Hurts that Hate you

By Tathagata Banerjee

"There were seven of them. In the beautiful cities of Aurangabad and Mumbai. Then there was a broken camera, bleeding hands, and shattered friendships that would define so much of them in the years to come. Ages later, on a different trip, one of those six finds himself alone like never before. 

It's a journey, homebound.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ukiyoto Publishing
• Release date: Aug 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9789361724893

Book preview

The Traveller

G

rowing up, he has slowly come to realise, is a very lonely thing to do. The fact that every single day everyone is not going mad thinking about the existence with the cold acceptance of one's own mortality, is astounding. Humanity, Sartre said, is condemned to freedom. Gulping down a bit of water from his bottle, Siddhartha thinks - indeed, they are...

The train has slowed down a little now. Siddhartha looks at his wristwatch. Pretty on time, it seems. Chai! Ah, that's the first thing he needs as the train touches the station. Chai. He looks straight ahead, to this man sitting in front of him. Over the course of this three-day long trip in this train, everything and everyone seems part of everyday life now. The man in front of him - Ramesh Shrivastava - smiles courteously, Getting tired of the monotony, huh ?

Siddhartha chuckles, Can't deny Srivastava Ji, even if I wanted to! Anyway, we're entering the station now. Would you have some tea or something?

Srivastava nods in negative, as he peeks through the window to locate the name of the station, How far have we reached by now? I can never keep a track of the stations in long-distance train rides.

Like a lazy sleepyhead, the train takes a final jolt and comes to a halt for a little bit of rest. Siddhartha looks out of the window from his side, Lucknow, Srivastava Ji. You're getting out for a bit of fresh air?

Nah, am cozy here. I've my book. See? , Srivastava shows him a copy of Tagore's 'The Last Poem', Absolute masterpiece, young man! Never gets old.

The first time I read it , Siddhartha replies as he steps down from the train, I said I'd go insane because of how extraordinary it was. You're laughing Srivastava Ji, but that's something that legitimately happened!

Lucknow. He's never been to this city, and even this time he will have to leave in mere minutes. But how can one just go through the city without touching its ground? Siddhartha breaths in. So many emotions rushes back to him, so many emotions wraps him up in a nice warm blanket, it seemed...

Growing up, he remembered he was pondering, is a very lonely thing. Yeats was petrified of age. Picture and book remain... Funny thing, these emotions. It's all one is left with as one goes on in the journey of life...

Ah, there's the tea stall. Siddhartha starts walking. About time!

Rose-Tinted Glasses

"H

ere you go, bhaiya!"

Siddhartha hands over the money to the tea-seller and starts walking back towards the train. The station is bustling with people. Crossroads of life. Everyone that one comes face to face with, is a narrative themselves; carrying with and inside them stories that only they know. The little intricacies, the love, the hate, the grief, the loss. Life goes on. He chuckles to himself. The air ruffles his hair a bit. Indeed, life goes on.

He had to get down at Lucknow. It has stories unfinished. How many years had it been that he came this close to follow this route? Five or so, is it...? He can't seem to remember it. They were supposed to visit Lucknow, and then the plans changed at the last minute, and they took a detour. Sipping from his cup, it all seems funny to Siddhartha. What is this feeling then, that is kind