Veil

It was an afternoon of a spring. I was enjoying the TV programs. My grand daughter Soily was seated by me. She was a student of class seven. Her mother that's my daughter-in-law was busy with her house hold works. My only son didn't return home. Meanwhile the calling bell rang. Soily ran fast to open the door. My younger daughter came with her son Rahat. My grand son addressed me, “Grand father, assalamu alikum. How are you?” I replied, “Oalycum Assalam. I’m fine.” My daughter embraced me and asked, “Dad, how are you?” I replied, "I'm fine by the grace of Almighty. Where is my son-in-law?" She replied, "He is busy now, that’s why he cuoldn't come with us. He'll come later and pickup us at night." I called my daughter-in-law and said to her, “My daughter, my son-in-law will come at night. Prepare rich food for him.” I called my grand son and said to him, “Yes brother, tell me your news." We engazed ourselves in a conversation.

Rahat was a student of class eight. He said to me. "Grand Father, have you seen the movie "The Shipof Angelica" today in TV?" I replied, "Yes I have seen. It is really a very good movie." My grand daughter Soily said to me, "Grand Father, I've failed to see the movie, because my teacher came at that time. Please tell me the story of the movie." I said, "Let's, listen to me."

Veil

Many days ago a ship was built named "Ship of Angelica" Though it was a ship of mechanical era yet it had no suficient mechanical devices. It was become illfated like Titanic. Titanic sank in North Atlantic Ocean due to a collision with ice-berg but it sank in the Persian Bay being victimized in a hurricane. That ship was loaded with ten boxes of gold coins secretly for an unknown destination when it started its voyage from Bosra. Man proposes but God disposes. Prior to leave the bay the ship became victimized by a strong hurricane. The ship sank and became untraced. None would say the where about of that missing ship. An old sailor came to know about the missing ship. He also gatherd the information about the gold coins. An addiction clasped him to resque the lost gold coins. He thought that the resque work had to be done by the divers who lived in the coastal belt of the bay.

The valuable persian pearls and corals were famous all through out the world. Those jewels were formed in the mouth of the rivers Tigris and Ufratis. How diversity of the creation! A caste of divers was developed along the coastal region. To collect pearls and corals was their profession. Astonishing breathing ranges were found among them. Most of them could stay hours togather under water. In those days there was no wide use of oxigen cylinders. There were many merchants in Persia who used to sail their wooden ships and hired expert divers for the collection of pearls and corals and they earned a lot by selling those to abroad.

Yes, that sailor whom I was telling about engazed himself in finding the missing ship "the Angelica" He contracted a pearl merchant for the work. He had a marine map. By the help of that map and the expert divers one day he really could discover the missing ship. He could also resque the boxes full of gold coins. After that a quarrel had been started to capture the coins. It was a long tale. Circumstances had been turned into a dangerous war. Many men died and the wooden ship was turned into pieces by the cannon shells. The boxes of gold coins sank to the bottom again. Newly married young owner of the ship lost his life. His unfortunate wife become a widow. Many events were occured in this old earth like that. Who’ll count those events? Do you understand? My grand daughter became charmed and thanked me. My grand son and grand daughter inclined themselves in an amusing conversation but I inclined myself in an another world of thinking.

Pictures of the persian divers became illuminated in my inner eyes. One kind of oysters propagates in the Persian Bay in which the valuable pearls grow. Here oysters act as natural veil. Like pearls corals also grow in the body of some marine creatures which are plants like to look at. So corals are also found in natural veils. None can say when and where from a diver'll collect those jewels from the natural viels of the bottom of the sea. The movie "Ship of Angelica" had empressed me so deeply that I saw in my eyes of imagination that I was cleaning the natural veils of the Persion Bay to find out those jewels.

Indeed all jewels of the world are reserved in natural veils by the will of the Almighty. Diamonds are found in the black veil of coal. Burmese ruby, garnets of Srilanka, Emerald of Russia all are also found in veils of the nature. We are to depute much diligence to colleet those jewels. As the nature hides the jewels they are estimated so much valuable. Like these jewels there are many messages of the Almighty which are also hidden. We have to dedicate our perseverance to find the mysteries of those messages like jewels. I've heard a very few snakes have jewels in their heads. I don't know wheather it's correct or not but if so then they'll be also rare valuable things. Who'll say which one will be a musk-deer among the thousands of mountain deer? Like these among the mankind there're also a very few men who are just like touch-stones that's the perfect men. They’re also hidden in the nature. If anybody may come to know their actual identities he'll get the real touch stones. They are the men by whose acompany a common man'll be turned into a man of perfect. But generally they are hidden in veils. Indeed veils are the beauties of all jewels.

Cycle

It was an afternoon of an autumn. My mind became melancholy. I went out from my house. I thought that if I could make myself merged and inseparable with the nature! I started walking. I didn't even notice when I came near the river side unknowingly. The time was dusk. The west sky was still then shining rosily. I understood that the sun had sunk a little before for its rest after its whole-day performance. It radiated golden rays all throughout the day uninterruptedly. Photosynthesis was in action in the plants. Disciplined life-cycles of the organic diversity of the nature were active. Pushing apart the intensified light the sun gave a polite, beautiful and charming induction to the prior of its departure. It gave an enjoyable rosy dusk. As it were its valedictory smile.

Cycle

The rosy colour of the sky turned the river water rosy and created a heavenly scenery. Enjoying the scenery I became quite absorbed. Gradually the rosy colour became faded. Dark was overwhelming the breast of the nature. Everything became tired and pale. The leaves of the plant "Gul Mohar" paired the sleeping bonds. As it were the nature was arranging its evening ceremony. The distant birds were returning to their nests. I remembered the lyrics of my own song.

Evening overwhelmed

The birds returned

But you didn't come

I alone

Counting the time

In my poor dark home

I was standing on the bank of the river. The engine sound of a distant going launch was entering into my ears as a peculiar melody. I never enjoyed such an emotion. Dark overwhelmed the locality. The river banks became inconspicuous. The light of the opposite bank began to twinkle. The reflections of the light in the river water were looked like the night dance of golden threads. Suddenly I got back my sense. So long I was absorbed in a charming dusk ceremony.

I turned back to return home. My vision was fixed in the east-sky. The moon of eleventh day of lunar fortnight began to smile. I didn't notice when it was became illuminated behind me. As it were it was talking silently with me, “What has been happened with the departure of the sun? I have appeared to reflect the light of the sun among you. One’s disappearance leads the arrival of other’s. It is the rule of the nature. The nature can not be stopped. So there's always a game of hide and seek in the nature. Have you ever realised the matter?”

I understood- at the end of a dark night the golden dawn comes; a son becomes the owner of the house after his father, a widow gets shelter by her offspring at last; the departure of the old leads the arrival of the young; a religious guide selects his representative before his decease; one’s starting begins with the end of other’s. For that reason the poet Tagore has sung "your starting has begun but my completion has ended.'' It is an infinite, eternal and ever existing cycle which runs forever.

A Blooming Rose

A Blooming Rose

   A blooming rose doesn't stay as it is forever. One day she'll be pale and withered. Her petals will fall off. She'll be dull and inert at last. Likely, this flower also started to wither. I thought that she'd be plucked then because she'd must be withered as usually after a few days later. So I plucked the flower and placed her on my table. I was getting a sweet fragrance even after several days later. One day I was reading a book. Suddenly my vision was fixed on that withered flower. I saw her gloomy and flaccid body. I thought that one day who showed a life response, dispersed a sweet fragrance, gave me perfect satisfaction and created my heart transparent and loving but now she has become gloomy and inert. With a painfull heart I threw the flower through the window. I thought in the next moment that if the result of my heroine had been tragic so, how my story would be continued? So I didn't throw her from my heart.

 

I planted some flowering plants in tubs in the balcony. There were tuberose, marigold, chrysanthemum and rose. One day I noticed a bud had been emerged from the rose plant. I became very glad. I waited with my deep inquisitiveness till the blossom of the flower. Time of waiting is always bothering. After two days later the flower became booming with its sweet fragrance. I noticed that the butterflies were coming to the flower. I smelled the flower. How sweet the smell was! Approaching to pluck the flower I couldn't. My mind resisted me. My mind told that the flower was looked beautifull on the plant. She was the offspring of the plant. If I had plucked her the mother plant would be very much shocked. The flower was twistisg in the air. Looking her glamourous appearance I felt that she was a nice vergin. As it were she was talking with me silently, "I have a life like you. I have a seperate existence and silent expressions. Do you think about me?" Thinking the matter I didn't pluck the flower. I smelled the flower time to time. Meanwhile a love was established between us. I thought that the flower would be the main character that's the heroine of my story. I took my pen.

I was thinking about the way by which how could I return my heroine in my story. In that moment my wife came and said, "There'll be a function in our house today. We need some flowers" I answered, “Ok, I'll go for that" Now-a-days in our country the use of flower in every function has become a tradition. Previously there’re no much uses of flowers. We never saw any flower shop in our boy-hood. Everyman used to collect flowers from gardeners. But at present flower shops are usually found in every town of our country. Now flower trade is in bumper. I've seen in the newspaper that our country is going to export flowers. Flower cultivation in our country is now remarkable. I remembered the country of Japan. Japanese are flower loving people. The use of flower in Japan is very much. They're very expert in decorating their houses with flowers. That trend has begun to stream in our country also. Of coures it is a good news.

I remembered a hadith. Our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (S:) said, "If you have a single penny, you purchase your food by it but if you have extra one, you purchase flower by that." Almost all poets of the world have written poems with the example of flowers. Rabindranath Tagore, our national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and so many others have written their poems with flower examples. The famous poet William Wardsworth wrote his remarkable poem "Daffodils". Excluding the poets you come to the common people. It's quite unbelievable that a man doesn't like flower. Remember the Valentine’s day, you'll find many men with flowers. Everyone goes to his beloved person with flower. When I was quite absorbed in those thinkings my wife reminded me to go to purchase flower. My thinking was interrupted and I went out for flower.

Now-a-days in our country the flower shops have become well decorated. They have been decorated with various showy flowers. The names of the flower shops also have been fixed according to the name of various flowers. I entered into a flower shop. I ordered the shopkeeper to make a flower bouquet. A young boy of the shop made a beautiful flower bouquet with red roses and other beautiful flowers within a short time. I became astonished and thought "pratice makes a man perfect'. I took the flower bouquet and paid the price. I tried to smell the flowers but I shocked. The flowers were smelless. I asked the shopkeeper “Why these roses have no smell?" Shopkeeper replied, "These flowers are showy only but they have no smell. They're new hybrids and are cultivated in plenty in our country. They don't disperse fragrance." I became hopeless.

I returned home with that flower bouquet. Many thinkings were gathering in my mind. There're many men who’re only showy but they've no qualities. On the contrary there're some people who've no facial beauties but they've many good qualities. Indeed a man of quality always disperses his fragrance like a blooming rose.

I gave the flower bouquet to my wife and inclined myself on my bed. I was thinking about how I could return my heroine in my story. I didn’t know when I became drowsy. The heroine of my story who bloomed in my balcony came in my drowsiness. She was loughing wilh a heavenly smile. She was telling me, “Do you remember me? I was the blooming rose of your balcony. I dedicated my life for the sac of dispersing fragrance among you. I finished my existence to establish a clean peace in your minds. If you can disperse the peace message to the mankind, you'll be a real fragrant blooming rose. Man'll come to you to gain clean peace. Remember that flower does'nt bloom for ownself.  So you should bloom your heart for others.” When I was listening deeply the flower’s tale my wife came suddenly and pushed me. She said to me, “Why are you sleeping in the day? Let’s come, our function is going to be started soon.” I woke up and attended the function rubbing my eyes. Still then I was looking in my inner eyes the heavenly smiled appearance of that fragrant blooming rose.

Medium

It was the month of December. The annual examinations of my children had been ended. They pressed me to go for a tour. I didn't refuse them. One day we started to go to the country-side. After crossing the Rupsa Bridge we got in a bus. We reached Fakirhat within an hour. We had to go three miles inteior to reach our native village Hejalpur. We hired a van and started to go there.

Our minds became full of joys to see the sceneries of the country-side after a long piriod. It was the time of harvest. The peasants're harvesting their annual crops the golden paddy. They're carrying it in cart. Their hearts're becoming full of hopes. Smelling the odour of the soil and crops I remembered the memories of my boy-hood. I've been living in town for ten years since I've been appointed in my job but originally I was a boy of this village. I'm a man of this soil. The smell of this soil is mixed with my body and mind. Once I was brought up in this soil. My body has been built up by taking foods from this soil. The substance of this soil is streaming in my veins and arteries.

Our van was runing through the path. There're extended paddy fields in both sides. Ripe paddy spikes're glittering in sun-light. Distantly located Hijalpur village came into my vision. I said to my children and wife, "Look at our native village" They looked curiously. Gradually the village became visible conspicuously. The old banian tree of the village with its hanging roots, the lines of memorable trees like silk-cotton, polash, hijol etc came into our visions. Our minds reached the village early than us.

We reached very near to the village. One of my cousins named Mizanur was working in the field. He saw and came to us. He asked, “Brother, how are you?” I replied, “I'm fine by the grace of Almighty." I asked him, “How are you?" He replied, “I'm also fine. Go to our village. I'll come soon.” My wife requested me to take a bunch of paddy spikes. I expressed the matter to my cousin. He gave us a bunch of ripe paddy spikes.

We entered into the village. It was that very Hijalpur village which was shaded by the trees and resounded by chattering of the birds. Advancing through the serpentine paths of the village we reached our paternal house. My father and mother died long before. My younger brother lives here. I used to come here occasionally. Seeing our arrival my younger brother's family and nighbour rushed to us. Hearty congratulations're exchanged. I felt a cordial love in my heart. I was pointing out everything of the surroundings to my children. Men're threshing corns in the premises with bulls. Cocks and hens're wandering with cackle. Growing gourd plant was in the thatch. The memories of my father, mother and boyhood came into my memory. My eyes became full of tears.

I washed my hands and mouth and took a seat in the porch. The wife of my younger brother entertained us with cake and porridge. I took those with my maximum satisfaction. I was seated in the porch. I saw an old hen was wandering in the premises with its chickens. The chickens're also wandering but when the hen cackled loudly all the chickens rushed under the wings of the hen. The hen was saving its chickens from the attack of kite and falcon. The hen was much alert about its duty to save its chickens. Seeing the scene a different thinking entered into my mind. I thought that like kite and falcon passions're always flying in the sky of our minds. If they get any opportunity they'll swoop to us and lead astray. If we want to save us from the attack of passions we have to submit ourselves under the guidance of spiritual preceptor. Who can save us under his invisible wings. He can guide us in the right path. Those who have not got spiritual preceptor they're ill-fated. They're lucky who have got spiritual father. They have been saved from the swoop of passion.

After having the lunch we took rest and we went out for a walk in the afternoon. We walked through the serpentine paths of the village. Many village people congratulated us. I saw some women're crashing pulses in the millstones. I remembered a wellknown verse of the great saint Kabir Das. He expressed in his verse all pulse-grains're becoming deformed by the crashing of the millstones but those pulse grains which're remained attached with the peg of the stone only exempted from crashing. In this verse he wanted to express the importance of spiritual father. He indicated sky and land by the two millstones and by the peg of the stone he indicated the spiritual father. He wanted to express most of the men within sky and land would  be derailed by the attack of the passion but a few men'ld be exempted who'll connect themselves with the spiritual father.

Advancing through the narrow paths of the village when we reached the paddy field it was dusk. I became absorbed in the induction of the dusk. I felt that I found out a universal truth seeing a hidden scene of the nature. I fixed my vision on the setting sun. The sun sat gradually. Dark began to overwhelme. Peasants returned to their huts. Lamps’re lighted hut to hut. The village became resounded with new-grain festival. We returned home. The night gradually became late through our conversation and supper. We went to our beds.

In the next day we got up early in the morning. A peasant brought date-palm juice. We took that with fried rice in our breakfast. It was very tasteful. My younger brother caught a big fish from the pond by net. We took our lunch with fried fish and chicken. Then the time came for our departure from the village. We started our return-journey for town with teared eyes. We reached the Khulna city before evening. Our as usual urban-lives're restarted.

In the next-day I was seated in my room listlessly. My wife placed the paddy spikes in my room decorously which she brought from the village. I saw again the golden paddy spikes with deep intimacy. I smelled the spikes. I got the odour which was the known fragrance of my native village. I again remembered the memories of my passed village life. I felt that very moment when I realised the necessary of spiritual father in our lives.

Bridge

A guest came to my house from Dhaka. He was a retired engineer. Both of we were diabetic patients. Morning walk was essential for us. I thought that if we could turn our morning walk into a special visit, it would be an extra enjoyable matter for us. Concealing the idea I went with him early in the morning.

There were very few spots of recreation in Khulna. Maximum of them were not enough to give much satisfaction specially for the man of Dhaka because Dhaka was full of such corners. So I decided to visit newly constructed "Rupsa Bridge" thinking that it would be able to give an impression to the mind of my guest. Not disclosing the matter to him I started walking. We walked for some time. Our bodies became sweated which was beneficial for our health. I hired a rickshaw. He asked me, "Where will you go?" I replied, ‘‘It may be anywhere. Don't be afraid. I’ll not take you to any bad place.’’ Approaching near he could understand that we were going to visit the Rupsa Bridge. He told, “Well, today’s morning walk will be memorable.”

We climbed up the bridge by staircase. We became charmed to see the beauty of surrounding green plants. We had no idea about the beauty of green vegetation from above. We enjoyed the beauty for a considerable time. I thought that how nicely the Almighty has created this beautiful earth! He is the greatest artist beyond all artists. My head became inclined to offer praise to him. None could complete to render praise to the Almighty in his life period. If the total water of the earth becomes ink and the total plants become pens yet mankind can't complete to render the legitimate praise to the Almighty.

We started walking to cross the bridge. The little villages, cottages, paddy fields, green vegetations of the other side of the river were looked like pictures. Morning induction was still then comfortable. Touch of cold wind was giving a sound comfort to our bodies and minds. We reached the middle of the bridge. Looking down my head moved round. I understood that it was normal feel when a man climbed up a long height. I felt my body less weighted. My engineer companion enlightened me the modern technology of the bridge.

We were standing on the bridge. Looking the beautiful scenery of the other side of the river I didn't notice when I was adsorbed in an induction. As it were I was looking in my inner eyes that a peasant wife was making ready her husband to send to the field. I felt an eternal love between them. Actually expansion of love is felt world wide. Love peeps behind the big palaces, simple cottages, tents of deserts and sheds of beggars. Everywhere there is love but its expression is different. Love comes to our lives as the beauty of spring. As the spring rotates in season cycle the love also comes to and goes from our lives. Unknowingly Love comes to our lives and disappears likely. If it is once lost it is very tough to restore. When I was completely absorbed in those thinkings suddenly my companion asked me "What are you thinking?" I answered, “What? Nothing"

We were standing on the bridge. The sun rose up. The two terminals of the bridge cought my vision. I saw the bridge which connected the both banks of the river and was connected with the link roads. A deep feel was created in the kingdom of my mind. I thought that like the bridge everyman was a living bridge. Our existence has come from an unknown world and one day we must have to go to an another unknown world after our deaths. We are the connecting bridges of those two unknown mysterious worlds.

I started walking with a thinking mind. We reached the other terminal of the bridge. I felt that like the bridge our lives were also living bridges which connected a prolonged, unknown and mysterious paths what we had crossed and another what we have to cross. As it were our lives are infinite adventures. We are the adventurers of these endless paths. We are always creating the living connecting bridges within these infinite eternal paths.