MY CHILD HOOD -XI

Our village,Shehangal,in Diistrict Barisal of Dhaka Division of the -then Bengal is still vivid like a reflection IN
A MIRROR IN MY MEMORY , EVEN NOW IN 2009 , writing it , while in U.S.A.
Our village had five families of non-muslim(Hindus) and more than ninety to 100 families of muuslims and we, upto early 1940s did not learn or know the word 'communalism' or religious division in our society (and to that I will come later).
Our cast type is kayastha (non -brahmin and surname is BASU (Bose). We had three blocks of houses in line,in our family homes (Basus) seperated by 1 to 30 feet
gap. and the owners were all Cousin brothers (including my father).
We had a good broad canal in front, bordering our next villege, with tidal water flowing (high and eb tide). A very big govt-built Pond (Pukur) -1000 ft x 150ft. (or more).meant for drinking only was in on the front side.
We had our other smaller ponds on back-side of our house for each family( for washing ) unit of our block. Other four blocks of non-muslim families in the village were on same line from south to north. They were Guhas , then basus (ours), Ghosh , Guhas and sarkars (with one basu family there) All these homes were bordering our next village named ZULUHAR where the high scool named SAPTA-GRAM-SAMMILANI SCHOOL were there (meaning the school for seven villeges).