The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
"A Visit to Europe" is the account of Trilakyanath Mukharji's (1847-1919) travel experiences in Europe. This Bengali literary figure is known as the creator of humour in Bengali literature. His notable works include Kankabati, Bhoot O Manush, Fokla Digambar, and Domru Charit. He worked as a teacher, in the police force, as a clerk at the Bengal Gazette, and in the revenue department. In 1886, he was sent to England to attend the Colonial Exhibition, and his experiences are recorded in this book. Upon his return, he became the assistant curator at the Kolkata Museum.
The first publication of A Visit to Europe was in 1889. Before being published as a book, his writings were serialized every week in the Indian Nation magazine for a year and a half.
On March 12, 1886, the author embarked on his journey to England aboard the ship Nepal. After the ship set sail, the passengers on deck began observing how the waters of the Indian Ocean gradually turned from green to blue. The sunlight faded, and the lighthouse's light could no longer be seen. In the deep darkness, only the white foam of the phosphorus in the sea was visible. Over time, the unfamiliar Indians aboard the ship slowly began to familiarize themselves with one another. The author compared the passenger ship to a huge, wealthy house. On the deck, passengers could engage in various activities such as walking, exercising, playing chess, and more. There was a separate room for smoking. When the views of the sea and the flying fish became monotonous, people spent their time in these ways. Occasionally, someone would play the piano and sing on deck. Below deck, there were two long rows of cabins, each accommodating two, three, or four people with sleeping arrangements. There was a dining room for meals and a saloon for other activities such as sitting and reading. Meal times were fixed, and the food was nutritious, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options available. Hindus could have their meals prepared separately if desired. The crew arranged for the necessary stoves and utensils. The ship had a library, and occasionally, a ladies' room.
Six days after leaving Bombay, the rugged hills of Aden were visible. Dark-skinned boys swam over to beg for money, and traders came to sell ostrich feathers and eggs. After disembarking at Aden, the author observed that there were no trees except for small, thorny ones. Two miles away, in an Arabian city, there were small gardens, but no large trees. It rained only three to four inches a year in this region. Dams had been built long ago to store water. There were 50 reservoirs, including the Mareb Dam, built 2,500 years ago, 13 of which were still functional at the time. Water from these reservoirs was sold to the people at one rupee per 100 gallons. Since the British arrived, trade, peace, and prosperity had increased. There were many coffee houses, where Arabs and Somalis drank coffee day and night. Coffee was invented by them, originating from the mountains of Yemen. Since drinking alcohol was prohibited by the Quran, the Arabs adopted coffee as a stimulating drink.
The story of the Ramayana is strangely evolved in Aden. A historian named Mojahir wrote that King Dashashira (ten-headed Ravana) used to send criminals into exile to Aden, where there was a well in the mountains connected by a tunnel to India. According to the story, Dashashira's demon, while flying with Ram Haidar's wife, stopped to rest on the Jebelsiya mountain and threatened to turn her into a demon. During their argument, a monkey-like being named Hanbit heard the commotion and quickly built a tunnel from Ujjain Vikram to the mountain, where he found Ram Haidar's wife sleeping under a thorn tree. He carried her through the tunnel and returned her to Ram in Ujjain Vikram. Later, Ram and his wife had two sons, Luv and Kush. The author mentions that trade between India and Arabia existed in ancient times, and gradually, the stories of the Ramayana and Vikramaditya (the story of King Vikramaditya of Ujjaini and Betal) merged to form new versions. The tunnel is said to still exist.
Leaving Aden, the author traveled through the Babel Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, passing seven islands known as the "Seven Apostles." He witnessed a joyful display of dolphins. Eventually, they reached the Suez port. After disembarking from the Indian mail ship, they traveled to Alexandria by train. The author's ship entered the Suez Canal, which connects Asia and Africa and establishes a link between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Previously, ships had to travel around the Cape of Good Hope, but with the Suez Canal, the distance between Kolkata and London was reduced by 3,500 miles. It took them two days to cross the Suez Canal. After passing through Port Said, they entered the Mediterranean. Then, their ship reached Valletta, the main city of the British-controlled Malta archipelago. From here, they could see the peak of Mount Etna in Sicily. Malta is a rocky island, and the soil used for farming was brought from Sicily. The oranges grown here are famous.
The ship then sailed along the coast of Africa. A regular passenger pointed out various locations along the coasts of Tripoli, Tunisia, and Morocco. The ship continued along the coast of Spain, and they saw the mountain peaks of Spain. They then arrived at the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. The two mountains on either side of the strait were once known as the Pillars of Hercules in ancient times. After crossing the Gibraltar Strait, the ship entered the Atlantic.
Although the weather was fine, the ship encountered large waves coming from the west, causing it to tilt. Walking on deck became impossible, and the author even feared falling out of bed. Later, the author observed a whale spouting water through its blowhole. Several sharks followed the ship for a long distance. The ship finally reached Plymouth, England. It was just a 24-hour journey to London. Finally, the author arrived at Albert Dock near London. Filled with emotion, the author was overcome with feelings of joy and fulfillment after reaching the dream destination of England.
The journey to London by train took just half an hour, and the author was impressed by the clean, well-maintained streets, houses, and shops, and reflected on the lack of cleanliness awareness among Indians. From the next day, the author began attending the exhibition. During breaks, he visited Westminster Bridge, the Whitehall Palace, and Oxford Street. One day, the Prince of Wales visited the exhibition, and the author had the opportunity to meet him.
One of the wonders of London the author saw was the underground railway system. This railway is divided into the Inner Circle and the Outer Circle. The first passes through densely populated central London in a tunnel with arches, and the stations are located outside. There are 48 stations in the two circles, and trains run every three minutes, with many passengers. Despite the hustle and bustle, there was no shouting like among Indian passengers. People here speak in soft tones, even in public places and at home. Advertising was everywhere—on stations, trains, and along the streets. Besides the underground railway, there were suburban and provincial railways around London. These railways connected to places like Scotland, Belgium, France, Dover, and Calais. Omnibuses, pulled by horses, also ran across the city, and steam boats crossed the Thames every five minutes. Vehicles like horse-drawn cabs and two-wheeled hansoms also traversed the streets. Pedestrians walked on the right, and vehicles followed the left.
On May 4, 1886, the British colonies and India's exhibition was inaugurated. Princes and princesses came to see the exhibition. The Empress hosted a special train trip for the writers to Windsor, where they were treated to a royal feast at Windsor Palace. They were introduced to the Empress, and the author saw various chambers of Windsor Castle, famous paintings, the memorial of Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband), the chapel, and the Long Walk, a three-mile avenue.
An excursion was arranged for the participants of the exhibition, and the author traveled through the beautiful English countryside, observing the lush greenery and comfortable summer scenes. The author also visited Cambridge for a university event held at the Senate House, a beautiful building modeled after the Temple of Jupiter in Rome. The university's library, containing over 400,000 books, was also visited. Afterward, the author toured several cities in Great Britain, including Manchester, Liverpool, Birkhead, Bristol, Bath, and Wales. At Bristol, the author paid his respects at the grave of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Popular health resorts have been developed around the hot springs in Bath. The author visited these places one by one.
(To be continued)
No comments:
Post a Comment