This is for you Didu

My "Didu"

This is about my grandmother. She is 80 years old and has seen the ups and downs of life from a small village near Chittagong, Bangladesh to another small village in the hinterlands of Bihar. Now she lives in Patna with my masi. So today I was at their place talking with her. Suddenly I asked her if she remembered Surya Sen. My masi hearing this, laughed and said grandma even forgets their names sometimes, how could she remember someone who died 70 years back. 

So I asked again. And Grandma says, "Oh yes I do! I remember Master Surya Sen, Kalpana Dutta and all of them!" Shocked I asked if she had seen them, to this she said yes she had actually met them because she was part of a group of girls who sang a welcome song for them when they came at the Congress President's office at Chittagong. She explain how was Surya Sen dressed and how beautiful Kalpana Dutta looked.  Then came the biggest shock; she sang the whole song!

Surya Sen and most of his motely group of revolutionaries died in early 1930s. Now most Indians do not even know what happened in Chittagong on 18th April 1930. Here is one lady who remembers them all even if she doesn't remember the names of her own daughters. This generation will fade away soon, giving way to the Gen Xs and Ys who do not know and just do not care..

Masterda, this small post is for you, and for my grandparents. I worship you and am proud of them, very proud!

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For the uninitiated, you can read about Suryasen here , Kalpana Dutta here and Chittagong revolt here.