Remember Satyajit Ray’s cult film, Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen, where the two protagonists are blessed with three boons—unlimited food, the ability to travel wherever, and musical prowess by the King of Ghosts? The day after they receive the King’s blessings, they feel famished while roaming aimlessly in
In this fast-paced, city-centric life, not many people are perhaps aware of the tiny hamlet Mankar, tucked deep inside Galsi I CD Block of Purba Bardhaman (East Burdwan) district of West Bengal, which is steeped in history. This non-descript village was once a thriving town with a rich
Bengalis are famous for their sweet-tooth and why not? The state boasts of some of the best confectioners in the country. The prominent presence of sweets in Bengali cuisine can be noted throughout history. Ancient Bengal was known as ‘Gauda Banga’, a name believed to
Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement on August 8, 1942 demanding an end to British rule in India. It was nearly five years later, on August 15, 1947, that India gained its independence but the price of freedom was one of the bloodiest chapter in the
It was a summer evening in 1955 and three youths -- a Bengali, a Frenchman, and an Englishman -- were busy finalizing a road trip to India from London. Over the next six to eight months, they would travel 12,000 miles in a battered milk
He was the first successful Indian ‘Man of Letters’ in the United States and won a Newbery Medal in 1928. Dhan Gopal Mukerji, a graduate from Scottish Church College went on to conquer the world through letters and made a name for himself in University
Originating from ceremonial functions, jatra, an integral part of Bengal’s cultural revolution quickly became a procession in praise of chosen deities that the rural folk worshipped. All along the journey, a medley of music and dances were addedthat evolved as a form of entertainment communicating
When the eternal loving bond between a mother and a son is wrapped in the form of a clay doll, exquisitely crafted by the famous clay artisans of Krishnanagar, then a collector cannot miss having it in their possession. The Ganesh Janani dolls of Krishnanagar
Kajlagarh Palace (Rajbari) East Midnapore district has a rich historical legacy. The district is home to a large number of notable architectural sites. One such important locale is Kajlagarh, once a hotbed of nationalistic uprising. But what Kajlagarh is famous for is its association with the
Dashavatara (Sanskrit) or Dashabataar (Bengali) is the collective name for the ten avatars or incarnations of Vishnu. India's ancient scriptures and mythology provide abundant information about each avatar and the stories associated with it. Only in one corner of Bengal, however, will you find the