Istill remember Little Hercules, the legendary body-builder of Bengal, Manohar Aich. Yes, I had the good luck of meeting this man and even was turned away one day, when I reached his ‘akhada’ or class late. My only dream then was of a good physique
He was known as the ‘Rothschild of Calcutta.’ He was Mutty Lall Seal, also spelt Mutty Loll Seal or Mati Lall Seal or Motilal Seal. Renowned litterateur, educationist, social reformer and one of the foremost preachers of Brahma religion, Sibnath Shastri was magnanimous in his praise
Ritwik Ghatak and his prized pupil Kumar Shahani used to watch the Lumières’ L’Arrivée d’un train à la Ciotat (Arrival of a Train at Ciotat Station, 1896) over and over again, and insiders say, they laughed as they found the idea of ‘one machine looking
House No. 13/2 on Cornwallis Street played a very important role in the religious movement of India, for it was here where famous Ramkrishna Kathamrita was scripted. Mahendra Nath Gupta (July 14, 1854 to June 4, 1932) was born in Shib Narayan Das Lane. His
Before the British took over, Murshidabad was the capital of Bengal. During Murshid Quli Khan’s rule (1717–1727), the twin towns (Jiaganj) on the east bank and Azimganj, located on the west bank of the Bhagirathi River, were important trading centres. Since the 18th century, Murshidabad has become the
The 8-B bus stop, close to Jadavpur University campus, is a landmark location. As one travels southward, the very next halt after 8-B is a place that’s steeped in history and is a reminder of industrialist Bengalis’ glorious past. This was the site of Bengal
Almost a century-old Samovar Tea Shop still operates at Bentinck Street, where the copper Samovar pulls in hundreds every day for its unique taste and health benefits. But what are Samovars? Samovars are large metallic vessels used to boil water and brew tea and coffee.
Shikarpur village and Shikarpur Uchcha (Uchchatara Madhyamik) Vidyalaya are like Siamese twins and share their common birth and history. Before the Partition, Shikarpur village was part of Meherpur sub-division in Kushitya district (now in Bangladesh). Like many other little-known places, Shikarpur too, has an ancient
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR) is all set to reintroduce the early morning service in the Hills from tomorrow, 26th March 2025, evoking nostalgia for the older generation. This initiative will definitely restore a once-popular tradition where locals set their watches to the train’s arrival. The DHR has
Esplanade House, Bombay. 23rd Nov. 1898 Dear Swami Vivekananda, I trust, you remember me as a fellow-traveller on your voyage from Japan to Chicago. I very much recall at this moment your views on the growth of the ascetic spirit in India, and the duty, not of destroying,