REFLECTIONS OF A FESTIVE MIND

While everybody is busy immersing themselves in the slokas of Birendra Krishna Bhadra, I happen to be planning about editing my assignments and submitting them on time. For the last 15 years Pujo has been an essential part of my life. Every year, whether it be in school or in college Pujo for me used to start a month earlier than it was actually scheduled to take place. Right from going to Pujo shopping with my mother and excitedly discussing what my friends and I bought and from where to which place had great outfits in reasonable price or which brand was giving heavy discounts, none of these talks ever evaded us in Kolkata. 

All three years of my college life, there was a specific date reserved for lunch with my school friends. Ashtami was always earmarked for the yearly get together of a crazy trio (including me). 
In fact as the days of the Pujo came nearer, news always reached me which pandal was being made of what and we started planning with our friends to visit those pandals. One day was of course reserved for pandal hopping with my family.

Instant plans were also made when we were out of plans.I still remember a friend (as adventurous as me) calling me up in the morning saying that there is still one day of the pujo left and we had no plans. So it was decided we cant let this happen and met in an hour to enjoy the one day left before bhashaan.

Residing in an area which is the hotspot of Durga Puja in South Calcutta it is impossible to not miss it. In Bengali people say 'Ashche Bochor Abar Hobe' to reiterate that there would be double the fun next year. But I would say 'Ashche Bochor Hotei Hobe' to console myself by saying that next year I will have to make it for the Pujas. 

Here in Manchester there are a few places that host Pujas. But I would call it a silent festival as there are no Dhaakis to announce the onset of the Festival; there are no children playing the drums constantly near your ears; babies in the laps of their parents do not take to the blowing whistles , the noise of which starts blowing your mind after a certain while; there are no colourful balloons in the air and neither are there bubbles reflecting the colourful environment.Hardly do even a hundred people gather around for the celebrations.

But nevertheless, probably it would turn out that staying away from home and the festival for a year will make me enjoy it in a grand scale next year. So, I leave you guys with best wishes for this Pujo and a very advance Subho Bijoya . Hope you guys enjoy this year and some of you are kind enough to send some photographs (Wink). The photographs used in this post are from my archives of previous year's Pujo. 

The Ganges Retreat

The most random trip I  ever made was to the  Diamond Harbor Resort Punyalakshmi. It felt like the other day, I was chatting with my friend and casually proposed an outing and voila, our mother’s made it come true. Thus, five of us set off on an exciting journey last Sunday to Diamond Harbor with great expectations from the place and hopes of getting our heads into some wild adventures (which sadly did not happen!).

We set out at 7:30 am on a beautiful (and not so sunny Sunday morning) to greet our destination. We had gone on a package tour, and I must add here that the staff knew how to take care of their guests. After a very warm welcome and breakfast, we went ahead with exploring the place.

PATHWAYS INSIDE THE RESORT 

PATHWAYS LINED BY VILLA 

A STATUE 

BRIDGE LEADING TO A VILLA

Punyalakshmi is a very beautiful and most importantly open resort. It overlooks the Ganges at such proximity which I have never seen or felt in the other water-side resorts I have been to in my life. The resort itself has a variety of rooms and cottages to make everyone’s stay happy and comfortable. In fact an extension work was in progress when I visited.

The playground was occupied by children and teenagers both. The swings, see-saws and the slip were temptations enough to engage everyone for a long time. Once in a while kids even brought in water to make sand castles which ultimately did not formulate and they left feeling irritated but finding something else to engage them soon after.

The well maintained lawns saw many a footballs trampling it. If not footballs then many pairs of feet  who were either peacefully crossing it, or posing in front of the camera for a group photograph or else playing badminton. Some were more interested in clicking pictures of the flowers and bushes that lines the lawn. I tried chasing a yellow-orange butterfly for at least thirty minutes before I finally gave up pretty disheartened.

SWIMMING POOL

The swimming pools were a special feature of the resort. Being available from 7 am in the morning right till 8 pm, both the adult and the children’s pool were engaged by the guests throughout the day.

VIEW FROM THE RESORT

MEN AT WORK

ROWS OF BOATS

MEN AT WORK

The best part of the resort, however, was the benches placed overlooking the Ganges. The cool and fresh air, the never ending waters, lush greenery and rows of streamers, cargo ships, boats and occasionally men doing something really important (though I could not figure out what ) near the river banks; were sights that were common and could engage one for hours in the end. In fact the Kolkata Port Trust had set up regular streamer facilities for daily commuters. In fact many of the small fishermen boats were also at rent to be taken across the sea. Though my friend and I had the wild ideas of trying both of them or either one at least, our puppy faces were returned with those of a roaring tiger by our seniors and our adventurous plans went for a toss in the Ganga waters.

We were told that near the resort was an old English fort which was now in ruins. I was extremely excited and curious to see the fort. But sadly, all I saw was a chunk of old brick peeking its head out from the waters. That was all that was left of the huge fort. Instead what intrigued me was a goat kid that was wondering near the shore.

No one knew when time flew by and we found ourselves sitting in the restaurant for lunch. Lunch in this resort was an elaborate affair. Ranging right from salads, roti’s, flavored rice to mutton, chicken, Chinese, fish and chutneys, sweets and ice creams for desserts. And yes all cooked to perfection!

After lunch, it was time to laze around the Ganges water banks. I found a nice and comfy seat and settled with my camera and started talking to my friend. We saw numerous streamers and boats pass by and also an occasional bird which we were sometimes lucky enough to capture through our lenses.

Soon, it was time to leave. By six the place became dark and lanterns were lit up in the lawn and the garden areas. The resort looked prettier. In fact, the reflections of these lights falling on the Ganges made the river look like a prettily dressed up bride. It felt really sad leaving the place. But I left it with great memories and a promise of being back again in the future- maybe with family or maybe with friends (to try our luck in those unaccomplished adventurous plans of ours) . . . . . . . .

An Ode to Fruits

                    "Autumn is the mellower Season,

                     and what we lose in flowers,

                     We more than gain in fruits."

                                       -Samuel Butler 

                                            

It is not that I am too fond of fruits; in fact, I am a very picky fruit eater. I might like something one day and dislike it the other day. But that did not stop me from going into the wholesale fruit markets of bara-bazaar on 11th October, even if it was to only look at the place and see the various activities going on there. Here I must acknowledge that the fruit bazaar was certainly not what I had imagined; it was even better.

On entering the fruit bazaar, apart from some shops where the people were busy in packing and loading and unloading fruits from the trucks, we were greeted by a very old goat. It must be too soon for me to say, but the goat seemed to tell me that he had seen everything that possibly went on inside the mandi (popular term for the markets) and was probably waiting for a change.

Nevertheless, what interested me was that the entire place was abuzz with various activities which appealed to one’s senses. People were busy collecting fruits that had come from the trucks. While many unloaded carton full of fruits; there were others who sat and maintained records and finances of the deal. At many corners men gathered around a table and one person howled prices on top of his voice. Not knowing what it was when I went to check, I was told by another man that it was live auction at progress and those auctioneers surely wanted me to leave them in peace.

Delving further into the market one can notice that the ground had been covered by straws and hays. These were the materials in which the fruits were brought every morning and they were just discarded on the floor. This covered the floor into layers of hays and actually one can say that the ground was hardly visible. One has to walk on the "hay" floor inside the mandi. Looking up, the entire market is surrounded by houses- two or three storeyed houses. They were so old that it felt like they might fall any moment. But I prayed that they would not, at least not while I was there.

The actual market was a colorful delight. Everywhere one looked there were stack and stacks of fruits of various colors- red juicy pomegranates, huge fat pineapples, guavas, lovely peaches, delicious dates, ripe bananas, green and black grapes and the lot. But what dominated the scenes most were the green lemons. Everywhere you look there were lemons, lemons and more lemons.

While I stopped to take the entire feel in, I realized that this is nothing but an entire colony in itself. People living in the houses had their occupations just outside their thresholds. Apart from the fruit dealers proper, there were auctioneers, truck drivers, barbers, people who owned food shops and many others.

This post would not be complete if I miss out on the reactions of the people in the mandi. It was a mostly male dominated place where I could spot an occasional sari here or there. While most of them were middle -aged, many were also young who helped their fathers or uncles in this trade. Seeing people with DSLR’s in their area they became quite thrilled and gave a variety of responses. While some willingly posed in front of the camera, some started howling at us.  Many were eagerly calling us to take their photographs and one gentleman even posed for a single shot. I was actually lucky to be able to experiment with various techniques which I had recently learned from my mentor. Though not everything came out exactly what was in my mind, nevertheless it left me satisfied, though smelling of fruits and eager to go back for some more shots.

All in all, the entire trip was worth it and made me discover a new aspect of Kolkata which I had been negligent of all this while.

A (Photo) Walk to Remember

Photowalk is the new trend in the city for all the amateur photographers although I consider myself as a photo explorer. Why? I try to explore my camera too other than places that are perfect for pretty frames. That is exactly why on 13^th September (which was thankfully not a Friday) I set out with my camera to the Bheris (fishing ponds) of Salt Lake. I believe, Photowalk, is not just about going to a place and capturing few good shots; it is more about knowing one’s city, its culture, and its serene beauty.

Reaching the bheri was an adventure in itself. From sneaking out early from college to listening to mom shouting about safety and finally braving the cloudy and rainy weather itself. With the main aim of shooting the sunset being washed away by rain, we decided to try our luck in shooting whatever was available.

The Bheri was right beside a row of IT Companies and also colleges and institutes. But even then, it was pleasant to see that amidst urbanization such a natural and peaceful place exists even today. The Bheris itself are surrounded by rows of small grasslands and an occasional tree here and there. Narrow roads dividing it make a pathway for people to cross over from the other side. Apart from the fishes that are bred there, the ecosystem also comprises little black ants, lots of crows, wild grasses and little flowers growing unevenly all over the place.

With the place being windy and cloudy due to the rain falling on the ground, it was difficult to focus and get a good shot. Although, luckily, there was a boat of fishermen which became the object of interest for quite some time and prone to many an experiments of mine.

Surprisingly, I made an attempt to shoot macro with a prime lens. This ultimately resulted in neck pain, hand pain and finally happiness when I could get my macro subject in full focus. This being my first attempt at macro requires more practice in the future and guidance to perfect this field.

The huge buildings of the IT offices and institutes which formed the background were also a subject that needed attention. In fact a wide shot would get in all the important elements of the place- the offices, the Bheris and the sky. It would be the perfect example of a place where urbanization, technology and development met nature.

However, the only fault with the place was that the same development was eating into the natural resources of the area. This not only causes environmental degradation but also reduces the natural beauty of the place.

On crossing the IT offices one can stand for hours in front of them and gauge at the huge infrastructures. Hearing noises coming from (what I thought might be) the canteen or the parking lot, one cannot do but wonder what type of work goes on inside, how are the people who worked there, how would the work culture be. Nevertheless, it might be impossible for me to get the answers to these questions as my career comes nowhere close to the IT sector.

Though, the main aim of capturing the sunset was not fulfilled, the trip was fruitful in many other ways. The adventure, the beauty of the open ponds, the macro subject, the dreams about IT offices and above all getting expert advice on shooting, all made the trip immensely successful for me.

The Decadence of Tradition

The City Of Joy has many hidden treasures which are rarely explored in the fever of modernism which has broken over the entire world. These traditional art forms are  famous only in rural Bengal. In fact this is the only method of survival and occupation , these families have been involved in for generations and thus till today their daily bread is earned through such art forms.Though many are found all over Bengal, I would be highlighting only five such decaying folk forms.

5# Chau Dance is a popular folk dance in Orissa , Jharkhand and West Bengal . Mostly seen in Purulia it is performed by the tribal communities of Munda, Bhol, Sahoo to name a few. This folk art has three different components - music provided by the Mukhis, Kalindis etc; masks made by ace artisans of the Sutradhar,Maharanas or the Mohapatra clan and the dancers. Chau dance itself has variations depending on its origin- Purulia chau, Mayurbhanj chau and Seraikella Chau. Interestingly Mayurbhanj chau is the only folk form which does not make use of any masks. The dance itself is a blend of martial arts and traditional dance steps.In 2010 Chau dance was honoured by UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible cultural Heritage of Humanity. Special measures have been taken by the Government of Orissa to look into the preservation of this art form. But sadly in Bengal, it is a dying art.

CHAU MASK

CHAU DANCERS

4#  Bhawaiya is a traditional music form popular in Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling and North Bangladesh. These places came under the state of Kamtapur in older days . Hence, the Kamptapuri language is also used while singing the songs. The biggest performers of this art were those associated with the Rajbari of Kamtapur. However , today, these songs have spread to all communities living in the area. In fact many Bhawaiya songs have been adapted in Bengali cinema. The music in this folk form reflects a typical tone of natural, environmental, ethnic phonetic and topographical influence.

3#  Alkap is one of the primitive ways of mass communication. It was originally used to raise awareness regarding social issues and taboos. But today the original form of Alkap which included men dressing up as women, musicians singing songs and sexual connotations , is becoming extinct. It is replaced by Bengali film songs and women taking part in this form of performing art. The participants are divided to put forward arguments in support and against the social cause to communicate it to the people. However due to lack of interest and finance this art is rarely seen today.

ALKAP IN PROGRESS

2#  Gombhira which originated in the Nawabganj region is a another folk form of increasing social awareness through music and songs. It is distinct as it is performed by two males playing the role of a son and his maternal grandfather . Sometimes this art is also accompanied by masked dancers who enact the verses in the song.

MASKED DANCERS

GETTING READY FOR A PERFORMANCE

1#  Bhatiali are traditional boat songs which fishermen and boatmen sing while they are on their journey in the river. Bhatiali mostly deals with descriptions of Nature from those who are living in close harmony with nature. Influence of this form of music is found on the ghats of Brahmaputra in West Bengal and Bangladesh.

PAINTING OF BHATIALI SINGERS

These forms of art are becoming rare and extinct in contemporary times . Probably the instruments and technologies of modernism is to be blamed for this. With people remaining glued to television and cell phones, they neither have the time nor the interest to spare a thought about traditional art. There are a few heritage fairs in the city where performers from all parts of the State come in to showcase their talents; however, they have less audience and also the number of traditional groups that come in are decreasing year after year.The good news is many theatre groups, NGOs and private organisations are trying to revive these traditional art forms. It is a venture which I personally support and encourage everyone to support for tradition is a guide for a better future.

A Calcutta That Was. .

                                     “Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we                                                                                             remember it.” 
                                                                                                    ― L.M. Montgomery, The Story Girl

I begin today's post with such a quote as it is specially connected to what this post is going to be about. Today I write about memories forgotten by many and unknown to many . Kolkata as we now know it , which is home to many of us has turned so modern that many cannot visualize what Calcutta was like. Though I do find some remains of old Calcutta here and there and mostly in North Calcutta, much of what was, is lost to us. The buildings demolished, the mansions brought down to make multi-storey buildings and above all the people who knew the past are fading away quietly  burying with them the many secrets of Calcutta.

Unfortunately I myself have not ever had a chance to communicate with such people but the good point is that these scenes are captured by great artists in their works. These works would never die and remind us of our culture and heritage whenever we forget it . I still remember during one of my college breaks when I entered a famous bookstore in Park Street and while my friends were looking at books I was staring at some paintings of Old Calcutta. A  young man called for an attendant  and asked him about the paintings to which the attendant looked clueless. In fact he replied that no one ever buys those and they just lie there year after year gathering dust. I was amazed by the reply which the young man gave and that reply is one of the primary reasons I am writing this post today he said and I quote" I am most unfortunate to not have been able to see the beauty of Old Calcutta and I am just trying to discover and keep that fire alive in society". That day he stunned two people with his reply- the attendant and me as well.

Since then I have started my own research about paintings of Old Calcutta and I think it would be best that they tell their own stories rather than me describing them today. Though there are lots of copyright issues I have still managed to find some that will not put anyone in trouble.

Starting with the oldest, anyone who has ever read the history of Calcutta would know the Battle of Plassey.

This is a painting of one of the famous animal sports played during the Raaj. Armed men would be seated on top of elephants and begin their hunt to kill an animal. These were some of the atrocious animals sports played and I sometimes wonder whether they are one of the reasons that wildlife is becoming endangered and extinct today.

Up next two of the most renowned and famous temples of Kolkata- Dakhineshwar Temple (Above) and Kalighat (Below). Earlier one used to cross the Ganges on shared boats to reach the Dakhineshwar Temple but today the infrastructure is so developed that hardly one sees anyone coming there by boat. In fact the boats seen in the sketch of Kalighat are near extinct. If one is lucky one might get to see some of them parked at the Ganges Ghat.

If temples are found in Calcutta, churches are also no less. Considering that the British ruled over us for 200 years it is impossible that churches were not built. The Scottish Church (Above ) and St Peter's Church in Fort William (Below) are two of the oldest churches in Calcutta. However if one visits them today, one would not be able to imagine the difference between the paintings and reality.

These form three of my personal favorite paintings and sketches. The First painting (above) is a view of the Esplanade road from Chowringhee. Looking at the place today it is hard to imagine that horses roamed the very streets once.The next one (Middle) is a painting of Belvedere  House Alipore. Interestingly such old houses today are the hotspots of ghost stories . Whether these stories are true or just tales told by locals to scare away people for their own personal gains is yet to be discovered. The third (Below) , a pencil sketch of Victoria Memorial  by Samir Biswas would always remain etched in the minds of those who take one look at it.

Since this post deals with sketches and paintings it would not be fair if I do not add a painting of an art gallery. And lastly I end the post with two very popular traditional Bengali paintings. The first by Jamini Roy and the second depicting the famous Sindoor Khela during Durga Puja.

 Though much has changed today in terms of technology and infrastructure development, still I sense that “Sometimes. . . . the things I remember are more real than the things I see. ”