To Gogo

Mr.Gogo little dah'ling
Climbs a big tree
without falling
Higher up ,up.
Mr Squirrel takes the lead
Gogo follows
with great speed
To the green town
at the top.

Four baby sparrows
were home alone.
One nibbled away
at a small plankton
They were playing
hide and seek
their sweet chirping
sounds all Greek.

But little people
can convey
heartfelt words
in their own way

So,Little Gogo knocked the door
shook his hands with all four
promptly joined them
in their game,
just then he heard mommy call his name.

'Come down now,or I'll wring your ear!'

'But I am just playing Mommy dear!

said little Gogo from his perch.
Alas!
Mommy's orders are too staunch
Down came Gogo
to eat his lunch.
But,whenever,like it, he felt,
Alone,lost
or boredom smelt
quietly climbed up
where his four friends dwelt.
To play with them
or share a munch.
and Mommy never has a hunch!

A Movie review

Actually this is not a really a review,I am a movie buff alright,and so is my little sister.This is a pie of our discussion yesterday,and a continuation of that talk with those of you who have watched it.
We went to watch 'Guzaarish' yesterday,me and my baby sister.
For us,going to a theatre isnt merely walking into a mom-n-pop store in our pyajamas.Only after few friends have recommended a movie,we plan in advance,look up the newspapers for a suitable show timing,tell parents we wont be home for dinner on that evening,dress well,and set out in our car.Its our day out.So,of-course,just the act of going for a movie would mean having fun together.
And when spirits are as high,benevolence is in the air and it is difficult to detect subtle defects.
Coming to 'Guzaarish' now,I liked it.Hrithik and Ash were charming as usual,also,the aloo-chaat we ate at the theatre was delicious.
The movie was about the world's greatest magician Eethan Mascarenhas who had filed a petition for euthanasia,twelve years (or was it fourteen) after an accident which had left him paraplegic,and how he lost the case but won people's hearts.He also made a devotee of a student,who had come to learn his trade secrets.Finally,his beautiful caretaker nurse Ashwariya offered to grant him his wish of death and he offered to marry her before dying.'Guzaarish' has a liberal garnishing of melodrama and emotional scenes,a little bit of conspiracy,bit of villainy,song music and dance sequences,a fiery romance.Everything needed for a movie to do well.
After it was over,we were thinking if the movie could be a little shorter.
It could have probably got over when the roof of his mansion,leaked over Hrithik on a rainy night.Unable to move,he lay drenched in his bed the whole night.That could have killed the protagonist from pneumonia or something.My sister added,that, after he died,the disciple could have pulled the bedspread from under his feet,and that could have been the last shot..Which would have meant,a last grand shot,where the protagonist,who was 'the world's greatest magician' , lay dead with a light smile on his lips while his disciple,and all those watching,would be surprised by the last magic act,the endless length of white bedspread being pulled from under his dark brown bed-cover.
Would it not be a sheer visual delight?!
Just a little tighter editing and shuffling the scenes a bit,could probably have cast a stronger spell.

Drifted and Proud still

I set out on an evening,
quietly,
closing the door behind.

To travel far and wide,
alone.
I craved for water.

One cannot pluck others,
for this quest,
from their chores
They do not thirst.

So they are never led astray.
They do not drift
in the treacherous wild,
with a burning throat,
clueless,
starved and hoping,
till the very end.

And I fled
from the jeers,
of the pragmatic
and the boasts
of the boffo,
quietly closing the door behind.

The New Hooligans

On a world map,lets zoom into south east Asia,further into India ,further still into West Bengal,now if u look south and find a place called Kolkata,zoom in there - and then into deeper into another place called Saltlake - if u happen to live there - let me welcome u to a new world of experiences - complete with unpleasantness and frequent encounters with growing bunch of Hooligans doing rounds of this posh residential satellite.
Especially if u are a woman who has to drive home from work often,or go shopping on your own,or to the gym or anywhere else - I can show you routes,to which if u subscribe,within a week,you will begin to feel the kick of outdoing chasers on their bikes (to be undertaken only if you are confident of your sprinting skills /or driving skills whichever the case may be)..as time passes,I promise you,the excitement will only increase.
You may not believe me in the beginning.Why?These roads were perfectly safe even a while ago?But times change, haven't you heard?They are talking of a big change pretty soon..A regime change.Naturally a few thousand extra criminals of various sizes, demeanor and abilities,emboldened by either of the two contenders,are mild side effects to the grand scale of things.
Please,do not ,not even in your most lavish dream,allow yourself the audacity to think the police will cheer for you.If you want to hear how helpful they really are and what they can do for you,just give me a call,or call anyone who has mischanced to go to them imagining they may help.
If you cant bear all this,my advice is,just amass some firepower and learn to use it well.Alternatively,you should judge for yourself who the next winner would be,and join that camp.

DISCLAIMER:THE ADVICE AND DANGERS INDICATED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE NOT INTENDED FOR
THOSE WHO ARE THEMSELVES/OR
THOSE WHOSE DAD,MOM,UNCLE,AUNT,BROTHER,BROTHER-IN-LAW IS/ARE
A MINISTER OR MINISTER IN WAITING OR MEMBER OF ANY 'HOUSE' OR
HEADING ANY OF THE STATE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT THEREOF.

Landslides and landmines

Raining cats and dogs,bombs going off ,city under pressure,terrorist attacks,floods,river water rising,landslides in the hills,snowstorms hold up tourists,traffic disrupted because roads have caved in,power cut for hours.In such times,when mom calls to ask how I am,and if I can just only answer the phone - that itself should relieve her.
We are an adventurous lot.
She is in the hills when there is a warning of landslide and i am in the plane(I mean aero-plane,not a spelling error) when there is a warning of a terrorist attack,flying to a city where bridges break and bomb threats released..
We are all very bold ,we live amidst chaos and danger,but still dare to travel for fun,shop- defying the floods,buy new clothes,plan on celebrating dushherra,when there could be a bomb planted right outside our door.
Some of us even make trips to see the newly build games village in the capital.
We are exposed to necessary and unnecessary risks of life and death all the time,and still have the heart to read poetries,buy gifts for a loved one,cook pishpash ,waddle through floods,and share it with a neighbor.
Long live the spirit.

Surreal - 2

Thats what I love about the power play - Its predictably gross and yet they indulge in it.
The party which rules at the Centre and the party which rules the state where Niyamagiri lies - are of course in opposition to each other.Infact all the opposition parties to the state government have got their long awaited opportunity to nail their ruling rival!
The hapless tribals now have the weight of powerful politicians behind them.The same central department which had earlier given environmental clearance to the powerful mining lobby,has now suspended their approval,sensing a political mileage that the move can get them.
Then of-course,there is some comic relief provided too.For instance,the king-in- waiting was heard announcing that he was the soldier of the tribals.
For those who are wondering ,on whose side I am,my answer is - our side.The side of the exploited,the underdogs.All the drama that goes on, rallying the event is just that - pure drama.
The other states ruled by the opposition parties,have problems of very similar nature,severe conflicts over land acquisition and displacement of indigenous people.Though not for mining projects,but several other kinds,be it car manufacturing units or nuclear power generation projects.How can they expect to fight against a cause in one state and lobby for the opposite cause in their own state and still remain credible?
I think,thats the last thing on their minds,anyway.
In this land,politics is not about public good,not about patriotism,not about development,not about vision to turn us into a great power,not about tackling unemployment,not about fighting poverty,not about restoring people's rights. As I said earlier - this is a quest for power,at any cost.

Cupid's Coffee (Part 2)

She sat by a large window.Her coffee ran cold.A book lay open on the table in front,but her mind was astray.
Tomorrow she was leaving this city.She was to go across the oceans to a new land.But tonight,all she could think of was,him.Her lost prince.
Her thoughts were often interrupted by the ring of her phone.Friends called to wish her well.She wound up the calls quickly.
Gently,she tended to the memory of their time together.She could recall every word they had interchanged.Any other person,if given the chance to read her mind,could have found their talks obscure,even stale at times,but to her, everything they had ever shared,seemed fresh.The thought of him,his ideas,his words, always made her smile.He had sometimes looked very matured,sometimes playful,sometimes liberal,sometimes radical,conservative,sometimes tough and other times completely vulnerable, totally innocent, just like a child.
She was living over their togetherness,at this coffee shop,for the last time.
It had been months since she saw him,and yet,if she closed her eyes,he stood right there before her.
When they had first met at this coffee shop,he looked very familiar,but back then,she couldn't remember where she had seen him before.Long after,she pondered over this,till one evening she realized why.
He reminded her of Michelangelo's David.
He had left her,and gone far away,to a fairy,yet,did she long for him?Yes,she admitted to herself.
In her mind,she had been fighting to forget him and to her dismay,found that could not be.It had taken her long to reconcile,to be at peace with herself and at the same time be happy for him.Today was to be her final act of balancing.
After midnight ,she left the shop,went back to her bed lined with silk,and slept a peaceful sleep.
Next morning the sun rose over her troubles.She woke to a fresh start.

January

Why is January so special?
One, because thats when my sister travels back home sometimes.
Two,we have the famous book-fair ,plus so many other fairs and travelling circuses coming to our city.
Three,the first day in January always starts with a celebration,the year begins with new hopes,fresh aspirations,the disappointments of the year gone by,are buried.We start again,with renewed vitality.
The time reverberates youthfulness.No one goes through that month without being wished a happy year ahead,even strangers greet us sometimes.We too smile and return the greeting.
January brings the city to life.
And on a certain day in January,he had come into my life.

Surreal

For a long time,I argued with my friend about this movie 'Avatar'.
The movie,by James Cameron, is about a wheel-chaired man,Jake Sully who replaces his brother in a mission on a distant moon,Pandora.At Pandora,Jake meets an army colonel and learns about a greedy corporate head,who connive to drive away the native humanoid "Na'vi", in order to mine for 'unobtanium',which is lavishly scattered beneath the tribal habitat .
What follows,is a fight between the extra-terrestrials and humans,that is,the good and the evil forces where ultimately the good,win.To my mind,for the first time in any movie,aliens have been represented as a 'good' force.
After watching this,I tried to convince my friend that James Cameron,had surely been inspired by the famous Ogoni Nine case.My friend refuted since the credits did not mention anything.
Maybe not exactly.But,there is a similarity in theme.After all,cinema is a reflection of reality.
But what if reality begins to reflect cinema?Nasty things coming a full circle?A bit disconcerting,to say the least.
Not too far from where I live,in nearby Orissa,at Niyamgiri hills,things may look very familiar to millions of Avatar fans.
A reputed company wishes to mine for bauxite in these hills.The government is willing to oblige with customary clearances.Our political as well as corporate leaders have agreed that only industrialization can provide the real path to salvation for this wretched country.
However,a small thorny bush has come in way of their envisioned path.
Niyamgiri hills are considered sacred by a certain Dongria Kondh tribe,an indigenous group inhabiting these wooded areas,so they are putting up a hard fight to safeguard their gods and livelihood from being blown up.
Our leaders,find the tribe's unyielding stubbornness, most retrograde to their own plans.
Ah,these people and their queer ways!What's a few hundred already miserable lives on the altar of progress?
Quite interestingly,the word progress has an asterisk mark.Its definition,too, is provided by the government.Interesting also,because in this dark age,men fight to keep Gods alive.
The plot thickens, now,since the government has unleashed CRPF (armed forces) on the tribal people and labelled them as terror-mongering Maoists.

There is no director,no screenplay,no special effect,no animation for this story.So unlike the movie,ultimately the spontaneity of the real-life actors will unfold the plot to us.And because this is not cinema,we are yet to know if good(in this case 'god') triumphs,we keep our fingers crossed,we hope for a win-win conclusion instead of a win-lose one.
Shah Rukh Khan was so right!Don't we all like "happy is ending"s?

The last years of my teenage lay in my drawer.

I found a few things of interest in my drawer,when I opened it to look for a misplaced visiting card.

A mauve coloured envelope.My sister had written to me from USA after I had passed my first ever,public examination.She had sent me a very private,emotional letter and a cheque to buy a watch.As I hold the envelope I remember how I had treasured every word,and how violated I had felt when a nosey girl from my class,who had come to pick up some class-notes from me,sneaked into my room,opened this drawer labelled 'PRIVATE DO NOT TOUCH',and read this letter.I still have not forgiven her.

A table calendar.Custom made,with full blown photographs of me on every page.A surprise from my contentious boy.

An old bill,from a restaurant where we ate nine years ago.At a time when we slept in college dorm and could spare only 800 bucks for a whole month.This bill alone, read Rs.520,you can imagine what a rare luxury it was for us.He had taken me there,just as a surprise,without any occasion.That evening,as I sat there,I had felt no less than a princess.That is why,I had asked for the bill and after much persuasion,did he give it to me,to keep.

Another bill,this time the amount ran into thousands,was from an apparel store.I had bought him a dark coloured 'Sherwani',and he, a purple coloured 'Dhakai' saree.To do this,we both had to plan much in advance and save out of our meagre allowances.I still love to wear that first purple saree,although it is more than seven years old now.

A letter from mom.Written to me when she was abroad and I was going away from home,for the first time,to college.This was the only letter she ever wrote to me.We either talk over phone or in person.Nowadays she emails me too.

All of this happened almost a decade ago,and yet,it seems only yesterday.

Wonder!

I have known her for a lifetime,though I am not overly aged,it has still been good many years.
She has always been very unorganized.Almost every morning,she turned up in a pair of unmatched socks at school.Always forgetful and very callous about keeping her things in order.
As she grew,I read her as equally messy in social skills.
She was always a brilliant student and a person with a large kind heart.Though that is hard for strangers to discover,from her demeanour.
I remember many years ago,she came home very sad on a friday.Sad,because a boy in her class,she hardly even knew, had received a thrashing from his class teacher,for stealing a game.'Why beat him in front of everyone else?Why such cruelty over a small thing!'.Despite all our efforts,we couldnt get her over that incident all weekend.
Nowadays corporal punishment is looked down upon,and quite rightly.But even a decade ago,in some schools here,it was commonplace for children to occasionally receive a smack on the cheek for little things like doing a sum wrong.
Anyway,lets get back to her account again.
When she didnt like something or someone,she could be very curt,almost scary.Though within her,she carried a soft large sensitive little girl.Yes,she was too emotional and had never learnt to hide it.Sometimes when she acted like a grown up, matured girl,I invariably made fun of her.Most of those times we ended up madly pulling each other's hair.Grownups had to intervene to stop our fights.
I often had doubts whether she would be able to take care of herself if she were alone.More than once,I told her this.
So,when she moved to a city far away,I pictured her living in a dirty house and sleeping in a bedroom which resembled a pigsty more than a room.Many times I had seriously planned to go and arrange her things for her.
Finally after a year,I could go for a short visit.
That was when,for the first time,my 'little silly' sprang many surprises on me.
Firstly,she drove quite well from the airport to her house.No roadrages,no overtakes.
Then,I entered a speckless house.Every little thing was in its place.
I inspected the remotest corners of the house,but couldnt find a spot of dust anywhere.
There hung many beautiful framed pictures on the stairway.All of which had been taken by her!
The interiors were beautifully done,the decor was perfect.I was amazed at such taste and sense of aesthetics.
She had even cooked so well!
For the next few days ,I watched her.
She is so disciplined now,so well coordinated.She wears a suit to work,talks and walks like a lady.
I didnt see her get hysteric or hyper or too excited or laugh out too loud even once during my stay.She seemed so composed,in full control of her emotions!
Good to see how that little girl has grown now.She has matured so much in just a year!
But did I feel a bit disappointed,that I didnt even have to arrange her closet?Did I miss my messy,forgetful,emotional,quarreling sister?

Touch Not Screen

In recent times,I cannot recall a single occasion when I walked up to the television set and pressed the button on,myself.
When I join the rest of the house at the dinner table,the t.v is already chirping.That is the only time I watch it awhile.
The old familiar pressing urgency to be at home at a particular hour,for a T.V show has quietly left me,over time.
Only a few years back,things were so different.
As a child,I remember my family owned a black and white T.V that came in a wooden box with a shutter.
If,any day,the wind blew too hard,the antenna on the rooftop rotated while the picture trembled onscreen.We (the kids in the house)dashed up the stairs, struggled on with the rod,and bully the antenna back to its proper position.
When I was a little older,I remember one day parents brought home a colour T.V.
It was a Videocon 21 inch set.Few weeks later we even got a video cassette recorder.
Back in those days,only a few families owned a colour T.V,fewer still had a video player.
The VCR,in particular,brought us instant stardom in our neighbourhood.
Whenever dad got any children's movie,all the kids who lived closeby,were invited to watch.
Those evenings were so special.
All my friends finished their homework early and came over to my house to watch a 'Sonar Kella' or a 'Sound Of Music' or a 'Born Free'.
Next day and for a few more days to come,all we spoke of,on our way back from school was ,that movie we saw.
Gradually,T.V ,video players,cable channels ,private satellite television invaded into many more households.
Initially those were exciting too.Movies round the clock,sports channels,famous television shows dubbed in regional languages.
It was overwhelming.Overnight,my preference changed from some old 'doordarshan' show to a 3D animation picture.
I nearly knew all the show timings by heart.
Then,there were even more animations,more movies,more channels.
My attention grew shorter with every new show,till,there came a time when after 5 mins of flipping channels,I thought best to turn the set off.
Parents changed the old Videocon for a brand new BPL Sanyo.A few years later they got a Sony LCD installed in the living room.
In these years,the kids grew up,parents got even more busy with their lives.
Interestingly,the number of television sets ,in our house ,grew too.
We now have a TV in each of the bedrooms and at one big LCD in the living room.
But we are too squeezed for time to watch.
I spot a bright light here.I may not have a real date for days,no worries - I just have to remember how the channel companies are fighting over me,a slice of my time?
Keeping me in good humor,means everything to them.

Come again another day

That week ended too soon.As a routine,each day,a few hours were devoted to endless squabbling.Then there were the tantrums at the shopping malls,crankiness about not hiring a cab,fuss about the much needed haircut.
Then came the days when we just lazily lay down and gazed at the sky..tired with everything..Then followed the humming in my ears - lets go somewhere for a day atleast (read: 'Take a day off from work').Finally,we did go for a short trip on a sunday.
At last,we were beginning to warm up to each other , the squabbles reduced to weary shrugs,tantrums downsized to sighs and the fuss became 'okay,but just because you insist' smile.Even the overcooked food seemed tolerable.We were just beginning to have some fun when he received the marching orders..
Alas,the fun didnt even get a good start.Waiting again for the sun to shine brightly in my sky,the stars to pop up at night..

When he knows too much French.

After constantly walking for 6 long hours and baking in the sun on an empty stomach,I put my foot down.
I had spotted a shop yet again,and this time I had made up my mind to eat,whether the kid did or not (yes,I still variously call him kid or boy ,much to his indignation).When i pointed the shop,he agreed to come after a little persuasion.
On our way in,he said - Order in French.Here,they'll understand.
Okay so I fell for this silly trap.I walked up nervously to the smiling girl at the counter and said 'Vendez-vous des brownies?' (I meant 'Do you sell brownies?')
I am sure what I said wasnt incomprehensible - but the girl gave a quizzical expression first to me and then to him..I noticed this mocking smile on his lips and on the spur of the moment, explaining brownies to this girl became a matter of prestige.So I took another shot - 'francais brownies' (I think that did it)..Both she and the kid chuckled ,and, ofcourse, as could be expected,he took the masterly step forward ,and ordered the food..(in English)..
I was too hungry and thirsty to fight him then.But just on stepping out ,I made sure he got the hardest pinch ever..

Removed the last post -Iti Tomar(in bengali).

Priyojon er kothamoto - tar ichha shirodharjo koriya ager lekha ti (Iti Tomar )shorailam.

Damned Diplomacy

Panda diplomacy is inscrutably Chinese.
Back in 2001,Donald Rumsfeld, the then defence secretary to President Bush had advised his boss to elevate China to the status of global enemy number one.China was perceived as the principal threat to American global dominance.
But much to the surprise of everyone,USA's decision to turn more of its guns and missiles towards China was returned with a proverbial 'turning the other cheek'.China generously forgave its capital friend.
Not only did China forgive and hug them,but, also presented them with precious Pandas.
But, they were not the only lucky ones,some others too got this premier China-friends club membership - Australia,Taiwan,Japan,Hongkong.
Though we heard some chatter about the Taiwanese president Shen Chui Bian daring to refuse the gift..How impolite!
Well,in 2009,Chen Shui Bian has been convicted of criminal charges along with his beloved wife..
Our reaction? ...May be it is unlucky to refuse Pandas,perhaps that disturbs the planetary positions in your astrological birth charts!
Recently,USA did something to invite the ire of its bosom buddy.How did we know?Because China called back its pandas from the US.
It took quite some amount of brainstorming to figure out what could have angered the Chinese,people resorted to all kinds of wild guesses till it was officially made known that - as President Obama and Dalai Lama shook hands - China's heart was shattered,burnt and devastated..
Really,how could the Americans do this - even with the Pandas on their conscience!
Our reaction?They may forgive you if u train your missiles and guns on them,but they will never again see you in the eye if u talk to a certain monk...Hmmm...this is beyond astrology too,as byzantine as feng shui.

Cupid's Coffee

Nowadays Cupid doesnt hit arrows anymore.Nor darts either.
After all,a chubby infant cannot shoulder the blame of creating nuisance for an already overburdened healthcare system.Such and other practical considerations have forced him to change his methods.
Plus,this is the era of upgrading to smart,new techniques.Why should the little god stay behind?
Coming to our story now.
A princess from the hills met a prince from the great plains, in a faraway city, at a neat little coffee shop.
A bit of spilt coffee,a stain on a white shirt,a clumsy apology,and a few warm smiles and words that passed between them, made them friends that day.
Since then ,every single evening they met at a little table inside that shop, at the strike of 11.30,almost like a ritual.
Their table was lit by a 40 watt bulb under a dark lampshade and on the wall opposite them,hung a framed poster of a famous Cupid painting.Sitting there,immersed in each other's words,they went on for hours about stories of the past and the present, their growing up years, mom,dad,friends, family,other people,other lands,other kingdoms,their beliefs,their hopes,their dreams...while steadily,the clock ticked past.
The coffee shop remained open all through the night,but hardly a few customers came by,so nothing ever disturbed their peace.
When every night turned into day,they left for their separate worlds with a promise to meet again.
One day ,suddenly,our prince announced to the princess,he was going to the land of fairies."We wont meet from tomorrow.But you take care of yourself,ok"
"Going away?"She thought."Where is he going?And why?To seek what?"So many questions stormed her from within.This news was too sudden.
But she composed herself quickly,and confined the storm to a deep private chamber inside herself.Outwards,she smiled at him."Is it?Thats great news.You take care too"
They went back early that evening.The prince was was short of time,he had a long way to travel.

And so they shook hands,wished each other well and parted ways.But they forgot their hearts on that two-seater coffee table,under Cupid's shadow.

(..To be continued..)

Cupid er Coffee (Bengali version)

Aj kal Cupid ar teer marey na.Ekei shob hospital er opor eto pressure,tarpor abar teer er ghaye kar kothaye legey jabey,ei shob bastobik shomoshyar kotha bhebeyi Cupid keo notun notun technique shikhtey hochhey..
Asha jak amader golpey.
Ekdin ekta basto shohor er chhotto shundor shajano ekta coffee shop ey dujon er dekha holo.
Ek pahari rajyer rajputro r shathey ek nodi r rajyer rajkonyar.
Ek din-ei, dujon er modhye besh bondhutto jomey gelo.Erpor dujonei din er sheshey,shob kaj er phankey coffee shop er ekta bishesh table ey boshey roj golpo korey.
Thhik jeno ekta ritual er moto.
Table-er ek pasher dewal-ey Cupid er bikhyato kono painting er ekta poster lagano.Table er majhey ektai 40 watt er alo lagano lampshade.Sheyi alotei dujon dujon er dikey takiye thakey ar ghontar por ghonta golpo korey.
Kotto kotha oder jomey achhey!Chhoto theke boro howar ,ma er,baba r,bhai bon-eder,bondhuder kotha,desh bidesher golpo,onno rajyer, onno prithibir alochona.Golpo kortey kortey shomoy er kheyal thakey na.
Raat ketey bhor hoye jaye.
Coffee shop shara raat khola.Tobu raat ey lok khub i kom ashey,tai dujon er golpey badha dewar keu nei.
Emon i ekdin,rajputro janalo ,"kal thekey ar amader dekha hobey na.Ami ek pori-r rajye jachhi.Tumi bhalo theko,kemon?"
Rajkonyar hothat i chomok laglo.Choley jabey?Kothaye?Keno?Ki achhey ei pori-r rajye?Aro koto ki mon-ey holo.Kintu shobhaboto proshno gulo mon er ghor er bhetorey purey diye,dorja bondho rekhey,mukhey hashi ene bollo,"tai?bah anonder khobor.Tumio bhalo theko"
Shedin ora taratari firlo.Rajputrer onek ta poth jetey hobey,tai shey shedin basto.
Dujonei choley gelo alada pothey,tobuo dujon-eri mon porey roilo cupid er chhaya-r oi two-seater coffee table taye..
(to be continued and english version will soon follow :) )

The regret

We urban educated bengali teens and tweens have a distinct way of using bengali and english words in our daily conversations..I would like to narrate this story in the way I talk to my bengali friends..Dedicated to my true friends ,both who do not speak bangla and those who do.Enjoy

Bhaloi obhinoy kortey parey Bablu.Eta or dak nam..bhalo naam ta money nei,ba bhebey pachchi na.
Chottobela thekei onek natok ey role peyechhey o,kintu shobi chhotto chotto part.Okey konodin keu protagonist er role ey chance dei na..du ek bar o director der boleocchey- 'Chitradi onek bar to tomar natok korlam,ebar ekta main role na pele ar korbo na'.Chitra suney bollen ,'sheta tomar icchha kintu main role to thhik tomakey dewa jaye na , tomar height taye raja r obhinoy manabey na Bablu'.Onno director rao ek i shur dhorlen.
Bablu tokhon high school ey porey,or bondhu Munna high jump ey medal pelo.Bablu r ma Munna key deke payesh khawalen.Bablu konodin i high jump ,long jump ba basketball,ba dour ,kono ta teyi prize paye ni..onno chhele ra or theke lomba ,tader shathey palla dewai bhar..Sports ey Bablu hal chherei diyechhey.
Aro chhotobelatey,onek bar parar ekta lomba meye okey deke advice diyechhey "ma baba key bolbi ratri belatey dujon miley opposite direction ey tor pa ar matha tanbey" bolei heshey goriye gechey..
Bablu lomba na.Bangali andaj eo okey beteyi bolley choley..Ki korbey shey?
Height to ar karo hatey nei..othocho tao,koto kotukothayi na shuntey hoy Bablu key ei niye..
Bablu boro hoye ekta bideshi bank ey chakri korey..onek taka mayena paye.ekta bhalo gari chaliye office jaye..shob i thhik achhey ,kintu mon er konatey sei je dukhho ta,seta kintu royei gechhilo.."ami keno aro ektu lomba na,ontoto ar inch koyek?"
"I wish i was taller ,i wish i wish i wish"...prai roj i ayena r shamney shokal belatey office jawar agey ,tie bandhtey bandhtey ei kheyal ashey.
Shedin o ,roj er moton ,Bablu garita chepe office er pothey rowna dilo.lomba poth drive kore jete hoye,hothat garir radio ta adjust kortey nojor windshield theke shoriye ,abar pherateyi, dekhey shamney bishaal khudharto hangor er moto ekta truck ha korey tar garitakey jeno giltey aschhey...ar tarpor kichu money nei Bablur
Jedin gyan fere ,bablu hospital ey.Paser shobuj rong kora dewal ey ekta monitor sobai key janan diye cholechhey Bablu ekhono benchey.Ghor kattey ektu somoy laglo or,tarpor astey astey money porlo ki hoyechhilo...radio rasta truck...ar tarpor!!Uff!!!ki shanghatik duhshopno..
Uthey bostey giye Bablu parlo na,aro ekbar cheshta korlo.Na ebar o holo na...kromosho ghar ta eliye dekhar chesta korlo pa duto..."Amar pa?"
Gyan ferar por jibon er shob cheye bhoyabaho shopno dekhlo jano Bablu.Pa dutoi tar ampute kortey hoyechhey.........

Bablu haat tey parey - jodio ektu astey,office o jaye.Gari ek driver chalaye ajkal.
Roj shokaley Bablu ayenar samney daraye tie bandtey ager i moto..or shei ager ichha ta kintu purno hoyechhey.Bablu ager cheye ekhon koyek inch lomba..or kathher pa duto ,jeiduto or baki shorir takey bhor daye..or ager pa gulo r cheye koyek inch dirgho...
Ekhon ki khushi Bablu?

P.S My friends who dont speak bangla will get a translated version from me upon request...

Would u ?

What if I didnt come home one evening?
Would u remember to light a candle on the altar before its dark?Remember to burn an incense in the evening?
Remember to give the baby an evening shower?Dress him,comb his hair,oil his skin,feed him,sing him to sleep?
Who would check if all the lights were put out before going to bed?
Who would take off your glasses if u fell asleep over a book?
If I didnt come home one evening,who would feed you while you work at your study table?While you weaved tales of faraway people and places,who would you ask the words that sometimes slip off your mind?
Who would listen,while you read aloud the stories all night,who would have the courage to point out the little mistakes you may have made?
If I didnt come home one evening, who would put my child back to sleep if he suddenly woke up and cried?
Who would calm your fears when u startled up from a nightmare and then put to back to sleep?
What home would u come to,if I didnt come back one evening?

Settle scores

Poor scores in tests are unsettling.Especially if you had prepared for it.
But lately,I have discovered a far greater danger - of exposure to a fast multiplying breed of pests,right after testscores are declared(yes,for both ,paper and pencil as well as CBT).
Let me elaborate on the matter further.
Suppose you are anxiously waiting to see how your scores have improved over the last set of exams.Finally,one day, the results are announced.
You get up early,on a wintry morning, take a 40 minutes tube ride to the school just to see the scoreboard.On your way, you go through your answersheet in your mind, and calculate the probable correct responses you have made.
Then, there is the important decision on your personal cut-off marks,which, if you manage to get, can enable you to mention about the test and its result,to your mom.If you remember suddenly that mom was in a bad mood since morning,the cut-off invariably rises.
Going to see the marksheet isnt all that simple.It requires mental preparedness for the worst,power of estimation,strategy,ability to keep secrets (sometimes in the face of heavy interrogation from mom) and ofcourse,nerves.
Finally you confront the marks ,and turn speechless.It should have been better than that surely!!you quickly recalculate in your mind the number of correct answers you think you had given.No,this is too absurd..your heart sinks.
This is bad.Real bad.
You are worried for the final test.After all,morning often shows the day.
Interrupting your thoughts, now a grinning lad of the class comes and asks you your score.
You make a sullen face and tell him too.What irks you is his expression.It is one of surprise and wonder,almost congratulatory,as if he didnt expect even this from a student like you.
You almost have to fight and control the urge to slap him.
After that day,in every single class,he makes it a point to come-up and ask you how far you have progressed with the studies,invariably the answer is -' nothing great yet'.
But he rolls up his eyes , calls the attention of those standing close and to your utmost embarrassment declares - "we are in presence of a brilliant person - who doesnt have to study but still can score decent"..this statement is not innocuous as it may seem to some - it is pregnant with sarcasm and waxed with malafide intentions..
If by chance you happen to score more than him - inwardly he goes mad with envy and if next time you score less ,he can drive you mad with caustic remarks.
This is a special breed of homosapiens abundantly found in Indian schools and colleges,with strong ability of procreation ( may even give severe competition to virus and other disease causing microbes),which may cause irritation,knitting of forehead,allergy and in extreme cases ,nausea..
No remedy discovered yet.

Husbandolian Faults

The biggest fault I see in him is his utmost reluctance to wash dishes ,when it is finally his turn.O and i am very articulate about my resentment.But he couldnt care less!
Counter contentions run on for hours , how not washing greased plates can save energy and reduce the carbon footprint.."I will do it just before we sit down for dinner tomorrow" - Thats usually his opening line of attack when I remind him of his chores...and so, the argument continues.....Aaauugghh!!!
The situation worsens during winters, then, even getting him to the sink is an ordeal!!
Is there a pill that makes husbands more sink friendly?Anyone listening?

Do we know them enough?

How much do we know our leader,our prospective head..That he could be kickboxing champion?That he gets to watch movies with famous movie stars?When his birthday is and which sunsign he belongs to?O, ofcourse we do get to read,predictions famous astrologers make about famous men in the new year.But is that all there is to know about men and women who will play an important role in the lives of a billion people?
Is it enough to know that a leader does not have criminal charges?Enough to hear the election campaign speeches and promises ,most of which are never fulfilled anyway.But come on,we can forgive a few lapses!After all,it stands proved that Indians have the highest tolerance ( for nonsense ).
I dont think I am interested in most of those statistics at all.Although I cant deny that they prove to be juicy reads from time to time.
Is it audacity to ask what my next Prime Minister thinks about abortion?Or what is his take on homosexuality?Does he think infiltration on our eastern borders is a matter of concern?That even the most vulnerable people,who work in the unorganized sector are losing work to illegal immigrants?The ordinary tax payer's money that is supposedly used to run welfare programs for the disadgantaged among us, Indians,eventually do good to illegals?There is no crackdown ofcourse,because these people are provided voting rights by the ruling political party and ultimately serve as props to keep an inefficient and corrupt regime in power.Does he plan to tackle that?Or is he going to use the same method,if he comes to throne and hence these 'trivial' issues are brushed under the carpet?
In his opinion should a retarded pregnant women get to keep her baby?Should the state provide assistance in such situations?
For that matter, I want to know,what he thinks of reservation and quota and whether he would agree if one said that it provides more political mileage than social equity.What does he think about merit based opportunities,atleast to a larger extent than is now prevalent?
Honestly, he never had to compete to prove his merit,not even to get admitted to the best universities of the world - those little things,lesser mortals call achievements, were served on a silver platter to him,it would be especially interesting to know what his take is, on the matter.
Well there are so many things we keep wondering about the illusive elite,but unfortunately,in our culture,there is no platform where "great leaders" are quizzed about sensitive issues.So much for free and responsible media.
Only when a wrong is done we all love to sit and judge.We dont care to use our mind to decide if there is any potential in the man to do right at all,before we bestow greatness upon him, and proclaim him our king and master.
Do we really ever get to know who our leaders (leaders:read the crown prince and princesses of the royal family in the indian political scenario) are ?How do they analyse?How they think?What their value systems are?What do they really represent? Are they progressive?Are they conservative?Or radical?To what extent?
Isnt it time he came down from the ivory-tower and open up a bit more. How long will only glamour hold us swaying?