Life after election

LIFE AFTER ELECTION

Yesterday, I had some work at local market in Darjeeling town.It was a beautiful day, slightly rainy and not hot.I have my floral umbrella.I always carry one in my bag like any other local citizen of Darjeeling as rain is unpredictable. While going from my house(which is just above Lal Kothi) to the market, we have to pass through a canopy of forest. While walking these old, very tall, green trees, I feel proud to be the part of Darjeeling, the Queen of hills and its natural beauty.I closed my umbrella because I wanted to enjoy the precipitation.

I stepped out of my door, just in front of my house, here starts a long queue of tourist vehicles.I started walking. Ten minutes passed but the jam continues and was moving parallel with me.

While walking I was engaged in my own thought. More than two months have passed when the result of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly 2026 been declared, it seems many months have passed.One party has totally ousted the previous one. Such drastic change has happened after many years. The same road through which I used to walk usually, seemed different though beautiful. A wave of new fresh air blew around me. There were too many questions pondering upon my mind. As the Government in the state has changed, what would be the new changes?would we be lucky enough to see the new awakening, new development.In fact I was imagining Darjeeling to be like USA, China, Switzerland .I laughed alone.It was hyper-imagination.It is too much to expect from an infant Governmentwho is just two months old.I was enjoying my brisk walk through the woods, serene, cold wave of cool breeze passing through my face. From time to time my imagination being disturbed by the noisy movement of the vehicleswhich

were stuck in the jam and which were moving slowly towards tourist spots.

After the election, there has been an influx of tourists which I had never seen in my life(I am middle aged person). Whether I am a lady or a gentleman, this answer I will pass onto my readers. Nowadays jams in hills have become frequent affectinf the students, locals, patients and almost everyone.But whom to complain?iconsoled myself and said that this very problem might be solved by the new Government soon.to my utter surprise, I get to hear incidents where the tourists have threatened the locals in some tourist spots on the pretext of new government.It should be noted that the new government may be new to those tourists but not new to us.In fact, the citizens of Darjeeling were the first to choose the present government long ago which continued till today. Them why the locals are being threatened by the outsiders on the basis of politics?We are peace loving people and we never harm anybody.i continued walking, reaced Circuit house and those jammed vehicles were also moving parallel to me Sometimes I was faster and sometimes they were faster.

I was busy with my own thoughts.I met one of my relatives. May be he was returning from somewhere.I saw his son holding him when he approached near me.He had a plaster in one of his legs.I asked,"daju, what happened ?"He said "I was returning form my workplace, suddenly I fell into the ditch full of water, probably a pothole. I didn't see it and I lost my balance.my mobile also fell and brokedown.The passers by gathered around me and helped me to stand slowly.I mad acall at my home from one of the mobiles and explained the incident. The local pepple took me to the hospital.I was in pain and my clothes were wet.Doctor put plaster on the leg and adviced me to take rest for a few days."He said in distress."Look, I have broken my mobile and Now I have to bear the medical expences.At the end of the month I have little penny left from the meagre salary

which I get."

I bade him bye and started walking, this time carefully watching the potholes filled with water and also giving sides to vehicles as there were no pavements to walk freely.

But Darjeeling is still beautiful at my eyes.It attracts the tourists from all over India and abroad as well. There is something in Darjeeling which attracts tourists inspite of my loopholes.

After I reached market, I bought a kilo of mango.Rupees one twenty per kg.l also bought some stationery items.As I had enough time left in my hand, I decided to go to the Chowrasta, the hearto f Darjeeling or Mall as it is called by thetourists.I climbed the hilly path towards Chawrasta.Some tourists also walking by my side, some coming down and some moving up.I was walking with a sense of pride of being a local Darjeelin-ge.Some buying cardigens and some bargaining for their desired price.I realised that the path leading towards Chawrasta is not bad.Infact it is beautifully decorated with blocks and lamp posts hanging by the side of the path.so beautiful. We must appreciate the good work as a citizen.And I am not a political critique.Chawrasta was

Beautiful as usual. Clean, crowded yet peaceful.I took a walk around mall road.It was beautiful and clean, a perfect example of raw nature also dark and moist. Those old trees, I muttered .......these trees might have witnessed the entire history of Darjeeling. They might have seen Darjeeling before the arrival of The East India Company, signing of the Sugauli Treaty. These trees might have witnessed the developmental works done by the British which still exist proudly.The works, which the tourists at present, come to see, like the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, Tea Gardens, Batasia loop, Lloyd Botanical Gaden, Shrubbery Nightingale Park, Sinchel Lake and the list continues....SO WHAT'IS NEW???????

I felt uneasy and said to myself I don't need new projects but only want the maintenance of existing ones.I just want the fine roads, water, jobs for

local, facilities etc.

My round was complete .I returned home passing the flags and festoons of the new government, somehow ignoring the packets of chips, chocolates, wastes etc on the road.I reached home with lots of thoughts, ideas and also a new hope.

RS

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