Bangladesh – History relived

Another day, another trip; this is the life! My sentiments exactly as I headed towards the National Museum on a crisp Saturday morning. My thoughts hovered upon the absence of my much-awaited morning tea followed by a general speculation as to why I had worn socks on a day which demanded less than a light pashmina.

The CNG cut through the eight a.m. air like a butcher’s knife, and in no time, I found myself standing outside the gates of my destination. My eyes welcomed the sights of some of the girls in my class, and as we waited for our other comrades to arrive, the sun blazed and glittered in the sky.

Food for thought: The sky has no color, nor does water, but still we see them in shades of rainbow: Nature’s illusion at its utmost.

***

We flocked towards the Museum like sheep and were met by our class lecturer Asst. Prof. Dr. Shahnaj, who in turn introduced us to our guide for the day, Dr. Nilu Shamsur Nahar, an enthusiast on all things ‘desi’, an egalitarian and a patriot. It was no surprise that I instantly took a fast liking to her, and tried to concentrate on her words instead of letting my mind indulge in voracious thoughts of gluttony. She briefed us about the Museum, which was founded in 1913, making it almost a hundred years old, had 46 galleries.

Note: First Museum in Bangladesh: Rajshahi Barendra Research Museum (1909).

***

We were herded towards the stairs and taken to the second floor and into the room containing the map of Bangladesh. Together between Maam and Dr. Nilu, they pointed out various regions with abundant (?) existing indigenous components. We strolled into the following gallery of corals, a giant slab of fossil wood approximately 2.5 million years old and different mineral samples. The room reminded me of science classes back in fifth grade where we had to bring in samples of barley and wheat and pretend to be interested in gawking at them.

Food for thought: Fine white clay found in northern regions of Bangladesh produces exquisite porcelain. Ample amounts of coals, limestone and hard-rock beds to be found around the country. Interestingly enough, outsiders seem to be coming in here and taking them away while we, materialistic Bengalis, stand aside and let them have their way due to the small monetary compensation they provide. Months later we seem to be buying goods from the same outsiders who had once come into our country and extracted our raw materials and had produced their finished goods, thus, paying for things which were, in fact, ours to keep and use.

Note: We are a stupid nation; excuse the crudity.

Next we glanced at crop, cereal and spice samples, hurrying on to flora and fauna, and into the clutches of the animal kingdom. A minor fast forward brought us to the fish palace which, I must add, held a gigantic skeleton of a mammoth-like fish.

Food for thought: Interestingly enough, the swordfish, apparently prone to mammal-like properties feeds its babies with a fine liquid it carries, milk, and yet, it is still just a fish.

Note: Our national flower is the white water lily, not any water lily. Dr. Nilu made it a translucent point of how she expected school children not to know the correct answer to this query. Something tells me that she derived a subtle yet malicious pleasure in being informed about our insolent ignorance.

***

Enter ye, into the boat shindig. Displaying boats with the slightest link to our country, the gallery held the air of grandeur and heritage. You could almost picture the people involved in this craft. We strolled from object to object as a slight hint of a prestigious lineage crept into our egos. Visiting galleries exhibiting local wares, nakshi kathas, clay pottery, coins, dolls and sports the cultures of the various tribes scattered around the country, we came to the gallery of local musical instruments.

Astounded, I yearned to learn how to play all of them starting from the ek tara to the flute.

Of course this was followed by three of my personal favorite galleries: the gallery containing all sorts of religious and ritual objects, the gallery of ancient writings (Pandulipi), and the two galleries of local and international arts.

Food for thought: Buddhism has six gods and goddesses. This was conflicting since I had always thought it to be a Monotheist religion it anything, and one, which preaches humility and peace as far as my knowledge goes. A cutaway thought – Lord Krishna is depicted as black just like the sky. It was probably to signify His Eternal depth and transparency; air, water, infinite.

Note: Must start painting again; the trip was inspirational at the least. Also, one of the gods displayed had a fish tail, like that of a merman. I must find out the significance. Also, I need to go to the galleries displaying religious and ritual objects again for my own peace of mind.

The visit was a short one; only two hours. And yet, I found it amusing that I had been given a considerable amount of input into the lives of the people who had inhabited this land which we now claim as our country. Maam had remarked that patriotism arose from colonization, and this struck a chord somewhere. Come to think of it, if patriotism exists in its true form, then it would make humanitarians and egalitarians patriots as well.

Same hat, different person.

Comical since that is exactly what we have been doing in all aspects of life calling an object by multiple names and claiming one was more correct over the other like water, jol and pani, per say.