The Riverside

A fine evening… After a couple of spells of sporadic rain, the clouds are clearing away finally. And with that, the bright sun is emerging slowly. And a cool breeze is blowing too. Couldn’t be better…

I take out my bicycle and head out to my favorite place- the Riverside or to be more precise, the Riverside Park in the colony.

If you have gone through my blog carefully, you would know by now that I loved going to the Riverside Park- like, a lot. The sight of the majestic Ganges, the beautiful sunset, the soft, green grass, the calm and gentle breeze and the captivating smell of ripe mangoes during the summer- anyone would love this place if they ever visited it. Perks of “living” in a defence colony.

I reach at the Riverside. It’s been some time since I came here due to the lockdown, but it’s okay. Once I’m here, I feel pretty happy and relieved. Just being here brings back a whole rush of nostalgia. Ever since I came to Ishapore 10 years ago, the Riverside has been my regular destination to stop by and contemplate.

I open the gate and park my bicycle in a corner. The place has changed a bit, with trees uprooted and still lying there, hanging on for dear life. A bed of mangoes lay strewn on the right side of the park. The grass has overgrown, but it kind of makes up for the loss of greenery. The swings, see-saws and the wooden benches are all covered with dust. The place seems like it hasn’t seen a soul for a while…

Back when there was no lockdown, the place was so crowded with people taking pictures and occupying the best spots in the park that I had to reach there in the afternoon itself, bearing the brunt of the harsh summer sun so that I could watch the sun sink across the Ganges peacefully.

When I came from Nagpur to here, I didn’t have any friends. That’s silly and obvious, I know. Right from then, this place fascinated me a lot. I remember sitting near the river bank and spending hours watching the Ganges and the beautiful sunset.

And even now, out of habit, I sit down near the bank and dip my legs in the cool water. It felt refreshing…

After I made friends here at Ishapore, all of us used to come to the Riverside Park and watch the sunset together, sitting over the pump house. It amazed us all, to think of the sky as a canvas and us as the painters. We used to imagine the clouds taking up various shapes and guess them, laughing and smiling. 

The sunset brought with itself so many colours and hues that changed ever so quickly. At times, when there was no noise, we could hear the sounds of the vehicles on the other side of the Ganges. We used to think how the other side on the Ganges looked like, and whether it was more beautiful. Back then, in our childhood days, the world was definitely more colorful.

But now- just thinking about the present scenario of the pandemic and the never ending lockdown was so depressing, I shake my head and try to get rid of it.

I lay down against the soft, green grass on the bank and watch the sky. Beautiful. The cool breeze, the smell of the ripe mangoes, the sound of the water lapping upto the bank, bees humming, butterflies dancing around, birds flying sky high and the dark clouds replaced by white ones. I close my eyes, soaking into the ambience and thinking about the good old days when I used to come here every day.

We used to play football and badminton over here, and on multiple occasions we had kicked the football straight into the middle of the river. What a trouble it took us to convince a passing boat to come over near the bank and return our football! From laughing and crying together and getting into heated arguments, we loved them all. 

After exams, we used to race down to the park to discuss the papers. Not to mention the fact that the day before exams, we used to spend a considerable amount right here. And I believe, every KVian at Ishapore must have gone to the Riverside after the last exam was over! The Riverside Park used to be packed with seniors, friends and little children that day…

This place had it in itself, the ability to bring relief, hope and solace. Whenever I didn’t feel happy or was in a dilemma, I always came here- sitting down near the riverside. By the time I got up, I usually got rid of my worries or got a way out. Gone are those days when I along with my friends used to come here right after school to play football, badminton, and instead all that remains is a collection of treasured memories not easily to be forgotten or lost. 

Many of my close friends got transferred to other places, just the way I left Nagpur and came here. And that hurt a lot. Perks of “leaving” a defence colony- I think, and sigh.

Perhaps, perhaps I would have to leave this beautiful place too. And maybe quite soon, coz I’ve been here for 10 years already.

Back when I was in Nagpur and in class 4, I thought moving to Ishapore due to my father’s transfer was a kind of short vacation. But as the days had passed, and the days had turned into months, which further turned into years- I realized it was not. And by then, I had lost contact with most of my classmates, barring some of my close friends.

The mere thought of leaving this place, to not be able to simply sit by the Riverside and watch the magnificent sunset, brings sadness that feels as old and terrible as life itself. I undoubtedly spent a wonderful time here at this place. But I’m not bored of this place. No way, not at all.

I open my eyes and look at the sky. Before I know it, under the reds and yellows of the sunset, the sight of the fading sun across the infinite sky takes room in me. And it clears away all thoughts and brings with itself a new hope, a new beginning when the sun rises again tomorrow. The promise that everything can go on and be good again, no matter how bad our losses might be.

The phone rings. Must be a call from Mom to return home… I get up to pick it and answer. No it’s my next-door friend Anuraag, and one of those few friends still staying in the colony.

“Hey, I am sick of this lockdown, bro. Let’s meet someday ASAP…”-he says.

I look up at the sky. The sunlight was getting dimmer. The sun would set soon.

“Umm, can you meet up at the Riverside Park now? If you hurry, we can see the sunset here.”- I ask.

“Okay cool!!”- He says and hangs up.

Anuraag manages to arrive quite fast, in about 3 minutes. And actually there’s still some time for the sun to sink in. We talk about how we were passing time during the lockdown in our own ways. And then, as if without any second thoughts, the memories of our friend circle resurfaces. But they weren’t here to discuss the football matches we played, the pranks we played, cycling together… Only if they were here…

That’s when the same idea strikes both of us. We yell-“Video Call” at the same time.

We quickly scroll through our contact list and start inviting our old friends. At times, we doubt whether they would even remember, let alone pick up the call. It’s hard to believe they would when we have been out of contact for quite some time. We wait patiently, looking at the fading evening sun.

The sun seemed to hang on for us for a little longer, so that we could relive our precious childhood and school days. Turns out that was exactly the case. Coz all of our friends- Sumit, Ishaan, Srijan, Avik, Sudeep, Sayan… (the list is a bit long, so I apologize if I missed out on you. But I hope you remember, at least..)  eventually pick up the call.

And each of them, in turn, invites another long, lost friend of ours. 

The response is overwhelming. The sun finally starts dipping. The sky looks elegant and enigmatic- filled with hues of red, orange and yellow amidst the vast sky. All of us admire the picture- perfect sunset with awe. And it’s better when all of us are together. 

Yes, for a moment, we think all of us are at the Riverside Park and not on a screen. And talking about our good old days brings so much hope that someday, after the lockdown, we could actually have a reunion here, at the riverside. And that makes life interesting- having a firm belief and conviction of a dream come true.

The darkness starts setting in. The street lights blink, and then they get illuminated. 

But our talks have no end. And so is the sound of the river water lapping up to the banks. 

Laughing and reliving old memories that were so special to us, the time doesn’t matter at all. Life is the moment we’re living right now. There’s only that moment- us laughing, crying, reliving and recollecting our best days spent here and the incredible certainty that we would meet up very soon.