The boat was the very first connection, the first bridge, between water and human beings. Nevertheless, despite three-quarters of the earth being covered by water, human beings chose to build societies and cultures on land. Accordingly, the story of boats is a very ancient one. Once upon a
It is that season of the year when we eagerly wait for the gifts from our loved ones. There was a time, when our grandparents put a crisp fifty-rupee note into our palms and it seemed like the greatest treasure. That simple gesture carried more joy
Do food vloggers love “controversy” more than food? Or is their favorite dish actually “abusive language”? While scrolling facebook, you’ll see — every few seconds a biryani video pops up. Not just biryani, there’s pulao, fish,chicken, mutton, royal platters, street parathas, fried rice combos and more.
In Bengali families, it was once customary to compose verses for weddings. Surprising as it may sound, this tradition was very much alive even forty years ago. And it wasn’t limited to Kolkata alone—other districts practiced it too. On wedding evenings, when guests gathered, colorful printed copies in
In 1966, All India Radio transitioned Mahalaya from a live broadcast to a pre-recorded format
For Bengalis, Durga Puja is the greatest festival of all. We spend the entire year waiting eagerly for these five days. Boss’s scoldings, pending EMIs, even the upcoming board exams—everything feels tolerable only because of Puja. In the nineteenth century, Hutom in his sketches wrote: “Gradually, the days of
Bengal has always been a home for harmony
How about one of the largest festivals of Bengalis being used as a Swadeshi platform against the British. Though Durga Puja is held with great fanfare in Bengal over decades with competitions and various artistic nuances displayed along the streets of Kolkata and districts, before Independence, Durga Puja was
Ican still clearly recall how excited we were to finish the half-yearly exams. We were still buried in books, but the city outside was already bustling with preparations—pandals forming, hoardings rising. We would then rush home with excitement in our hearts as soon as the
In the scorching heat of summer, the dying Ajay River flows slowly, its banks covered in layers of white sand. Beneath the bright blue sky, a farmer rests under an unnamed tree standing at the corner of open paddy fields. A Toto hums past, breaking