While the world of Bengali sweets is expansive, there are few that have attained ‘cult’ status not only among Bengalis, but in other parts of the country and the world as well. The ‘mishti’ (sweetmeat) that made Bengal famous on the global map, was created
Social reformer and freedom fighter Gopal Krishna Gokhale had once remarked, “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.” This was enough to invoke Bengalis’ pride and since then, they have been swearing by it. A century ago, Bengal was in the forefront in every sphere
In September 2023, six travel agents from Gujarat embarked on a road trip around India to promote domestic travel as a way for the sector to recover from the crippling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. When the group reached Kolkata, travel agent Rajiv Sethi told
Kolkata witnessed Asia’s first cantilever hanging bridge, a result of the British empire making an effort to turn the city into a trade hub. Though a lot of those facades have been lost over time, Kolkata is still home to some of the erstwhile Raj
It was perhaps owing to Satyajit Ray’s iconic Bengali film ‘Abhijan’ (1962), shot largely in Birbhum district, that the ‘Mama Bhagne’ rock formation properly came to the notice of the outside world. In the film, the extraordinarily balanced formation of one spherical rock sitting neatly
HThe artisan hub of Kumartuli had seen an unprecedented COVID year, with many struggling to make both ends meet. But this year it seems to be inching slowly towards normalcy with orders pouring in and exports picking up. A Durga idol in a striking black and
Renowned Bengali humorist and litterateur Sri Shibram Chakraborty has immortalised the essence of New Year celebrations by pointing out that people’s enthusiasm for ushering in a new year is somewhat misplaced. He wittily observed that, historically, each new year has only managed to last for
As the row over professors quitting Ashoka University, one of the most well-known global universities of India continues, one needs to look at the visions of two Bengali academicians who had brought a huge revolution in the scenario of world class universities almost a century
Deulti is an otherwise nondescript village on National Highway 6, in West Bengal’s Howrah district. However, what makes it unique is its status as the village that Bengal’s iconic storyteller Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (1876-1938), quite possibly the most read, translated, and adapted Indian author of
Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary Sitting snug amid the Himalayan foothills of the Dooars region in Jalpaiguri district, the small town of Chalsa is a perfect getaway for several reasons. Surrounded by hills, tea gardens, and rivers, it is incredibly beautiful, but then so are the other tourist