Prof. Aloke Kumar - Blogs

Satyajit RAY as CALLIGRAPHER

I was visiting Signet Press yesterday, after my class at the University and the book Am Antir Vhenpu by Bhibhuti Bhusan Bandopadhya caught my attention. Richly illustrated by Satyajit Ray including the three colour cover, is a delight. The illustrations done in the style of wood block impression are masterpieces and reminded me of Ray as a calligrapher.

A collage of Kalighat and Fernand Léger.

Joseph Fernand Henri Léger, born February 4, 1881 died August 17, 1955 was a French painter and sculptor. In his works he created a personal form of figurative, populist style which was influenced by Kalighat Pats. His boldly simplified treatment of modern subject matter is comparable to Kalighat and like the Pats are regarded as a forerunner of pop art.

JYOTI BASU: through a glass darkly

It is impossible for me, not to look at Jyoti Basu through the glasses of my childhood and adolescent years. My ancestral home is in ‘Taltala’. The locality sandwiched between ‘Nirmal Hriday’ Mother Teresa’s Home and Calcutta Boys' School. Within this vicinity as you entered ‘Taltala’ from Lower Circular Road (A J C Bose Road) opposite to Surfridge Building is ‘Lord Para’. The Muzzafar Ahmed Library is still housed in the first floor of the Mansion at the beginning of this Road.

N A N D I N I

I first met Nandini when I was in the third year in college. And fell in love with her. She was Durga who came down to earth.

The MONK and the MARXIST

What do you do when you are travelling with a Monk in the train to a destination and back which last you more than 12 hours. Particularly when you have a relation with him for 30 long years. Particularly when the relation is not that of a Guru and Sisha. A Teacher and Pupil. When you are a Marxist and the Monk a Hindu mystic. When your relation is based on a dialectical opposition relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions, concerned with opposing forces? You engage the Monk in more of Dialectical Discussions. Into discussions related to contradictions on the fall of Communism and rise of Capitalism.

The Guardian. Social networking.

Prof. Aloke Kumar from India who uses the Facebook timeline as a blog posted a romantic letter on Christmas eve to B from A. The letter entreating B that this is the truth goes on to describe the relation and the barrage of messages

Ritwick Ghatak

I was never a fan of Ritwick Ghatak. I found his films melodramatic and oozing sentiments. In my mind it lacked the artistic quality of a Satyajit Ray film or the cinematographic technique of Mrinal Sen. It delved on the subject of partition and as the Bengalis says ‘ghan ghanani’, loosely meaning repetitive. Bengalis have always been divided between the Ghotis and the Bangals and Ritwick fell in the category of the later: ‘ma kaisan’, mother said and ‘amago desh’, my homeland.

MAKAR SANKRANTI : Ganga Sagar

There is a popular Bengali saying about Ganga Sagar. “Sab Tirtha Bar Bar, Gangasagar Eak Bar”. This cannot be literally translated but loosely it means, All Pilgrimages are perennial but Gangasagar is ephemeral . You can go to all the holy places, but a pilgrimage to Ganga Sagar equals all.

Ramakrishna Paramahansa

I am not a religious person, neither spiritual. I have my own interpretation. To me Kalpataru to Ramakrishna was what Nirvana was to Buddha.

Mandela

Nelson Mandela was to visit Calcutta. I was then working in Anandabazar Patrika and we went berserk. A huge Special Feature was planned something to the tune of 24 additional pages. Believe me in those times this was elephantine.

Thongawallah at Baithukhana area near Rajabazar

Paper Bag is too sophisticated a term for our local ‘thonga’. The newspaper we sell are recycled and made into paper bags of all sizes. And the come in handy at the grocery shop and in all small shops until the plastic bags made their way.

R I P : Rest In Peace

I hate somebody wishing RIP. Why should the dead rest in peace and who are you to tell him to do so. After my death I do not want anybody to wish me RIP.I do not wish to Rest in Peace. I have several issues to take up with GOD, if he exists and they are meticulously noted in my Black Book.

A collage of Ganesh Pyne and his work

It was 1987 I was working in Ananbda Bazar Patrika. Nikhil Sarkar popularly known as ‘Sree Panth’ had just finished writing his book Metiaburujer Nawab and was contemplating illustrating it to make it interesting. I received a call summoning me to his desk. I went to meet me and he requested me to hunt for images of Wajid Ali Shah and Calcutta during that period.

My father Nirmal Chandra Kumar was a Gourmet. A connoisseur of good food. He liked to have good food cooked and invited others to enjoy. I don’t think he was really a gastronomic, and that he gorged food.

Jacques Derrida

On this Valentine Day here is Derrida on LOVE. In an open interview on being asked his opinion on ‘l'amour ‘ by Amy Ziering Kofman , he was quite taken aback. She repeated, ‘Whatever you want to say about Love’. And then Derrida reconciled to say that you can’t ask me a question like this. Pose a question in a way I can answer.

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