THE DAWN OF THE DESHI SIX
Load-Shedding Man
For some, he leaves a wrath engulfed in darkness – depriving their lands of convenience and comfort, stripping them of exhilarating cricket matches, and plaguing the population by cutting off their internet accesses. Having been struck by lightning at a young age, Load-Shedding Man has been cursed ever since. With electrons flowing through his veins, Load-Shedding Man more often than not finds himself being an enigma, even to himself. But where most people sense danger, others find hope. Even though he leaves darkness in his wake, his powers spark joy and bring happiness to students all across the country.
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If the lights are out and all is dim, it can only mean one thing. It is time to close all the textbooks, fold the notebooks, and divert all of one's focus towards not studying. And that is a gift not many superheroes can bring to people. A foe to frustrated teachers, a friend to jubilant students. With his mere presence, he whisks away worries about deadlines and defeats nightmares fuelled by incomplete homework. But alas, the darkness eventually captures the students as well. For they too are unable to play video games, charge their phones, and mindlessly waste hours on the internet. He may be a broken man but Load-Shedding Man can truly mend the hearts of students across the country.
Bagh Mama
Ferocious, fearless, a force to be reckoned with – Bagh Mama is a forest spirit who possesses the strength of a thousand tigers yet what makes him truly one-of-a-kind is his cause. Driven by the need to save the ecosystem in his surroundings, he has set out on a mission to save all animals who need his help. With blinding speed, a deafening roar, and immense force, he sends shivers down the spines of all his nemeses.
His emergence as a hero, however, is marked by loss and tragedy. Bagh Mama lost his home to evil businessmen who burned down his hometown for their own self-interest. They burned it down to ruins until no one could recognise the place anymore. The lakes were made barren, the trees were chopped down, and all animals were hunted or forced to escape. Bagh Mama's journey isn't motivated by revenge, it is a mission that strives to spare people and animals the pain of what it's like losing everything they once loved. He makes an effort to save endangered species, animals who have been captured to be sold illegally, plant trees, and give back to Mother Nature.
Narikel Nani
We've all been there. Drowning in overdue assignments, a study table lost to mountains of scattered notes that you can't understand, a head full of jumbled numbers and pain. The world seems bleaker than it ever has before, and you can't seem to find a way to make sense of all the mess. All you want is a few moments of peace and clarity, but the frustration somehow manages to trump sleep.
When all hope seems lost, you might just hear the faint swoosh of a sober-coloured saree's draping and catch the familiar whiff of coconut oil. The air around you will somehow magically lose some of the built-up tension and a gentle breeze will pass by. Then you will know that she's here.
Meet Narikel Nani, your friendly neighbourhood grandmother. She may not fit the ideal of a superhero, but sometimes she's more powerful than the strongest of them.
When stress seems insurmountable, Narikel Nani will gently apply her coconut oil to your head, magically dissolving all the worries and confusion. With each parting of your hair, you become more and more relaxed, until you reach a mental clarity so great that you feel invincible. A few (hundred) overdue assignments will feel like nothing once Narikel Nani graces your presence.
Delivery Man
For the residents of Dhaka, every day holds a calamity. It may not be natural, but it is a disaster nonetheless. And that is: the traffic. When the city is gripped with traffic, it's almost as though it turns into a fortress where time stands still. For hours on end, no movement can be seen through any street. Except when he passes by like a ghost in the corner of your eye.
When the city stands still, one man runs. He runs by like a gust of wind, so fast that you can only see a brief flash of his giant delivery bag. When no one moves, he delivers.
He is the one and only Delivery Man. With his supersonic speed and his impeccable sense of navigation, Delivery Man goes to every nook and cranny of the city to deliver what is needed. If you had forgotten to buy art supplies for your project that's due the next morning, Delivery Man is here to help. He knows what you need even before you place the order.
However, Delivery Man does not limit himself to stationeries and late night snacks. When an actual disaster strikes, he is always the first one there to provide help to anyone who may need it. Whatever you need, he will deliver.
Nirob Rani
A hero with the power to shut out all harsh noises, and more specifically grownups who are being a little too loud. A celestial being with long luscious hair. Her confident stride leaves everyone speechless. In a world that constantly pushes you down, this is a superhero who will help you up – cleansing your audible periphery of all things noisy, shrill and unnecessary. She absorbs loud noises into her superpowered skin, and uses the energy from the vibrations of those noises to produce powerful (but silent) blasts that can deter the noisemakers who prove to be stubborn and difficult.
In her youth, Nirob Rani was simply a bookworm, preferring to spend days and weeks in the confines of her room or the library in her school. But the calmness she surrounded herself with would often be interrupted by adults who were simply too loud, and too annoying. As she grew up, her reading habits made her a super smart scientist, and she started working on noise absorbing nanomaterials as part of her research. One day, she mistakenly swallowed some of those nanomaterials with her cup of coffee, and her body reacted to it, turning her into who she was now. Nirob Rani is a superhero desperately needed in a loud city like Dhaka, and she goes around making the world more bearable for little children who just like things to be a bit quiet.
Lady Bijoy Sarani
She is a normal person, just like you and me. But her superpower is one of the most envied, by regular humans and other superheroes alike. She is a lucky charm, and if she's ever on a vehicle or on foot, going through Bijoy Sarani, the signal is always green. Lady Bijoy Sarani realises that this power is precious, and can be misused if she's ever captured or under control of bad people. So, she trains to become strong, and only uses her superpower to allow those in emergency need to pass through, like those in ambulances, kids getting late for school, or other superheroes who need a clear road.
In the beginning, however, she suffered like everyone else. When she missed a doctor's appointment one day and fell ill in the middle of the road and passed out, her friends and family thought all was lost. But a miracle took place in the middle of Dhaka's hellish traffic, and our superhero woke up, raised a hand, and all traffic came to a halt. The car she was in sped through the intersection, and it stayed open as long as she was in eyeshot. A new superhero was born, one who was unique to Dhaka. Lady Bijoy Sarani's traffic signal had turned green, and it wasn't ever going to turn red.
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