A Memorable Journey from Dhaka to Delhi, Author - Tanvir Mostafa

A Memorable Journey from Dhaka to Delhi

Tanvir Mostafa

Travel is one of the most useful teachers in life. It provides us new knowledge and allows us seeing this world in a different way. The experience of my trip in 2022 from Dhaka to Delhi is still fresh in my heart. It was not just a visit to a different country, but my first flight experience, my first true experience of aviation and the first real experience of a foreign culture.

I had not come alone, but with me was my student Nayan Najmul. His travelling experience had already gained him enough experience, as he had travelled to India several times. His companionship even made the journey bearable and enjoyable. We shared jokes, stories and uncovered new knowledge.

It was a magician of a flight. Looking through the small window created the feeling of childhood. The clouds were like floating islands and the horizon seemed endless. It was not just international passage, but it was almost like accessing a whole new world.

Delhi welcomed us with its energies and history. We stayed at Chandni Chowk which is the core of Old Delhi. The small streets, crowded bazaars and old structures told of kings and traders and centuries of years that elapsed. There was the clatter of rickshaws, the pleas of merchants and the perfume of food which created an atmosphere of vividness. As I was walking in the neighborhood, it felt as though I was walking through a living museum of the convergence of the past and present.

During the period of our stay, which lasted a week, we had seen many famous places. The Qutub Minar went up high illustrating the work of ancient designers. The Tomb of Humayun was Mughal in the epitome. The Lotus Temple was the source of calmness and the Delhi Mosque was full of silent dignity. Lodhi Garden offered peaceful landscapes in the urban jungle. Every place added another layer of my understanding of Delhi.

Another wonder was introduced by the Delhi Metro. It was clean, fast and modern which was indicative of the ability of a city to move millions every day. The metro ride provided me with the experience about different neighbourhoods of Delhi and further understanding of the socio-economic landscape of the city.

The evenings were not less eventful with us. We watched some movies, strolled around Old Delhi on moonlit nights and saw how the streets were covered with luminescence and color. The night in Delhi was full of passion, intensity and energy.

Let me share two incidents.There was a moment which was indelible, which occurred right after we landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport . My mother gave me five hundred Indian rupees before I left my home (Dhaka, Bangladesh) by telling me that the Indian currency would not be utilised in Bangladesh but could be in demand in Delhi. Actually few days earlier she travelled to India and she had some Indian rupees with her. I had at first refused to accept it. Nevertheless, when we arrived there I had a problem with exchanging currency in a foreign place because the place was unknown to me and I didn’t find the suitable place to exchange currency at the airport namely Indira Gandhi International Airport . Fortunately, this gift by my mother came in handy; I used it to pay my taxi fare to reach my hotel at Chandni Chowk . In that moment, the 500 rupees became more than money. It was my mother’s love guiding me in a foreign land.

There was another incidence that was memorable when we were returning to Dhaka. We had a little problem as we were about to get away. Unintentionally, we found ourselves in the wrong part of the immigration department, which should have been used by domestic passengers, rather than foreigners. This was a mistake that cost us a bit of precious time but we soon got to understand our mistake and rectified. Fortunately, we got our way to the International Immigration at the appropriate time and took off home successfully.

I believe this was not only a vacation, but a trip. It was knowledgeable, exploratory, and emotional. Being on a trip with Nayan Najmul every moment seemed special and meaningful. He was of much assistance to me, buying me plane tickets, hotel reservations and sight seeing in Delhi. In essence, he was a kind of a tour guide and made the journey enjoyable and smooth. I truly thank him from the depth of my heart .

The time spent in the week that I spent in Delhi will be a memory that I will cherish. It taught me that traveling is not just about visiting destinations but also an educative process, it allows you to make friends and experience.

Author Bio:

  Tanvir Mostafa is a Lecturer in English at BAF Shaheen College Kurmitola, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has a Bachelor and Master’s degree in English Literature and another Master’s in English Language Teaching (ELT). He teaches advanced grammar, develops bilingual classroom materials and conducts review sessions that prepare HSC students according to board exam standards.His research interests include Education, Literature, TESOL, ELT, bilingual pedagogy and exploring English teaching challenges and innovations in Bangladesh. Tanvir is also a poet. His poems have been published in esteemed journals and magazines such as Bhutanese Literature, Swapner Vela Sahitya Patrika, Puspa Provat, Bangla Times 360 and Dakshiner Darpan, where they have been admired for their depth, originality and artistic expression.