Thaanda matlab...

Aajkaal Delhi-tey besh jaaNkiye thaanda powRechhe. Maane emon-i thaanda, paaraa naamtey naamtey emon jaaygaaye pouchhechey je prochur lok bolchhen, aar sref paara jachhe na.

Ei shomoy shobcheye beshi laabh hoy dui type-er company-r. Prothom hochhe telephone. Aajkaal-kaar chobbish ghanta-r TV channel-er daulat-e chokkher nimesh-e phone choley aashe Kolkata theke, jei naa khobor-e dekhalo oi Delhi-r temperature kotoh.

Ei ekti mattor shomoy-e lokjon mon diye oi Weather Report dekhey boTey. Onnannyo shomoy toh whether they exist or not, maane oi jaara weather pawRey, shetaai karor kheyaal thaake na. Aami kintu bowrabowr oi ekti jinish khub mon diye dekhtaam - jaake boley aabhawa doptor-er baani. Na, aamar kokhunoi 'Ab hawa thanda hoga, ya garam' ei byapar-e interest chhilo naa - aami mon diye India-r map-ta dekhtaam aar kon state kothaaye taar ektaa khoshra aaNka-r chesta kortaam mawgoj-e.

Aamar state-gyaan jotoTah unstated thaake totoh-Taai bhaalo. Ekbaar mon-e achhe, aami tokhun Class VI-e powRi, aamader Bhugol-er Didimoni aamader shobaaike India-r map eNkey taatey koyekta rajjyo point out kortey bolechhilen. Aami puro ek ghanta dhorey mon diye India-r map eNkechhilam. Khaata jokhun pherot pelaam dekhlaam Didimoni likhe diyechhen 'Aami Mughlai paratha bhaalobaashi, shetaa tumi jaanley ki kowre?'

Oh, haan. Er moddhey toh aabar New year-o eshe choley gelo. Shey ek aajob hirik. Office-e lok jon line beNdhey daaNr koriye 'Happy New Year' shonaabe. Jodi baa keTey beriye gelen, taao chharbe na, eshe haajir hobey aapnaar desk-e.

Maane, aami theek ei concept-ta bujhi naa. ETaao bujhi naa je jokhun aami oi 2nd January, aamar ek colleague-ke onek din baadey dekhe 'Hello' bollam, shey keno 'Same to you' boley choley gelo!

Haan, aabar katha-r khei haariye phellam. Hochhilo oi duto company-r katha jaara ei thaanda-r shomoy gorom business korey. Dwitiyo company hochhe courier service. Taader-o romm-romaa byapar. Praay-i Kolkata theke rowmosh shob monkey cap 'Extremely Urgent' parcel-e korey pouchhey jaaye Delhi shohor-er aanachey kaanachey.

Aamar aabar ekkarei thaanda laage na. Maane etoi laage na, je aami 2 degree celsius-er moddheo half haatha jaama aar jeans powrRey ghoraghuri kori. Ekhun etaar ekta bishaal oshubidhey achhe. Bolchhi keno.

Sheydin raastaaye bohudin por aamar school-er ek Master-moshaai-er shaathe dekhaa holo. Unee-i aamake chinlen, kaaron onaar jaa obosthaa chhilo, aamar pokkhey onaake chena puro-puri oshombhob chhilo.

Maane, kokhuno kono kombol courier hotey dekhechhen, ki? Ebaar visualize korun, shei kombol du paaye heNtey choley berachhe. Na, na, aaro achhe. Aami Master-moshai-ke dekhe pronaam kortey jachhilaam. Neechu hotei goNtta khelaam onaar pet-er kaachhe. Aami iishowt shondigdho drishti-tey taakatey, unii nijei bollen 'Na, na.. pronaam noy'. Aami bhaablaam, modern byapar-shyapar. Taao ekbaar aaRh chokh-e taakiye dekhlaam je onaar khetrey pronaam-ta projojjyo noy, paaye pawRa is far easier.

Unii je obosthaye chhilen tokhun, shetaa kombol bolley bhul hobey - onektaa peyaNj-er motoh. Maane layer upon layer, puro winter clothing-er supermarket. Ki nei, muffler, tupi, gloves, sweater, jacket, cardigan, mojaa - shey ek shottikaarer mowjaa-r drishhyo.

Jaai hok, unii jokhun nije thekei apotti jaanalen, aami aar baad shaadhlaam na. Maane CR Park-er main road-e shaashTangey pronaam kawrar motoh aamar kono ichhei chhilo naa. Taai aami haath baaraalam, with the intention of a handshake. Ki je bhul korlaam, bowlaar noy.

Bhodrolok prothom-e tupi-ta ektu naak theke naamalen. Tarpowr chokh theke oThaalen. Erpowr jacket-er pocket theke haath ber korlen. Prothom-e bhul kowrey baaN haath-er gloves khuley phelechhilen, obhyyesh bowsh-ey. 'Eh, hey' boley aabar oi gloves-ta powrey DaaN haath-er gloves-ta jokhun khultey gelen, dekhlen aami tokhun-o half salute pose-e daaNriye achhi. Onaar bodhoy ektu doyaa holow taai dekhe. Aamake bollen 'Shono, ei gloves-ta ektu khuley daao toh!'

Ei phone shonKrantoh ekta anecdote mon-e powRey gelo. Aamar colleague. Aajkaal aabar thaanda-o jomiye powRechhe. Maaney office eshe ungli prodorshon kortey besh shomoy laage. Taa sheirokom ekta din, office pouchhey uni kauke ekta phone kowrechhilen. Bolaai bahullyo maatha aar aangul-er moddhey cross connection hoye giye, jaa dial kowraar katha chhilo taa naa hoye onno kono ektaa nombor hoye gechhilo. HoThaat shuni aamar shei colleague besh jowr kaukey ektaa dhowmok dichhen 'Well, if it is the wrong number, why did you pick it up?'

Ei phone niye aamar-o besh kharaap obhiggowtaah achhey. Aamake jehetu thaanda jinish-ta affect korey naa, aamar bujhtey ektu shomoy laage ki how others and their daily routine get influenced by this winter. Ei jemon...ei dhorun, besh kichhudin aagekaar katha. Sheet-kaal je bolaai bahullyo. Shondher dik. Aami aamar ek superior-ke phone korechhi. Tokhun kawTa baaje - ei 9-9:30pm.

Bhodro-taar khaatir-e the first thing I asked was 'Were you sleeping? Did I wake you up?'

Uttor eloh 'Ek ghanta powrey phone koro. I shall be sleeping then!' Click.