Under the sway of nostalgia

Smritikatarata is a word that conveys the meaning most appropriately of a time that has gone by and will never return no matter whatever effort and price one is ready to expend and pay. But is this as direct and equally to the point like nostalgia? Yearning for the past is the general sense but in English vocabulary homesickness was the common usage at one point. Longing for the known people and environment in which one is raised is a natural feeling. Sure enough, places or people to have left once an indelible mark on one's mind can also produce an irresistible attraction at some points in the future. But what seems to be the most savouring reminiscence for a person concerns the childhood because it is a journey within where the soul mate is none other than the younger self with whom the communion is easy and gratifying. The more advanced people become in age, the greater their nostalgia. No wonder, therefore, that fond memories are reminisced involuntarily. And to do this, not even association of memories are needed. Experience would tell us that two broad types of nostalgic rumination prove overwhelming for us. One concerns the gems of moments which suddenly pop up from nowhere. Small incidents they may be but they are priceless. One is not even aware of such treasure-troves but the moment they gleam like the world's most precious possession, one immediately recognises their values. The other type can be a series of chain incidents closely linked to constitute a slice of life within a particular time frame. In this case, the episode is so overpowering that one would like to have the experience repeated by taking a mental sojourn through the series of incidents whenever there is some leisure. Some would argue that it is a return journey within the lifetime of a person. In fact, one tries to go back where one begun. Human mind is such that it sifts through incidents and moments mostly to pick up those that are endearing. Conversely, though, the bitter and humiliating memories in association with its background too come flooding at times; but this is because they hurt. Painful memory produced by shock thus revisits one's mind. Then again, bitter-sweet memories too are not quite unfamiliar to people. It is exactly at moments like this, incidents involving such memories flash our mental horizon with a mixed feeling of pain and joy. Nostalgia really proves its munificence by elevating human soul on a higher plane. The experience is nearly spiritual. Getting nostalgic and pining for the past however are not the same thing. To be excessively obsessive with the time well spent in childhood or any other time can produce depression and strange traits in someone. After all, it is good to draw sustenance of life from the happy moments one have had in the past but cursing oneself for ruing over the missed chances is pointless. People live not in the past but in the present although the present is always fleeting into the past. It is always nice to live in a dual existence so far as the hard reality of life is concerned. Nostalgia allows us to live such a life. So whether we call it smrikatarata in Bangla or nostalgia in English which is derived from Greek 'nostos', the essential message remains the same: man must have a longing for the past life. Whether you call it a tragedy or comedy of sort, the fact is that it is irreversible. One would like to know if animals suffer from such an overpowering feeling. Why does a dog, given the freedom, never die in his master's house? Or, when the elephant herds pay respect to their ancestors on way to their fresh pastures, do they invoke the nostalgic bond between generations? These are tricky issues that need extensive study on human psychology and animal behaviour for plausible answers. However about one thing there is no doubt that the beginning of nostalgia actually sets into motion the process of impermanence of life on the planet. In fact, impermanence is the fact of life but with nostalgia the realisation of this truth within starts taking shape. This is good enough reason for making one more reasonable and a bit wiser. Whether we admit it or not, our fear for aging grows with the time spent in this world. Some people really make most of this realisation but others fail to do so. No wonder, in the social system of this part of the world known for its ancient civilisation, people set aside a part of their life for living in the forest or cave after they had completed their duties for their families. That part of life was called 'banprastha' because it was dedicated to meditation or contemplation of the Supreme Being. Clearly, it gave them the opportunity or even freedom of not surrendering to nostalgia. (E-mail: nilratanhalder2000@yahoo.com)