50th Month Commemoration of BSSM (in gratitude and fond remembrance)
“Home is behind
The world ahead
And there are many paths to tread”
-“The Edge of Night (Billy Boyd, Lord of the Ring: Return of the King)”
I can’t help but start with these lines as I write something about BSSM, an association which has provided the comfort and remembrance of a home far away. 2005 was the year when it all began, around the same time as I inwardly celebrated my first year of surviving PhD and the harsh, Minnesotan winter (I celebrate random things in my life which have no cosmic meaning anyway). As BSSM took its baby steps towards organizing the first ever student organized Durga Puja in continental US, I chose to stay away from the thick of things-call it shyness or reluctance to admit that I am useful in being part of any organized effort or a strong belief in the incredulity that something like this could be actually pulled off (the Bengali association in Toledo, OH sucked oh so!) or just plain shirking responsibility by being my lazy self (a perennial trait in me which I am not proud of, but which surfaces in most things I do anyway). Overall, I am thankful, and may I add, very, very thankful that everything came together and happened so beautifully. The birth of BSSM also seemed to be a birth of some sorts of a certain side of me that I was not aware of for a long time-the desire to be part of a community, the desire to reconnect to my childhood through the smells and sounds of Durga Puja and finally the desire to put on my dancing shoes which had long been hung up. Looking back, I am so, so glad….and again, vociferously thankful.
I do not have all the gory details of the “how”s and “where”s of our dear society’s inception. Thanks to a bunch of proactive people who felt the need to protest against the monopoly of a certain organization, BSSM was born. My solitary role in the whole thing was to perform one of the two dance numbers of the evening at CTC, which was itself borne out of a lot of hesitation and nervousness. Irrespective of the ghastliness my steps, I felt happy. We bongs are not all song and recital, we love to dance too! It was a fulfillment of a dream of some sorts-to dance on stage and that too for our very own Pujo!
So what started with a handful of us blossomed into something bigger the next year at the St. Paul student center, the year after that again in CTC, the following year at St. Paul and then we came back a full circle back to CTC this year. Amidst the beautiful protima, amazing cultural program, tons of helping hands pitching in for sumptuous bhog and Puja decorations, resonance of beautiful Bangla in the air and tons of warm smiles and friendly faces, did BSSM flourish and prosper. The Puja magazine appeared dutifully each year barring one, the low/null subscription continued and the deadly combo of lunch, snack and dinner made every occasion even more joyous! My dances continued (I have two very persistent left feet) as did my closeness to the community from which I had kind of strayed and stayed away for years; and my participation inched towards multiple facets of the organization. Looking back on all these years, it warms my heart that we have our own, my own BSSM after all. Its sheer existence (thanks to everyone who pitched in monstrous efforts in its survival) helped me connect to a lost sense of belonging, revived my childhood Pujo memories and bequeathed upon me the feeling of a “home away from home”.
I do not know where I will be next year. As graduation draws close and I think with shudder of what lies ahead, I am constantly reminded of the fact that I will be once again leaving “a home” behind. Needless to stay, wherever I go and whichever paths I tread, I will carry the memories of this organization in my heart. I am happy that it found me and gave me one of the few joyous occasions in my life to be proud of, love, cherish and reminiscence.
Paroma Chakravarty/BSSM veteran (year joined BSSM: 2005- Rah!Rah!)
Very much vegetating/ hibernating/ cooling off my heels in Minneapolis….
