KHAI/
NABANNA which falls after the day of GANESH CHATURTHI, one of the most important festivals of
Western Odisha. It is very important for farmers and agricultural community, as they offer their newly
harvested rice/crop to their village God/Goddess and afterward have their Nua. It’s a 15 long days of
preparation, after gone through different process, finally they offer first crop/rice to the deity, and have it
as Prasad. And then it comes the JUHAR BHET, where we touch the feet of all the elders of the family
for their blessings. So back in my family, there was an yearly compulsory trip to Bolangir, to attend the
festival with our Grandparents and relatives. It was the only time where we got to meet all the relatives
and cousins, and we used to have endless fun, new dresses with authentic odiya cuisine.

Slowly and gradually, time passed away, we could not make regular visit to native due to higher
studies, tight schedules and finally had to leave Rourkela to come to Bangalore for better job prospect.
Then there was a different life all together, new people and their new culture, job, competition for better
salary, a comfortable life, survival...and so on. As I entered in to the wedlock, new experience,
challenges and many more new chapters like this kept on adding to my book. My life all these years on
a fast track, during this journey I made friends, some are good, few are very close to heart, stayed in
some of the best cities of India, last couple of years in Germany, embraced their culture, met new
people, visited exotic European locations, had some of the best Food and Wine..But my city Rourkela
memories I have the best till date!!!! In the journey of LIFE, We meet people, make tons of memories,
but one can never ever forget those moments which they experienced or the first time in their life and
in my case all those old memories lead to only one place..MY City, My Rourkela!!!!

With the gentle tapping of someone I suddenly got up from deep sleep, that’s my husband, fastening
my seat belt, as we are now about to land in Mumbai. Afterwards we need to catch another connecting
flight, which will take us to our destination Munich. While walking down, I have already made my plan
for next year trip to India. I will have to come again... to make memories..to pay visit to few places, to
few people who are still waiting for me, my college (in Panposh), Maa Tarini temple on the way to
college, Gupchup stall particularly in Cheend and Basanti colony, unlimited shopping from those
unnamed small shops in daily market...will roam around those narrow streets, where still few silly
innocent laughters, giggles lying beneath those dusty lanes.I will come back to refresh and relive my
childhood AGAIN ....!!!!