Blogs
GOUR (Das)
Facebook on January 28, 2013
A few days back my friend Patrick Ghose posted in fb that Gour Khepa had met with a car accident in Illambazar. He has been transferred to a hospital and fighting for his life. Gour Khepa doesn't fight for his life. He lives his life.
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA : Poster
Facebook on October 7, 2012
This is a very common image of Swami Vivekananda, but very few know that this is actually the image of a poster. The original of which is 119 years old. It is there in many living and puja rooms in India, with little knowledge that it is a poster in the real sense.
SHIVA : the flight of Hindu imagination
Facebook on September 25, 2012
During my many sojourns abroad I used to be embarrassed with the question of worship of the Shiva Lingam. I could not answer it to my satisfaction and a lot remained unanswered. I tried my best , and among many a mumble and eating of words explained it as the worship of a form of the God.
Sarbari Roy Chowdhury: (1933 - 2012)
Facebook on February 22, 2012
Sarbari Roy Chowdhury the eminent sculptor passed away yesterday, the 21st. February 2012. I met Sarbari da only once in 1995. I was then with Gujarat Ambuja Cements working with Harsh Neotia to build 'Swabhumi', the Heritage Park and was also involved with the Rajarhat New Town Project.
Today is Vasant Panchami and it is the day for Saraswati Puja. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts and science.
KALI in PAINTINGS : 101 Selected Paintings from Puran to Pat . Facebook. October 2011.
Facebook on October 26, 2011
Kālī also known as Kālikā, is the Hindu goddess associated with empowerment, or shakti. She is the fierce aspect of the goddess Durga. The name of Kali means black one and force of time, she is therefore called the Goddess of Time, Change, Power, Creation, Preservation, and Destruction.
A Bookshop or a Library?
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on May 29, 2006
Kumar’s bookshop, if it could be called so, as it spread over several rooms in his residential house and looked more like a personal library housed in a well-appointed living room, was a hub for book lovers.
Satyajit Ray, the famous filmmaker, depended on Kumar for his research
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on May 27, 2006
When Satyajit Ray, the famous filmmaker, started his research on the mutiny for his film Satranj ki Khilari (The Chess Player), he depended on Kumar for rare books on the subject. Kumar not only provided him all the relevant books, but also went out of his way to bid for a Scrap Book, in a London Auction, on Mutiny, having paper clippings and notes on the happening.
Kumar gave support to a lot many fledging artists and writers in those days.
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on May 26, 2006
Kumar, a trader’s son, born in Calcutta, Bengal, was the eldest of seven children. After local schooling at Mitra Institute, Kolkata, he went on to Bangabasi College.
With Kumar the tradition of bohemian bookselling was lost
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on May 24, 2006
With Kumar the tradition of bohemian bookselling, much in the line of Herman Hesse, when he worked for a bookshop in Basle in 1899, was lost. Kumar combined his pursuit of a highly specialized passion of collecting with a broader interest in the society around him.
Kumars' collection had original Daniell, Hogarth ...
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on May 24, 2006
Kumar’s collection boasted books by the painter Hogarth, Travel writers such as Colonel Sleeman and George V Higgins; Anglo Indian writers from the forgotten James Hamilton to the unknown Bishop Heber. The Scottish writer named O’Malley was also a favourite, as was the great African Missionary Traveler David Livingston and Sir Richard Burton. If these rare works were easily available in Calcutta to the literary landscape, it is in no small part due to Kumar’s efforts.
Kumar was very close to Subho Tagore...
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on December 10, 2005
Kumar was very close to Subho Tagore. He was the nephew of the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. In fact Subho Tagore lived very near the house of Kumars. He had taken residence in Metropolitan Building, at Chowringhee, and he would often take a rickshaw to drop in to Kumars.
Ella Maillart, the famous traveller visited Kumar, more than once
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on December 3, 2005
If you like travelling and if you like reading you probably will like the books by Ella Maillart. In a vivid way she lets you take part in what she has seen of countries barely known to Westerners, of foreign cultures, and of different ways of life. While her journeys must have been quite adventurous her books go far beyond this aspect.
Kumar had original Solvyns in his collection and promoted the artist…
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on December 2, 2005
The name of the uncle and nephew team of Thomas and William Daniell were well known. But very few had heard the name of Solvyns. Kumar collected the prints of François Balthazar Solvyns and encouraged studies on the artist.
Lawyers in those days collected antique & rare books…other than law books
antiquarianofcalcutta.blogspot.com on November 24, 2005
Ajit Ghosh, the well known lawyer, connoisseur and collector and remembered for his collection of Kalighat Pats, which he parted to the Birlas and the collection named after him, was one such person who depended on Kumar for his research. He studied varied Indian Art subjects ranging from Buddhist manuscript to Indian miniatures.