"উৎসবের উৎসাহে"- In the Euphoria of Triumph
At first, Rachana and I were unsure about going to the concert. But when Shuvo-bhai showed interest in coming over, I convinced him to join us for the trip. It didn’t take long for me to rope in Saif and Shehab as well. Rachana, however, usually hesitates about concerts; she feels they’re only fun with friends. Surprisingly, she recently fell in love with “Kings of Leon”, despite her usual aversion to metal music.
Thinking back to our college days, we used to have a blast at concerts, headbanging like crazy alongside our best friends—seniors and juniors alike.
Friday: The Day Before the Concert
Friday arrived, the day before the concert. The venue, Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, was new to me, but I had heard wonderful things about it. Shuvo bhai arrived on Thursday night and was working from home. After returning from the office, I decided to cook my special beef curry and khichuri, a dish I usually reserve for gatherings like this.
That evening, Saif and his wife, Trisha, joined us from Ohio, and Shehab came from Chicago. The night felt perfect, filled with laughter and anticipation. While I cooked, Shuvo-bhai and I enjoyed some rum and Woodford, reminiscing and sharing personal stories. There’s an unexplainable bond between us, as close as brothers.
Trisha arrived a bit nervous; it was her first time driving on the highway from Oxford. By then, my princess Rachana had woken up. She always needs uninterrupted sleep by the weekend, emerging from slumber like a baby after a beauty rest. We always laughed about it.
After dinner, we were still waiting for Shehab, who called to say he had rented a surprise ride for the trip. We couldn't wait to see what it was! Saif grabbed his guitar, and we sang the same old songs, just like in our college days. It amazed me how the music seemed timeless, connecting us through shared memories.
Shehab arrived around one in the morning, and we burst into laughter when we saw his surprise: an electric truck! We had more bourbon and vodka, chatting until the early hours.
The Day of the Concert
I woke up around 8:30 AM to find Shehab had gone out to charge his electric vehicle. Slowly, everyone else woke up, and after breakfast, we headed to the backyard for some football. It felt like we had traveled back to our school and college days. Saif stumbled a couple of times while kicking the ball, and we jokingly fat-shamed him for it.
Around 3 PM, we set out for the concert. Rachana and I were in our car, while Shuvo-bhai, Saif, and Trisha rode in Shehab’s EV. We playfully chased each other on the road, taking a break at a gas station for half an hour. By 5 PM, we arrived at the venue, and I instantly fell in love with the campus. Its walkability and coziness reminded me of BUET.
As we left the parking garage, we bumped into some other friends who were also there for the concert. We greeted and hugged each other, feeling that familiar warmth after time apart.
The Concert Experience
The concert was set to start at 6:30 PM. Rachana joked that, being a Bangladeshi event, it would never start on time. I wasn't convinced, though; even if they started late, I knew they’d have to finish on schedule because it was America. Rachana laughed at my optimism.
We sat in the second row, and as soon as Artcell hit the stage, we couldn't stay seated. I had never sat through a concert, except for the Coldplay one. We rushed to the front, headbanging and singing with our arms around each other, just like the old days. I looked around, amazed that I wasn’t at BUET. It had been six years since I attended a Bengali concert, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. Their “Utshober Utshahe’ carried me through one of the darkest chapters of my life. As the memories flood back, I find myself in tears once more—this time, though, they’re tears of joy. Each drop reflects not the pain of the past but the triumph and happiness of where I stand now.
তখন ভাঙ্গতে হবে ঘোর হাতে রেখে হাত
হেরে যাওয়াকে বন্দী করে রেখে..
জাগতে হবে রাত আলো জ্বেলে রেখে
উৎসবের উৎসাহে...
বিস্তীর্ণ উজানে একলা হয়ে গেলে
চিনিয়ে নেবো পথ চিনবো এঁকে এঁকে..
পিছু ফিরে তাই ফিরতে যদি হয়
পাড়ি দেবো পথ নিমিষে...
After Artcell, Warfaze took the stage, and their performance was fulfilling. When they played "Alo," a song that has had a significant impact on my life, I shouted as if it were my last chance to see them. I hadn’t felt that kind of exhilaration in ages.
আমার এই প্রাণ বৃথাই
উড়ে বেড়ায় তোমারই ছায়ায়
কি এক উৎকন্ঠা আমার
সাঁঝের মেঘ ভেসে যায়, ভেসে যায়
আমি বুঝেছি যে হায় শিশুর মত হতে হয়, সরল হয়
The concert ended promptly at 7:00 PM, just as I expected. We had pizza afterward with some BUET alumni, including Sham's Bhai, the keyboardist of Warfaze. By 11:30 PM, we started our drive home, stopping again at the gas station where we had taken a break earlier. Rachana and I shared memories from our college days, reliving the experiences as if we were still at the concert.
As we drove, Shuvo-bhai and Shehab were still figuring out how to charge the electric truck, turning it into a running joke.
We got home around 2 AM. Shuvo-bhai and Shehab took an extra 30 minutes to charge the EV. After returning, we chatted for what felt like hours. Honestly, I blacked out a bit after some Woodford.
The Morning After
The next morning, I woke up with no memory of how I ended up in bed. Oh well, I had fun! I made breakfast for everyone, but, of course, Shehab was out charging his EV again.
After breakfast, we gathered in the backyard under the honeysuckle tree. We chatted while Shehab and Saif played guitar, and we all sang together. I live for these moments. If this isn’t life, then what is?
As I wrap up this blog, I find myself overwhelmed with feelings I can hardly express in words. Maybe one day I’ll find a way to articulate them. But for now, I’ll simply say: I love my friends, and I miss them.
