18/12/2022
The one bigha land costs only 6000 or 7000 Bangladeshi taka ( edited rupees) in 1960 in Dhanmandi R.A. It was a land of paddy field with water. Initially, my father was not so keen to invest his money here. But my mother was determined and insisted him to buy the land where she wanted to live happily ever after.
So, my father threw a stone and acquired the land from the government by purchasing it for my mother and the family. It was the best decision but an expensive one, once my father said.
That's how we moved from the Azimpur government colony to Dhanmandi RA, the first house on the right of Road old 29, opposite to the Sobhhanbag mosque on left hand side and opposite to the Sobhhanbag petrol pump station on the Mirpur Road side.
My father was working at the Department of Industry at that time. He moved to the new plot after building an one storied building, with my mother, khala and four children. Lalu, Kachi, Rita and Rina. That's how we were known to our very few good neighbours during that time. We had to cross the mango and lychee gardens in Sobhhanbag to meet our friends in the neighbourhood. Our first friends were Rita, Riya and Zia. My mum and khalas were friends to their mum and khalas. My brother made friends with Faiz, Shaukat, Sohrab, China, Nimmi, Zaki Noman and many more in the neighbourhood in no time. In the evening of 1960s, we used go for walks with our father to see how the Dhanmandi lake was dug, being made still in some parts of Dhanmandi. We witnessed the 1971 liberation war, 1975 killing of Bongobondhu, helped the freedom fighters during Mukti Juddho, all from this house. We didn't go anywhere during those 9 months of liberation war. My father was there to protect us from the evil hands and MashaAllah we weren't touched by militaries or hooligans ever, despite living in the roadside house all these years and in many difficult times.
After my father's death in 1976, my mother built the second floor of the house and rented to different people for an income source, before my brother started his own family and lived there till we sold the house in 2003.
The once empty, wet paddy field became a golden mine for various trees and plantations of fruits, flowers and even a place for different types of animals. We had dogs, cats, cows, goats, even monkeys and once, a deer. A beautiful place for everyone. All due to the visionary and hardworking two people. My parents worked hard to make it a beautiful, simple but a peaceful place to live in.
The house had a fountain in the front, my father copied the design of then the Shahbagh fountain, where we used to sit for an afternoon tea. My mother planted some shapla, lotus flowers in the 6 or 7 meter deep fountain water, where later she harvested some fish too. The afternoon scene was a pleasant one in that home. My mother is catching fish from the fountain water with a borshi or a fishing hook, for fun or consumption, my father is having tea, sitting on the side of the fountain and we the children are playing in the big garden, either badminton or just plucking flowers for the internal decorations. Such a lovely scene.
We were a happy family. A peaceful family. We grew up in that home, got married from that house and went back to visit our mother, brother and his family again and again till it was sold to A.R. Plaza. It was a difficult but a family decision.
Our friends in Dhanmandi still recall the memories associated with the house, where they used to come and watch the first NEC television, our one bought in 1964. A black and white TV era but with interesting programmes with only one PTV channel.
We had mangoes, jackfruits, coconut, guava, dalim, koromcha, jaam, fig, lichu, boroi/plums and supari/ bettlenuts trees surrounding the two storied house. Everyone used to love the fruits that my mother shared with them. Her mango and boroi pickles were to die for.
The Dahlia, Marigold, Cosmos, Roses, Togor, Gladiola and many more flowers in our garden used to disappear by the evening of 20th February for a good cause. People made garlands of flowers to decorate the Shahid Minar for the 21st February event during those days.
The house was our home with loads of fond memories and I believe it was the same for many friends and relatives who visited and resided in that house over the 43 years.
© Nazma Kabir
