PUPPETS OF POLITICS - Shovon Baisakhi controversy by Debopriya Chakraborty

 Those who know Sovan from the time he was a Youth Congress worker in the 1980s remember him as an earnest fellow. “He was not possessed of any electric charisma, was no orator either but he was forever rushing off to help the people of the neighborhood (Behala in southwest Calcutta),” says a veteran journalist. This made him popular. He contested the Calcutta Municipal Corporation elections for the first time in 1985 and won. At the time he was 22.

It is being said that Sovan’s intimacy with college teacher Baisakhi Banerjee has led to this political denouement. What Baisakhi is to Sovan is not our lookout, but one thing is obvious to all — he is experiencing a Kal Baisakhi. For one, he is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation following the Narada expose of 2016. There is a continuing domestic discord with his wife of 22 years — he has filed for divorce — that is playing out in the media ad nauseum. And a close friendship, which to is unfolding in full public view. In a television interview, a bejeweled Baisakhi burst into tears when asked about the future of the man she refers to as “Bandhu” or friend.

From another TV square, the estranged wife, Ratna Chatterjee, continued to roll her eyes, respond to accusations and level her own. In a third TV square, the former mayor looked a tad forlorn. All he kept saying was this: “Those who are making Baisakhi Banerjee a scapegoat are doing great injustice.”

Though his politics were keen and he had a mind to help further his ambitions, Sovan’s heart derailed him time and again. It seems, sometimes in those early corporation days, Sovan fell hopelessly in love with a party worker. “And when she went ahead and married a really wealthy colleague, Sovan was inconsolable,” says another source. “I have never seen a grown man cry like that,” he adds.

    It is heard that when there is a meeting or something shovon-baishaki always wear matching dresses to match their personality.

THE WORLD OF FANTASY - CRAZIEST BARBERS IN THE WORLD by Nandini Datta

                              

Grinder Haircut
©dailymail.co.UK

A barber has been recently filmed cutting a customer’s hair with an angled Grinder Machine in Southwest China. It shows that the hand-held cutting tool which is more commonly used to cut metals, he uses it to chop hairs. The barber in Chengdu city claims that he has more than a decade’s experience with this cutting method and claims to be the first person to use this unusual method. Jeepers! You scared the life out of me!

Blindfolded Haircut
©CapeTownMagazine.com

     The amazing Crystal Brigette, owner of Swordfern emporium, South Africa can do it so smoothly that you will forget that she is even blindfolded. She can cut short hair very easily and has the idea that nature and hair should be respected and cared for equally.

Cleaver Haircut
©briefly.co.za

     Look at this crazy barber chopping of customer’s hair with a dangerous cleaver. It’s insane! The shop is in Lahore Pakistan where Ali the shop owner sterilizes the cleaver before every cut. According to his customers, you will never feel a big cleaver on your head. Looks scary.

Youngest Barber
©laungingcolour.com

     Well yes, you are not the only one who wants to get a haircut from the youngest barber Jiang Hongqi, many celebrities from different parts of the world are interested in him for his hairdressing skills. He was only four years old when he started cutting and styling hair. He is so talented that he can cut his own hair so efficiently you would not believe it.

Samurai Haircut
©soranews24.com

     Alberto Olmedo, an artistic hairstylist from Madrid, Spain uses a Samurai sword to perform his art. His technique is really different because he cuts hair with a sword and then sets it on fire. A reel-life experience, right?

Sheep Shears Haircut
©youtube.com

     Have you ever imagined getting a haircut with a pair of sheep shears? Well, this man from Keldar, Ireland with over 33 years of experience uses shears to cut hair even with small detail.

Fire Haircut
©storytrender.com

     Well for this unique haircut you don’t have to visit any other country, it is done in New Delhi, India itself. The customer’s hair is covered with an inflammable substance and then it is set on fire. The barber styles it with two combs while the hair is alight. He claims this haircut technique is not dangerous and surprisingly nobody complained about that till now! 

Mutiple Scissors Haircut
©storytrender.com

     There have been now several hairstylists who are using multiple scissors to cut hair. They presume it increases the efficiency of cutting hair quickly. If you want to get this type of haircut done, you can visit a Pakistani shop owned by Muhammad. He uses 27 scissors simultaneously to give a haircut.

Hatchet Haircut
©allure.com

     So chopping a tree with a hatchet is what we were aware of but here is the new technique where Daniel Showman from Russia uses a hand axe to cut hairs and give them a different look on. Amusing isn’t it?

Long Distance Haircut
©thestar.com

     Since Being in quarantine has been such a pain and everyone besides want to go outside just want to get a nice haircut to look normal, a long-distance haircut in Liswa Chuang, Southwestern China has gone viral where hairdressers were seeing attaching tools to sticks to keep a safe distance from customers.

ON THE STREET TRAVEL ROADS OF KOLKATA DURING DURGA PUJA -BY ABHISIKTA DEY

 ROADS OF KOLKATA DURING DURGA PUJA

Durga Puja, also called Durgotsava is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess, Durga. It is particularly popular and traditionally celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal.

 

Durga Pooja Pandals, Decorations

                                                        Source  Wikipedia

The gorgeously decorated pandals each emphasize a theme; be it the legends of Goddess Durga or scenes from Hindu epic texts. Nowadays, some pandals are themed on a social cause to spread awareness. Day time is

                                               Source Wikipedia

usually better to see the pandals closely when the crowd is less however; the brightly lit pandals in hundreds of colors is quite a sight of its own in the evenings.The joie de vivre seen in Kolkata during Durga Puja has made some compare it with the famous Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The carnival spirit is more evident on the last day of Durga Puja (the day  India  celebrates  Dussehra) when the idols are taken out in a procession for immersion in the river. The city will again see last year’s repeat of a grand gala procession with the idols from the top Durga Pujas in the city.

Months before the 

start of Durga Puja, youth members of the community collect funds and donations, engage priests  and  artisans,  buy  votive  materials  and  help

build pandals centred around a theme, which has rose to prominence in recent years. Such themes    have    included    celebration    of    humanity, marginalisation    of queer    persons and transgender persons, folk culture, celebration of cinema, womanhood, pro- environment themes, while others have  chosen metaphorical  themes such  as celebration of maati (literally, soil or ash) and "finding one's own light". Pandals have also been replicated on existing temples, structures, and monuments and yet others have been made of elements.such as metal scraps, nails, and turmeric among others. Durga puja pandals have also been centred around themes to acknowledge political events such as the 2019 Balakot airstrike and to protest against the National Register of Citizens of India.  

Designs and sculpture-idols are made by commissioned artisans, which is also a team effort involving labourers, architects, and community representatives hosting it. The budget required for such theme-based pujas is significantly higher than traditional pujas. For such theme- based pujas, the preparations and the building of pandals are a significant arts-related economic activity, often attracting major sponsors. Such commercialised pujas attract crowds of visitors. The growth of competitiveness in theme-based pandals has escalated costs and scale of Durga puja in eastern states of India. Some segments of the society criticise the billboards, the economic competition, and seek return to basics. The competition takes many forms, such as the height of statue. In 2015, an 88-foot statue of Durga in Kolkata's Deshapriya Park attracted numerous devotees, with some estimates placing visitors at one million.

 

This grand social event of Durga Puja showcases the beautiful culture of  the  Bengalis in India. The evenings during Kolkata Durga Puja witness the streets packed with thousands of people both locals and tourists alike who come to see the large beautifully decorated idols of Goddess Durga, to offer their prayers, eat at the numerous stalls that pop up in  the  streets  and  take  part  in  the  grand  celebrations  to  honour the victory of Goddess Durga over evil.

Dance for the Goddess

DHUNUCHI NACH Source Wikipedia

After the evening rituals on Ashami, it's traditional for the devotional Dhunuchi folk dance to be performed in front of Goddess Durga to please her. This is done holding an earthen pot filled with burning coconut husk and camphor. Drummers lead the dancers with their beats, which vary in speed. Smoke, sound and rhythmic swaying engulf the atmosphere. It's intense and intoxicating! The dance is inclusive and anyone, men and women, can join in. It has become so popular that people have started organizing competitions.

Greatest public art installation

Mahalaya, which formally ushers in Durga Puja in Bengal, brought in a huge surprise for Kolkata in the shape of an 'alpona' or auspicious painting over a kilometer long on Lake Road. Executed by nearly 400 art students and inspired by the art of Rangoli, the creation was unveiled by actor Prasenjit Chatterjee, who readily added a few colourful brush strokes. Dhakis flanked the painting and the throb of drums seemed to strengthen the spirit of the carnival. But the busiest were the camera-phone yielding spectators. Social media was soon awash with the pictures of the record-making painting. Even parliamentarian Derek O'Brien could not resist uploading a video of the 'alpona', congratulating the artists.

                                                          Source Wikipedia

Unique Illumination

                                                       Source Wikipedia

Colourful lights and elaborate lighting turns Kolkata into a fairy town at night during Durga Puja. In fact, what was earlier known as 'Chandannagorer lighting', the illumination executed by electricians from the district town, predates the trend of holding theme-based Pujo. With the help of a rudimentary motor and a string of bulbs, these electricians used their indigenous technology to create magic through illumination. So much so, they began receiving invitations from other Indian cities, and even abroad, to create their unique art. With advanced technology, the illumination has gone up several notches and even if you are not quite religious, you might still venture out in the streets to see these 'light' paintings all across town.

Dashami Procession - The Last Day of the Durga Puja

                                                            Source Wikipedia

 The tenth day of the Durga Puja festival is called Dashami; it is believed that on this day, Goddess Durga gained victory over the Demon and thus restored the balance on the earth. It is also known as Vijayadashami. On this day, Goddess Durga is worshipped and offered many things as she is prepared to leave. Highly enthusiastic devotees gather in large numbers to join the procession that carries the Goddess to the ghats to be immersed in water. Women, especially married woman initiate the procession by first applying red sindoor or vermillion powder on the Goddess and then to each other. It is said to be a symbol of marriage and fertility. The immersion of the idol is similar to the immersion of the Ganesha idol during Ganesh Chaturti. Babu Ghat is one of the popular places for immersion located near Eden Garden.

PUPPETS OF POLITICS - Kumbh Mela 2021 by Debopriya Chakraborty

 Kumbh Mela 

Kumbh Mela is a Hindu festival and assembly, held once every twelve years at four locations in India, at which pilgrims bathe in the waters of the Ganges and Jumna Rivers. The festival of Kumbh Mela is probably the biggest act of faith, celebrated among Hindus. It is commended at regular intervals determined by planetary positions. People take holy dips on these auspicious dates to wash their past sins. The Kumbh Mela is the biggest congregation on the earth as millions of millions of devotees not only from India but almost every corner of the world flocks to Kumbh Mela. Along with divinity, there are many other scientific, historical, and thoughtful bases attached to this grand event.

Kumbh Mela 2021

Despite the worse covid situation, Indian Railways decided to resume 18 trains in Haridwar from January 10, which helped the commuters to reach Haridwar for the Maha Kumbh. It is to be noted that during the lockdown, only Shramik trains for migrant workers were started, however, several trains were started after the Centre announced Unlock guidelines, but their number is too small. The Uttarakhand high court has mandated everyone to carry their RT-PCR negative test report and a medical certificate on the lines of Amarnath Yatra and Kailash Yatra and officials said they will make sure the court order is implemented.

Kumbh Mela 2021

Lack of awareness about social distancing and wearing masks by people resulted in the quick spread of the virus. The infection is likely to increase in the second wave in the festival months of October, November, and December 2021”, said the study titled: ‘Learning From Covid-19 cases — A Sociological Study of Patna District, Bihar’ by retired civil servant K.C. Saha, quoted by The Hindu.

ON THE STREET FOOD FUCHKA - BY ABHISIKTA DEY

 FUCHKA

                                                                  Source Wikipedia

Phuchka is a way of life in Calcutta. Everyone has their favourite             phuchkawala (phuchka seller). Every para (neighbourhood) must have at least a few phuchkawalas who set up their stalls around four in the afternoon everyday. They bring their already fried phuchka papri or puris in huge bags and arrange them neatly in a huge wicker basket or a glass box. Then they start preparing their mis en place and mixing the tawk jol (sour water). By the time they are done, customers start gathering around them and the day’s business starts.

Ingredients: Atta, Suji, Papad Khar, Baking Powder, water, Vegetable oil for deep frying, Tamarind pulp, salt, black salt, Boiled potato & Bhaja masala

Doi Fuchka

Doi Fuchka or Dahi Puri Chaat is one delicious and popular

                                                              Source Wikipedia
variety from Chaat Gharana. You can get several types of chaat in India from street vendors. They all are very very tasty. In Kolkata, one of the famous chaat is 'doi fuchka'. The hollow chips are filled with spicy potato filling, thick sweet and sour yogurt mixture, sweet tamarind chutney along with lots of fresh coriander leaves and few other ingredients. I have never made Chaat at home while staying in India because you can get them almost everywhere. But now that I am staying in USA, whenever I crave for Chaat, I had to make them at home. Trust me, after following this recipe you will achieve the exact same street style taste and flavors.

Ingredients: puris, boiled and peeled potato, motor, green chilies, coriander leaves, bhaja moshla, chaat masala, lemon juice, Salt and sugar, yogurt, Water, sweet tamarind chutney.

CHURMUR

This crispy, tangy, savoury 'chaat' is a popular Calcutta Street food dished out  by  phuchkawalas  and  is  super  easy  to make.Churmur  is  a  type

of chaat and one of the more inspired  offerings

to come out of a phuchkawala’s cart. It contains the usual suspects—potatoes, boiled motor dal, tamarind, green chillies, coriander, and a variety of spices and seasoning—all mixed together and heaped upon a shalpata plate. From its onomatopoeic name that recalls the sound (‘chur-mur’) a crisp paprimakes when crushed to its vibrant amalgamation of flavours and textures, there’s nothing about this dish that is not delightful. When you are not ready to leave your phuchka stall yet, but must, it is churmur—

 puchka deconstructed—that you can take home with you in a paper bag.

 

Ingredients: potatoes, phuchka papri, chhola , motor dal, coriander leaves, green chillies, tamarind, lime juice, salt, rocksalt, bhaja masala, chilli flakes, hot water

Road side Fuchka Stall in kolkata

 

Some popular places where road side ‘Fuchka’ stalls are famous in Kolkata like Vardaan market, Salt Lake, New Market, Hindustan Park, Dharamtala, Southern Avenue Kolkata.