cut the cake. Pictures by Prithwish Karforma
You’ve heard of family reunions, college reunions, but a housing complex reunion? That too in a township where residents are accused of not even knowing their next doors neighbours?
Well, Sraboni Abasan has set the record straight. The first generation of residents at the Sector III complex recently held a reunion at FD Block community hall attended by more than 35 families.
“Those were the days,” reminiscenced Pronoti Bose, who lived there from 1980 to 1995. “We would celebrate all occasions together. I would gather the kids and get them to sing while someone else would make them do plays.”
In fact, Jyotirbhushan Dutta had first entered Sraboni Abasan during one such celebration. “It was 25 Baisakh, 1980. Very few families were living there but even then they were celebrating Rabindrajayanti. We immediately felt at home,” said Dutta, now aged 80.
Sraboni Abasan is a state government officers’ housing complex and those who lived there between 1979 and 1995 had come for the meet. “I spent my childhood there and had a wonderful time. Gradually we moved out to study, work or get married and settle in different localities,” said Pradip Kundu, who now lives in Delhi. “But then we found one another on Facebook and started a WhatsApp group called Sraboni Abasan Friends.”
In April 2016, they held a small get-together at City Centre and decided to hold this bigger meet in winter when their families would come down too. “We couldn’t attend last time but this year we planned our trip in a way that we could enjoy this meet,” smiled Saugata Poddar, who had flown down from Los Angeles that very day.
Parents, grandparents, grandchildren — everyone partook of adda, food and slices of a big cake. But it was sharing memories that they enjoyed the most.
“Salt Lake itself has changed so much since then,” said Pronoti. “In our time, we had to walk till Labony to catch a bus and go to EC or CA Market for groceries. The skyline was empty so we could see Nicco Park from our terrace and would hear foxes howl at night.”
Debalina Gupta, who had flown down from England for the meet, remembers Salt Lake stadium being built before her eyes. “The labourers would go on hammering all night,” she laughs, before rubbishing the allegation that Salt Lake lacked para culture.
“When my sister got married every flat in Sraboni was decorated. Every family was involved in the preparation and they had all vacated a room each from their flats so our guests could be accommodated. If this is not para culture, then what is?” asked Debalina.
Mousumi Poddar Sarkar said they had published a magazine with pictures and articles by the members and their families. “This reunion made us feel as if the gap of these last two decades got erased. We have reconnected and picked up from where we left off. We have found our families again,” she smiled.
