Introduction: The Beautiful and the Demonic
The Padma River is a strange dual entity. On one side, its silver hilsa and fertile silt, on the other, thousands of houses submerged in its bottomless pit. People live their lives in the char areas flowing around the lap of Kushtia, understanding the mood of this river. During the monsoon, it takes on the form of Rudra, and in the winter, the Kashban fair takes place on the quiet sandbanks. The hero of this story is Hashem Ali, whose fourteen generations of ancestors were born and died on the banks of this river and finally disappeared into the bosom of the Padma.
One: Prediction of Erosion
At the end of Ashadh, the sky broke and rain fell. The water of the Padma began to swell and swell. Hashem Ali was sitting on the veranda of his dilapidated house, smoking tobacco and listening to the roar of the water in the distance. His wife Jamila was murmuring and reciting Tasbeeh. Hashem knows what this roar means. When a large whirlpool forms in the middle of the river, you will understand that the ground below is shifting.
Their only son, Kasem, has returned to the village after completing his studies from the city. He wants to cultivate using modern methods. But Hasem Mia laughs. He says, "Bajan, the river, whose land it takes away today, will again make him a king tomorrow by making him a char. But the problem is, when that day comes, our lives will end."
Two: The Night of Destruction
A new moon night in the month of Shravan. Outside, the wind howls and rain falls. Suddenly, a loud noise shook the entire village—'Dhapas!' Hasem Ali shouted, "Jamila, Kasem! Run! The bank is breaking!"
In an instant, the peaceful atmosphere of the village turned into hell. People screamed, cows and goats bleated, and the water roared. Hasem saw the huge mango tree in his yard, which his father had planted, disappear deep into the ground in the blink of an eye. Jamila was trying to save the ark from her wedding, but Hashem pulled her. "Save your life first, the goods will come later!"
When they boarded the boat, they saw their decorated house collapsing like a house of cards and falling into the river. Hashem Ali had no tears in his eyes, just a blank stare. He lost his house four times over. He was like a tiny ant next to the hunger of the Padma.
Three: In search of shelter
The next morning, a horrific scene was seen. Where there had been a village yesterday, there was now only a body of water. Hundreds of people had taken shelter on the embankment. They had somehow found a place to lay their heads by hanging plastic tents. Kashem was busy with the relief that had come from the city, but Hashem Ali silently looked at the river.
There, he saw an old woman named Lalita. Lalita was crying like crazy after losing her grandson. Padma not only took the house, she also tore out her liver. Kasem consoled his father and said, "Father, let's go to the city. What else is there here?"
Hashem Ali looked at his son and smiled faintly. "The city is not for us. Our pulse is tied to this river. When this river takes it away, it does not take it with hatred, it takes it according to its own rules. It will return us again."
Four: The dream of a new char
After three months, the water began to recede. In the morning mist of the month of Kartik, a huge char was seen rising from the river's chest. The shiny silt soil, when the sun shines, seems to shine gold. The villagers call it 'God's gift'. Hashem Ali and Kasem took a boat and set foot in that new char. The soil was still soft, it was easy to walk on.
Hashem Ali took a lump of soil in his hand and blew it on his nose. "Kasem, look at the smell of this soil! Whatever you plant in this silt soil will become gold."
Kasem was surprised to see that the man who had lost his house and become destitute was again enthusiastically driving poles into the char with great enthusiasm. This is the characteristic of the people on the banks of the Padma—they do not know how to accept defeat. They know that creation comes only after destruction.
Five: The cycle of life
A new struggle began. Straw houses were built in the char. Kasem brought improved seeds from the city. Within a few months, a feast of greenery appeared in the char. The char's appearance was changed by the cultivation of almonds, watermelons, and pulses. Hashem Ali is now prosperous again. But he knows how fragile this happiness is.
One evening, Hasem was sitting on the bank of the river with his grandson in his arms. The grandson asked, "Grandpa, why does the river destroy our house?"
Hashem replied, "The river is like a mother. Just as a mother rules, she also loves. The river tests our patience by taking our house, and fills our stomachs with silt. Our fight with this Padma has been going on since time immemorial, and will continue forever."
Conclusion: The Indestructible Padma
The story never ends, because the story of the erosion and formation of the Padma is never ending. The Hashem Alis die, but their descendants return to that char. The Padma river flows at its own pace, sometimes with a flood, sometimes with blessings. When the sunset light falls on the river, it seems like a huge fire pit. The people of the char are burned to death in this fire.
Hashem Ali stood up with his stick in his hand. Clouds are visible in the distance. Maybe another storm will come, maybe another erosion. But Hashem Ali is no longer afraid. He knows that as long as there is land, there will be people. And as long as there are people, there will be a fight.
Did this story meet your expectations? I tried to portray the real life and emotions of Padma. If you want, I can make a particular scene longer. 🤭🤫