Time was when traveling used to be a pleasure reserved for specific times of year. I suspect the reason why schools, colleges and courts in Kolkata (and indeed elsewhere in Bengal) would have lengthy holidays in summer and puja was that those were the time when the Bengalis would pack their bags and leave for places far and near.
Stories abound about Bengalis’ penchant for traveling, and for many of them there was as much thrill in planning holidays months ahead as in actually journeying and spending time at the destinations. During summer vacation, popular holiday homework for school students would usually be none else than narrating how and where one had spent their time. If summer and puja used to qualify for heavyweight traveling, the winter would be the time to go for picnic and checking out next-door places.
That Bengalis’ love their travel is evident in the fact that Bhraman, the lovely once-in-a-month periodical, is probably the first to have a travel website in India way back in 90s, long before the mushrooming of several of them. If you can read Bengali, you’d love the great stories like Mashaimarar Jongole (In the Jungles of Masaimara, Kenya) and many others in their site.
The quest though still remains but the holidaying is no longer that long-planned thing – at least not something you plan months ahead. And why not? There are many options to choose from, and there are professionals whose job it is to not let you bother for anything when you plan a travel.
Take for example the 4D/3N Rs.22,000 Christmas trip to Singapore. You just a drop a few words in the ears of a travel agent (in this case it is Vensimal at Poddar Court in Kolkata), and all things will be quickly taken care of. So much so that all you perhaps need to do is just board the flight on D-day. From then on, it’s only fun and enjoyment till of course the time arrives when you’ve to return.
But it’s not only Singapore that beckons you. Depending on how much your purse permits and your willingness to head anywhere, there is just no dearth of locales, ranging from exotic and little-knowns to famous landmarks and historic monuments. Just let words slip from your mouth, and you’ll be spoilt with options. Won’t you try!
Barak Express to Halflong, Assam – are you game?
[Picture source, Photographer: Shibnath Basu, © 2002 Bhraman]
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