Category Archives: Uncategorized

Dwitiya, the second day of the lunar fortnight: The tales that have come down to us from the mists of time are not proof of the existence of gods and goddesses with halos striding about granting boons or recriminations. That … Continue reading →

Devi Suktam, Rig Veda   On Protipod, the first day of the lunar fortnight: ‘Once upon a time a few thousand years ago a woman declared herself god. She announced I am all that there ever was or will be. Those … Continue reading →

What’s in a name? It is 605 AD. Rajyavardhana (conqueror of lands) is the elder son who is destined to expand the kingdom while Harshavardhana (bringer of joy) is meant to bring happiness to its king and its people. Yet Rajyavardhana … Continue reading →

If one reads Purnendu Pattrea’s Purono Kolkatar Kathachitra (Tales of Old Calcutta), there is a fascinating list of Calcutta’s wonders listed at the start of the book in an old song by Rupchand Pokkhi. Rupchand lived between 1815 and 1890. … Continue reading →

Skin that shines, as though the finest oils of Morocco have been anointing each luscious inch since it was first revealed to this world. Voluptuous curves that could make the beauties of Hindostan sigh in surrender. Flesh, sweet and unmarked … Continue reading →

Young man, go East …………..but at your own peril! Considering that a large number of the East India Company clerks or writers were younger sons who had little or no claim to the family fortunes and the rest had hardly … Continue reading →

For someone like me who has been in Australia for most of her life, it can sometimes be easy to forget about the things that bring a large number of people to these shores. When I came here, I was … Continue reading →

Originally posted on animikhRabindranath:
Regardless of whether Bengalis read Rabindranath Tagore’s work with attention or not, lately curiosity in Rabindranath as a person has flared up. This eagerness has recently found a new focus. This is what might be described…

Originally posted on animikhRabindranath:
This post comes courtesy of my dear Facebook friend Sukanya Sinha. Her father Surajit Sinha was the Vice Chancellor of Visva Bharati University between 1975 and 1980. In Sukanya’s words: “While rummaging through old papers I…