Posts by prdp1955 (6)

Tinkanana

I am sure if you are reading this post you must be puzzled with the title of this strange looking word. But for some it reminds of great treasure of love and affection. The word gets its true meaning how they are applied. Tinkanana was a lean and thin personality in his seventies when he was naturally adored by this title by cute looking group of children just learned to walk and speak. Its a different story that those little ones are now standing tall in their respective fields in new world full of challenges. Back to the story of Tinkanana, for some he was grandfather, for some he was affectionate loving father. Coming from an old village in Narayanganj (Now in Bangladesh, at that time undivided India ) way back in 1920 a flamboyant kid of 10 years full of energy with nothing to loose, playing in open ground of the village, swimming in the ponds, riding on back of buffaloes, some times jumping down to the river from a branch of the tree leaning to wards the inflating river at its bank, at times fled away from home and coming back with a wide smile on his face. This kid while enjoying life to its full also completed schooling and came through with flying colors in math's from Sonergaon GR Institute Dacca, Bengal Academy Anglo-Vernacular High School. I wonder how a village educated boy could have developed such a professionally high writing skill, I still have an old letter, the handwriting speaks so much about the education of old time. Continuing his journey in life destiny brought him to Rangoon, where Tinkanana's father Bhuvan Mohan Chowdhury was posted as station master( You may be wondering how come there came railway line in 1928 yes it was there in British India ). He completed his Civil Engineering Diploma Course from Government Technical Institute Insein, Government of Burma. When I think of it how they could have gathered courage and confidence to move to a far off place to get education from an unknown far off village to a renowned city. Then there came the ill-fated shadow of war during war time 1941-42 he was posted in Burma PWD. It was a hard time to work in aerodrome and work day and night to facilitate landing and taking off fighter planes. The army has to retreat, with that came the great journey to save life with two kids and family. We at this age can not even think of hardship and trauma of war time. Escaping from Burma to India was not easy involved land forest and part of journey on streamer in engulfing waves of Bay of Bengal. It was a miracle that Tinkanana and family survived this journey of life and death and securely bringing back not only his family, and all dependents solely securely to the land mass of main land India. Here it was a new challenge to feed a large group of family with cousins in-laws. Tinkanana being the eldest and ablest naturally took the new challenge. It rarely seen in this new social setup of all the convenience, the culture of joint family, joint responsibility and helping out looking after all equally. It was a span of about 4-10 years that took Tinkanas family to settle down. It must be 1948 family came to Akaltara then to Bilaspur and settled down there. He got posted as overseer in MP PWD. The family was now secure and could hope and work hard to get to a promising future. The journey of Tinkanana was a journey of fighting to the end, as he started as a kid with a thought of losing nothing, I think the root of all the great achievements lies in this mentality throw your self as there is nothing to loose and come up with treasure if the almighty wishes so. After all in this age of abundance and knowledge the inquisitive instinct of man kind have lead us to install James Webb Space telescope to see deep in to unknown past, I find similarity to its journey with that of Tinkanan. He is no more with us but the memory of his courage, devotion and do-or-die spirit will continue to inspire us all.