Book Notes
The Lhasa Chronicles is a pithy account of Akhter Matin Chaudhury's fulfillment, in his mature years, of a childhood dream: a visit to Tibet. That dream, before it was finally realized, was an unwitting motivator in the author's life, which he acknowledges in this manner: "Perhaps it made me more ambitious in life than I would otherwise have been. Perhaps it was a small example of how important it is to have dreams and aspirations to make one's way through life." The trip itself was all too short, enough to take in some of the "touristy" sights, but by no means sufficient to explore the off-beat places and to meet broad sections of the people and get at least a fair understanding of their diverse culture: those elements that transform the well-worn tracks of conventional tourism into an exploration of the unusual, of getting a bit more than a nodding acquaintance of what the nation visited is all about. Maybe, on another occasion, if there is one, the author will get more time to do just that.
Meanwhile, Chaudhury takes the reader through the privations he suffered, the elations he felt, probably none more so than on visiting the enchanting and imposing Potala Palace, and the sadness that engulfed him as his very short trip to the land of his childhood dreams came to an end. Along the way, he comes up with this thoughtful observation: "Slow travel allows your body and mind to adjust to changes on the way." And this delightful portrayal of the quintessential Bengali (maybe universal) mother with regard to her children, no matter what their age: "My mother…was so concerned about the trip that you would think that I was going on a NASA moon flight!" The Lhasa Chronicles would be a pleasant read on a lazy afternoon.
Professor Shahid Alam is Head, Media and Communication department, Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) .
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments