To Kolkata.....With Love

I curse this city each day the city prepares for yet another bandh. I curse this city each day another young lad wears off his soles in search of a job here. I curse this city each day the varied political parties scream and howl at each other blaming the other for all the problems in the city. I curse this city when political terrorism claims the lives of thousands in some remote village and is passed of as "ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION". I curse this city each day a prestigious business house is driven out of the city depriving thousands of their rightful employment. But which each curse, I utter a silent prayer under my breath for this city. While our more upbeat and "FORWARD" counterparts elsewhere in the nation are busy savouring the rotten taste of parochial politics,Kolkata justifies the claim that India is essentially a nation of diverse cultures. When our financial and technological capitals get busy dictating HOW (good)women should dress and behave and rummaging every nightclub in the city,every woman of this "not so forward" metropolis,wore their freedom on their sleeves and stepped out in the wee hours of the night without any fear(never mind the catcalls,the wolf-whistles and glares,we have learnt how to handle them). While the "RESPECTED" self-appointed custodians of our CULTURE were busy banning and condemning Valentine's day claiming it to be the erosion of our "CULTURE",the young love-birds of this city thronged the streets confidently and fearlessly. Often have I heard people making snide remarks about a Bengali's obsession with his culture and his immense love for art,literature,music etc. A few "admirers" of good cinema in other cities take great pride in vociferously declaring how much immersed in art and cinema they are. When the youth in almost every other city grows up being obsessed about fashion,a child here learns to appreciate a Satyajit Ray or a Mrinal Sen almost naturally. We know the nuances of film-making so well that it almost gives the impression that film-making runs in our bloods. Often will you hear people raving about WORLD CINEMA. Ask us about a Polanski film,or an Almodovar masterpiece,or a Spielberg gem, we could humbly teach you a thing or two. A visit to our beloved Nandan during an International Film Festival could give a fair idea about our taste in world cinema... The majority of the youth here can rattle of Dante or Shakespeare or Tagore with equal elan. From Economics to Music to Politics,ask an average Calcuttan,and he knows it all.... I do accept that the one field in which we might be still lagging behind is Fashion,but spare a thought and just think that a certain Mr. Sabyasachi Mukherjee is a son of this soil. The current youth icon and a designer's fantasy, Sonam Kapoor swears by a lady called Anamika Khanna,another product of this city. And one of the most colourful and trendy designers of our times,Aki Narula is a contribution of Calcutta to the Fashion Fraternity of the country.....

The city is steeped in as diverse elements as tradition and modernity, art and rock music,theatre and adda,literature and the band culture,art house cinema and popular flicks..... I may always wish to fly away from this city as early as possible but deep down I tremble at the thought of being away from MY City OF Joy...........I pray for you,my beloved city,that may you progress and develop but never to lose the essence that characterise you......

To Kolkata.........With Love.

WE - The Mango People......

The term ,which now has become a catch-phrase,has been coined in one of the more popular Bollywood flicks of the recent times. It is actually a direct translation of the hindi phrase "aam admi" or the "aam janta". But on a graver note, just how much "aam"[rather MANGO :-)] is the COMMON MAN???? Well a vast population of the country's majority is type-casted as the "aam admi". So he is, if we go by the annual income of an average Indian. After all he belongs to the service class and cannot fathom the annual average turnovers in crores of the top gun business houses of the nation. He has no clue as to what he might make out of a handsome amount if he was to ever hit a jackpot. For he takes great pleasure in jotting down a budget [though almost always his expense overwhelms his income :( ]. He takes great pain in sacrificing that extra unit of money in order to indulge himself the few pleasures that life has to offer him. It is easy to flaunt a new pair of Levis when you are spoilt for choices and need not peep into your wallet every now and then to assure yourself that you have the required amount of cash to ditch out at the payment counter. But to compromise on your monthly budget so that you can accomodate a new pair of Levis in your closet from a meagre pay cheque thrown down at you at the end of the month, makes the "COMMON MAN" bleed. So how does he remain "COMMON", I ask? He grumbles and curses his fate each day as he undertakes his fretful journey to his workplace and reluctantly boards a tiny-miny overcrowded bus, which asphyxiates and nauseates him and as he breathlessly crosses the heavily trafficked streets of the city. He sweats through each of the thirty days in a month continuously for twelve whole months in a year to earn what he calls proudly, A RESPECTABLE LIVING. While some of his fellow countrymen hop into their air conditioned Innovas and snigger disdainfully at the condition of the city traffic and indulgently try to fathom what it might be to travel by a bus (DUH!!!!). Yet we are called the COMMON MAN. Do we not transcend the commonalities in sweating and slogging to live with our heads held high????? Does it not take a hell lot to live the way we live??? But alas we still remain the MANGO PEOPLE..... So be it then. Proud to belong to the class called THE MANGO PEOPLE, here's raising a toast to US... CHEERS!!

The Music Of The Rains......

....wake up from your stupor,breathe in the bounteous beauty of nature.The raindrops glisten like pieces of diamonds on the rain soaked green leaves.... Smell the spirit of liberty borne by the breeze.Lets sink in the reverberations of life in our soul,for the day is once again teaching us to LIVE. Lets throw the dogmas,customs,restricting behavioural codes into the air and break free from the shackles that bind our souls. Once again,lets dance to the music of thunder and hum the music of life..... LIVE. For there is no glory in enchained beauty.the dark blanket of cloud,the rustling of the leaves,the harmony of the rain beckons us. What makes man holed up in his room?? Nature has never been so beautiful. In vain we look for Beauty elsewhere.quest for ideal beauty we think is futile. What is this,then,that infuses us with a fresh bout of freedom?? Man has been unable to appreciate beauty for he has been blinded and possessed by material concerns. He has "no time to stand and stare" and therefore,beauty always eludes him. His self-enclosure is excessive,making him appreciate the superficialities of beauty.... Today,once again,Beauty is calling us. Lets respond to her,look towards her.... Lets come out of our shelled existence and rejuvenate ourselves in the exotic beauty of Nature,which promises to mesmerise us.........