Salt Lake -Celebrating Golden Jubilee

~16 Apr 1962 ~ Foundation Stone laid by then CM Dr. BC Roy. Seen with Ajoy Mukherjee and others~ (Photo : Coutesy- AnandaBazar Ptrika dated 12 Feb 11)

Salt Lake City Township of Kolkata (also known as Bidhan Nagar)completed 50 years on Monday, 16 April 2012 and celebrating its Golden Jubilee year. Exactly 50 years ago, on April 16, the late Chief Minister of West Bengal Bidhan Chandra Roy had laid the foundation stone of the township.

Click this link for the well planned Layout Map of the township. In this map, you can see how beautifully planned the individual blocks.

From one house at AA block, the township has grown over the last 50 years, with the present population at more than 2 lakh. I am leaving in this Township since 1988.

 

All are in hurry to make a shortcut to hell

They are in hurry. No use of waiting for Green Signal

While driving on the city roads, I have experienced that the Calcuttans are in the habits of violating traffic rules and they take their life in their hands while crossing the roads. Every time you may not be that lucky, some time you may be caught and then it takes a shape of an accident. Many times I experienced such violation of traffic rules by the pedestrians just in front of my car, which made me to write this post.

In front of the moving cars

People of Kolkata are in the habits of simply walk across the street without bothering the moving traffic simply raising a hand at the oncoming speedy vehicles, expecting them to stop. That way Kolkata is a paradise of jaywalkers.

Many times ladies, maid servants with school kids in tow, simply walk across the roads when the traffic is on the move, raising a hand to the moving vehicles. This is the trend in Kolkata and this type of violation practices by the students, young, olds, literates, illiterates all section of people violate rules and happily take their life into risk while crossing the roads. This violations often take into a ugly shape of accidents and all public sympathy go to the victims though the accident occurred due to their faults and violation of traffic rules.

Following Zebra lines but they too are in hurry

Another type of violation of traffic rules  by the pedestrians has come to my notice that in the busy crossing like Gariahat more where a group of people just jumps to the road in front of the moving vehicles and forced them to stop despite the signal is Green.

People of Kolkata think themselves as most intelligent which make them try to go shortcut everywhere. They not only cross the roads by raising one hand to the moving vehicles (like a traffic police) but also they are in the habit of standing in the middle of the roads for boarding a bus. Private buses oblige them which makes the people more in-disciplined and both (buses and passengers) don’t bother to stand in the Bus stand. Drivers of the State owned buses some times try to teach them a lesson by just not picking them up, but due to the private buses the practice continues and they are beyond correction because of the culture of the private buses. Only way out to stop these violations is to make the law more stringent and enforce them strictly with heavy penalties/fines.

(Picture : Times of India)

My beautiful Kausani : a poem

I met her at Kausani in an evening dusky and rainy,

She attracted me, as if known for years many.

Welcome me raising her large eyes to my face,

Our four eyes met and made everything in mess.

She expressed her happiness on her bright face.

In the breezy evening my heart was in a brisk pace.

Her room was in a corner on the same floor of mine,

We shared the balcony to view the peaks and pine.

Our eyes were meeting while watching the peaks few,

I was gazing her beauty with the nature that she knew.

In windy weather, hairs were out of control of hers,

She put her shawl down, raised her arms to knot the hairs.

I found her slim body turned to a great posture,

Raising her “peaks”, beautiful and inviting,

she appeared to be, to me a beautiful painting,

She looked at me, I mutely thanked for her gesture.

After rain and wind, calmness prevailed in the mountains,

We were alone but unable to come closure, suffered the pains.

At last she looked at me and stepped to the terrace,

Wanted me to follow her to be with me face to face.

She smiled at me and hinted me to follow,

She took me to the clouds in the valley below.

While walking with her on the clouds under the sky,

I told her I had seen you somewhere, don’t be shy.

Tell me your name my dear lady, if I am right,

With smile, large and black eyes she was bright.

She said I am Kausani, don’t you know my dear?

She smiled and wanted my name to hear.

Suddenly my dream ended due to bang of sound,

I discovered myself in my bed but she was never found.

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About Kausani & the poem : During my visit to Kausani I was astonished by the beauty of the hill station. Not only the beauty, a heavenly calm prevails there which inspire to think about the vastness and beautiful creation of the God. The climate of the place changes frequently and clouds comes down to the valley at a lower level. The beautiful natural beauty, calmness, clouds and Himalyan peaks standing tall at the horizon inspired me to bring out the poet in me to compose the above poem.

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Pachise Baishakh – a tribute to Tagore

A Tribute to Rabindranath Tagore on his 148th birthday on Pachise Baishakh as per Bengali Calender, which falls on 08th May 2008.

Rabindranath Tagore is the first Asian person to be awarded with the Nobel prize in 1913 in literature for his book “Gitanjali” and probably the most prominent personality in the cultural world of Indian subcontinent. He is mainly known as a poet, but his multifaceted talent showered upon different branches of art, such as, Poetry, novels, short stories, articles dramas, essays, painting etc. He was a social reformer, patriot and above all, a great humanitarian and philosopher. To understand his multifaceted talent, his works, one has to do research work on him. It is amazing the way he has written so much in his life time. Here is a piece of his work from his “The  Gardener” :

IN THE DUSKY PATH OF A DREAM

by: Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

In the dusky path of a dream I went to seek the love who was mine in a former life.

Her house stood at the end of a desolate street.

In the evening breeze her pet peacock sat drowsing on its perch, and the pigeons were silent in their corner.

She set her lamp down by the portal and stood before me.

She raised her large eyes to my face and mutely asked, “Are you well, my friend?”

I tried to answer, but our language had been lost and forgotten.

I thought and thought; our names would not come to my mind.

Tears shone in her eyes. She held up her right hand to me. I took it and stood silent.

Our lamp had flickered in the evening breeze and died.

Bangla culture, especially music of Bengal (India) and Bangladesh too has been greatly influenced by Rabindranath Tagore – by his thousands of songs and poetries. The songs known as Rabindrasangeet is still popular. The songs of Tagore have an eternal appeal and is permanently placed in the heart of the Bengalis. In Bengal its like a rituals in their lives that in every house children learn and practice Rabindrasangeet.

Amartya Sen in his book “Tagore and His India” says : “Rabindranath is a towering figure in the millennium-old literature of Bengal. Anyone who becomes familiar with this large and flourishing tradition will be impressed by the power of Tagore’s presence in Bangladesh and in India. His poetry as well as his novels, short stories, and essays are very widely read, and the songs he composed reverberate around the eastern part of India and throughout Bangladesh.”

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Train to Bangladesh

“That is my country …. How near is it. Still, I can never reach there.” This was a dialogue in Ritwik Ghatak’s film “Komal Gandhar”, which captured the pain and grief of partition and his dream of reaching there remained just a dream . But on the day of poila Baisakh, Bengali New Year 1415, the Bengalis of both side of the International border got a gift to cherish and to make their dreams of “reaching there” fulfilled.

“Maitree Express” (Friendship Express) a train to Bangladesh from India, (Kolkata to Dhaka) started its journey on the auspicious day of Poila Baisakh that is 14^th april 2008, after 43 years of snapping rail link between India and Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). The rail link between India and the then East Pakistan was snapped during Indo-Pak war in 1965.

The two countries, India (particularly West Bengal) and Bangladesh supposed to be very close at hearts to each other because of their common bond of language, culture and food habits. But we are not so due to politics and misunderstandings. An International Boarder separated us from each other. India always respect sovereign state of the neighboring countries and never believe in aggressiveness or Dadagiri to any neighboring country. India always stood by the side of Bangladesh, at the time of distress like a good friend.

“Maitree Express” alone can not bridge the gap or erase the border between two nations built or created through many years unless there is heart to heart communications by way of cultural exchange and tourism. Let there be more “Bharat Bangaldesh friendship society”, and let us extend our hands for friendship with each other. The same was reflected on the first day run of “Maitree Express” when the passengers reaching Kolkata expressed their happiness shouting “we are very happy to be here. We Bangladeshis share a common bond with you people. We especially thank you for standing by us during our war of liberation”.

If East and West Berlin can unite by breaking their “Wall of Berlin”, why can’t we work for union of two Bengals ?

Note : During united India (before Independence) the present Bangladesh was known as “East Bengal”. Then came the partition of INDIA in 1947 on the basis of religion and then “East Bengal” became “East Pakistan” ruled by Pakistan. In 1971, “East Pakistan” was freed from the clutches of Pakistan by India and a new nation was born , thats “Bangladesh”.

Train reached Kolkata from Dhaka. ( Pic : Times of India)

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New Year Celebrations in April

It is not just the Bengali New Year or poila Baisakh which falls on 14^th April for celebration in West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh. There are more states of India and some neighboring countries, celebrating New Years in this fortnight of April. There is the Assyrian New Year, which is celebrated on April 01. The Punjabi New year, Baisakhi, falls between 13 and 15^th April. The Tamil New Year and Vishu ( Malayalam) are celebrated on the same day and falls on 13^th or 14^th. Nepali New year falls between 12 and 15^th. The Thai and Lao New Years are celebrated from April 13^th to 15^th. The Cambodian New Year too is celebrated from April 13 to 15.

Wishing you all – a new year filled with peace, prosperity and good fortune !

(Source Times of India)

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Durga puja

Image of Maa Durga (seen with Demon Mahishasur, Lakshmi, Saraswati ,kartick & Ganesh ) (Pujo of Ekdalia Evergreen 2007 : Courtesy : Calcuttaweb.com).  For viewing latest images visit page ‘Festival’ of this blog.

Durga Puja is the year’s largest Hindu festival in India in the states of West Bengal, Orissa, Tripura, assam, Jharkhand and other part of Eastern India. In fact this festival has no boundary. It is celebrated in every cities of India, in some form or the other. It is celebrated in all metro cities of India and abroad. In Bangladesh, Hindus celebrate Durga puja. This year celebration starts from 17th Oct and will continue till 21 Oct 2007 (Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami, Nabami and Dashami).

On the day of Mahalaya, (the day pitri paksha ends and matripaksha starts i.e. seven days before Durga puja) at the crack of dawn all will be waken up to the tune “Jaago Durga” – a song that tunes the mind to the festive spirit. Last 75 years this programme is being broad casted by All India Radio at early dawn (like Ajaan). Nobody can miss this invocation of Mother Goddess Durga by “Jaago Durga”. Its not a piece of music ; it’s part of spirituality and our culture. Many tried to change this invocation programme but all were utter failure. Our culture did not accept anything other than this.

Durga puja has many forms. In northern India it is celebrated as Dussehra and in western India as Navaratri (nine nights) and as Vijayadashami in south India. Durga Puja or Dussera or Vijayadashami is celebrated through out the country in autumn (Sharat) every year. Although it is a Hindu festival, religion takes a backseat on these festive days. Durga Puja in Bengal, particularly in Kolkata takes a shape of a carnival, where people from all walk of life and backgrounds, regardless of their religious beliefs, participate and enjoy themselves throughout the nights. The Durga puja is a festival of Bengal, Bengalis, therefore wherever Bengalis are there Durga Puja will be celebrated there. This is the reason behind the Globalization of Durga Puja and celebration in Europe and America.

In the epic Ramayana, Rama invokes the powerful goddess Durga in his battle against Ravana. Although she was traditionally worshipped in the spring, due to contingencies of battle, Rama had no other go but to invoke her in the autumn. This untimely invocation in autumn is known as “akaal bodhan”. This invocation has become more popular in the society and started to celebrate it every year in a grand manner. The reason may be because of Rama, Rama’s battle with Ravana and winning of the battle which marked as the victory of good forces over the evil forces.

Dussera or Navaratri or Vijayadashami in other parts of India are the celeration of homecoming of Rama with his wife Sita after his victory over Ravana ( the king of Lanka), the victory of the forces of Good over Evil forces. Burning of effigy of Ravana is the part of the celebration in some parts of India.

Durga puja has many angles and accordingly it is celebrated at different parts of India. Durga puja celebrated by Bengalis is having little difference from the others. Durga is the the Goddess of divine power against all evils. The story goes that Mahisasur (the Buffalo Demon), through years of praying, received blessing from Lord Brahma, that no power can kill him which means he is invincible. But once gaining this power he started ravaging the whole world and killing people. And finally he wanted to uproot the Gods too. The Gods, in dismay, combined their powers to create a beautiful maiden, and each placed his or her most potent weapon in one of her ten hands riding a lion. Then there was war between Durga and the Mahishasur (the Buffalo demon) and finally Durga Killed the demon. Rama, as per the epic Ramayana, invoked this powerful Goddess Durga before the battle with Ravana. The invocation of Goddess Durga, by Rama is celebrated every year by Bengalis for five days. It is celebrated to mark the victory of Good forces over the evil. But this Durga puja has some social angle too.

In the modern society, this social angle acts more strongly than any other to celebrate. Durga, daughter of Himalaya, and wife of Lord Shiva and they have four children. The Idol worshipped in the pandals (temporary place of worship) is seen Goddess Durga killing demon Mahishasur and her four children are standing by the side of hers. This coming with her children is seen like our married daughters’ home coming with her family. When the married daughter come to her parental home with her husband and children, parents welcome their daughter with tears of joy and there will be happiness, joy and celebration in the family. The Durga puja too traditionally viewed as home coming of Durga, a married daughter of ours to her home with her children. The Godliness and social cultures, customs have mixed up and have taken a shape, which is beyond explanation but to be felt.

Therefore, it is a matter of our culture to invite daughters and son-in-laws during this festive season and all married daughters wait to join their parents. Parents gift them with new dresses, saree etc etc and since they come in the festive season, try to gift their parents too. All these five days lot of sweet dishes and special dishes will be prepared as per choice of their daughter and son in law. Every body, children, young and aged people wear new dresses on these days. On these days, people move from pandal to pandal to see the art, theme of the idols and pandals throughout night. The whole city, small or big will be glittering with dancing colorful lights, sound of microphones and sound of vehicular traffic and their horn sounds. But vehicles move like snails as people throng to the streets and walk to enjoy the festive atmosphere. It takes a shape of carnival.

On fifth day when the idols goes out for immersion, all women come to the pandal to bid farewell with sweets, paan, sindoor. It creates an atmosphere like biding farewell to our own daughter when they leave for in-laws house for one long year. Women become emotionally charged with and tears rolls down from their eyes.

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That’s Kolkata – the city of joy

Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) – the city of joy, city of Rabindranath, city of Satyajit Ray, city of intellectuals, city of football, city of procession, city of political movements, city of Bundhs (strike) , city of arts and culture (cultural capital of India), city of festivals and at last but not the least it is also known as city of best sweets and cuisine. Here is a glimpses of the city :

Kolkata is the Capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the eastern part of India on the east bank the river Hoogly. The city has a population of about 5 million and it is the 4^th largest city in India.

Land mark of Kolkata, the Howrah Bridge, 2,150 feet long a engineering marvel. Construction of the bridge was completed in the year 1942, and it was opened for public in February, 1943.

The new Howrah bridge over Hoogly(Holy river Ganges)

Brief History of the city: In 1690, Job Charnok, an agent of the East India Company landed on the eastern bank of river Hoogly for British trade settlement and he purchased the three large villages along the eastern bank of Hoogly, namely Sutanuti, Gobindapur & Kalikata. Gradually, over the years, the “village Kalikata” was developed into a city “Calcutta” by the British.

Chowringhee Square as was in 1946

Calcutta served as the capital of India during the British Rule until 1911. Once the city Calcutta was center of modern education, science, culture and political movements in India. The Bengal as a whole was much developed those days in all sectors including politics, which gave birth of a proverb – “what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow”.

Chowringhee skyline today

Electric Tram is seen only in Kolkata (Calcutta) in India. It is a slow moving transport system which makes traffic congestion sometimes. But due environmental friendly the citizen likes it to stay. The city has many ways of commuting starting from hand drawn rickshaws to underground tube rail.

 

 

Victoria Memorial – In memory of Queen Victoria

In 2001, the name of Calcutta was changed to Kolkata. The names Kolkata and Calcutta were probably derived from Kalikata, the name of one of the three villages (Kalikata, Sutanati & Gobindapur). While the city was always pronounced either “Kolkata” or “Kolikata”, in Bengali, its official English name was only changed from “Calcutta” to “Kolkata” in 2001, reflecting the Bengali pronunciation and to end the legacy of the British.

Most intellectual city of India : Most Nobel laureates of India have been associated with Calcutta University or Calcutta at some point of time. The city has produced six Nobel Laureates so far. They are:

1. Sir Ronald Ross (1902 Medicine)
2. Rabindranath Tagore (1913 Literature)
3. CV Raman (1930 Physics)
4. Mother Teresa (1979 Peace)
5. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1983 Physics)
   
6. Amartya Sen (1998 Economics)

Festivals : Durga Puja is the most notable festival of Bengalis which celebrated every year like a carnival. It’s a religious and social festival of Kolkata. Other notable festivals include Deepavali, Eid, Christmas, Holi, Poila Baishakh (Bengali new Year), Saraswati Puja, rath yatra. Among the cultural festivals “Kolkata Book fair” are the most popular and its an event which takes place in the month of January every year.

Places of Interests : Science City, Indian Museum, Birla Planetorium, Victoria Memorial, Marble Palace, Nicco Park, Botanical garden, Iskcon Temple, Belur Math, Kalighat, Dakshineswar kali Temple, Armenian Church, St. Paul’s Cathedral church, Tagore House, Alipore Zoological Garden, Parasnath temple.

Indulgence to foods & sweets: As already mentioned about Kolkata that it is a city of best sweets and cuisines. Food and sweet are the two greatest indulgence of Kolkata people. Kolkatans love to eat and also they re great hosts. Every meal, ends with choicest sweets and Misty doi (sweetened curd). The unique range, quality, taste, variety and cheap rates of sweets can leave you amazed. The kolkata sweets are best sweets in India and unparallel in quality. Misty doi (sweetened curd) and confectionery of Patali Gur (date palm jaggery) are two delicacies of Bengal.

Besides Mughlai (tandoori, kebabs, biriyani etc.) Continental, Thai, Tibetian cuisines, Chinese cuisines are also very popular in Kolkata. Authentic quality Chinese cuisine is available in the eating houses/ Restaurants in Old China Town run by the Chinese people. Kolkata is also having varieties of junk foods. The quality of these foods is also too good. The quality and varieties of these foods too are not available out side Bengal.

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Oneday at ISKCON

Mayapur, a small unknown village has come up to the world map as the Headquarters of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) which is situated here. Mayapur is located in West Bengal state, in the district of Nadia, 130 km from Calcutta city (now Kolkata). It is located on the bank of the Ganges and on the other bank, a small town Nabadwip is located. Nabadwip means nine islands. There are two large holy rivers, the Ganges and Jalangi flowing between these islands.

Mayapur is the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, regarded as a special incarnation of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Godhead and therefore it is considered as a holy place by Hindus and specially by the followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. It is visited by a large number of pilgrims from around the World, every year.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) also known as ‘The Hare Krishna’ movement, was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktibedanta Swami Prabhupada. Since the 1970s, Mayapur is also the site of the world headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as well as a number of other Vaishnava organisations such as the Gaudiya Math. At Mayapur ISKCON has a sprawling campus studded with natural beauty.

Chandrodaya Temple, Mayapur

Today ISKCON Mayapur serves as an international center of pilgrimage and spiritual tourism. The Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava and Sri Chaitanya and the Pancha-tattva preside over a temple for thousands to enjoy daily congregational chanting.

In Mayapur campus, it is amazing to see the young and middle aged ladies and gents from all over the world, specially western countries. It is unbelievable to see that leaving their wealthy western luxurious lifestyle, they come here in quest of peace, happiness and meaningful life. As seen in the campus, they are totally devoted to simple and spiritual lifestyle.

Today we are not serious enough to follow our own religion or religious rituals. But it is amazing to see that they are practicing Indian culture, rituals seriously to achieve the goals in life. For achieving something in life one should be serious and we should learn this from the devotees of ISKCON.

For detail informations please visit their site www.mayapur.com

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