Ideal Prototypes and a Loss of Innocence

Kaleidoscope had this flashback moment when a familiar voice called his childhood name on his way to the nearby park with his son! Who was it calling? Thought Kaleidoscope. A smiling unfamiliar face appeared from a machine van (popularly called the vano) - a not too old addition to the contaminated diesel run good carrying vehicle which is infamous for its unregulated movement and pollution causing behaviour. Such a machine van is most frequently seen in the rural counterpart of the state in which Kaleido lives. He had to travel on them while he was on fieldtrips or in his former work place in Haldia.

Who was it? The smile seemed to be known, and the bright eyes are familiar too, but what happened to his cheek - its all grown beard! Oh! the person smiled, you cant recognise me because of this? He was pointing towards the salt-and-pepper hairs that grew on his chin and lower cheeks! Kaleidoscope could readily recognise the person - ah! Bablu Kaku na! - isnt it Bablu uncle? He smiled!

Yes, its me! and I have a different look... and a different occupation too!

Yes, I remember Bablu Kaku, we used to have long conversations during his afternoon work sessions as a helper to the Masonry work when my father was trying to build a house bit by bit! Bablu kaku was a clean shaved gentleman. He used to talk to the then 11 year old Kaleidoscope about their childhood days. It was not much different from the one Kaleidoscope was experienceing, so instead of being amazed or mesmerised, Kaleidoscope used to learn practical skills of climbing trees, or eating particular form of wild berries without being affected by its sour juice! Bablu kaku was Bablu Kaku not a Muslim Bablu kaku or a Hindu Bablu kaku! Except for the

But with an ideal Muslim looking beard, Kaleidoscope could readily see Bablu kaku looks no longer the Bablu kaku he knew for years, or the image of the person that was stored inside his mind for a considerable period of time!

So what happened to Bablu Kaku?
Kaleidoscope didn't ask! He is no longer a 11 year old kid who could promptly ask things that comes to his mind! He needs to be cautious about asking things without hurting! Or perhaps without grabbing attention of the public sphere which surrounds Kaleidoscope! When he could not ask anyting at all, Bablu Kaku could read his mind! With his penetrating eyes, he mentioned,

I had to grow beard, you know its us - the Muslims! I have to look like one!

Kaleidoscope could see the active construction of Ideal prototypes of Sacchha Mussalman, a counterpart of what he sees everyday in his country in the name of Hinduism - the Hinduttva! 

Bablu kaku left the place carrying his characteristics smile and the bright eyes which has not changed with his looks, thought Kaleidoscope!

The practice of such ideal prototype constructions as Kaleidoscope has been exploring at different places in West Bengal (roughly parallel to what is happening in his rest of the country) is a known fact to Kaleidoscope. However, seeing his childhood memories altered radically is a completely different experience. No matter how short lived the meeting has been, no matter how hopeful and happy Kaleidoscope is to see the smile and eyes remain the same - Kaleidoscope knew for sure, his world is changing, perhaps irrevocably!

(see also Manufacturing polarisation in contemporary India, in International Journal of Conflict and Violence)

Rapidly erasing memories - latecapital everyday Kolkata

"The city changes everyday rapidly. It changes so fast that it's difficult to keep a track..." says an old taxi driver. Yes, Kaleidoscope sees that everyday. He remembers his father used to teach him mechanisms of remembering a place by creating and memorising landmarks.  A shop, a particular house at a crossing, etc. used to serve the purpose effectively.

Kaleidoscope wonders what would be his advise to his only a few months old son when he grows up?  Surely not to memorise important landmarks because they might change any day.

If these landmarks change so rapidly that even a taxi driver find it hard to memorize what will happen to the very essential character of the city?

Meanwhile as kaleidoscope crosses near Chetla he finds that a new skyrise is on the making. It has displaced the earlier construction. The only mark of past that remains is is the window of a a possible grocery shop. One of the the ends of the shop bears 1990s characteristic style advertisements belong to that of popular brand of a detergent: surf.

The multi hinged shop window and the characteristic 1990 advertisement show a surrender of past to the neo-liberal growth of capitalistic Pursuit.

Kaleidoscope knows like many others do, perhaps less than the taxi driver the city will transform itself to such an extent that the name Kolkata will become just a context without characteristic significations.

Building up the Jungle: places and transformations

The tempo of work continues even after twilight 

Kaleidoscope is now living in Post Belghoria Expressway era.

The archaeaology of expressway:

The inception began before Kaleidoscope even born. The place which is now speedy expressway was a huge pile of soil, covered with lusty green grass surrounded by trees. It was the place for Kaleidoscope to play around with friends, in his early childhood. Later he went for morning walks and evening walks. Watching birds had been larger than life experience. Expressway, which now completely engulfs the lusty green field is black and white, speedy and enhances the quality of life of kaleidoscope (?).

The newer Jungle:

Since, the place around the expressway is now well connected to the airport (only 3 mins of bus ride), dunlop (6 mins of bus ride), and NH 6  and NH 2 (15 mins of bus ride), there are urban jungles coming up. The places where Kaleidoscope used to play around... large water bodies and wetlands that housed several wetland birds are now filled up by large scale earth moving equipments. There is a sudden replacement of the greenery, birds, fishes and several other material beings. Much plausibly memories, attachments to the place where Kaleidoscope thought he belonged is also getting replaced rapidly.