a la  Rahul Gandhi(33)

                  

                   

             We have been to Dawki border outpost from Shillong. We have gone there  for the Bazaar days too. Trading is done  between East Pakistan and Indian citizens on certain days. Their fish  or goats  for our vegetables and fruits. The BSF oversees these bazaars. Once there was a meeting between the top defence brasses on both sides. Amma was invited to dinner. We  children just sat in the dak bungalow. There was an exchange of gifts. The Indian side gave a chest of Assam tea.and some other things. What Amma got was a supposedly Dhaka muslin cloth. The colour ran on the first wash and looked like a rag afterwards. Money spent  for getting it stitched into a kameez  was a loss too. Another time Appa and the BSF top brass like IG s( yes police ranks) and brigadiers had gone there , they were fired at by the Pakistani troops. All  lives and especially one IG 's life was saved by Appa's quick thinking and bravery. We learnt of  this only through the papers next day.  Okay enough about Dawki.

                  We leave Tura behind and find ourselves in hills and valleys. Only our BSF area looks like a plateau. Village women have one cloth wrapped round their waist and one around their shoulders. No stitched blouses for them. 

              Now from Tura the border out posts are Baghmara , Mahendragunj, Dalu. At least these are the names  I still remember. Somewhere we get drumstick flower sabji made with potato and onion. Very good taste. Now we are supposed to meet the villagers. We visit their homes . Yes we are the fore runners of Rahul Gandhi. Every home  offers us tea. We are not able to even take one small sip of that   tea. Every cup and saucer and the whole place itself smells of fish. Prodded by Amma we put on a brave face and drink some. Now we can justifiably say no to the others. In the other houses they go up the loft to get us some delicacy. Pori urundai. Puffed rice balls in jaggery. Only their size is between a cannonball and a football. They give us  one each and ask us to eat.  Bazaars are conducted in these border out posts too.

              Whenever he is talking about his high altitude days Appa would say I would stand on a stone  and see three countries. So we too stand on a stone on the border to see , okay just two countries. Not much fencing anywhere.

                On the return journey at some point we diverge and go towards the Brahmaputra river. Here we go by boat to a place called Dhubri. It  looks almost like an island and a beautiful one at that. Some friend of Appa is there.  We are here to visit the Wimco match factory.  Did I tell you about our visit to the cement factory. The cement factory was near Cherrapunji. I was worried through out that visit about the cement getting wet in that rain. Well limestone is found there in abundance so the factory has to be there.  I liked the idea of this match factory being close to the waters.

          Returning  ,we have to stay at a dak bungalow. Appa goes on calling to the caretaker. He takes a very long time . Grumbling he comes  , all you madrasis have the same voice how would I know who was calling. Hey who is this other Madrasi?