Twilights make us reflective.
The end of the day, before evening falls, the reddish hue of the sky compels us to pause and think.
For a few moments, hard core calculations of life, measured in profit and loss, take a backseat as we slow down.
Sometimes, the search is for solitude, at others, something surreal.
In the heart of Dhaka, within the Dhaka University campus, inside the Fazle Rabbi Hall, adjacent to the football field is such a spot – an old temple covered by the roots of a large Banyan tree.
During twilight, the temple appears Gothic, a structure incongruous with the surrounding, a place which demands a few minutes of profound thought.
The temple inside the hall dates from the British period although no one living inside the premises can pinpoint the exact date.
We grew up hearing this goes back more than 100 years, said Md Jahangir, a staffer of the University of Dhaka.
As young children, we saw rituals being carried out inside the temple and also took part in Swaraswati Pooja back in the late 80s, he added.
Sree Dipok, who lives in Shib Bari and works at the University, says: “this is either a temple devoted to God Shiva or Goddess Kali.”
His speculation stems from the urban folklore about the temple being visited late at night by a group of snakes.
Relating the urban lore about the serpents, he said: “the story goes that these snakes came to the temple and were given bowls of milk by the locals. They usually disappeared during the day.”
Since the temple is near the football field, many of the Old Dhaka residents who come here on Friday morning to play, admit to seeing the serpents.
On several occasions, we saw them crawling by the side of the field, but they never appeared aggressive, recalls Kamal Bhai, a football fan who also has a scrap metal business in Chankharpool.
Nodding to what Kamal had said, Mamun Mia, also a Friday morning footballer, observed: “when we were children, out parents told us about the temple and the snakes which came here for the milk.”
Mohammad Monir, who works at the Fazle Rabbi Hall, is not surprised to see visitors coming to marvel at the historic plus religiously significant historic structure.
“Every now and then, people come, take photos, ask about the snakes and spend a few moments staring transfixed at the structure covered by the roots of the Banyan tree.”
Ashique, a student of film and media, goes to the temple once or twice a month because he loves the Gothic feel about it.
One is instantly reminded of the film Sleepy Hollow, he exclaims, adding: “over the past few weeks, plot of a film in which the temple will play a key part has been the bee in my bonnet.”
Naturally, the permission of the hall authority would be required but one thing is for certain, the temple has all the features to be the centre of attention in a movie.
While most visitors of the temple dive into an introspective mood, those who see it every day, often disregard the surreal aura for a more practical approach.
I haven’t seen any snakes in the past ten years and, during the day, often keep our stuff on the open space at the entrance of the temple, said one Monir, a local trader.
The young boy making milk shake with a loud blender inside the fast-food shop just by the temple is also nonchalant about the hypnotic twilight appeal surrounding the structure.
Oh well, if you see something every day, the exotic feel diminishes somewhat.
However, for those of us whose life is mostly about braving the traffic, wrangling with urban banalities and chasing material possessions, this is a quick way to appreciate history and, for a few moments, be immersed in something hypnotic and sacred.
