The Mysterious Madhuda

As the train approached New Jalpaiguri, cellphone activity increased. Priyanka was discussing about our destination to some Madhuda who was to come to the station to receive us.
We had to go to New Alipurduar.
For that here was a beautiful train from Sealdah- Kanchyankanya Exp. or Uttarbanga Exp that goes upto New Coochbehar.

Why didn't we come by that train?
Of course there were reasons-- I can't tell you becasue of the simple fact that I don't know.

There was a faint hope that in the event of Uttarbanga/Kanchankanya running late- we could catch the train at NJP.

& last night's Chicken Curry brought us Luck.
The Uttarbanga Exp.was waiting at NJP.

But the Mysterious Madhuda was not there.

Cellphone bills mounted up.
He was on the way when we were at Kishanjang. He was on the way when we were at Aluabari road. & now, while we have already spent 20 tensed minutes on the overbridge -standing just over the train & with all 6 pairs of eyes focused at the signal, he is still on the way.

Siliguri sure has some ways.

Signal turned green & the train started. But the luck of the Chicken Curry had not yet left us- besides there were prayer from the TTE who was expecting to get something from us( I kept him informed lest he imposed a hefty fine).

So the signal turned red as the trained moved.

And Madhuda appeared at the horizon-I mean at the other end of the bridge.

The TTE took all responsibility of Madhuda & his nephew for a paltry sum of Rs.70/-.

While extending our tickets I discovered that we had tickets up to Jalpaiguri. ( why Jalpaiguri & why not Chennai or Kharagpur; I still do not know-- It is too hard a mystery to crack. I never asked Priyanka why she bought tickets up to Jalpaiguri & boarded Darjeeling Mail & when we were scheduled to go to Alipurduar).

To New Coochbehar & from there to New Alipurduar where Chanchalda was waiting to show us our room & to chalk out our program.

& boy! what a beautiful- neat- clean spartan room it was.

The ground floor of Arghada's house was to be our place for night stay.

It had an abandoned beauti parlour & a closed Computer peripheral shop.

& a doggy with a reputation of 43 bites to his credit.

We knew why beauti parlor & computer shop was closed.

The groundfloor was never been given on rent( courtsey the doggy).& it was stripped of any furniture- even a wall calender.

We were too hungry to think how we were going to sleep on bare floor.

Lunch at a wayside joint & we were off to Mathura garden in an autorichshaw. How 10.5 of us got into one auto is another mystery( 7 of us-priyanka as 2 + madhuda+nephew+ chanchalda as 1.5=10.5).

2 valuable hours were spent at BMOH's office at Aliporeduar-1. Nice clean health centre.

The time spent was not entirely useless as it had a clean toilet with water.

I needed the loo.

Hired a maruti van from here ( it was to stay with us for the rest of our stay).

An hour at Garden Panchayat office. Collected some data- got some idea.

Then , as evening approached, Madhuda left us. His job had been done. he has to go back to Siliguri.

He left for me puzzles worthy of Sharlok Holmes to solve.

Why was he here?

Did he want to visit Alipurduar & afraid to do so alone?

Is this how he is always on the way?

In any case he is a nice polite fellow. & in all probability he is unaware that he generates so much mystery.

When we could start our survey in the labour lines- the dusk fell in.

But we had torches to fill up the forms.

And there were a million fireflies. But it was not of much help except creating a visual delight in our urban eyes.

Left the place around 9 pm. Reached Alipurduar just in time to see all closed eateries except one.

It had some रोटी तरका left. But beggars can not be choosers.

back to Arghada's house.

I always maintain that Mosquito nets are the second most important invention of the past two centuries after Bikini.

I don't carry a Bikini- but I carry a net.

I can tell you that I could sell a place inside my net @ Rs.100/-

But I allowed the young ladies free.

The clumsy guys also came in, uninvited.

I didn't mind though as there were enough space for another couple of members of fairer sex.

I had a sound sleep. Can not vouch for others.