(October 29, 9:39pm)

Having some quiet moments here in the hall.. on mom's chair, in the dining space.. at the other end of the hall, the puja is aglow with diyas..

The house looks really good in silk and lace curtains, and sofa spreads.. the tv is on too... though im not really audience..

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Rehman uncle's goat is heard crying aloud intermittently, from the 6th floor backyard.. they will sacrifise it on 7th, upon Bakrid..

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Diwali was gratifying.. There was so much to eat and indulge, besides the company of good friends.. And God's grace, i performed Laxmi Ganesh puja just as observantly and devotedly..

Bharati ji, the maid, too observed puja in her house.. i gave away both money and in kind, for her children...it gives me peace.. it gives everybody peace, when you make those little efforts to make others happy!

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Visited Mrs Ghosh yesterday.. mom's former princi.. the octogenarian Bengali lady who lives in her 7,000 sq ft bunglow in New Dak Bungalow (her husband passed away in 2003, while her only dot is settled in Gujarat with young kids)..

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She's in big fix.. one imposter has cooked up a story that she sold him her bungalow for 20 lacs in 2008.. and that despite she was paid all in cash then, she's not inclined to vacate her place..

He has forged her signatures and everything, and lodged a case in Badh, a faraway village.. where the sessions court has summoned her presence on 16th..

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Can you believe this? Why should she ever sell her house, her dead husband's only memorabilia? And why on earth for 20 lacs? When the actual price runs into crores?

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Anyway, she's been provided round the clock security by the DGP.. and she's determined to fight it out too.. "Let them go any extent, im not running away from my rightful place?" she tells me assuredly..

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Patna has never been safe for us Bongs.. Earlier in 2006, Papiya Ghosh, another single Bong woman, was murdered in broad day light for land-grab..

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Mrs G's story is the talk of the town.. she showed me the paper cuttings.. it's come out in all English and Hindi dailies..plus the regional channels.. HT published it on front page..

You can find one of the reports here http://www.bihartimes.in/Newsbihar/2011/Oct/newsbihar26Oct6.html

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Train to catch tomorrow.. will be resuming work on 31st.. being home is such peace!

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