The Glees of Youth

With the drying up of rivers, canals and other water bodies in Anandapara village of Tangail's Ghatail upazila, children, almost as a seasonal ritual, come out in numbers as the day progresses to catch whatever fish they may find in these spots. A common feature of rural Bangla during this season, the sheer delight on the children's faces, in their crumpled clothes with splashes of mud, is testimony to the joy of this ritual. They spend a couple of hours catching the fish, during which mud-fights and laughter are aplenty. The ritual is never complete without a refreshing dip in nearby ponds or rivers. They end the day with their catch-of-the-day in their hands, as they stroll together along the village paths, infected with the glees of youth, back to their families.

Photo: Sheikh. Enamul Haq