চোখে চোখ রাখা

Being an avid lover of Bengali culture and the language itself, I've met my fair share of phrases that twang a string in my heart, but there's one that stands up above all the rest, like a pearl floating through the choppy waters of the ocean.

Chokhe Chokh rakha, roughly translated to 'holding on to each other's eyes' is a sweet and subtle way of delivering what the heart wants. Lock eyes and look into each other's deep, longing gazes; if you're deeply in love, when the smell of rajnigandha makes your heart toil and your brain fuzzy, you might be looking into a universe of flowers and the full moon smiling down upon you, if you want to prove a point, you might see the opposite pair of eyes knuckle their hands up, bracing for a fight that will more often than not leave both of you with much more questions than answers. The eyes rule the world, people pray to the Lord for their kids to have their mother's eyes, the very eyes they grew up falling so madly in love with, what is it if not for the best of humanity in one frame?

The Kubrick stare is one of cinema's masterpieces, the cold, piercing gaze of his villains in full flow while you struggle to clutch your nearest armrest out of pure terror, all the act of the human eye ,while there, you're at a standstill, looking at the whites to find a way out , to beg for mercy, and to be given another chance at life. While you flicker through the pages of your childhood album and find yourself face-to-face with baby you who struggled to hold his bladders every day, does a wave of immense nostalgia not rush over you over what used to be? The times were simpler, the moments were beautiful, and the eyes of the baby said it all, pure delight, Cerelac complementary.

The Bengali man loves only one thing more than the fragrant aroma of perfectly cooked Hilsa, the beautiful capture of eyes; from Kabiguru's Chokher Bali to Ray's perfectly done close ups, we've all grown up to appreciate the greatness that lies within those two, seemingly insignificant in size compared to the rest of the body, but invoking a feeling so strong you feel blessed to be able to see for yourself. On the opposite end of the spectrum, an aversion to gazes may signify two things, either the person induces in you a feeling of love and euphoria so powerful it becomes almost delirious, or you carry in you a guilt so grave you get an imaginary hunchback carrying it with you wherever you go. All this with the magic of what the eyes say, they are a reflection of the people you meet and love, and their memories which stay along with you long after the interaction is over.

Look into my eyes and tell me what the heart desires, and what the brain aches for. In that simple moment of looking into each other, you intertwine your heart with mine, you see my past, I see your dreams and all the stories that you so bravely keep to yourself, a feeling so strong it makes me appreciate us for who we are.

'The eyes Chico, they never lie'