Blogs
Masan Holi celebrated with 'chita bhasm'
Facebook on March 5, 2023
As Holi approaches, various Indian states have begun celebrating the festival according to their unique traditions and cultures, Holi is celebrated in the Ghats of Varanasi as Masan Holi played with 'chita bhasm' from the burning pyre.
Françoise Gilot, Pablo Picasso : Adam & Eve
Facebook on February 25, 2023
In 1946, not long after she fell in love with Pablo Picasso, Françoise Gilot made a painting called: Adam Forcing Eve to Eat an Apple. Two flat, angular figures sit at a table. The woman placidly clasps her hands in front of her as the man—bald, blocky, with one dark, piercing eye shown in profile—thrusts the fruit into her mouth. Temptation, knowledge, punishment, exile: these are things,
>
José Saramago
Facebook on January 5, 2023
José de Sousa Saramago, (16 November 1922 – 18 June 2010), was a Portuguese writer and recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature for his "parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony which enables us to apprehend an illusory reality."
Jayabrato Chatterjee ~
Facebook on December 23, 2022
I had met Jayabroto Chatterjee occasionally on social gatherings and came to know him and his wife Subhra. Subhra was also involved with Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy and we met for work, particularly on their drive to promote their New Year’s Greeting Cards.
Remembering Jean-Luc
Facebook on September 15, 2022
Jean-Luc Godard is an Icon like Che Guevera. You might not have seen his films but would like him to be a part of your lexicon. You might not be able to pronounce his name correctly but he like Che, is a part of your life.
Moksha Patamu
Facebook on August 24, 2022
Moksha Patamu is a part of a family of Indian dice board games in ancient India from the 2nd century. Moksha, in Hinduism means, release from the cycle of rebirth impelled by the law of karma. Patam is an object placed at the foot of a door to keep it from closing. Loosely translated it means obstacle on the way to gaining Nirvana.
কোশা-কুশী : Kosha-Kushi
Facebook on August 9, 2022
The British Museum showcased a rare exposition titled, Tantra: enlightenment to revolution from 24 September 2020 to 24 January 2021. This landmark exhibition explored the radical force that transformed the religious, cultural and political landscape of India and beyond.
SAMIRAN : a quirk of fate
Facebook on July 5, 2022
Sometime back I had lamented the death of my dear friend Samiran. I could never imagine that one day I will attend his, ‘Shraadh Ritual’, which I did on 26th. June. But what a quirk of fate, we met a few days back on 22nd May.
K A N I K A di
Facebook on June 18, 2022
Kanika di came into my life via a visit to Dr. Amiya Deb’s home at Jatin Das Road. My friend, Neelanjana Sarkar who then studied Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University tagged me along in one of her visit and I came to meet Kanika di. I remember her for the care and attention she lavished on all whom she knew. She had time for everyone; she enjoyed talking through ideas and she made one feel part of a team of intelligentsia.
AVEEK SARKAR ~
Facebook on June 6, 2022
Giant among imaginative media promoters of the ideas of inter media progress, the occupation in different media and the urgent need for communication, Aveek Sarkar’s exploration is pre-eminent because of his hard and accurate predictions of the detailed technologies of communication and of the use of satellite for global communications.
Abhishek and The Complete Cosmicomics
Facebook on April 18, 2022
It was my son ’s birthday on Polila Baisakh,15th. April and I presented him a book which I forwarded by Speed Post but reached him late due to two postal holidays: Birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Good Friday. This is a Cosmiccomic, defying all calculation for the book to reach him on the exact date.
Nirmal Chandra Kumar: the patron saint of staying at home and doing nothing
Facebook on April 13, 2022
Nirmal Chandra Kumar, my father was an antiquarian. He had a large collection of books, maps, prints in his collection, through which he delved throughout the day. His friends, Radha Prasad Gupta, Satyajit Ray, Shanti Chowdhury, Vasant Choudhuri and others visited him for a session of ‘adda’ in the evening where books, among other subjects were discussed. Among the visitors was a young gentleman, Parimal Ray.
Shidhujyatha : Shidhuuncle
Facebook on February 7, 2022
My father Nirmal Chandra Kumar, the antiquarian, has been compared to Satyajit Ray’s fictional character Shidhujyatha. R P Gupta in his writing has mentioned that Satyajit Ray modelled the character on my father who had an encyclopaedic knowledge on many subjects.
RADHA PRASAD GUPTA
Facebook on December 14, 2021
As we celebrate his birth centenary, I recall Shatul Kaku , who was deeply embedded in the Calcutta psyche. He presents a fascinating paradox. He was a bibliophile, a historian, a writer in both English and Bengali, a gastronome, a cineaste, a collector of paintings. A raconteur and a polymath.
জগদ্ধাত্রী : Jagatdhatri
Facebook on November 12, 2021
Jagatdhatri জগদ্ধাত্রী, 'Bearer of the World' is another form the goddess Durga, who is particularly worshipped in the Indian states of West Bengal. Her cult is directly derived from Tantra where she is a symbol of sattva beside Durga and Kali, respectably symbolized with Rajas and Tamas.