Abhijan | Volume 21 | 2012

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BSF ABHIJAN | VOLUME 21 | 2012

Volume 21 | 2012 2

Editor Dr. Chirajyoti Deb

COVER PAGE Srirupa Das

ARTICLE COLLECTION Chirajyoti Deb, Pratyush Nag,Ajay Chakraborty, Paramita Chakraborty, Debleena Ghose, Debajyoti Ghose

MAGAZINE DESIGN AND PRESENTATION Chirajyoti Deb, Ajay Chakraborty, Debajyoti Ghose

EDITORS AND COMPOSERS Paramita Chakrabarty, Ajay Chakrabarty Debleena Ghosh, Tandra and Soumya Chakrabarty

ADVERTISEMENT COLLECTION Udita Jahagirdar, Renu Das, Deblina Rudra, Pradip Gupta, Debojyoti Ghosh, Soumya Chakraborty

SOFTWARE Bornosoft Free Edition

WEB ADDRESS http://bsfnet. org

PRINTER GR Marketing/Graphic Design, 5911 Benjamin Center Dr. Tampa, FL 33634. Tel 813-886-4500

.  DISCLAIMER

The executive committee of the Bengali Society of Florida and the editors of this magazine will not hold any responsibility now or in the future regarding the authenticity or accuracy of any matters published in this issue of Abhijan. The contents published are the opinion of the author(s) and in no way reflect that of the Bengali Society. 

3 sUcIpº

sÚpadkIy icrejYait edb 7

President’s message Trishna Pati, PhD 8

Vbar …eseC iPer Apraijta Ÿdb 9 oSlpuºI (nbduàgar nbrœepr pãTm rœp) Ÿgapal ray 11 jYaÇ» duUàga caeÆÅyI d¹ 13 nana kTa nk™elS muKuFI 14 duàga pUja bar maesr Ÿtera paàbn nIla muKuFI 15 ba„la gaen narI kæpna das 16 pãTm Ÿpãmpº subIr Ÿga÷amI 18

By„kr dIGa subIr Ÿga÷amI 20

রেবতী অনুপ মজুমদাে 22 vBudadaij klYaNIeyxu, ic¹r²n Ÿdb 25

Durga Murti Hathi Bagan Nobopoli Courtesy 26 2012 Chandrabhanu Ghiri ectnar AnuBeb ŸdbejYait ŸGax 27 du† pãjnM suipãya Ÿsn§Ð 28 myna parimta cº¡bàtI 29

Ÿkmn VC,pâiTbI stIBUxn cº¡bàtI 3 0 inmÇ½N sÉYa nag 30

V†siº¡emr baiF ATba keTapkTn kajir puNYeSåak daS§Ð 31 Ÿgalaepr seªg

kana†Hir paàT imº 33 cÆÅibÆdu ÷edSmuk™l saƒtra 34

Vmra Baela ViC .... Ÿtamra? haW suk™mar braF 35

ŸHer Ÿgel tuim iöBú! Ajy cº¡bàtI 36

…'ik ka¸ - ŸBgaes bªg ŸdbZanI §Ð 37

ribfak™r piricit SaÇ»nu imº 38

Vmar SHr ŸmOimta cYaFaàjI 42

Summer Savouries Udita Jahagirdar 43

Memories of another day Anuradha Goswami 45

Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose: the Debasish Chanda 47 beginning of invisible radio waves

The Advent of Kash Subhashis Mitra 49

Running a Marathon by Ashis Maity Ashis Maity 54

Summer Road Trip- “America the Soumya Chakrabarti 60 Beautiful”

Culture and traditional values conflicts Renu Das, MD 70 with seeking mental health treatment.

A Girl with a Red Dot and Brown Eyes Dr. Sulakshana Sen 73

A Grandfather’s musings… Prabhat Kumar Chakraborty 79

Reflections of Life: Taking the Best of Bikash R. Pati 80 Both Worlds

Cancer Detection with Laser: An Chirajyoti Deb 84 Interview with Dr. Kunal Mitra, the Inventor

An Optimistic Life is a Happy Life Rupa Bagchee 87

A Summer's Spell Adrija Das 89

My GAILSF Story Neel Maity 90

Down the Ages Niharika Maity 95

Submitted Children’s Art Ishika Nag, Molly Bagchee, 100 Anoushka Chakrabarty

Without Anything Ananya Chakrabarty 101 raÊa baÊa nIla muKuiF, tÆÅa cº¡bà¹I 102

My 30 Minutes Bengali Ranna Trishna Pati 103

Children’s Art Various Children 106

Courtesy of artist Sri Sudhi Ranjan Mukherjee. Faculty, Patha Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India

7 sÚpadkIy

Srt tpen pãBat ÷pen ik jain pran ik ŸZ cay| ba˜ailr kaeC vtur raja ik bàxa, bsÇ» na Sr‡| … iney tàk ibtàk Vr nanan Zui¹¡ AZui¹¡r ban b†ey Ÿdwya ŸZet paer| Vj Ÿs sebr meDY na igeyw bla Zay ŸZ Vpamr ba˜ailr mn …Kn Sretr bÆdnay bYó»| Vr Ÿs† bÆdnar saiml H'ey† pãbaesr ba-ail Ÿdr …kjn iHeseb Vmaek bYó» ŸreKeC sÚpãit …† piºka sÚpadnar kaj| ŸPçairhar Ÿbªgil Ÿsasa†iFr SardIy piºka ,"AiBZan ' pãkaSnar …ŸHn §r›daiyetÔ …† Vmar iÃtIy bCr| "Ÿtamar ptaka Zaer daw taer biHbaer dawSkit'-Vpatt nanan ibpi¹r maeJ piºka pãkaSnar kajiF suòuBaeb kret pair …†Fuk™† Vmar cawya| kaelr Zaºay w maºay …† …kbCerr maeJ† Vmaedr Aenekr jIben† GeF ŸgeC ŸbS ikCu ŸZag ibeyag| "jnM mrN ŸKlay Ÿmara imil tƒar † Ÿmlay/…† duWK sueKr jIbn Ÿmaedr tar † ŸKlar AªgI'| tbu pãitidenr sUàZ wfar meta† pãitbaerr …† pUeja piºka| jIbn …igey celeC tar inejr inyem| "cil Ÿga cil Ÿga Za† Ÿga cel'| Ÿs† clar CÆd Ÿk Der† Vim piºkaiFek smâÁ krar daib iney Haijr H'eyiC Vmaedr pirict bÉ™baÉb …r kaeC| blabaûlY ŸlKa, Cib †tYaid ŸjagaR kraet Vmay saHaZY k'ereCn Aenek†| Vim kát¯ w DnY taedr kaeC Zara taedr VtMIy ÷jnedr kaC ŸTek ŸlKa s„gãH ker piºkaiFek smâÁ kret sHayta kereC| Vim ibnIt Vmar Ÿs† sb pirictjenedr kaeC Zara Kub † km smy sImar mŸDY Vmar …kbar AnueraeD† taedr ŸlKa ideyeCn, iÃr›i¹¡ na ker| teb ArlYae¸abasIr kaC ŸTek …bar w Vmar VSanurœp s„KYar ŸlKa Ÿplam na| VSa krb perr bCr Vera ŸbiS s„KYay ŸlKa pab| piºka pãkaS tKn † saàTk Heb ZKn skelr ŸlKa w Cib ÷tWýPšàt Baeb Aenk ŸbiS ker jma pReb|

…bar Vis Vmar ibeSx kát¯ta ÷Ikaerr palay| Zaedr inrls saHaZY w sHayta CaRa …† piºka pãkaS sÝb Ht na tƒara Heln parimta cº¡bàtI w Ajy cº¡btI, ŸdblIna ŸGax w ŸdbejYait ŸGax, tÆÅa cº¡bàtI w ŸsOmY cº¡bàtI| … CaRaw pãitinyt nana rkm Baeb pãtYQ w peraQ sHeZaigtay seªg ŸTekeCn A„ìman bagcI, ŸdbZanI §Ð w pãdIp §Ð, AinÆdY pal …b„ sda HasYmyI Vmaedr ŸpãisehÆF tâxa pit| Vr ŸZ kTaiF na blel† ny piºka pãkaSnar KƒuiFnaiF kaej Apraijta w puº dIÐdIp …r …kaÇ» sHayta| prbaesr bYó» jIben piºka pãkaeSr kaej VSanurœp smy Ÿdwya Ÿgl na, ta† Bul º›iF Aenk † ŸTek Ÿgl| … jnY Vim maàjnapãaàTI|

"SrtbaNIr bINa baej kmldel'-Sretr VkaeS,bataes tar † sur| VtMIy ÷jn ,bÉ™ ipãyjn skel …† suer saiml ŸHan,Bal Tak™n ,suóù Tak™n …† pãaàTna kir| sbŸSex ŸCaF bR sklek ZTaóùaen SardIyar SãÁa,Baelabasa w ìeB¬Ca jainey ŸSx kriC| nmôar| icrejYait edb

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

On behalf of the BSF Executive Committee, let me take this opportunity to wish all of you and your families a very Happy Durga Puja 2012. It has been my utmost pleasure and honor to serve our community as the President of Bengali Society of Florida (BSF). I welcome you all to this year’s Durga Puja and hope you will have a wonderful two day celebration filled with joy and happiness. The essence of Durga Puja is manifested in the collective display of passions of Bengali spirit. It epitomizes the joy of celebration, the pride in artistic expressions, and supremely, our devotion towards worshiping of the goddess Durga. It is an event to be present and feel the closeness of our community; it is to desire and make a serious effort to sustain and pass on our rich culture to the next generation. The present executive team will be finishing its two year term at the end of this year. We had a successful two year term and I am grateful to each and every member for their enormous support, goodwill and active participation. I wholeheartedly thank my executive team for their constant support and dedication in fulfilling the goals, which we set forth at the beginning of our term. I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on some of the significant accomplishments during our term: Unity: One of our foremost goals was to bring the community together. We tried our best to reach out to every group of Bengalis, young and old, and encouraged everyone to participate in all our events to showcase their talents in our cultural programs. Kids are the future of our community. So our efforts were to continually involve them, through solo and group performances, “sit and draw” and poster competitions and other volunteer activities such as serving food, decoration, and being the program’s Master of Ceremony. A small community like ours can only become stronger if we all stand together as one Bengali community, irrespective of our personal differences. Inclusion: With our tremendous team effort and collective enthusiasm and commitment, we were able to promote inclusion by considering the opinions of our members. We encouraged our members to fully participate and have a say so that everyone’s voices are heard. Transparency: We continued with the individual and corporate sponsorships. Budget cuts were instituted wherever possible without compromising the quality of our events that enabled us to bring good overseas artists and provide free events such as 2012 Holi picnic and Laxmi Puja to our members. In fact, I am happy to say that last year’s Durga Puja had surplus funds of five thousand dollars. We tried our best to effectively manage BSF financial accounts by making sure the accounts are maintained and audited as per our by laws. The success of our organization bodes well not only for the present but also for the future. I would like to thank you once again for the opportunity to work with you and hope we can make BSF even more successful in the coming years. In advance, I congratulate the in-coming committee members. See you all on Laxmi Puja and Kali Puja. Wishing you and yours a very happy Durga Puja and Subho Bijoya! Sincerely, Trishna Pati, Ph.D President, Bengali Society of Florida

9 Vbar …eseC iPer Apraijta Ÿdb

Sretr maeJ …† iSìBab † taek Barmu¹¡ ŸmeGr Vij ik Ÿtamar mDur mUrit meta Baisey iney ŸbRay| tar HaiskaÊa ŸHirnu SardpãBaet iSìr meta†| taet kaàZkareNr gBIrta Ÿn†| tar VsaZawyar VelaCaya Ba†ebaenr ŸKlar meta| Ÿs ŸH matW bªg SYaml Aªg ŸKla Ÿzˆeyr wpr wpr| Ÿs Barmu¹¡| tbu Sr‡ Ves JileC AmleSaBaet maiFr buek pa ŸPel| tar Vsn tar maiF maeyr ÎÎÎÎÎÎÎÎÎÎÎ Ÿkal jueR| rbIÆÅnaT beleCn Ÿs bR gaeCr vtu ny| Ÿs QiNekr Psl ŸQetr vtu| Ÿs QiNekr AitiT| haikeC Ÿdaeyl,haikeC Ÿkaeyl maiFr knYa ˆmar meta† tar iptâgâeH Vgmn| bàxar gàB ŸTek ŸmeGr nÆdIBâªgI iS-a baijey taek mar Ÿtamar kann sBaet Ÿkael Vnar saeT saeT† SSManbasI paglFa …es Œpióùt| tar jFay jFay kaÊar mÆdaiknI| Ÿs maJKaen tuim dƒaRaey jnnI sklek kƒaidey ˆmaek iney Ÿdeb paiR| tbu bar bar Sr‡kaelr pãBaet| ntun ker iPer Vseb bel† tar cel Zawya| iPer

11 oSlpuºI (nbduàgar nbrœepr pãTm rœp) Ÿgapal ray

beÆd bai®tlaBay cÆÅaàDkát ŸSKram| smadr w pãIitpuàbk bYabHar kreC na| skel† bâxarœ•a„ SUlDra„ oSlpuºI„ ZS÷InIm| taek …iRey Zae¬C| …kmaº tar ma-† taƒek ŸøHBŸr jiRey Dreln| Ÿbaenedr bYbHaer bY˜ Vr ˆpHas P™eF ˆfiCl| VtMIy ÷jenr ma duàgar nbrœepr pãTm rœpiF " oSlpuºI' naem bYabHaer itin men Kub duWK Ÿpeln …b„ lQY pãisÁ| pàbtraj iHmaleyr kaeC knYarœep kreln cairidek ŸZn S«err pãit Bà‡sna pãkaS jnMgãHN kray taƒr oSlpuºI nam Hy| bâxB- pae¬C | dQ taek ikCu Apmanjnk kTaw baHna, …† matârœepr diQN Heó» iºìl Vr bam ŸSanaeln| …† sb ŸdeK stIr Hœdy ŸQaB gåain Heó» kml puîp ŸSaBa bàÁn kŸreC| pUàbjenM †in …b„ Ÿº¡aeD ˆ¹Ð Hey ˆfl|itin Babeln pãjapit deQr knYa iCeln| tKn tar nam iCl stI| Bgban S«err sŸ˜ stIr ibbaH HeyiCl| S«err inexD na ìen …Kaen …es itin mó» bR …kbar pãjapit dQ …k ibraF Z¯ kern| …et Bul kŸreCn| itin skl Ÿdbtaek inj inj Z¯Bag gãHn krar jnY VmÇ½N janan ikÇ¼ Bgban S«r Ÿk pitr Apman itin sHY kret pareln na, …b„ itin …† Ze¯ inmÇ½N kŸrn in| stI ZKn janet t‡QNa‡ ŸZagaigÈr saHaeZY inŸjek BsMIBUt pareln ŸZ tar ipta …k ibSal Ze¯r Veyajn kreln| bjäpaetr nYay …† dar›N duWeKr GFna kereCn tKn itin ŸsKaen Zabar jnY bYak™l ìen S«r AtYÇ» º¡™Á Hey inejr paSÿàcredr Hey ˆfeln| i tin Vpn †¬CaiF S«r Ÿk paifey deQr Z¯ sÚpUàN DÕ„s kreln| stI janael S«r sbidk ibebcna kŸr bleln - prjenM oSlraj iHmaleyr knYarœep jnM ineln pãjapit dQ Ÿkanw kareN Vmar ˆpr r›ñ …b„ …† jenM "" oSlpuºI'' naem pirict HŸln| HeyeCn| itin …† Ze¯ smó» Ÿdbtaedr VmÇ½N paàbtI ,oHmbtIw taƒr† nam| ˆpinxedr kaiHnI kŸreCn | taedr Z¯Bagw smàpn kereCn- ikÇ» Anusaer †in oHmbtIrœep Ÿdbtaedr gàb cUàN itin Ÿjen ìen† Vmaek haekn in| Ÿkaena Kbr kŸriCeln| ""oSlpuUºIr'' w S«err saeT ibbaH w Ÿdn in| …rœp Abóùay Ÿtamar Šóùaen Zawya HeyiCl | pUàb jenMr nYay …† jenMw itin iSebr kKnw ifk Heb na| SãI S«err kTay stI ADaià˜nI iCeln|nbduàgar meDY pãTm oSlpuºI Ÿkaenaw smaDan Ÿpeln na| iptar Z¯ ŸdKar duàgar mH¹Ô w Si¹¡ AnÇ» | nbraiº pUjar pãTm jnY ma …b„ Ÿbaenedr saeT imilt Hwyar jnY iden …ƒek† pUja w VraDna kra Hy| pãTm itin AtYÇ» bYak™l HŸln| taƒr pãbl VgãH ŸdeK idenr pUejay ŸZagI tar mnŸk mUlaDar ceº¡ Bgban S«r taƒek Ze¯ Zabar Anumit ideln| ióùt kŸrn | …Kaen ŸTek† taƒr ŸZagsaDna ìr› stI iptâgâeH …es ŸdKeln Ÿkˆ† tar sŸ˜ Hy|

13 jYaÇ» dUàuga caeÆÅyI d¹ ibSÿibjyI ÷amI ibebkanÆd, skŸlr ipãy ÷amIij HŸla| …† pUjay ÷aimjI "bil' ŸceyiCeln| teb SãISãImar Vemirka ŸTek 1894 iKãöae× ÷amI iSbanÆdŸk SãISãIma pãaNIHtYay Vpi¹ Takay ÷aimjI Ÿs† VedS Ÿmen Ÿnn| sÚpeàk ileKiCeln : 1314 b˜ae×r SardIya dUàga pUja smagt| igirS ŸGax w "baburaemr mar bueRabyes buiÁr Hain HeyeC| jYaÇ» dUàga taƒr idid diQnar Kub saD …† bar dUàgapUjay SãISãIma ŸCeR maiFr pUja kret beseC| dada ibSÿas bR Dn; dada taƒedr gâeH Vsebn| ikÇ» mYaeliryay Bueg Bueg ma bR† jYaÇ» dUàgar pUja ŸdKab, teb Vmar nam | tuim jim iken duàbl | siÉpujar idn ŸQaeB AiBmaen igirS jYaÇ» dUàga ma Ÿk ŸZidn bisey Ÿdeb Ÿs† idn Vim …kbar ŸGax CFPF kreCn ; BabeCn ma HIn matâpujay ik Pl? Haƒp CaRb'...... ifk siÉpujar lŸgÈ …eln SãISãIma | DIer DIer …es SãISãIma pãitmar pãit dâiñ inbÁ kŸr …k -Ÿkanay daƒRaeln| …† icifiF sÝbt : ÷aimjIr pãTm w ŸSx rcna ŸZKaen Be¹¡ra …ek …ek SãISãImar SãIcreN puîpa²il ideln| itin SãImar ÷rœp w maHatMY …k† sŸ˜ jnsmeQ pãkaS ibSal igirS SãISãImar pdtel liÜt …b„ …iF tar ŸSx kŸriCeln| dueàga‡sb| itin ŸdKeln AK¸ matâs¹ar GnIBUt mUiàt, r¹¡ma„esr ŸdH sÜilt kr›NapaTar SãIma sardaÎ Apr In 1901 swami vivekanda wished to celebrate nam "jYaÇ» dUàga'| DURGAPUJA in Belur Math . This happened just four or five days before the puja. Swamiji brought 1916 iKãöae× ŸblueR dueàga‡seb SãISãIma ŸZagdan kŸriCeln| pUjar idn ma mfpãa˜eN ˆpióùt Hel saDura the HOLY MOTHER, his "living Durga' to Nilambar pãitmar padpedM puýpa²il pãdaenr mtn kŸr jIbÇ» babu's garden house so that she could be pressent ŸdbIr SãIcreN du† Haet puîpraiS iney A²il idetn | during the puja everyday. It was indeed a divine pUjar kidn skel ma …r mueKr idek taikey Taketn| spectacle! Swami Vivekanda had the vision that the taƒek pãsÊ ŸdKel men Ht ŸdbI pUja gãHN kŸreCn| … goddess 'Durga', who was being worshipped in the rkm† …k pUjay ÷amI bãüanÆdjI mHañmIr iden …kSt image had assumed the human form of 'Sarada VFiF pdMP™l idey SãImar SãIcrN pUja kŸriCeln| SãISãIma iCeln ÷rœpt sàbeàdbŸdbI÷rœipnI | taƒr jIbnlIlay kt Devi' and was watching her own puja! Swamiji was ibicº rœep† na AÇ»r˜edr kaej inj ÷rœp itin pãkF afraid that if he saw the slightest mistake he would kŸriCeln| taƒr mHasmaiDr s„badiF ÷amI sardanÆd mf w be angry on those who had been working so hard. It imSŸnr ŸkeÆÅ janabar ineàdS … ˆeLK kŸriCeln ŸZ : "" was much better. He thought to lie down with fever gt prì mHainSa rat …kFay prmaraDYa SãISãI and decided to lie down in his room.When the matafak™raNI oklas Zaºa kiryaeCn''| function was over, Mother said, "Naren, please get up now'. Swamiji also responded "yes, Mother' and got up from the bed. He wrote to Swami Shivananda from America, "You have not yet understood the wounderful significance of Mother's life -- none of you - Brother, I shall demonstrate the worship of the living Durga,and then shall my name be true.'

1901 iKãöae× pãTmbar ŸbluR mef dUàgapUja Hy| …† pUjay SãIma sarda ŸdbIr siº¡y ŸZagdaen ŸZ BabmaDueàZr sâiñ HeyiCl ta …kkTay AinàbcnIy| saQa‡ jg°nnI

¯aen mfbasIra tar padpdM pUeja ker inejedr DnY¯an kŸriCeln | Ÿs†bar pUjar s„kæp SãISãImar naem s„gift

nana kTa nk™elS muKuFI 1990|

…† pâiTbIet manb iSì kKnw tar inejr †e¬Cy Vset ca†in Vmra kt AsHay kt ibpÊ| Aenek† bŸln paer na| Ÿs tar ipta matar †¬Canusaer jnM Ÿny| ikÇ¼ Vmaedr sb † iCl ikÇ¼ ibedSIedr AtYacaer sb † jatk jnMdataedr †¬Camt puº ATba knYa Hey jnMay na| luÐ H'ey ŸgeC| tar Ÿkan pãitkar krar samàT iCl ŸdeHr gfn, r„, ŸmDa pUNaà˜ dIGaàyu, …† sb nanan pãSÈ na| …Kn ŸdKa Zay s„saer ZKn nanan ABab ÷Babt † jnMdataedr mn ˆ‡kËay jàjirt ker| … ìDu … AiBeZag ŸdKa ideyeC tKn skŸl† bueJiC Ÿkn Zuegr smsYa ny,pUàbpur›xedrw …† smsYa Vrw ŸbSI iCl| …mn Hl? Bgban t' ikCu† ŸdeKn na| Vmaedr ŸCaFeblay ŸdeKiC pãit Ger Ger† …kiF na …kiF sut ra„ Vmra ŸdKet pa† Ÿs† snatn pÁitet iSì pãitbÉI Hey jnMat, Zab°Ibn "jR' Hey inejedr clet Ÿgel Vmra icrkal† AsHay Takb| Vmaedr …b„ ipta mataek AsHnIy kñ Ÿpet Ht| dâiñBi˜ bdlaet Heb| pur›x ik„ba narI Vlada ker ŸdKar idn Vr Ÿn†, ibedSIedr dâñaÇ» Anusaer k™s …† sb smsYar Hat ŸTek mui¹¡ pawyar …kmaº ˆpay, „ôar …b„ samaijk pàda ATba AnuSasn lªGn ker Bgbaenr pUja, …b„ nanarœp bãt ˆdZapn, ibiD inexD Vmaedr narIedrw …igey Zawya AtYÇ» pãeyajn, paln kra| maeyr geàB sÇ»an …el† pãitmaes puja paf taedr AàTkrI iSQa,ŸKla Dula, ÷aóùY, AiliÚpek karar ibiD| ikÇ¼ sitYkaerr ÷aóùYsMmt ik îct ba ŸZagdan, ibîF kiÚpiFSn sb ikCur jnY …igey Anuict, ikes pãsUitr …b„ gàBjat sÇ»aenr m˜l ATba Vs Ÿt Heb| pur›xedr mt taedr jIbn Dara ˆÊt Am˜l …sb iney Vmaedr gebxNar Ÿkan s„óùa iCl na| krar s man AiDkar idet Heb, taedr AàTkrI sutra„ pãay pãit Ger Ger† Apuñ, r›gÈ iSìr jnM Ht …b„ iSQar AtYÇ» pãeyajn| manuexr BalBaeb bƒacar jnY Akal baàDkY w mâtuY Ht| saÇ»Ôna Ÿpet …b„ idet, inejedr ca† AàT, dujenr Vey ta sÝb Hy, …b„ pur›exraw dUBaàgY , ATba pubàjenMr kàm Pl, Bgbaenr †¬Caek K¸aeb ˆ‡saH …b„ ŸpãrNa paeb| Ÿk -…†ŸBeb inejedr iDqar Ÿdwya CaRa Ÿkan pT na†| jget sk l Deàm † ikCu na ikCu rœpk Vr kaæpink puº sÇ»an sba† cay, knYa jnMael ipta mata pirbar GFnar êLK Taek, ikÇ¼ Vmaedr Deàm Vmra ŸZn mnQ™Ê Hy, tara men kern puº Hel† taedr suidn iPer Vr …k kdm ŸbSI …igey ŸgiC| Vmra Bgban Ÿk Vseb, duWK odenr meDYw keykFa bCr kaFaet parel ÷eàgr ŸTek VbaHn ker meàt iney …es paTr ATba Ÿs† puº suidn iPirey Vneb, ikÇ¼ s itY ik ta† Hy? mUiàtr meDY taƒr pãaN s‚ar ker tƒar kaeC Vmaedr ta† Zid H't ta H'el Vmaedr ŸdeS …t dairÅ Ÿkn? duWK, odnY, Ÿrag, ŸSak inrameyr bYak™lta janabar Ÿkn Vmaedr ŸdeS …t Ÿbkar smsYa? Vmaedr ŸdeS jnY nana ˆpacaer badY-Ba¸ idey tƒaek sÇ¼ñ krar kairgir s„óùa …t km ŸZ, iSiQt ATba AiSiQt Ÿcña kir, …b„ DàmacaeàZra nanan Baxay nanan Sãimkedr kaj pawyar pãSÈ† wef na| knYar Ÿblay ba†er pãaNayem, nana Zui¹¡et byô miHla …b„ pur›xedr igey Ÿrajgar krar pãSÈ† ˆft na, taedr ˆ¬c iSQar idek …mn Baeb ibixeyeCn ŸZ tara ikCuet† jgetr bR …kFa njr Ÿdwyar pãeyajn ŸbaD krt na, ApirNt VDuink sBYta ATba pãBab gãHN kret† can na, byes paºóù ker ipta mata day mu¹¡ Hetn| per BaegYr jget gebxNar ob¯aink pãgitw manet can na| Pel Ÿs† knYar rajranI Hwyar sÝabna Takt, Vr BagY Vmaedr Za ikCu ŸpOraiNk tTY - ŸZmn ibbaeH ìDu supãs Ê naH'el bla H't ÷amIFa† Amanux Vmra Ÿta sb meÇ½a¬carN, indar›n Asuóùtay, Ÿkbl maº pãaàTNa, kàtbY† keriC| Vdalet "sitY b† imTYa blbna' …† sb iBi¹ ker Vmaedr ŸpOraiNk Saó½ Vnusaer Vmra narI jatek kaj Hy na, sutra„ sara pâiTbIet …r r›paÇ»err gBIr SãÁa …b„ ˆ¬casn idey ŸreKiC| ma duàga Vmaedr Ÿcña cleC| ŸZ ŸdS …seb AsÚmit janay ATba Si¹¡, duàgitnaiSnI, ibSÿSi¹¡r pãtIk| ma sr÷tI smó» ibdYa gãHN kret paer na tara† ipiCey Taek …b„ Vrw …b„ ¯aenr ˆ‡s| ma lQMI Vmaedr Gerr smó» Dn retþr b ûZug DŸr iSKet† Heb …sb, …et Ÿkan seÆdH Ba¸arI, rQa kàºI| sutra„ Vr ik ca†| …ƒedr Bi¹¡Ber Ÿn†| pueja krel† sb ikCu pawya sÝb ! …idek Vbar bãüa, Vmaedr kalcar b'el Vmra Za ŸbaJa† ta ìDu ibxu—, meHSÿr ZTaº¡em Vmaedr jnM, Ÿlak iHtkr bYbóùa Vmaedr AH„kar, … Fuk™ na H'el ŸbaDHy pâiTbIr …b„ ibSÿSaiÇ»r Bar ineyeCn, …b„ tar Pel† Vmaedr sba† Vmaedr nIc ceQ ŸdKeb| Vmaedr inj÷ ik ABYÇ»rIN smsYa Vr biHWSº›r Vº¡meNr duiëcÇ»a Ÿn†| VeC? sb †t ibedSIedr kaC ŸTek Dar kra| Vmra daàSink, Vmra men kir …ƒedr VSàIbaed pãTm …b„ saeyÆs, Ÿmihisn, † i²inyair„, ô™l, kelj,ilgal iÃtIy ZueÁ mUlYbâiÁ CaRa ŸlakQy Hyin, pâiTbIet …t iseñm, ŸdS rQa, ibdYa buiÁ, sb† t wedr ta¸blIlar meDYw Vmra inraped iClam, taet† pãman AnukrEn celiC| …et Zid Vmaedr ŸdeSr ˆÊit He¬C pâiTbIr skl Deàm r Ÿcey iHÆdu DàÚm † ŸSãò! Hy, Ait saDarN Ÿlakw Zid du' muefa Kawya, Taka …†Fuk™ DeàÚmr ibSÿaes† Vmra Zug Zug Der SaiÇ»et …b„ icik‡sar sueZag pay taH'el Ÿdax ik? iClam ikna jana Ÿn†, teb Vmra ikCuet† manet

15 duàga pUja bar maesr Ÿtera paàbn nIla muKuFI

jnMóùan, kàmóùan ŸCeR …† ibedeS Vmra …Kn sbàjnIn gã jelr ŸBtr ŸTek ma duàgar paeyr jba P™l ŸdKar, duàgapuja kir, ATc …k smy Vmaedr baba maeyedr per Haet ker Ÿs† gãjl maTay Ÿdwyar, …b„ w† jel inejedr puja iCl, bar maes Ÿtera paàbn H't| Vmaedr Hat idel Haetr sb kaj susÚpÊ Hy, …b„ pueraena kael puàbpur›xedr banaena çI dalan bR bR Tam samenr pub Ÿkˆ ŸkaTaw Zawyar Veg pƒaij ŸdeK Zaºar ìB smy ifk idk ŸKala giTk ña†l,pujar smy 'ick' lagaena H't, krt, ikÇ¼ dàp n ibsàjenr smy Zara ˆpióùt Takt, çI dalaenr samen ibraF 'VFcala' car idk ŸKala, taedr jnY ta drkar H't na| sÉYay duàgamaek brN …b„ ŸsKaen† du'mas Veg ŸTek "k™emarra'pãitma banaena sur› Vrit kret Vmra ŸCaFra maeyedr ŸbnarsI SaRI peR krt, pãcur ibcail …b„ paeFr diR idey pãitmar gfn ŸZtam, maeyra ATba bR Ÿmeyedr Zawyar inym iCl na| otrI krt, tarper maiF lagat, Ÿs† maiF ìekael, pr ttQen pãitma ibàsjenr iniàdñ Ÿlaekra …es pRt, pr Vr du'bar pil maiF ŸCƒek lagat, Bal ìikey Ÿgel zak,Ÿzal,HYajak iney pur›t fak™r Veg Veg msiln kapR idey pailS krt, per r„ lagat, pãitmar ŸZetn,pãitma ibàsjenr pr Ÿs† jl GFIet Ber iney muK Cƒaec otrI krt, sb ŸSex paeFr Kub sr› sueta idey VsŸtn| Ÿs† SaiÇ»jl iney pur›t fak™r Vmaedr baRIr cul bainey pãitmar maTay lagat, sb muiàt kafaemaet meDY VsŸtn ma, fak™maedr SaiÇ»jl …b„ VSàIbad idet| VFek ,per ˆƒcu påaFPàem tult| xñIr Vegr idn …k rkm Ÿtl lagat, nam gàjn, per cQ™ dan krt, cQ™ dSmIr idn ma„s ,luic ŸCalar hal raÊa Ht| kalI puejaet daenr pr Vr puejar Veg wraw pãitma ŸdKet part Vmra ŸCaFra baiR Vela idey sajatam,pueja ŸdKa H't na| kapR idey Ÿzek raKa Ht|puejar penr idn Veg na, ŸbSI raet Guimey pRtam| Vmaedr barit du'bar kalI ŸTek çI paf sur› krt, tKn ma†k iCl na, pur›t fak™r pueja Ht Ÿs† kalIr nam iCl "rFÇ»I'| lQMIpueja Ger tar saDY mt Kub Ÿjaer pRetn, tKn ibSÿas iCl, Zt dUr Ger| sr÷tI puejaet mja iCl du kareN-…k - sb b† Ÿs† Vwyaj Zaeb, sb Am˜l mu¹¡ Heb| ,Kata,klm ,kail, ma "sr÷tIr' kaeC raKar inym! du† - ŸjaRa †ilS maC …b„ Ÿb§n Vna Ht, ma Kub †ilS maeCr xñIr idn ŸTek dSmI pueja, kt rkemr narekaelr imiñ Ÿpalaw raÊa kretn| Ÿdal pueja, Ÿdaelr ˆpr SãInarayN nana Pl VK, batabI Ÿlbu Vmaedr bagaen …b„ maef Zt ' …b„ Sal gãam SIlaek bsaena H't, Ÿs idn pãTm tƒaedr rkemr Psl H't, sb ma duàgaek ˆ‡sàg kra H't, bR Vibr, r„, laigey pãnam ker, baba, maek Vibr idey puk™er Ÿjelra …es maC Drt jal idey Vmra ŸCaFra maC pãNam krar inym iCl, tarper sba† imel Kub r„ ŸKla Dra ŸdKet ŸZtam, Vmaedr …k fak™rda iCeln în Ht| sÉYa Hwyar Veg narayN …b„ Sal gãam SIlaek ŸsKaen ˆpióùt Taketn maC ŸCaF Hel ŸCeR idet pur›t fak™r HireKalay iney Vs Ÿtn, …b„ …keSa VF bletn| Vmaedr kaeC Vera Vegr idenr bR bR maeCr bar ZTarIit øan kraetn …b„ is„HasŸn bsaetn| gæp bletn, Vmra Zid ibSÿas na ker Hastam BIxn baó¼pueja, k™mIr pueja, SItla pueja …sb pueja smy Ÿreg ŸZetn, Vr Ÿmeyedr bletn ,- 'emeyr nam ŸPil, meta H't| puera Sãabn mas ma mnsa ŸdbIr mnsa m˜l ibey idel Ÿgil,Zem inelw Ÿgil|' Vj Zid în Ÿbƒec pRar inym iCl| Aenk bãt kra H't| Vmar fak™ma Taketn, ŸdeK suKI Hetn, Ÿmeyra Vr ŸPlna na, tƒara tâtIyar bãt kretn, Ÿs† bãt ŸbS bR rkemr bYapar ŸdeSr jnY, pirbaerr jnY kt ikCu kreC| iCl, Aenk klsI taet hab, nana rkemr Pl P™l, kapR gamCa †tYaid bãaüNŸdr dan kretn| Vmar men xñIr idn ŸTek zakIra Vst, DunucI nac H't, VFcalay VeC ma Vmaek idey dueFa bãt kirey iCeln, pUnY puk™r, sba† pãsad ŸKt| dSmI puejar pr dàpN ibsàjn krt …b„ tarar bãt, pUnY puk™err bãt obSaK maesr Kub skael …kFa bR gã jel Bra basenr meDY| baRIr ŸCelra …b„ …b„ 'tarar' bãt maG maesr sÉYar smy| iSb fak™err ŸCaF ra Ÿs smy ŸsKaen ˆpióùt Takt| inym iCl Ÿs† pueja maeyr se˜ Vmraw krtam| bCer …kbar §r›edb VsŸtn itn idenr jnY, wƒr ˆ¹raiDkarsueº pawya puraena káiñ Hairey ŸPliC| Zidw Kawyar bYbóùa Vmar ma inejr Haet kretn| gya ŸTek … sŸbr ApirsIm mUlY ntun jIben buJet HeyeC lQ lQ pa¸ara VsŸtn imiñ pãsad iney| …† sb inym bYbóùa b„S manuxek| "kal Ÿsãaet ŸBes Zay jIbn ŸZObn Dn man'| prÚpra Der cliCl| tarper Vmra ÷aDIn Hey sb tbuw …kTa s tY - ""… mHa ibeSÿ kBu Haray naeka ikCu''|

ba„la gaen narI kæpna das

""Vim maerr sagr paiR Ÿdb, ibxm JeRr baey bû narI kË VeC, sb êLK kra sÝbpr HŸla na| …dtsŸ¹Ôw ikCu kTa blet ca†| Zaƒedr kTa bllam taƒra Vmar By Baã …† naey|... sba† pur›exr ŸlKaey inejr kTa bY¹¡ kŸreCn| …kjn narIr inejr klemr gaenr jnY Vmra AepQa maEBW baNIr Brsa iney ŸCƒRa paelr buk P™iley'' ...... ^ kŸriC|narI keËr s„lap , taƒr inj÷ Babna,ŸZ ilKeb tar inejr kTa | bY¹¡ kreb tar AnuBb| Aenk narI kibr kTa jain, Zaedr inj÷ ÷r VeC , kTa VeC | jain SaƒwlI imeºr "" naTbtI AnaTb‡ '' , Œxa ga˜ulIr rbIÆÅnaeTr …† ganiF ik„bdÇ»I iSæpI suicºa imºek BIxN naFYdl, ŸsaHag Ÿsenr naFYdl, sIma mueKapaDYaeyr Baeb† mŸn kirey ide¬C| tƒaek SãÁar se˜ sMrN kir| naFYdl , Apàna Ÿsn pircailt cli¬cº º¡IRa jget itin …kjn pirpUàn iSæpI| ba„la gaenr gayenr ŸjYaitàmyI iSkdar, J™ln Ÿga÷amI , Ÿdala ga˜ulI, Vr w †itHaes narIra Vj smadât, ìDu ta† ny Babet Bal Aenekr kTa jain| HYƒa inejr kTa inejr sur iney VtM laeg sadŸr gâHIt| miHla iSæpIedr ÷aiDkar ŸbaD smaej pãkaS kreln ŸmOsuim ŸBOimk, ÷agtalQMI daS§Ð| …ra ŸbS BalBaeb† ÷Ikát, maTa tueleCn narI tar gaenr sur idey gan ga†et ÷Qm , inj÷ öa†el| teb ŸmOsumIr dapŸF| inàBey inej† Aàjn kŸreCn, Vpn BagY jy ibKYat gan "" ìeniC Ÿsidn tuim sagŸrr Ÿzˆ -… Ÿcep krbar AiDkar| nIl idgÇ» Cuƒey …esC'' mn Cuƒey Zay, ntun kŸr Babet ŸSKay jIbenr kTa| s„gIt baãlI s„ôáitr Aibe¬CdY A„S, s„gIt …en Ÿdy mui¹¡r ÷ad| rbIÆÅnaeTr ipãy ŸmaHr kinka ta† ga†eln, ba„la gaenr jget narIedr …igey cla , Vmra taet gàb ""Vim Hat idey Ãar Kulb na Ÿga, gan idey Ãar ŸKalaeba'' ŸbaD kir | Vr keykjenr jnY gàb ŸbaD kir , taƒra ìen mu© Het Hy| sÚpãit rbIÆÅ s„gIt iSæpI maya Ÿsn Ÿk Heln - oHmÇ»I ì£a , SãIraDa beÆdapaDYay ,†ÆÅanI Ÿsn, Haralam, se˜ …kFa Zugek| pãs˜t êLK kret ca†, SãabnI Ÿsn , rma m¸l ( itin Akael cel Ÿgeln) , SÚpa Vmar bÉ™ Apala Ÿsn mayaidr ipãy CaºI| ""AÉjen ŸdH k™¸u, ìBimta, nIpibiT ŸGax, AnusUya ŸcODurI, ŸlapamuÅa Vela, mâtjen ŸdH pãaN'' - …† gan Vmar bÉ™r glaey imº| …edr glar ÷r, pirebSnaey pãkaS pay VtMpãtYy ìin Vr gàb ŸbaD kir| pãSÈ jaeg mŸn, kibek ta† ije¯s | ŸlapamuÅa-r gawya jnipãy ganiFet jy Ÿga÷amI-r kir, Ÿk Ÿdeb Vela, Ÿk Ÿdeb pãaN? mayaidr Vera kibtar ŸbnImaDb Ãara pãtairt …k narIr jbanIet kr›n …kjn sueZagYa iSxYa ÷agtalQMI das§Ð| tƒar keË VtMebdna P™eF êfeC, ""AÉkaerr ˆ‡s Het ˆ‡sairt Vela'' Î…† gaenr gaykI† bŸl Ÿdy, …† tmsabât VkaS, bYaÐ cracr, "" ŸbnImaDb, ŸbnImaDb, Ÿtamar baiR Zab, tuim ik Vr VsÊ s„Sy, rbIÆÅnaT CaRa Ÿk Vr Vmaedr ºaN Vmar kTa Bab'' ŸlapamuÅa ny, ŸZn ga†eC pãbi‚t Vàt krebn? bû narI|

ìDumaº rbIÆÅnaeTr gaen† ny, nana beàNr gaen miHla …Knkar gaen pãkaS pay smsamiyk narI keËr bilò iSæpIedr miHma pãkaS ŸpeyeC| sÉYa mueKapaDYay, Vrit byan| ba„la gan ŸSanar ˆ‡saH ŸZagay| Ÿs† gaen VeC mueKapaDYay, bNSãI Ÿsn§Ð, inàmla imSã, ˆ‡pla Ÿsn, pãitma beÆdapaDYay, sibta ŸcODurI, r›ma §Hfak™rta smpãit pãKr , SHr ,s„ôáit, rajnIit ,smaj, (Calcutta Youth Choir), Vrw Aenk iSæpI Zƒaedr ŸramaiÆFktar pãkaS| iSQar›ic, mulYebaD, manibkta, ŸZ ÷miHmay VtMpãkaS …k ÷àN Zuegr sâiñ kŸriCl| ba„la gaenr Baxay VeC pãitbad, manbepãm, duàgt bi‚t , ganŸk smâÁ kŸreCn tara| wpar ba„lar iSæpI iPeraja AbŸHilt manuexr jnY sHanuBUit| Vr VeC lRa† Ÿbgemr nam ˆeLK kret† Hy| tƒar pãit kát¯ta ŸbaD s„gãaem saiml Hwyar VHÕan| ŸTek tƒaek SãÁa jana†, AnbdY tƒar njr›l gIit pirebSna| drdI, mrmI kË| Ÿrjyana ŸcODurI bnYa Vr …kjn ba„laedSI iSæpI| AsaDarN tƒar gaenr gla, rbIÆÅ s˜It Zar re¹¡| bnYaidek Vim SaiÇ»inektŸn ŸpeyiC| …† sb iSæpIedr pãitòa pãgit pÇùar ŸcHara w cirº pãkaS pay, ntjanu Vmra|

pãTm Ÿpãmpº subIr Ÿga÷amI

Ÿkan …k Sinbaerr skael ŸbOek jiRey Der idl'? r²enr …† …k ÷Bab| Ÿkan bYi¹¡÷aDIntaet ìeyiClam| BabiClam seb Ÿta VF Fa ŸbejeC| Vj ibSÿasI ny| irªk™ Ÿk ta Vmra †itmeDY† Ÿjen …t taRaûeRa ker ˆef ik Heb? ŸbO ŸdiK iniëceÇ» ŸPeliC| pãbIr …† pUejaet irªk™r seªg Kub GuereC, Guemae¬C| wr gaey ikrkm …kFa imiñ gÉ Ÿleg Vr kTa idey …eseC ŸZ jlpa†§iR Ÿt ŸpaƒeC icif Taek| saraidn Der kt rkm pariPˆm maeK Ÿk Ÿdeb| ŸbS keyk sÐaH Hey Ÿgl pUejar CuiF ŸSx jaen| Ÿs† gÉ gaeyr camRay bes Zay| nak Fa HeyeC| ta† r²enr Kbàdair| irªk™r Baela nam ik ta Vmar Ÿcep Dir wr gaey| VHa! ik Vram| AnuraDa Vmra Ÿkˆ jantam na| r²enr glar Vwyaj Ÿpey ik suÆdr Guimey VeC| ikÇ¼ Vmar ŸcaeK Gum Ÿn†| ˆ†„es …k …k ker ibiBÊ Gerr …ek ŸPçairhar skal, blind …r Pƒak idey kRa sUeàZr Vela| tar wpr Ajeyr gt prìr ŸPan drja Kuel ŸCelra Ÿbirey Vset lagl| pãbIr …t kl| AiBZaenr jnY ŸlKa idet Heb ŸlKa naik ŸCelr samen imnimn ker bll "Vesin',| "Vr …kFa icif ileK ŸPl' -r²enr ˆpedS clet Taek| …kdm VseC na| Vmaedr Za odniÆdn jg‡, week- "inëcy† dada ba Ba† Ÿkˆ HaiPj ker ideyeC|' end CaRa smy ŸkaTay? AiBZan piºka maen pUeja …es Zae¬C| Vmaedr ipãy duàgapUeja| DRmR ker ˆef iÃtIy icifr ˆ¹r na Ÿpey pãbIr …es Vmaek Drl| pRlam ibCana ŸTek, sFan lYapFepr samen| "§r› tuim Vmay ŸHæp kr'| …Faw ŸHaeöelr …kFa Vdbkaydar meDY peR| Zaek idey kaj kraet Heb …k duàgapUejar per† Ÿta GeFiCl GFnaFa| Ÿs Vj taek "tuim' bel haka| "buJlam na ŸHæp krb maen' - bCr ŸtiºS Het cll| …Kena men VeC ŸbS| Ÿs† …bar Vmar Abak Hwyar pala| irªk™ Vmaek icif sudUr jlpa†§iRet †i²inyair„ pRet ŸgiClam| ide¬Cna Ÿkn? men men bllam "sat ŸkaiF sÇ»aener ˆ¹rbeªgr …† kelej ŸbiSrBag Caº † Vst ŸH mu© jnnI Î-' mueK bllam,"ta ik Baxay icif diQNbªg ŸTek| taedr Takar jnY iCl ibSal sb ileKiCs ' itntla ŸHaeöl| Za ŸdeK pãTem† men Heb …kFa ŸjlKana| sair sair Gr,pãitiF Ger Vlada ker "Ÿkn †„ileS' pãbIerr spãitB jbab| pãbIr …ekkFa drja| samen …k lÜa baraÆda| Vmaedr saˆTpeyÆF ŸTek paS kereC beF ikÇ¼ ba„la Bal kTay "ˆ†„s|' Vmra bltam Vegr jenM Aenk ilKet part na| "irªk™ ik †„ilS imihyam ô™el pap keriC,ta† …† karabas| Vmra sb ŸZn peR' -Vim ZTarIit ŸbYamekS bi¤| "na ba„la keyid| keyidedr kaeC ŸZmn ikCu VSa krar Ÿn†, imihyaem'| "tu† ba„la imidyaem pRa Ÿmeyek kt§ela bCr kaiFey Ÿdwya CaRa -Vmraw Ÿtmin †„erijet icif idib Vr VSa krib Ÿs Ÿtaek AepQa ker Taktam keb pƒacFa bCr ŸSx Heb| Ÿs† icifr jbab Ÿdeb'? …k ŸpaR Kawya Ÿpãimekr meta jnY keb gremr CuiF Heb, keb pUejar CuiF Heb -…† AiB¯ mtamt Vmar| "taHel ik Heb ,Vim Ÿta §r› AepQay Vmaedr ŸkeF ŸZt idn| ŸZ† Vmaedr ba„la ilKet pair na|' men Hl bil," nYaka ,ba„la kelejr CuiF ŸSx Ht jlpa†§iR SHerr baisÆdara ilKet par na,…idek ba-ail Ÿmeyr saeT Ÿpãm krar ifk buJet paretn| del del setera ŸTek …k™S SK|'mueK ìDu bllam ,"taHel ŸCeR Ÿd …† Ÿmeyek'| bCerr ŸCelra nameC daiàjil„ Ÿml ŸTek,ATba "§r› tuim Ÿta Bal ba„la ilKet par ,tuim …kFu ileK dUrpaLar bas ŸTek …kFa suYFekS Haet Der,muK dawna'| Vim puerapuir Htbak| "maen Ÿpãm krib HƒaiR ker| tu†,Vricif ilKb Vim!' "§r›,maLu Kawyab|' pãbIr Gux idet raij| maLu maen ŸdiS md| …n-…†c 34 ŸCelra ikÇ¼ ŸHaeöel zuek† ic‡kar Ÿcƒcaemic ìr› Ha†weyr Daer ŸdiS medr Ÿfk| Vmaek …kFu Babet ker idt| Ÿk pUejaet ik kereC, ŸkaTay ŸbRaet Ÿd bel smy ca†lam| ik†ba Babar VeC| …kFa ŸgeC| ik ŸKeyeC,Ÿkan Ÿmeyr Ÿpãem peReC †tYaid| ibKYat ŸkaeFSan men peR Ÿgl,-sb ibey ŸZmn Ÿpãm Ÿpãem pRar gæp iney Vjek Vmar ŸlKa| …k idn ŸTek ìr› Hy na,Ÿtmin sb Ÿpãmw ibeyet …es ìin ˆ†„s-…r paeS dƒaiRey r²n ic‡kar ker pãbIr pirNit pay na| pãbIrek Ÿhek Ÿk ije¯s kreC ,"iker irªk™ Ÿtaek icifr ˆ¹r

19 bllam,"raij ViC,teb …kFa Sàt manet Heb'| "Vbar ik Sàt,…† ŸZ bllam maLur Krca Vmar'| "na,SàtFa He¬C tu† irªk™ek Ÿkanidn ibey kret parib na|'"paeyr DUela daw §r›,malFa …Kena naml na Bal ker,Vr tuim ibey idey id¬C'|

…† H Ÿ¬C pãbIerr Ÿpãm, …k lHmay irªk™ mal Hey Ÿgl| Vim bYaKYa ker bllam,"tu† Zid wek ibey kirs,w duidenr meDY bueJ Zaeb tu† inej ba„laet …† icif§ela iliKsin'| pãbIr Vmar Zui¹¡ Ÿmenenwyaet Vim bes Ÿglam †„lYa¸ ŸlFaer icif ilKet| Vim tKn pãcur ba„la Cib ŸdKtam ,Zar haylg§ela pãay muKóù Takt| ŸZmn "sÐpdI',"rag Anurag'†tYaid| Šsb isenmar Ÿpãemr hayl¯™ela jaygameta bisey idet† otir Hey Ÿgl icif| Ÿdir na ker pãbIr Ÿs icif Ÿpaöw ker idl|sÐaH Guret na Guret† pãbIr Ÿs icifr jbabw Ÿpey Ÿgl| icif Ÿpey pãbIrek ik KuiS† na ŸdKae¬C tKn| ŸdeK Vmarw Kub VnÆd Hl| Zak,taHel pirSãm saàTk Hl| …kFa AÄut VtMtâiÐebaD Het lagl| ŸmeyiFw ŸbS lÜa icif ileKeC| Kub KuiS HeyeC pãbIerr meDY …k Ÿpãimekr ŸKƒaj Ÿpey| seÉY Het† Vmra ŸbS ikCu bÉ™ Ha†weyr Daer Ÿfeket bes Ÿglam cll BrepF md Kawya ,pãbIerr Ÿpãmpºr ŸsilebãSn| Bablam …Kaen† ŸbaDHy smaiÐ| Hirebal| pridn pãbIr Vmaek Vbar Der bes,- icifr jbab ilKet Heb| "… V¬Ca jÔalatn Hl Ÿta'! Vim Vbar icif ilKlam,Vbar tar ˆ¹r …l| …rkm Hyeta Vera keykbar clt,ikÇ¼ irªk™ …ksmy icif ŸlKa bÉ ker idl| pãbIr w †ÆFaerö Hairey ŸPll| kTay bel -VˆF AP sa†F,VˆF AP ma†¸| kelj ŸTek Ÿbirey pãbIr tar bapma'r pCÆd kra Ÿmeyek ibey krl| bYbsayIr ŸCel Hey Vr …k bYbsayIr Ÿmeyek ibey krl| …kFa Ÿmeyw VeC taedr| irªk™r kTa tar Vr men raKar kTa ny| ikÇ¼ Vim ? Vj ŸtiºS bCr prw Ÿkn …† tu¬C GFnaFa Bulet pair na? Vjw maeJmeDY men Hy Ÿkn Vim …kFa Ÿmeyr men ìDu ìDu VSa jaigeyiClam! w† baHaduirFuk™ ŸdKabar ik drkar iCl? Vr irªk™w Ÿta inej ŸTek Vr Ÿkan icif ilKl na| Vsel irªk™r pãit pãbIerr ŸpãmFa† iCl …kFa imeTYr Ÿbsait|

By„kr dIGa subIr Ÿga÷amI

ABIk Vr malar meDY sÚpàkFa …mn† ŸZ …ek Aprek "Greta Aenk VeC sYar ikÇ» Vpnaek Ÿta idet parb ŸbSIQn sHY kret paer na| …ksŸ˜ƒ Ÿta k™iRFabCr na'| "maen'- ABIk …kFu HtBÜ kTaFa ìen| "…Kaen ŸkeF Ÿgl, …ksŸ˜ Taka, Kawya- ŸbRaet Zawya puilS ŸTek V†n kŸreC single Ÿlaekedr Gr BaRa ŸCelpuel iney| ŸCelpuel blet …k ŸCel w Ÿmey| Ÿdwya Zaeb na, idet Ÿgel puileSr parimSan lageb' - taraweta kŸlej cel Zaeb ikCuidn pŸr| ŸHaeFl kàmcarIr cFpF jbab | "ikÇ» karNFa ik?'- ABIekr kaeC ikCu† pirïar ny| " sYar, …Kaen Aenk Ÿkaenaidn ik inejr jnY Ÿs ikCu kŸreC | ABIk single Ÿlaekra su†sa†h kret Ves, drja bÉ kŸr Kub …kidn skael BabiCl ŸkaTaw …ka …ka Zawya, md Kay- wet† mara Zay| tarpr sYar bih iney Vmra saraidn- rat mn Za cay jIbnFaek ˆpeBag kra inejr Jaemlay pir | Vim jain sYar meta kŸr, ta ny - sbsmy malar ik Baela laeg, malar ik ApCÆd ta† Ÿmen clet HeyeC| kTay kTay mala Vpin wrkm Ÿlak nn ikÇ» inym Ba„get parb na| ŸSanay | "Ÿkˆ puilS Ÿk laigey idel Vmaedr la†esÆs Zaeb' ŸHaeFelr AnY …k kmàcarIr Zui¹¡gãaHY bYKYa| ABIk mŸn ABIk malaek ibey kŸreC | mala ìDu taƒr baba mar met mŸn ifk krela mt ideyeC| ŸZ inejr jnY AbkaS ŸKaƒjar jayga ŸbaDHy dIGa ny| "Vim BabiC VseC Sin /rib dIGaet …ka ŸbRaet Zab' - "klkata Zawyar laö ŸFän kFay'? - ABIekr ŸHer ABIk malaek Abak kŸr idey mŸnr †¬CaFa pãkaS kŸr| Zawya mueK pãSÈFa kr›n ŸSanal| "wrkm BabeCn Ÿkn "Vim w taHŸl ŸCelpuel iney HirnaBI Zab'- malar sYar ? duma†l duer Tana, ir¤a kŸr cel Zan, parimF spaF jbab| HirnaBI maen baepr baRIet Zaeb- Ÿs Vr iney Vsun Ÿkaena AsuibeD HŸb na'- kàmcarIr VSa ntun kTa kI| Za† ŸHak, sueZag ZKn pawya ŸgeC tKn jagaena ˆpedS| CaRa Zaeb na| buDbar ibekel, AiPs ŸPr‡ ABIk …kbar HawRa ŸöSnFa ŸdeK …l| ntun …k ŸFän HeyeC ABIk ifk krela …kbar Ÿcña kŸr ŸdKeb| pãay nam durÇ» …¤epãs| HawRa ŸöSnFa ik pirïar raeK| VDGÆFa baed ir¤a kŸr Tanay ŸpOƒCl | bRbabur camec …Kn Ÿkˆ isgaerF Kayna,paenr ipekr Ÿkaena dag bll - "babu dupuer Guemae¬Cn, Vpin paƒcFar pr Vsun'| Ÿn†| mnFa KuiSet BŸr ˆfl | ìº¡bar raet ABIk iPer …ela| ttQen ŸBeb ineyeC ŸZ puileSr kaeC Aenk Hyrain Hyeta baik VeC | drkar Ÿn† jamakapR pYaik„ ŸSx- mal blet …kFa cakawyala 21 AepQa kŸr | …rprw Zid Taket na Ÿdy …b„ laö ŸFän †i‚r bYag- Za …yarepaeàF Kub ŸdKa Zay -ZaºIra sb cel Zay taHŸl Ÿrl ŸöSŸnr påYaFPeàm rat kaFaena FanŸt FanŸt cel| kpael VeC| Ÿk jaen ŸöSŸnr irFayair„ r›emr kmàcarI ifk skal swya …gaeraFay ŸFän CaRl| durÇ» Ÿbeg na Hyeta …k† kTa bleb| Ÿgelw ŸFänFa ŸkaTaw Taml na- swya dueFay dIGar dIGa ŸöSŸn …es ABIk buJela- klkata Zawyar jnY ŸöSŸn …es Taml| maeJ dupuerr KabarFa ABIekr Bal† Ÿlaekra ŸbaDHy laö ŸFänFa† ŸbiS pCÆd kŸr | Za† lagl| icekn kairet ZeTñ ŸbiS pirmaen Ÿtl w Jal ŸHak …is Ÿcyar kaer …es, iPret HŸla Ÿjnaerl Taka sŸ¹Ôw ŸbS Bal† lagl| …kFa Ÿkmn KuiSr ŸbaD kÚpaàFemeÆF Dó»aDió» kŸr | Het PçYaeF iPer ŸdKl - mala taƒr kTa ŸreKeC, Ÿkˆ ŸkaTaw lagl| …ek† Hyeta bel ÷aDInta| dIGaet Ÿta ŸHaeFelr Ÿn†| raÊar masIw CuiF ŸpeyeC| Ÿkaenarkem iÒj ŸTek ABab Ÿn†, ta† ABIk Vr …kFu jus glay Ÿzel ìey prl | isil„ …r idek ABIk Veg ŸTek ŸHaeFl buk kŸr in| ir¤aek blŸla hliPn taikey BabiCela …Faeta mÆd HŸla na, PçYaeF Ÿkˆ Ÿn†- ŸHaeFel cl| Gr VeC ikna janet cawyaet ˆlŸFa pãSÈ w Za ŸceyiCela ta†eta HŸla ,iniëcÇ» AbkaS, kalekr …ela - Vpnara k'jn? ABIk …ka† ìen bll - idnFa w Za KuSI kreb| ikÇ¼ …kFa pãSÈ k™er k™er Kai¬Cl menr meDY - dIGa ik sitY † su†sa†h krar VàdS

21 jayga? Ÿkn ikCu Ÿlak baRI, ipãyjn,s„sar ŸCeR dIGaet Ves ìDu inejek ŸSx kŸr Ÿdwyar jnY?

রেবতী অনুপ মজুমদার, ওভারল্যান্ড পা쇍ক , 쇍যানসাস, আমমরর쇍া

আমাদদে বাড়িে সামদনে োাটা রেড়দদে রেলওদে রেশদনে িাড়লদে বাোন্দাে বদস পািাে বাচ্চাদদে রিাে রিাে রখলা ড়দদে রেদে তাে উদটাড়দদে ৭-৮ ড়মড়নট হাাঁটদলই েঙ্গা নদী। এবং অল্পড়বে েিাোটাো綿 বা েেিা রদখতাম। েঙ্গাে ড়দদে এেটু এদোদল ডান হাদত পদি নীলেণ্ঠবাবুে বহুবেে বাদদ Overland Park এে এপাটষদমদে বদস রসই ড়তনতলা পুেদনা বাড়ি। সব পুেদনা েিা মদন পদে রেল। এমড়নদত মদন পেবাে েিা পািাদত আমাে ড়বদশষ পড়েড়িড়ত ড়েল না োেন আড়ম ড়নদজে নে ড়েন্ত 綿ড়ভ রত ‘েভী েভী’ বদল এেটা telefilm বাড়িদত বোবেই ক্ষড়নদেে অড়তড়ি ড়েলাম। মাদে মাদে রদখাড়চ্ছল োে েল্পটা এইেেমঃ এে মাদ্রাড়জ রোট পড়েবাে, েু綿দত আসতাম, দু এে ড়দন ো綿দে আবাে ড়িদে রেতাম। েৃড়হেী রোেগ্রা ও শেযাশােী। দুই অল্পবেসী রেদলদে ড়নদে আমাে জন্ম ও রোটদবলা রেদটদে অনয জােোে। এখাদন স্বামী এদেবাদে নাদজহাল। এমত অবাে গ্রাদমে ড়বযবা ড়দড়দ

আমাে রোন বন্ধু ই ড়েল না। বন্ধু না িােদলও মাদে মাদে তাে এেমাত্র রমদে রেবতীদে শহদে পাঠাল ভাইএে সংসাদে েঙ্গা স্নাদনে আেষষদে এখাদন দু এে ড়দন োটাদত আমাে সাহােয েেদত। রস ড়নদজও পিদব এবং মামাদতা ভাইদদে ভালই লােত। নদীে প্রড়ত টান আমাে বোবদেে, তা রস রদখাদশানা েেদব। ভাইদদে প্রড়ত ভালবাসা ও তাে

রোটদবলাে ইচ্ছামতী নদীই রহাে বা বিদবলাে েঙ্গা।তদব েতষবযড়নষ্ঠাে ড়েেুড়দদনে মদযযই রস বাচ্চাদদে ড়প্রে ড়দড়দ ও ইচ্ছামতীদত েখন তখন নামা রেত না, সবষদাই োমদটে ভে অড়ভভাড়বো হদে উঠল। শুযু বাচ্চাোই নে, মামাও সংসাদেে িােত। রেবল দুেষাঠা嗁ে ড়বসজষদনে ড়দন মােনদীদত রোটখাদটা সব ড়বষদেই তাে ওপে ড়নভষেশীল হদে পিল। , োাঁপাোাঁড়প েেতাম। এসব রদদখ রুগ্ন শেযাশােী মামী ড়নড়চ্চন্ত মদন এেড়দন পৃড়িবী রিদে ড়বদাে ড়নদলন। অবাে পড়েড়ড়ত, বাচ্চাদদে োদে এখাদন ভাাঁটাে সমে েঙ্গাে িে পিত। আমো প্রােই ড়েেুটা তাে মাে ভূড়মো রদদখ রেবতীে মা তাদে বলদলা মামাদে সাাঁতদে ড়েেুটা রহাঁদট েঙ্গাে মাোমাড়ে িদল রেতাম। ড়বদে েেদত। নীলেণ্ঠবাবুে বাড়িদত রে মাদ্রাজী পড়েবাে রজাোদেে জল এদস জাবাে আদেই পাদি ড়িদে আসতাম। ভািা িােত তাদদে রমদেে নামও ড়েল রেবতী। েখনও সখনও রদখা রেত রেউ রেউ রজাোদেে টাদন দু এে রেবতীে সদঙ্গ আমাে রোন পড়েিে ড়েল না ড়েন্ত মাদ্রাজী বদল ড়েলড়মটাে দূদে রভদস রেদে, পদি তাো রহাঁদট ড়েম্বা বাদস তাদদে সম্বদন্ধ জানাে রেৌতূহল আমাে বোবেই ড়েল। বাড়ি ড়িেত। রেমন, ওো ড়ে খাে, ড়ে ভাষা বদল এবং তা রেমন রশানাে, নীলেণ্ঠবাবুে বাড়িটা রে রেবল বি ড়েল তা নে, রখালা রেবতী পিাদশানাে রেমন ইতযাড়দ ইতযাড়দ। শুদনেড়হলাম ওে জড়ম, পু嗁ে, বাাঁশবাোন ইতযাড়দ ড়নদে রবশ ড়বৃত ড়েল। মা খুবই েম্ভীে এবং বাবা স্বল্পভাষী। মাদে মাদে সামদনে ড়দদে বাড়িে পাসাপাড়স আেও ড়েেু রোট রোট বাড়ি ড়বদেলদবলাে রেবতীদে হাল্কা সাজদোজ েদে বাড়িে সামদন ড়েল রেখাদন েদেে ঘে ভািা綿ো িােত োদদে মদযয এেটা ড়দদে রেদত রদখতাম। োদেে েঙ শযামলা, মুদখ েমনীেতা, পড়েবাে ড়েল মাদ্রাড়জ। পদে রজদনড়েলাম ঐ বাড়ি巁দলাও িুদলে রবেীদত েজো লাোদনা, রিাদখ োজল; সব ড়মড়লদে নীলেণ্ঠবাবুে। সব ড়মড়লদে নীলেণ্ঠবাবুে বাড়ি এবং তাে এেটা রবশ ড়েমোম আেষষেীে সাজ। আশপাশ পািাে বাচ্চাদদে োদে রিাে রিাে রখলাে উপেুক্ত

জােো ড়েল। ড়বদেদলে ড়দদে গ্রাদমাদিাদন পুেদনা ড়দদনে োন শুযু এেড়দন আমাে ঘুড়িটা রেদট ড়েদে হাওোে ভাসদত

ভাসদত ওদদে বাড়িে মদযয পদেড়েল। আড়ম ওটা ড়নদত োই 綿ড়ভ ড়সড়েোদলে রেবতী বা োত্রজীবদনে বাদবে রেবতী ড়ন। দু এে ড়দন পদে ও এদসড়েল রসটা রিেত ড়দদত। মািা ড়নিু সবই স্মৃড়তদত আবাে ম্লান হদে রেদে। শীত ড়েদে েযানসাদস েদে খুব হালো ড়মড়ি েণ্ঠস্বদে বদলড়েল ‘আপড়ে পতঙ্গ’। রসই বসন্ত এদসদে, িাড়েড়দদে সবুদজে সমাদোহ। আমাে আউটদডাে এড়িড়ভ綿স আবাে সুরু, োে মদযয ‘বাইড়েং ইন এে মুহূদতষে জনয ওদে োে রিদে রদদখড়েলাম। উত্তদে ড়েেু রেলস’ অনযতম। েখনও Indian Creek েখনও বলাে আদেই উযাও। 綿ড়ভ ড়সড়েোল দযাখাে পে রিদেই Tomahawk Creek, Deer Creek Golf Course বা এসব ভাবড়েলাম। মদন পিদে, আেও ড়েেুড়দন পদে পেীক্ষাে রোন রলে পড়েক্রমা। এমড়নভাদব এেড়দন সাইদেলটা ড়নদে লম্বা েু綿দত বাড়ি এদসড়ে। তখন আে রেবতীদে আদেে মত Shawnee Mission পাদেষ এদসড়ে। পাদেষে পাশ ড়দদে এেটা ড়বদেদল রদখদত রপলাম না। পদে রজদনড়েলাম রেবতী এে রেল িদল রেদে রেটা রবশ ে膿ন রলদভল এে রবশ েদেে বাঙ্গালী রেদলে রপ্রদম পদেদে এবং রস খবেটা ওে মাে োদন । ঘণ্টা রসই রেল এ সাইদেল িাড়লদে ক্লান্ত রদহ ড়নদে রলে এে রেদতই রসড়দন রিদে রেবতীে বাড়ি রিদে রবেদনা বন্ধ। শুযু যাদে এদস বদসড়ে। সামদন রবা綿ং েষাা্ম্প এবং তােপে রবা綿ং স্কু দল োওো এবং স্কু ল রিদে বাড়ি আসা। ডে োে ওপে আমােই মত ড়েেু প্রেৃ ড়ত রপ্রমীে। পাদশ এেটু রেবতী এমড়নদত নম্র স্বভাদবে হদলও তাে মদযয বাংলাে দূদে এে ইেং বাবা মাে যেদেন, সদঙ্গ তাে রোট্ট রমদে। এে প্রেড়তশীল সংস্কৃ ড়তে এেটা োপ পদিড়েল। তােই রজাদে রস হাাঁস দম্পড়ত তাাঁদদে পাাঁি সন্তান্ রদে ড়নদে সাাঁতাে রশখাদত মাদে মাদে তাে োশভােী মাে েিা আদদশ উদপক্ষা েদে রবড়েদেদেন এবং মাদে মাদে পাদি বদস িাো রলাদেদদে রসই রেদলটাে সাদি আিাদল আবডাদল রদখা েোে রিিা ড়দদে তাোদচ্ছ, রবাযহে ড়েেু খাবাদেে আশাে। এেটা পেন্ত েেত। রস রতা এখনোে রপ্রম নে, রে, েিাে েিাে রড綿ং। আলস ড়বদেল। সাোড়দদন আদশপাদশ সেদলে নজে এড়িদে এেবাে রিাখাদিাড়খ হদত পােদলই রস ড়দদনে মত রপ্রম সিল। বােীটা নানােেম হাড়বজাড়ব ভাবড়ে। সাইদেলটা োড়িে েদে েবীন্দ্রনাি ঠা嗁দেে ‘তাই ড়নদে মদন মদন েড়ি মম িাল্গুনী।‘ 膿েমত আদট না। সামদনে িাোটা রবড়েদে িাদে। অড়িদসে এে েড়লে বদলড়েল রবড়েদে িাো অংদশ এেটা লাল োপদিে আেও বেে খাদনে বাদদ বযাপােটা রবশ ড়সড়েোস টানষ ড়নল। টুেদো জড়িদে োখদত তাহদল পুড়লশ ড়েেু বলদব না। লাল ড়নতয মাে খাওো বাঙ্গালী পড়েবাদেে সাদি শাোহােী োপদিে টুেদো রোোে েদে উঠদত পাড়েড়ন। রিোে সমে পড়েবাদেে ড়মলন? এদেবাদে ননব ননব িঃ| তাই স্কু দলে পিা েড়দ পুড়লশ যদে? রশষ হদতই মা রেবতী রে মাদ্রাজ পা膿দে রদবাে বযাবা েেদলন। শুযু তাই নে, ঘড়নষ্ঠ মহদলে খবে রে েদলজ পাশ েোে পেই মামাে সাদি রেবতীে ড়বদেে বযাবা এদেবাদে উঠব উঠব েেড়ে অিে উঠদত ইচ্ছা েেদে না। হাল্কা বাতাস পাো। খবেটা আমাদে রবশ ড়বব্রত েদেড়েল। মামাে সাদি ক্লান্ত রদদহ অদ্ভত অনুভূড়ত সৃড়ি েেদে। সূেষ ড়বদে? এটা আবাে হে নাড়ে? পদে জানলাম, এটাই ওদদে , প্রিা। মামাই সবিাইদত ভাল এবং োময পাত্র। োই রহাে প্রাে অ রেদে। এেটা ড়দদনে রশষ রেটা আে রোনড়দন ড়বদদ্রাহী বাঙ্গালী মদন এই ড়সদ্ধান্ত রে রমদন ড়নদত পােলাম না ড়িেদব না। এসব ভাবদত ভাবদত দড়িৃ িদল রেল ডে এে অিে রসই রেদলটাে সাদি রদখা েদে রে তাদে বলব ‘পাড়লদে ড়দদে। এে ভদ্রমড়হলা, শািী পড়েড়হতা, মুদখ ভােতীে মড়হলাে োও’ রসটাও েেদত পােলাম না োেে রেদলটাদে ড়িনতাম েমনীেতা, রনদম আসদেন ডে এে রিদে। মদন হল ভীষে না। রিনা, আদে রোিাও রদদখড়ে। অড়ম্বো grocery store এ? তাে পদেে ঘটনা আে জানা রনই। রেবতী েদব েদলজ পাশ ভাবাে রিিা িালাড়চ্ছ। ভদ্রমড়হলা খুব োদে এদস পদিদেন। েেল, তাে মামাে সাদি ড়বদে হদেড়েল ড়েনা, রস খবে ড়িিাে এ খুব সম্ভবতঃ মাদ্রাড়জ মদন হদচ্ছ, িুদলে রবেীদত জানাে রোন উপাে ড়েল না। এেপদে ড়েেু মাস িদল রেদে। েজো রসটা উদেখ েেদে। স্মৃড়তে ওপে রবশ িাপ অনুভব

েেলাম। খুবই রিনা মুখ অিি মদন েেদত পােড়ে না। ড়ে রতামাে আপড়ত্ত। খাওো নাড়ে এেমদন েেদত হে।” েিা অসহাে অবা! আেও োদে আসদত মদন হল ‘রেবতী না?’ বলাে সুদোে না পাওোে জ্বালা রে অমুলে নে, এতড়দন পদে সংসে ড়নদে হাল্কা েণ্ঠস্বদে ডােলাম “রেবতী?” মড়হলা রিদম রসটা বুেদত পােলাম। োইদহাে, এেমদযয রেবতী ড়নঃশ্বাস আমাে ড়দদে ড়িদে বলদলন “আপ্ রন রমদে রো পুোো?” রনবাে জনয এেটু ড়বোম ড়দদতই ড়জজ্ঞাসা েেলাম, “আপ ইহা “ ? ?” আপ রেবতী হযাে না নীল্কন্ঠবাবুো ঘেদম েহদত রি েহদত রহা?” “রনহী, রনহী। মাই হাসবযান্ড ইজ আ রভেী মড়হলাে মুদখ হাড়স ও উদত্তজনা “ হাাঁ, হাাঁ, রলড়েন আপ রেৌন সােদসসিুল ড়বসদনসমযান, রসদটল্ড ইন টুোমোেী। হা맍 হযাে?” রলাে অভী রসেপলস ড়মড়নোদপাড়লস ো েদহ হযাে। ইহা আমাে মািাে রহলদমট। ভাবলাম খুলদল ড়িনদত পােদব, এই ঠযহদে রি, ইস ড়লদে রলে রদখদন িদল আদে।” রভদব রহলদমটটা খুললাম। আমাে রিিা বিৃ া প্রমাড়নত হল। টুোমোেী! নামটা শুনদতই মদনে মদযয এেটা ড়শহেে রবায সমদেে সাদি সাদি আমাে মািা ভড়তষ ড়সদল্কে মত িুল রোন েেলাম। এ েী Clint Eastwood এে রসই ড়বখযাত মুড়ভ অজানাে উদেদশয পাড়ি ড়দদেদে। ‘For a few dollars more’ এে টুোমোেী? রসই দুযষষষ রেবতী আমাদে ড়িনদত পােল না। হতাশ হদে বললাম, প্রিম দশৃ য। Colonel Mortimer এে ভুড়মোে Lee Van “ইোদ হযাে, ড়বশ্বরুপদা ো ঘে?” প্রসঙ্গত বড়ল, আমাে Clif এে ডােলে “ ড়দস রেন উইল েপ এট টুোমোেী!” রমজদা বাড়িদত পািাে বাচ্চাদদে ড়নদে সেস্বতী পূদজা জােোটা আদে জাড়ন ড়েন্তু রসই রেশনটা ড়ে সড়তই আদে না েেদতন এবং আেও জনড়হতেে োদজ ড়নজুক্ত ড়েদলন। সাজান রসট? রেবতী তখনও বদল োদে তাে হাসবযান্ড এে “What a pleasant surprise! আপ উন ো রোটা ভাই সােদসস রোড়ে। িাড়মদে ড়জজ্ঞাসা েেদত োব “আপ ড়ে অনুপদা?” এেপে রবশ ড়েেুক্ষে েিা বলাে রোন সুদোেই শাদী মামা রস হুেী ড়ি?” ড়েন্তু তাে আদেই এে পুরুদষে রপলাম না। রেবতী এেটানা উচ্ছ্বাদসে সংদে নানা েিা বদল েেষশ, উদ্ধত এবং অধযেয েণ্ঠস্বে অদনেটা ব嗁ড়নে মদতা “ রেল এবং মাদে মাদে আমাে প্রশ্ন “ইদে েযােসা হযাে? রবা উই মাে রো” েযােসী হযাে? ইদে োাঁহা হযাে? রবা োাঁহা হযাে?” রেন েিা বলাে অড়বোম েেষাযাো। হটাত রেন েন্দপতন হল, মুহূদতষে জনয এে অদ্ভুত ড়নন্ধতা।

এই রসই রেবতী? রসই শান্ত, লাজুে, স্বল্পভাষী রেবতী! আমাে রেবতী রেমন রেন বযা ও িঞ্চল হদে উঠল। োলদক্ষপ না োদন রসই েণ্ঠস্বে ‘আপেী পতঙ্গ’। সমদেে সাদি েত েদে ড়েদে বসল অল্প দূদে দাাঁড়িদে িাো োল মাড়সষড়ডদজ। পড়েবতষন। আমােও ড়েেু প্রশ্ন ড়েল, ড়েন্তু ড়জজ্ঞাসা েোে োিীটা ড়নশদে আদ আদ অন্ধোদে ড়মদশ রেল। ঘটনাে সুদোে পাড়চ্ছ না, িামদেই না। ড়বদেে পদে ড়নদজে জীবদন আেড়স্মেতাে পাঁড়িশ বেে যদে বদে আনা প্রশ্ন আজও মদনই েৃড়হেীে োে রিদে বোবে েমদেইন শুদন এদসড়ে, “তুড়ম েদে রেল। সূেষ অ রেদে রবশ ড়েেুক্ষে আদে। ডে

শুরু েেদল জনমানবশুনয। মাে যেদত আসা বাবা-রমদে, হাাঁস পড়েবাে

িামদতই িাও না। অনযদে েিা বলাে সুদোে দাও না। রেউ রনই আদশপাদশ। রহলাভদে মা綿দত পদে িাো সাইদে짍 খাওোে সমে ো এেটু েিা বলাে সুদোে পাই, তাদতও টা উ膿দে ড়নলাম। জনােীেষ পৃড়িবীদত মদন হল আড়ম এো।

vBudadaij klYaNIeyxu,

…Kn Vmar mn ker VkàxN bâQ lta pirpUàN sbuj kann| ŸmOFuis, bulbuil Ÿdaeyl Ÿkaikl- paKay zaikya cel VkaeSr nIl| ˆdasI GuGur sur gaeCr cURay ŸTek ŸTek Ves kaen ŸcaeK Gum pay| Gerr sÚmueK nYaRa k™Ricr gaeC HIrar muk™F Hey P™l P™iFyaeC| saraidn kaeF idn sÉYay pãBaet pãaNdayI icrÇ»n sUeàZr saeT| dadaij SaiÇ»inektn| 7† obSaK, 1414 Sinbar dIÐdIp edb ek ŸlKa dadaijr icif|

* kibta pº ŸlKk dIÐdIp Ÿdb …r "dadajI, pãyat ic¹r²n Ÿdb| SaiÇ»inektn inbais ic¹r²n Ÿdb iCeln wrlYaŸ¨a inbais icrejYait Ÿdb …r ipta|

27 ectnar AnuBeb

ŸdbejYait ŸGax

Ÿk tuim tÆÅaHrnI, nyenr Vrael sda Ÿk tuim ic¹HrnI, Hœdeya gBIer Vmar ibiSÿt kr kI Apr›p labeNY Bra ŸSaBa| ApUàb Ÿpãm isi‚t kera git duàinbar| ŸBaerr iSiSerr nbIn k™ƒiRr VlŸxY Ÿjeg wfa| AFuF baDen Anuraegr ŸCaƒyay ŸbaJaw pãitbar VkaS paen sUàZY ikreNr pãTm Velar CFa| ibSÿas kera Baelabasa† stY, imeTY sb† Vr| Ÿja‡øa raetr iø© batas Vleta mDur ŸCaƒya AnuBeb VeCa pãitinyt jain AnurNn Ÿtamar nyN maeJ Bubn gR …k ÷eàgr r›pkTa| ADra min Clnamiy tuim miHma ŸZ Apar|

Ÿk tuim ADra min, menr sagŸr …mn jagrn Hela Ÿctnar Vij ibSÿaes Ÿtamay cawya sMâit-ŸnOka muàûet Basaey Haraw ŸZ kKn| DnY DnY manb jIbn … ŸZ sbar wper pawya| Velarn Ÿtal kaelr git Tmek tuim ZKn kt pT Vera clet Heb, Zid, na† ba Hy ŸdKa, ŸPel Vsa idn, ŸCelŸblar kTa, ri˜n kt'Kn| men ŸreKa tbu ŸH piTk pŸT nyeta tuim …ka| Vseb na kBu iPer ŸSx smy Ÿbdnay Ber mn jain Vim jain …kidn ŸZidn Tmek Zaeb cla Hat Der SKa Ÿhek naw tuim, smàpN … jIbn| Vmar Vim Ÿtamar tuim imleb Ÿmaedr Dara|

du† pãjnM suipãya Ÿsn§Ð^

…kFu Kain SaÇ» Hey besa …Kn Ÿtamra, bÉ™ kaera nw …kFu Kain menr kTa bŸla, sba† Ÿtamra inejr pãiteZagI bÉ™ ŸZ ny, buJet sb† pair CuFeCa sba† …k† lQY peT nyn Zt† ŸHak na CelaCela| ibkát mn, inW÷, mŸnaeragI| sb kTar† Zui¹¡ VeC jain, …kFu Zid ŸbaJar Ÿcña kŸra, Baebr Vebg sb ikCu ny, main| ibSÿaeset Hat du'Kain DŸra, mUàKtaek Vebg idey Ÿzek fkeb na ŸZ HlP kŸr jain| Vmra ik ta† …kFu AiBmanI? …k pŸTet na†ba saeT Ÿglam Ÿtamra ŸZFa Aenk Veg Baeba kanakiRr iHsab na†ba inlam Vmra Baib Hairey ŸPlar pr| stY Ÿk Ÿta stY bŸl main| Ÿtamra ŸZFa ifk smey kŸra Zui¹¡ §ela buekr ŸBtr Ÿmel Vmra kir saijey iney Gr| HoedyHIenr mueKaS iCƒeR ŸPel, Ÿtamra kŸra sifk pãitbad dƒaRaw Ÿtamra, ˆ¬c kir iSr| laB Vr Qitr A« kŸx ny - mUlYebaeDr ibSÿaeset ŸBes, ŸcaeKr jel skl iHesb Buel kaeCr manux, dƒaRaw kaeC …es, maTay iney skl Apbad| takaw Vbar Vyt ŸcaK tuel Vmra sba† nIreb pT cil dâiñ suinibR| Ÿpirey Za† Setk AÉ gil, …esa Vbar du† pãjnM imel Bib xYetr Vynaet muK ŸdeK Baela mÆdy …k saeT pT cil ŸcaeKr inec maya kajl ŸmeK, …k saeTet Vbar sba† imel Ÿpirey …lam bû ZugaÇ»r Baelabasar ÷àg geR tuil^ Aenk idenr pr|

(ŸliKka piricitW suipãya Ÿsn§Ð ArlYae¸a AiDbasI suknYa naegr ipsI)

29 myna parimta cº¡bàtI paHaRI lal maiFr raó»a Ÿbey ŸCa´ gãamiF, ra„ga maiFr …ƒeFl peT kt ÷pÈ …es BIR ker| pãtYaSa, ÷epÈr Ÿdalacel ntun ŸBar Hy| gãaemr Ÿmey myna, lal huer SaiR per bsŸta pãitidn ndIiFr paeR| rœpkTar …k AnnY kTamala rcna krt tara|

Aó»acelr sUeàZr Vela …elaemela krt taedr Babnaek| Hfa‡ Ÿnem Ves …k gBIr SUnYta| …k indar›N ZÇ½Na mnek kŸr mmaàHt| AepQa ìDu maº …kFa icifr| hakbabur sa†ekelr Se× Cue´ cel ŸZt Ÿs, ""w hakbabuÎ- belana Vmar ik Ÿkaena icif VeC? Vim ŸZ Kub …ka| "" na Ÿr ma, Vjek-w Ÿta ikCuÎÎÎ^ Vbar Ÿs† dIàG pãtIQa ,…eZn …k Â© karagâH| Aenk idn ŸkeF ŸgeC , Hyeta ba bCr| raetr per idn Ves, kaSP™elr ŸsOreB men Ven pUejar ˆnMadna| bûidenr pãtIQar Vj buiJ Hl ŸSx| Kbr Ves mynar ÷pÈ, mynar Baelabasa ZÇ½Nay KtibQt Vj| ìDu peR VeC ŸbwyairS laeSr mt ZueÁr pãaÇ»er| sImaÇ» suriQt,sUàZ Aó»acel| duer ŸkaTaw ŸZn bajeC ibjyar kr›N raigNI| Vj Vr Ÿkaena ŸmaH Ÿn†, ŸkalaHl ŸTek Aenk dUer Hœdy Vj bÉYa mr›BUim|

Ÿkmn VC,pâiTbI inmÇ½N stIBUxn cº¡bàtI sÉYa nag ^ inr›¹r tuim, banIHIn- AnÇ» kal …ka ViC dƒaiRey, jain Ÿtamar gBIer baej pilt ŸkS cl‡ Si¹¡HIna, S×HIn pãitbad -Ÿkn tbuw dâ•kaya, n† duàbl QIna| …mn ker Vmay kerC inW÷? paSapaiS itn Ÿban ViC, Vmaedr baiR kaCakaiC| Ÿtamar AbuJ sÇ»aenr dl Vmar janala ŸTek AdUer, inW÷ kereC Aibrt| Vela ŸdiK wedr gâHcUeR| AÇ»HIn ŸlaeBr Saint ŸcaeK ŸcaeK kTa Hy kt, nKerr VGaet tuim dIàn| byesr pirsIma CaiRey - jma VeC bQmaeJ Zt| Vmra jain …r ŸSx ŸkaTay| ibSÿepãimka seb maen ! tbuw cawya - pawyar ŸKlay rœepr miHma ibeSÿ Faen| iH„sã Vmra, ir¹¡ kir Ÿtamay; Vkáñ iSì bâÁ Zuba, sªkF VsÊ, ibnaeSr damama baej| sàbaegã Ÿpãm Ÿdeb Ÿkba? As„KY diyetr kamdâiñ is¹¡a, tuim Vj bûsÇ»aenr jnnIr tuxar-ibeDOta Amiln pirtâÐa| meta k«alsar SãIHIn pirnta tbu nb pirnIta, ˆdas nyen sàbnaeSr Cib AkápN neH mm isÆdurdata| iniëct mâtUY …igey Ves| pãtuYex Zeb pãtIeQ idgÇ», ibSÿpit Ÿmar ra-ay sImÇ»| … Anuòan ŸdiKbar tŸr, m¸ep dàSk BIR kŸr| jg‡ ŸjaRa VtMIy Zt, ŸHTa seb sda inmiÇ½t^

pãitidn nbrœep saij, knka‚el zaik tnuraij| ÷amIr ŸsaHaeg ŸsaHaignI narI, Ÿs ŸsaHaeg seb ra-aet pair| ŸsaHaegr r- ŸmeK seb, Vmar† jygan Ÿgey Zaw Beb ^

(ŸliKka piricitW sÉYa nag ArlYae¸a AiDbasI pãtuYx naegr ma)

31 V†siº¡emr baiF ATba keTapkTn kajir Ÿgalaepr seªg puNYeSåak daS§Ð|

1 …kFu …kFu ker …en Ÿdb ŸmGkNa, …kFu …kFu k'er gan Qirt resr Daray ˆeR Vseb kaiànBaelr pir, rs¯anban kabYpaf maeJ maeJ pdabilkar ˆpnYaiska Alªkáitr day mÆdaº¡aÇ»ay, bsÇ»itlek CÆdptenr ZitBeªgr …en Ÿdb cm‡kar bagan Halka ˆeR Vsebn rsklaibd raiºr ŸKƒapay

2 keTapkTenr idek Jƒuek pRlam Vim ŸZ raó»ay HƒaFet ìr› krlam Heb Hyeta AlIk ,ikÇ¼ Vmar r„pur ,†ya VLa w† Ÿta ŸdKa Zay,kelejr AiBjat cƒaedr puk™r Ÿrama‚kr Ÿknna Vmar VbÕar bÆdna iniëct …Kaen† VeC ,Vr Ÿkˆ na janelw VlmaHamud janetn

ApirsIm mnKaraepr Het paer kajir Gn Cayamy,iJriJr bâiñ AET ,Vim bllam Vmar ŸSx Zawenr jayga Š Ÿta ba„laedS ijerapeyÆF Š ŸZ dƒaiRey VeCn ib …s …P ŸpaeyiFks ŸTek ŸdKa Zay Vmar VbÕar inWSÿas kajir pãaeNr inWeSx ibxeyr carpaeS ntun sÚpàk …ƒek idl ri²t sectn|

3 puNYpãbaeHr gan AneÇ»r idek Vim saraidn bes Taik Vr jlzaka GUiàN …ƒek Ÿdy| Vim Baib Apãeyajn mueC Zak , s„sar cm‡kar Se× Vr bakYbeÉ ntun kaiàNBal nacgan ŸSaBaZaºay Ÿmet ˆfuk Hay Vmar ocºs„º¡aiÇ»r mH¹m Ÿmla ijilipýP™rN Hay Ÿkn bliC?bàxbrN Heb AbDairt … ŸdeH kaiàNBal Heb rcnapaefr hak Vseb zaka ŸTek …kFar pr …kFa gan ilKeC kajir,bseÇ»r baˆl ga†eC Ÿs† gan| ŸHamar ga†eC, dó»yBiô ga†eC ,VbÕaesr ŸsaLas lailtY ga†eC Ÿkn ga†eb na ?suÐ Za Ÿtlr-- pYaeöl P™eF ˆfeb na ibmUeàt| sSrIer Vmar VbÕar Hat ileK cel ba„laBaxay insàg cuip cuip hakela Vmaek,…† Ÿn VbÕar pãTm sMark "mâtuY ŸTek Vr maº pƒciF bCr dUer ViC'|

4 ŸFibel ŸjYa‡øar ihm, kaƒcpaeº maSr›m Òa†, kajir ihnar sajae¬C tetaQeN V†siº¡emr baiFet dueFa ŸCa´ pãjapit beseC| janalar ba†er ik ik ŸdKa Ÿgl, Gerr iBter ik ik Ÿrh wya†n Vmar baiFet, ma‚™iryan icil-pãN smkaelr bÉnmui¹¡ iney kTa, kajir ga†eC §N§N ker "Draer ŸbesiC Bal, BUimer ŸjeniC Ÿmar mata' Vim bsuÉrar Vilªgn AnuBb krlam "ihäm iP¤ kera ŸSåak, mUlYpãaiÐr P™l ŸZn ŸPaeF' ŸCa´ paiKr meta Vim tar AZutkNay,smy bunen lIn| papiR ŸmeliC, ikÇ¼ tIbã Ÿs geÉr ŸmaH ŸBe„g curmar Het …kFu smy lagela, matâBaxa, icifet ik ŸlKa iCl bl! Ÿs† ŸCa´ kaela¹IàN tap! ŸøH Ÿpãm mrim gIta²il Kuel ,manbbÆdna! kajir imiñ ŸHes blela, w ŸSåak …kFa suÆdr ÷pÈ ŸdKar dawya† idet par? ik Ÿs cm‡kar gan, kaiàNBaelr rsatMk sur, ik ÷pÈ KƒutHIn gdY PYaSan-mYagaijn Kuel inibR jIbn, kibtar muHUàt§elay ŸHmeÇ»r V†siº¡emr baiFet ŸCa´ ŸCa´ pãjapit, tara Jƒuek ŸdKeC kajirek taedr fa¸a iº¡m ŸfƒaeF menaib¯an Ÿn†, ÷pÈbYaKYar ik pãeyajn ŸSx keb kibtar Capapata§ela ˆ‡epãQaBaer nuey peRiCl ŸSx keb jIbenr kibta jbanbiÆd ideyiCl paiKr hak Vim Guer Guer VelaCayay Aprœp Cib ŸdKiClam pãjenMr kaeC Hyeta …† Vmar ŸSx pãdàSnI, kajir ic‡kar ker bel ˆfela,ŸSåak mâtuYr kTa bleb na,ŸKl VbÕa hakeCn ,Vy| Vim Baib mâtuY CaRa Vr ik ker VbÕar kaeC Zab! mâtuY, AnYBubenr drja, Vim Ÿta Kulb†|

33 kana†Hir paàT imº iSyalda bãIj-…r nIec pFl ha–a Ÿln Ÿs†Kaenet† bas krt kana†Hir Ÿsn ŸCaeFa ŸTek† kana† iCl …k naÜar ib¬Cu reading writing arithmetic pRtna Ÿs ik¬Cu| …kidn ik ŸHaela jain , ìnel paeb kaÊa kana† Ÿreg bll "" …† ŸdeSet† Vr na'' pŸrr idn -† ba¤ ŸbeD ˆef skal skal kana† Drl ŸBaerr gaRI, Los Angels Local|

naemr wpr krl kana† …kFu jair-juir Sn kenir bnl Ÿs Ÿta paleF kana†Hir jemes babur filim ker Kull ik tar Pàma suKYait tar CiRey peR paris ŸTek bàma Ÿpån ŸTek -† Japay kana† ,pRl buiJ mara ŸdKiC Vbar tQuin Ÿs kreC villain taRa

Fonda - ididr samen igey krl ŸseD Ÿdaió» vegas - …et† ŸbRaet Zay, kŸr bYapk mió» bel kana† Pa¸u Ÿtamar bYa– …r mt gla Havoc laeg ŸdeK Ÿtamar muK Ÿbƒikey cla Baela Baela Kabar ŸKey P¸u ŸHaela kat Three cheers for pFlha˜a Ÿkyabat Ÿkyabat|

kana† …r ŸbO ŸntYkalI , baepr baiR KRda urgent …k email taek pafaela tar bRda ŸntYkalI pc Kuel ilKela tKn mail ""Vej baej kaj kreCa, Zaeb naik Ÿjl? bliC ŸSaena ŸpaRamueKa iSigã …esa iPer maiàknI w† kayda§ela …Q™in daw ŸCeR''| ŸbO-…r kTay Sn babur Drl ikeZ By Director Baeb buiJ heart attack na Hy bll kana† Aenk ŸHaela …bar inlam pension Vr pairna ŸbO -…r Bey initY …t tension|

…†Baebet† kana† babur bajar Ÿgela ŸSex rjar mur-Ÿk kaj buiJey iPrela kana† ŸdeS banaena …k gæp …Fa ? BabeCa ""Catar maTa'' HlP kŸr bliC dada, sitY …sb kTa| nIecr …† kTa§ilr maen bueJ inel CRaiF ŸbiS ˆpeBagY Heb ^ S× FIka- Shon Koneri = Sean Connery who played James Bond James Babu = James Bond. Fond Didi = Jane Fonda Rojer Mur = Roger Moore who played James Bond

cÆÅibÆdu ÷edSmuk™l saƒtra seb ŸBar HŸyeC Heb …kFa-dueFa paiKr hak maeJ-maeJ, ŸCaiF ìey paeS cadr gaey Ba–a Ba–a Gum|

Vim VDebƒaja ŸcaeK Sretr ýpeàS kabu janalar Paƒk idey iHeml ŸBja Hawya - ŸcaeK Ÿdy jadur ŸCƒaya cairidk inJ™m|

Hfa‡ Gum Bae– pãeSÈr baen - "cÆÅibÆdu' VƒkŸt paera ik? ŸCaiFr idek taikey Vim - bil, Ÿkn …smey ? mucik Haiset duñuim, Vr gael tàjnI Babay Vmay - … ikesr cal na jain ! skal skal AkareN Ÿkn Baib cÆÅibÆdu iney?

ˆ¹r na Ÿdbar Ÿn† Ÿkan ˆpay - sHj Heb Zid bil tâtIyar cƒaed, daw …kiF ibÆdu maeJ Vƒk tuim mŸn mŸn|

Zid kr rag - k™ƒckaw Bur› cÆÅakaer, "H-Z-b-r-l' …r Ÿmeja mamar meta - ma Ba-aeb rag Ÿtamar cuÜn ibÆdu ŸFen|

ŸCaiF GumŸla, Vim r†lum Ÿjeg Babnar jal cllum buen, Kuƒij cÆÅ, Kuƒij ibÆdu, ìnY maeJ - VDebƒaja ŸcaeK Als men ^

35 Vmra Baela ViC .... Ÿtamra? haW suk™mar braF^

"ha¹¡arbabu Vsb'? "…esa'|

BIr› bilò paey nuYÖ iptaek samel, ŸcÜaer zukŸla …kiF Ÿmey|

"Ÿbaesa'| "ha¹¡arbabu, baba bR† Asuóù, …k maesr kaiS, jÔr, bim - du'jn ha¹¡arbabu ŸdeKeCn kemin, bR VSa iney …esiC'|

Baela kŸr ŸdKlam ŸragIek, mŸn Hl parb ŸragI ŸdKar Paƒek barbar ŸdKlam ŸmeyiFek kt† ba bys, Vmar ŸCaF Ÿmeyr Ÿcey ŸCaF, ŸpãiõpSn ileK, Baela kŸr buiJey VSa idey CaRlam| nuYÖ ipta, Ÿmeyr kaƒeD Br idey DIer DIer iPer Ÿgeln| pãitidenr Kbr Ÿdy ŸmeyiF, pãitidenr kma baRa - Brsa inraSa ŸmSa ˆiÃgÈ VSa, AbeSex Baela HŸln baba|

"ha¹¡arbabu DnYbad, Baela VeCn baba'

Vmar babar mn Kuƒej ŸPer - Ÿs† ˆ‡k¥a maKa ŸcaKduiFet, Vera du'ejaRa ŸcaK , Zara VeC ibedeS|

Vmar SãaÇ» baû Br idet cay Ÿs† bilò kaeDƒ …kFu ‰àxa Hy Ÿs† nuYÖ iptaek Ÿmen inet ca† idn bdelr,- Zug siÉQeNr daibek bel ˆif .... "Vmra Baela ViC .... Ÿtamra?'

(ŸlKk piricitW haW suk™mar braF ArlYae¸a AiDbasI suknYa naegr baba)

ŸHer Ÿgel tuim iöBú! Ajy cº¡bàtI mnFa ŸbS …kepeS Ÿtamar, fkúbaj ŸdakanIr meta …kidekr paLa sda† ŸZmn Taek BarI| Kub ŸPakasúh, …kFa† lQY jIben - beRa Het Heb, ˆfŸt Heb isƒiRr Ÿs† ŸSx maTay ŸZKan ŸTek baik sba† Ÿk lageb ŸCaFú Kub ŸCaF|

Ÿbri˜n jIben s˜I iney tuim iCel ˆdasú AbŸHlay smy Ÿdya Hey wefin inejekw| Ÿkn …t kifn mn iney Ÿbƒec Taka? ŸZmn Baeb tuim ŸbS bR Hey ˆefiCel Baelabasa CaRa† inñurtaek s˜ ker? inejr Ÿs† ÷pÈFaek ikÇ¼ pUrN keriCel; ŸZFa tuim Ÿcey iCel, icnela Ÿtamay sara ŸdS, sara duinya|

Baelabasa tuim dawin kaˆŸk| Ÿsik inej pawin bel? naik Ÿtamar Ÿs† ibKYat …k§eyim? "wyal ió½Fú' Ÿtamay Vjw Ÿslam k'er, Ÿtamar ijinyasŸnsú …ekbaer seÆdHaittú| ikÇ¼ ViÒkar ba¬ca ba¬ca nYa„ŸFa ŸCel§ela Ÿk ŸdeKa- ŸCa´ ilsa Ÿbãnan jbsú …r meta AnaT Taket Hyin; VDepFa ŸKeyw idenr ŸSex iniëceÇ» GuimeyeC, Balbasa ŸTek bi‚t Het Hyin taedr|

AnutÐ HeyiCel ìeniC, ŸSx jIben tuim| BaelabasúŸtw iSeKiCel Vpnjn Ÿk| Bul ŸBe˜ baba Hey baƒcet ìr› keriCel ntun k'er- ikÆtu ŸHer Ÿgel tuim iöB! inñur wprwyalar hak Ÿpey tuim ZKn cel Ÿgel icrter Guemaet £aÇ» SrIrFa iney, wyal iöFú ny, AnaT Het HeyiCela Ÿtamar Baelabasar Vpnjn manux§elaŸk, Vbar|

37 …'ik ka¸ - ŸBgaes bªg ŸdbZanI §Ð laseBgaes igey ŸdiK Abak kra ka¸ …eta ŸdKiC Aenek† from orlando| rtn §H , lIna r›Å bÉ™ se˜ jnsmuÅ | pãNb-SIlar AiBZan kreC sada† sHay dan | Vera skl bÉ™-sujn sba† bªg-seÚmln !

ŸBgaes igey Pete ŸsaiPya …k Hœdey …k VtMa | suimta - smIr imº Ÿk iney tinmar Haet pRlam igey |

ŸZidek taka† SaiRr Ÿmla, lFarIet iÒ gyna Ÿmla! werbÕaba ŸbaJ Ÿfla! ŸmaiHnI ŸmaHen mu© ZKn, cÆÅr baHar ìr› tKn| kaek ŸCeR kaek Dir , Vk™l men suHas Bir | mu¹¡ men ˆdar ŸcaeK, Ÿkyar (ŸSf) gÉ inlam ŸmeK r„ baHair,njr bƒaka, Ÿknar smy pekF Pƒaka! pYairs Hl-… mDYraet ZSrajjI sur ŸZ bƒaeD , DnY Vim surøaet, Hœdy maeJ Takeb saeT|

"ŸSexr kibta' Vr bnYar gaen puraena kTa Ves pãaeN| puàNdaesr VBas Ÿmel lQMI daesr baˆl gaen| geæp, kTay, CeÆd-suer mu© ŸSãata naiRr Faen|

ribfak™r piricit SaÇ»nu imº kib§r› piricit - baera pur›exr sMâit -iney …† ŸlakgIit -sbaer idlam ribfak™err …† piricit gan

(1) ìn dada ìn idid ìn gãambasI ìn SHerr babu ìn Bag caxI Zaƒr tŸr Vij ŸHTa …t nam Dam taƒr piricit iney …† kibgan kib§r›r …kaiHnI - ŸgƒeT …† malaKain- ileKiCl Ÿkn jain- tnu tar nam kib§r› rbIeÆÅr piricit gan (2) ipfaeBaegr jimdar jgÊaT k™SarI ibey kŸr ZeSaHer ìkedebr baiR ìkedb rayecODurI ipralI bãaüN taƒr knYa ibey kŸr jaitcuYt Hn ipralI ibbaH kŸr - smaejr Š inÆdacaer - jgÈnaT ibpaek peR …ik pirnam ! rbIÆÅnaeTr …† piricit gan (3) ÷æpBaxI HaûtaSI jgÈnaT k™SarI ŸdStYag kŸr ŸSex iBeFmaiF CaiR nŸrÆÅpuerr paeS baerapaRa gãaem GaƒiF ŸgeR ìr› kŸr ntun jIben fak™rbaiRr pircy , jgÈnaeT ìr› Hy- §nI¯anI …† ky , ìn BagYban fak™rbaiRek iney …† kibgan (4) jgÊaeTr car ŸCel ŸSãaiºy bãaüN k™s„ôar mui¹¡et zael pãaNmn tâtIy ŸCelr nam pur›exa¹m Hy …† nam ŸjaRasaƒekar meÇ½ ŸSana Zay ŸjaRasaƒeka puejaGŸr,kib ipta øan Ÿser ,Ÿraj ŸBaer sMrN kŸr , dSpur›x nam pur›exa¹m idey ìr› Ÿs† ó»bgan (5) pur›exa¹Ÿmr puº - nam blram pUnYkaej Ÿs smaej pay ŸZ snMan ipralI bãaüeNr gåain tbu naiH Zay k™ Vcaerr AÉkaer - Hay Hay Hay pUnYkeàm stYkaej - Bal kŸr Ÿs smaej -Taemnaeka g²naeZ - ‰Sÿerr ibDan Ÿs† kaiHnIek iney Vij kibgan (6) blraemr s‡puº naem HirHr Den maen ZeS §en ŸZagY b„SDr

39 tair sÇ»an ramanŸÆdr duiF puºlaB meHSÿr Vr ìkedeb GFna sÄab Cpur›exr basóùaen ¯ait k™elr AiBmaen nbjIbn AenÓxŸN meHS CaeR gãam fak™rbaiRr †itHaes …† kibgan (7) ŸdStYagI meHSÿr ŸKaƒej nb GaƒiF puº p‚ann saeT ŸdeK sutanuiF tair paeS kilkata gãam g˜apaeR pàtugIj , Vr welaÆdaj swdagir kŸr †„erejrw Vgmn - …sb ŸdeK p‚ann, ŸgaibÆdpurbasI Hn, bYbsay mn| itngãam imel Hy ngr p¹n (8) kilkata ,sutanuiF , ŸgaibÆdpur jueR jb caànk kilkata bÆdr geR maeCr ŸBiR, sutabó½, bRbajar HaF ÷edSI ibedSI imel Ÿknaebcar paF Ÿsidenr bYbsa DŸr , mal srbraH kŸr , p‚ann ˆpaàjn kŸr QYait Dn man ndIpaeR kŸr inj iSbpãitòan| (9) gãambasI hakŸta …ƒedr fak™rmSa† bŸl Ÿs† ŸTek bYbsaey fak™r nam cel p‚ann k™SarI Hl p‚ann fak™r k™SarI fak™er imel kaiHnI sudUr p‚anŸnr b„SDr† paTuerGaFay bstbaiR ŸjaRasaƒeka fak™rbaiR , kŸr pãitòan Vrw kŸr kylaaGaFay fak™r- basóùan| (10) taƒHar ŸCel jyram ŸSeK †„raij †ö †núihya ŸkaÚpainet Hy ˆ¬cpedr kaij itneSa bCr Vegr Kbr klkata bàDn itn ŸTek ciLS gãam baeR Vytn pitt ipralI bãaüN , kŸr nam pirbàtn, Ajàn ker man Dn, fak™regaòIr nam Ÿs† kTa iney Vij …† kibgan (11) jyraemr iÃtIy puº nam nIlmiN bYbsa bainejY itin laeKapit DnI ŸPaàF ˆ†ilyaem paetn inejr bsit israjueÀOlar Vº¡mŸN Hy ŸsTa Qit rbaàF £a†B Aó½ DŸrn ,plasIet ZuÁ Haern, †itHas pãman imrjaPr nIlmiNek Ÿdn QitpurN dam| (12) nIlmiN kŸrn baiR paTuerGaFaet idey Zan Ùata dàpnarayeNr Haet| Vbar banan VFcala ŸmCuyabajar gãaem Ÿlaek taek Vj haek ŸjaRasaƒeka naem|

nanaóùaen jimbaiR, ˆiRxYaet kael¢air, bYbsay kàNDarI , smaej sujn Ÿs† kTa iney …† kabYkTn | (13) nIlmiNr …kpuº SãI ramŸlacn pUeºr VSay Bejn lQMI- jnaàdn| puº naiH Ves tbu ibDatar inedàS Ùatuýpuº d¹k Ÿnn saDur ˆpedS| BaegYr AdâSY Haet Î balk ÃarkanaeT , Vesn ŸjaRasaƒekaet- ìn BagYban fak™rbaiRr kTa iney …† kibgan| (14) ÃarkanaT Zu¹¡ iCeln Stkàm iney mHaBart ŸlKa Zay Ÿs sb gæp idey bûBaxa pardàSI bû ¯aen ¯at smaejaÊit, Deàm pãgit , bainjY icÇ»ay KYat inj jaHaejet ceR, kalapain par kŸr ,†„lae¸ mHaraNIr Ãaer Vgmn sÜàDna pan itin rajar mtn (15) ÃarkanaeTr mâtuY Hy baHaeÊa bCer Daiàmk puº ŸdebÆÅnaT s„saerr Hal Der ikCu Zubk tKnkael KâöDàm Ÿny †„raijet matâBaxa pircy Ÿdy ŸdebÆÅnaT Ÿsibcaer, ttÔebaiDnI sBa kŸr -iHÆdu Deàm k™s„ôaerr ŸKaƒejn s„eSaDn ba„la ô™el ìr› kŸrn ib¯an pafn (16) kibipta ŸdebÆÅnaT ŸdSÙmeN Zan Bubnha˜ar ˆ¹ridek ra-a maiF pan cairidek Du Du pãaÇ»r jnmanbHIn ByabH muluk ŸsFa hakaetr ADIn ŸdebÆÅnaeTr ˆpedeS - hakat sàdar inej …es - ker taƒHar pdŸdeS -VtMsmàpN By Ÿgl - ŸsTa …l SaiÇ»r inektn (17) lal kaƒkŸrr ŸdS mHàxI dsuYmu¹¡ kir Caitmtlar Daer banan SaiÇ»inektn baiR ba‡sirk Kajna idey raypur jimdaer k™iR ibGa jim ineln Dàmcàca tŸr Vjekr SaiÇ»inektn - ŸsKaen ŸgaRap¹n - ŸdRS b‡sr puratn - …† pIfóùan Ÿs† kTa iney ìn …† kibgan (18) Ÿssmey ŸjaRasaƒeka iCl jmjmaF badY gIit , Dàm, sMâit, iHÆdu Ÿmlar HaF ŸCa´ rib ibSÿkib gâHiSQa pay ileK Banur pdablI dadaedr Haray †ô™elr †ƒeFr GŸr janla drja bnd kŸr,

41 pRaelKa kret naer -kaƒed pãaN mn ibSÿ taek ba†er haek - ˆdar pãa˜n (19) sara SHr jueR Hfa‡ Ÿh˜ujÔr CRay baera bCerr rib painHaiF Zay ndIpaeR baganbaRI, gãam, ˆpbn …† pãTm ŸdeK rib pLIr jIbn opet kŸr smapn, nYaRa rib BabpãbN , ô™elr ŸZet naiH mn, icÇ»ar karN ipta Baebn iney Zaebn iHmaly ÙmN (20) Zaºa ìr› kŸr tara Ÿbalpuer Taem paiè Ÿcep SaiÇ»enektn Caitmtlay naem rib pay ŸKala pãaÇ»r, pãkáit dàSn ˆnMu¹¡ Velaet odb ŸpãrNar †Én iptâedebr bYbóùaet, pãkáitr Ÿmalakaet, balk ribr Ÿctnaet,stYanusÉan Ÿs† kTa iney Vj …† kibgan (21) …† Baeb º¡em ribr pãitBar ˆ¾an sara pâiTbIet KYait nam Dam ŸSãò kib ÷Ikáitet Ÿnaebl purïar ÷edeS ibedeS Ÿlaek kŸr nmôar manbibkaS AenÓxŸN , nbZuegr s„gfen, kŸrn SaiÇ»inekten, KuƒiFp¹n Ÿs† ŸTek Hl …† SaiÇ»inektn (22) rib puº rTIÆÅnaT panin sÇ»an ÃadS pur›exr geæp pàZbsan SaiÇ»inektn rbIÆÅnaeTr ŸSãò ˆpHar idey Ÿgeln sklek ta rQa krar Bar baera pur›exr kát, rbIÆÅnaT s„GiFt , sara ibSÿ smadât, …† pUnYóùan pãNam jainey ŸSx …† kibgan ||

Vmar SHr ŸmOimta cYaFaàjI klkata,tuim Vmar SHr Ÿtamar ŸTek† jnM Vmar Ÿtamar peT clet clet bR Hwya Ÿtamar BIeR Vmar Hairey Zawya Vj Vim Ÿtamar ŸTek ViC Aenk dUr, ìneb tuim, Ÿkmn ker kaeF Vmar raiº dupur ? …Kaen raó»ay DUela Ÿn†,kada maiFr ŸCap Ÿn† …Kaen manux Gaem ŸBej na,ŸraÀuer ŸpaeR na tara …yarki¸Saen manux, pysa idey san FYan Ÿny| jaena klkata, …Kaen P™Fpaet Ÿkˆ Hƒakhak Ÿdy na clet clet Ÿkˆ Tmek daƒRay na | bàxay jem na HƒaFujl , raó»ay Ÿn† Ÿkan Vbàjna, bl Ÿta kt suÆdr …† SHr tbu Ÿkn manuexr mueK Ÿn† Hais, Ÿn† Ÿkan inraSar AÉkar , Hœdip¸ VeC …edr sbar'† ìDu ýpÆdn Ÿn† Ÿkan tar Vmar blet …eta Vmar ny ,Vim Taik ìDu, £aÇ» creN ZKn pT Ÿbey iPer Vis , Ger …k ŸkaeN bes bil| klkata, Vim Ÿtamay Balbais|

43 Summer Savouries Trip down a Gastronomic Memory Lane Udita Jahagirdar

Summer vacation commences and off to to Kolkata curved beak. Trying to make him unlearn the shrill on the dusty Howrah Mail; hungrily waiting at the whistle of the pressure cooker. Igatpuri station for the “Thali” from the train Reading Dadumoni’s (grandfather) collection of 1001 kitchen, and eating it with gusto while seating cross best short stories from the glass cabinet in the legged on the swaying bunk bed.1 drawing room, poring over old Bartholomew’s atlas, Lazy days in May, which never seemed to end, as the mustard oil infused smells from the coal fired windows and doors shuttered from afternoon heat by kitchen wafted in, whetting our appetite. fragrant wet “khus” blinds, and pillow-talk with Obligatory trips to Victoria Memorial and the cousins while eating “jhal-moori”.2 magnificent natural history section of the Calcutta Lunch on banana leaf consisting of “neem-begun”, Museum and drinking fresh “daab” coconut water “fried teto ”, “shukto”, “potoler dhorma”, “pabda under the shade of the majestic flowering GulMohur. maach” and occasionally the dreaded “moori- Visiting relatives and being served “kophi shingara”, ghanto” – all with generous squeezes of “batabi “nimki” and mishti, mishti and more mishti.8 lebu”.3 Trip back to Bombay, when Dida (maternal Diving into a K.C. Das shop and gazing with endless grandmother) would pack up bundles of “aam- wonder at the array of sweets, and Baba letting me shatta” and jars of “naroo” for the journey back select “sita bhog” and “mishti dahi” served in little home. cold earthenware pots – two of my favorites.4 Climbing up with Thama (grandmother) to the attic 1. Thali – compartmentalized platter with where she kept her stores of “moa” and “khoi”.5 variety of food items Going to the street corner to eat “moghlai paratha” 2. Khus – a type of straw matting; Jhaal-moori - and “egg chop”, served in newspaper boats.6 spicy beaten rice Visit to the fashionable New Market in the tram, 3. Neem-begun – bitter leaves considered where my mother would buy me a new frock, medicinal with egg plant; teto – fried bitter invariably pink in color, and beat the heat with tutti- gourd; shukto – a mellow combination of frutti ice-cream and chicken patties. vegetables in poppy seed paste and milk; potoler Stopping to eat “langchas” en route to Shantiniketan. dhorma- a curry of small gourds; pabda maach – There would always be a distracted back bencher in variety of fish found in eastern waters; moori- the class under the trees staring at the road rather ghonto a concoction of fish heads and other than the teacher’s blackboard.7 parts-an acquired taste; batabi-lebu – a very The incredible College Street with rows of book fragrant lime. stores, more packed with customers than jewelry 4. Sita-bhog a fine shredded dessert made of shops in Bombay. My mother asking for a rare milk casein; mishti dahi – the ubiquitous sweet volume and the helper kid producing it in a trice yoghurt from a dusty back shelf – and drinking tea in the 5. Moa – ball made of beaten rice and jaggery – Coffee House - the mecca of Bengali “adda”. can be stored over long periods; khoi – puffed Teaching Bhaktadas, the parrot, to sing a new tune, rice eaten almost like cereal with milk. 6. while feeding it green chillies and guava, which he Moghlai paratha – paratha coated in egg and would gently pluck from our fingers with his red other fillings 6. Langcha – brown elongated sweet in syrup somewhat similar to gulab jamun

7. Kophi-shingara – a large samosa with spiced cauliflower filling; nimki – crisp fried munchies 8. Aam-shatta – dried pressed sheet of mango extracts; naroo – small rum ball like treat made of coconut and jaggery both can be preserved without refrigeration.

45 Memories of another day Anuradha Goswami

Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya – from darkness to light. However, every Thursday if you visited that town, It’s the promise of a new day, a new beginning. The you’d see a crowd going to the Peer to light incense, simple prayer words seem apt always to describe a pray. They would be people of all religious faiths, new dawn. majority Hindus. I never knew who were these The pre-dawn has a certain other world aura. The buried people, and no one who could tell me either. mist that one touches in the still dark surroundings, But even my staunch Hindu grandma would grip my the wet grass in the tiny patch of lawn. The stillness is arm firmly and walk down every Thursday to light a punctuated by the whispering chirps of the birds as if few incense sticks. On my own it was approximately they take their cues from the rising sun. The brighter a 3-5mins sprint, with my “dida” , it was an the day gets the noisier they get. It makes me think embarrassingly slow 10-15 minutes, not to mention that their waking up is similar to us humans; it’s as if all the “Namaste ji’s “ that “dida” had to the natural way is the slow transition from sleep to acknowledged and nudging me to say the same. Oh awakening. the burdens of childhood!! One of my earliest memories are stealing out of the Such was our unquestioning faith in the Peer that not house and stepping down from the verandah to the a single exam was taken without a “mattha teko” patch of grass. Apparently, it was perfectly alright in (kneel down and touch your forehead to the grave). those days for your parents to wake up and see their Needless to say, if the grades slipped mother blamed skinny kid out of the house playing in the lawn. No me not the great Peer ! one then shouted child neglect I think. It was a time One summer morning, I went exploring and to “find” things. The snakeskin on the flowering wandered down to the peer. Must have been the shrub was so interesting; I knew instinctively that it seventh year of my life. The rule those days was to go would be taken away from me, so I hid it in the to bed at 9:00 PM so one always woke up too early. cubby of the guava tree trunk. You gathered your Mornings were when one hoped to find a ghost friends after school and showed them the treasure. lurking on the tree that shaded the Peer Baba or Solid bragging rights!! maybe a big snake, its hood shading one of the Even now eons later it seems; I love to sit in the back graves. That would mean some serious bragging porch with my morning cup of java watching and rights. One never found anything more exciting than waiting in the stillness of the dawn. It feels good, at a line of ants or maybe some ratty looking and least for that tiny stolen moment in time. considerably small snakeskin. The pythons if there This takes me back to my childhood. A small town in were any seemed to be careful about leaving parts the dusty north Indian summer. We lived in an around for nosy kids to mess about with them. idyllic campus with security at the gates and clean That morning I stumbled upon something no one roads. So we loved to explore as children everywhere imagined one would find in this sleepy old town. I liked to. Not far from our house was a “Pir Baba”. It bent down to remove my shoes because I had full was a tiny collection of Muslim graves on a raised plans to climb up the steps. However something platform, a simple mausoleum. The mute testament flashed at the corner of my eye. I straightened up and to a past when this was where a Muslim community there by the pond a few yards away, in the grass was lived. They must have been settled here for centuries a flash of dark red. I ran down forgetting that we before the partition bloodied and scarred the land were not allowed to wade through the tall grass. Sure and lives of people who lived on it. enough, there was something wrapped in an “odhni”. Odhnis are scarfs that women wear in India.

I nudged the scarf with my foot, hoping for who knows what. The wrapped thing started making human noises, tiny cries. I sprang back and shrieked. Then I bolted! I sprinted back out screaming at the top of my lungs, my seven year old brain had registered that it was a baby. I collected the whole neighborhood and they ran ahead of me. One of the “grownups “, just grabbed my arm and smartly marched me back home, rang the bell and that was it! The adults when they take over, the kids cannot get a word in edgewise. No sir! I am ordered to clean up and sit down to do my before breakfast studies. Oh the torture! Next day, we hopped off the school bus and instead of going home, the whole group of us trooped down to the “health center”, because one of the kids had overheard his mother speaking about the nurse looking after the baby. We stood around peering into the cot and for a change the adults did not shoo us away. Then the nurse came and asked me if I wanted to hold the baby? To this day I remember holding this tiny blanket wrapped baby. It was a boy and its face was all pink. I later learnt the pink was all the mosquito bites. Poor wee little thing! This was real life and not mythology or Bollywood. Who knows how long the baby must’ve lain there, at least the whole night, exposed to the elements. The new baby died before they could find him a home. I came from school one day and heard the news. We never asked who must have left the baby there. That was for adults to worry about. Children do not judge, they feel. I never will forget the little one. How could I?

47 Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose: the beginning of invisible radio waves Debasish Chanda

Jagadish Chandra Bose, one of the most pioneering bundled jute, pins, wires, tubes, water pipes, crystals Indian scientist, professor and philosopher was born etc) he built his Radio where he could realize his in Bikrampur, Bengal, (now part of Bangladesh) on 30 dream of sending energy as waves without needing November 1858. Since his childhood days he was any medium like wire. His Radio signal carried curious about Mother Nature and her creations. His energy forward through the air by juggling energy father believed that one must know one's own between two arms of waves (electric and magnetic or mother tongue and own people and hence sent Jagadish to village native language (Bengali) school. Little Jagadish used to become spellbound by trees, birds, animals and aquatic creatures of rustic Bengal. Perhaps these natural settings created in his mind a keen interest in investigating the workings of Nature. After completing his early education Bose joined the Hare School in 1869 and then St. Xavier’s School at Kolkata. Bose wanted to go to England to compete for the Indian Civil Service. However, his father, a civil servant himself, canceled that plan and wished his son to be a scholar, who would “rule nobody but himself”. He received the Natural Science Tripos from the University of Cambridge and a BSc from the University of London in 1884. Bose returned to India in 1885 and joined Presidency College, combined term electromagnetic) just like a moving Kolkata as a professor of physics with an offered ripples on water surface. In 1895 Bose gave his first salary of only Rupees 100 per month (which is 3 public demonstration of electromagnetic waves to times less than a professor of European origin). ring a bell remotely and to explode some gunpowder. Presidency College lacked a proper laboratory at that In 1896 the Daily Chronicle of England reported: time and he had to conduct his experimental research “The inventor (J.C. Bose) has transmitted signals to a in a small 24-square-foot room (small enclosure distance of nearly a mile and herein lies the first and adjoining a bathroom). Moreover, the policy of the obvious and exceedingly valuable application of this British ruled India was not conducive for original new theoretical marvel”. The first successful wireless research. Bose spent his hard-earned money for signaling experiment by Marconi, making experimental equipments with the help of an untrained tinsmith and within a decade emerged as a who popularly known for invention of Radio, in pioneer in the incipient research field of wireless England was not until May 1897. The 1895 public waves. demonstration by Bose in Kolkata predates all of Fascinated by the possibility of transmission these experiments which is recently officially of energy (“Shakti”) without a wire, J.C. Bose acknowledged by Institute of Electrical and immersed himself in the preliminary Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s nodal work on wireless waves (so called “Radio”). Using society for electronics and communications. mostly common place items (like stack of papers,

Another remarkable aspect of Bose’s follow and he invented various now commonplace up microwave (“shorter” waves) research which is telecommunication devices. His further work at just started to receive attention was that he was the millimeter wavelengths (shorter waves) was almost first to reduce the waves to the millimeter nonexistent for nearly 50 years. His vision and wavelength scale (one cycle of juggling of energy realization about shorter waves enabled mankind to between electric and magnetic arms of wave make newer high efficiency solar cells, sensors and completes in about 5 mm distance). He realized the other nano-devices only in the last decade following advantages of short waves for studying energy stronger “wave-matter” interactions in small volume interactions with different materials and for more of material (a whale is only affected by big ocean information carrying (higher bandwidths) waves, likewise a small fish by shorter waves capabilities (our present telecommunication is based whereas the same small fish can swim/climb across a on about 10 times longer waves). Bose used such big wave relatively easily). It seems research short wavelength waves to systematically study the conducted by J.C. Bose was much ahead of his time. link between structure and This fact is nicely highlighted by Sir Neville Mott, the 1977 Nobel Laureate for contributions to solid-state electromagnetic properties in composite media electronics, who remarked that “J.C. Bose was at least (combination of multiple materials), and he found 60 years ahead of his time and in fact, he had that even a simple book has linearly polarizing anticipated the existence of semiconductors” (raw properties (waves made to vibrate only along a given materials for our computers). However, Jagadish direction), which are much enhanced by placing Chandra Bose remained as an unsung hero whose metal foil in between the pages. He made such scientific contributions are yet to be fully understood, complex component using insignificant element like explored and honored in-and-outside of India! railway timetable; see Fig. 2(left). Till date such devices (polarizers) are made using exactly same principles of placing metal wires (like foils) sandwiched between non-metal materials (like pages of railway timetables). Recently, it also came to the attention that he used just twisted bundles of “jute” (see Fig. 2(right)), as artificial 3D chiral structures to rotate the polarization state of radio waves (like water particles vibrates up and down while water waves moves outwards). These types of chiral structures have created a completely new research direction of late called, chiral metamaterials, where electromagnetic wave is forced to twist clockwise or counter clockwise paving the possibility of newer kinds of displays, filters and other sophisticated devices. The key aspect of J.C. Bose scientific Debashis Chanda, Assistant Professor, NanoScience and experimental work was his ability to use trivial College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL). UCF. commonplace items to make sophisticated devices which is exemplary and inspirational for the present Disclaimer: The article has been written based on era. It has been proven that Bose's demonstration of well-known freely available information about J.C. remote wireless radio signaling predates Marconi, he Bose with trivial added descriptions to illustrate was the first to use a semiconductor junction (current scientific phenomenon. can flow only in one direction) to detect radio waves

49 The Advent of Kash Subhashis Mitra, Santiniketan

unless the tracks are too muddy. Rainfall this year is below par, the tracks are dry, and one can just ride beside the river adjusting quite a few bumps now and then! A four-wheeler journey becomes too restrictive to enjoy the ‘Kash’ flowers-the common reed in bloom.

Soon I forgot the fatigue of bumpy rides, as I was in a wonderland. Yes, almost like a wonderland, wonder whites sprouted from nowhere, just

The blooming of Kash, the common reed, is certain to lift the pulse beat of every Bengali a notch or two. The festive time is in. The ‘Durga Puja’ has remained so much typically Bengali that Colonialism of yesteryears or Globalization of recent years could not make much dent to the within a week. An otherwise drooling scenery, spirit of Bengalis on this occasion. ‘Kash’ remains has suddenly changed with the dynamism of the forerunner to this festive season- the great white. ‘Dynamism of white’- what a funny term invoker of the Bengali spirit. this is! Can the colour white be dynamic? Well, One Sunday morning, the only weekly holiday the first image white brings to me is of white for me, exactly on 9th September 2012, I set out to beards of grand old guys, like say Santa Claus. search for the ever flambuoyant Kash; the reason He was of course a nice guy, well apparently-as I was I had nothing specific to do and was never received any gift from him till date, but he certainly not in a mood to go for lengthy chats can hardly be called dynamic. He looks more with friends over cups and cups of tea. The banks liker a joker-a prolific creator of absurdity and of Kopai remain the ideal place to locate Kash in hence really cannot be taken seriously. Well, the abundance. The new tracks laid with grants by group ‘Dire Straits’ defined the joker more ‘Pradhanmantri Gram Sarak Jojana’ makes seriously ‘You got to be a Joker, if you want to be movement along the banks of Kopai fairly easy. free’-what a profound line! The ‘Kash’ perhaps is In any case all rivers generally have a foot track the proverbial joker, with a dynamic white along both banks and motorbikes usually are swaggering all the time with the breeze, the fairly convenient items on foot tracks until and unique sense of freedom for the Bengalis.

Photographing ‘Kash’ can be a challenging job, though the subject is naturally photogenic! The problem is any ‘photogenic’ subject can be merrily captured in camera; they all invariably close to this lovely creatures, sit beside them, and look good. Then how does one get the better recite some childhood poetry- pictures? How one can improve on an already photogenic subject, like say the most common ‘Amra Enechi Kasher Guccho, Amra Genthechi photogenic subjects-flowers and birds? My very Sefali Mala…’ and if one can sing along it’s just little experience on photography has already that better! taught me that getting ‘better’ snaps of a People among the backdrop of the common reed photogenic subject is perhaps the toughest job for flowers were hitherto a new subject for me. The a photographer. Naturally so, after spending a last photograph was taken from probably 500 good part of the day among ‘Kash’ flowers, with meters away, naturally a bit hazy, yet quite a plenty of snaps and plenty of intermissions of favourite of mine. At this time of the year, when pure silence with no one around, I feel absolutely the paddy fields are already sown and the paddy novice to decipher the beauty of nature. The plants growing fast, the fields usually are empty. photographs here are genuinely poor replicas of It is miles and miles of pure green; with the the actual scenario- a scenario agog with white! occasional eruption of ‘Kash’ here and there. The sky has still not got clear; the clouds Only few people are on the fields basically to put definitely carry plenty of ashen moods along some fertilizers in, or to pluck out the weeds. Few with them. Occasional drizzle can be expected boys of course roam about with their herd of any time. This one is the most common depiction cattle. The scenario generally remains in an of the common reed flower, which can be found exquisite slumber. So, finding a few rare folks in in albums of most photographers in this part of this backdrop of Kash appeared pretty interesting the world. Only condition is one has to walk to me.

breeze in the meanwhile. Nature is, after all, a pretty playful entity! To select a proper angle to photograph ‘Kash’ can I was quite inquisitive about why this Santhal be quite puzzling. If the breeze is blowing steady lady was carrying Kash flowers on her shoulder. from a certain direction, the photographer can But she was probably a good 250 meters away still choose a preferable angle. But is the rain from me, in the middle of the paddy field and I laden sky generates erratic breezes from all over, just could not imagine of taking a crisscross choosing an angle can be a tricky job. The tips of journey over the ‘Al’ to her to enquire! A 250- the Kash flowers are always on the swagger, and meter flat distance can easily become 500 meters the swagger itself can create interesting shapes, if walked by the ‘Al’ (the borders of individual paddy fields) and can be extremely strenuous a job for many. Personally speaking, even last year, I undertook such crisscrossed journeys-hours of grueling walk with green engulfing from all around; but not this year so far.

The Kash can be quite interesting from an artist’s point of view. Interspersed with a palm or date tree they can be ideal for colour sketches. These days Kala Bhavana students can not be found around these locations, though they are very eager to sketch village scenes, or people at Railway stations or at tea shops. Artists in West Bengal these days are more known as keen observer of human figures and expressions. Their paintings invariably have at least one human/animal figure within their canvass; in fact this has become the hallmark of painters from like in the last photograph above. I am sure a day Bengal in recent times. Landscape painting has or two after, this particular ensemble just might now taken a back seat; perhaps here in Kala look something different altogether from the Bhavana too. Sadly, the days of great watercolour same spot as a result of changing direction of the landscapes are definitely gone, as things stand now.

This lady, carrying just-cut fodder for her cattle, was fairly close to me. I thought of catching her up for a close snap. But she walked so fast that I was almost on a run! And the ultimate result was a good 100 meters distance between us. The message is –never chase a village belle in an open field; she will definitely out run you! Well, as a relatively well-known sportsman of yesteryears some of my pride was definitely shattered by this lady carrying an uncomfortable looking gunny I really do not know if the black oxen are out to bag on her head! However hard I tried the enjoy the playfulness of ‘Kash’ flowers spread all distance between us just grew! over the bank of river Kopai. But they definitely He was perhaps the truest friend of mine in this look to be in a jovial mood. These folks are venture, but on the other bank of river Kopai. These relations, the unspoken ones, are difficult to explain. Somehow or other an unknown relation is established within a frame of a photograph. This quiet outing; mostly greeted by

terribly fond of water, and are expected to go for a lengthy swimming session. There was one thing common between us; they also did not have any specific work to do like me! Believe me, I just sat down there for about half an hour just to enjoy the silence among these happy go lucky the sound of fleeting wind within the Kash creatures, humming a few songs and enjoyed the marshes; nature in a poetic pause; was a pretty light and shade of the late rainy reason. The deep experience for me. Somewhere deep in my breeze was comfortably cool. brain the ‘joy of peace’ hummed all along. It was a wonderful day. These guys are carrying another kind of reed on their shoulders, called ‘Shon’ in Bengali; perhaps to make ropes.

Running a Marathon by Ashis Maity A conversation between Ashis Maity and Chirajyoti Deb. Compiled and written by Ashis Maity

Ashis Maity has moved to Orlando in 2008. We came to know that he is an avid recreational distant runner. He has finished several half marathons (21.1 km), full marathons (42.2 km) and a triathlon. Recently Ashis ran a marathon in Germany’s Bavarian Alps. He talked to Abhijan about his recent race, running history, challenges and inspiration.

drums. On the second half of the race we trailed through a part of Froggensee (a big lake in this area) and then looped around the neighboring town, Schwangau. During the last phase we almost touched the base of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles (the most famous castles in of all of Germany) and then ran alongside the river Lech finishing back at the Füssen downtown.

Wow! That is indeed fascinating. I am getting goose bumps just hearing about it. In your post you also mentioned that it was raining and cold with temperature hovering around 420F. So going from a

hot place like Orlando, how difficult it is to run in a Ashis, we came to know from your Facebook post mountainous cold place? that you recently completed a marathon in Actually cold weather and rain turned out to be not Germany. Congratulations! Tell us more about it. that bad! I used to running in the cold coming from Thank you. I really appreciate it. Yes, it is called Denver, Colorado. But the rain was new to me. Before Konigschlösser (Royal Castles) Romantik Marathon, that I never ran in the rain. During my training when held on 22nd July in a town called Füssen, in it rained, I usually got inside and ran on a treadmill. Germany. It is definitely a fascinating place to run a So I was a little worried when I woke up to a gray, race especially coming from a hot humid place like cold and wet morning. But after a few minutes of Orlando. The race started at the heart of downtown, running from the starting block, the body warmed up Füssen. The track then went out of the town quickly and I was okay with it. I was a bit worried about enough trailing through green lush meadows in the slipping in some parts of the track though, along the foothills of Alps. We looped around the Hopfensee slippery cobbled roads inside Füssen and poodles of (“see” means lake) and the picturesque red roofed water in the countryside. houses that dot around them. The locals came out of their houses to cheer us blowing their unique musical instruments like big horns and beating Nordic So why run at Germany?

This just happened by chance! Rupa (my wife and Now going back, how did your running adventures travel enthusiast) was planning a trip around south- start? Are you running from your childhood? eastern Germany and I was asking if there was any No, not at all! Actually, I started running from 2002. race around there so that it could be doubly But during the first couple of years, I ran very little. adventurous! Then we found this race that happened My previous employer, Avaya, opened a brand new to be in route of our itinerary. There was another Fitness Center at work and provided us with many extra motivation as well. The last time when I ran incentives to work out there. Initially, I just hopped New York City marathon, I met this gentleman from on every other machines – 10 minutes on treadmill, Germany at the starting block and thought if he could then 10 minutes on elliptical, then did some pulling run here, why could not I run in his country? and pushing weights here and there. It was very random, haphazard, hol-bol work out. But even that was better than no work-out of course! Then I started volunteering and started going out for AIDS walk/run, Race for the Cure and the like. I also started hiking the gorgeous Colorado 14-ers (peaks at the Rockies with height 14,000 ft or higher. There are 52 of them in Colorado) and built my endurance. The big break came when I ran my first Bolder Boulder 10K race during May 2004. Before that, I hardly ran more than 5K at a time. When I was able to run that race in less than an hour, I realized that I might have

some talent on this. So I started running a bit more So was it everything you hoped for? during the next year and ran my first half marathon (13.1 miles/21.1 km) on August 2005. In the following Yes it was! It was definitely very different from my year, after completing another half marathon in less other races that occurred in major metropolitan areas than two hours (my target), I upped the ante and ran like Denver, Seattle or New York City. The half or my first marathon (the inaugural Denver marathon) more of this track was unpaved and with the heavy during October 2006. And as they say, the rest is downpour I definitely had a new experience with history! splashing in the rainwater like kids. The volunteers support also had some personal touch as they So how much training does it typically take to provided cut-bananas, apples and other snacks along complete a marathon in a decent time? with water. The solid food was particularly helpful at There is no fixed formula in this regard and it varies the later part of the run when I was starving for from person to person. It also depends on runner’s energy to get through, especially after 30 km marker. goal, age, expected finish time etc. There are The best part was that they let kids join the runners numerous books and websites provide useful before the finish line. I was in a lot of pain and totally training regimen to run a marathon. I loosely follow a exhausted by then, but holding my childrens’ hands website called Hal gave me the last bit of energy I needed to reach the finish line.

The skin chaffing is quite prevalent in long distance running as the shirt rubs against the skin for

Higdon’s Marathon guide. It’s very basic and simple one to follow. According to Mr. Higdon, first runners should create their base by running 20 miles (cumulative) a week for a year. Then 12 weeks before the race they need to follow a rigorous regimen where the weekly total would gradually increase from 20 miles to around 50 miles. The typical weekday runs would vary from 5 miles to 8 miles per day and the long weekend run should be increased from 10 miles to 20 miles as the weekly total ramp ups during the 12 weeks period. To be sure, the daily rigorous training is the difficult and tedious part of the whole experience. Compared extended amount of time. In my subsequent to that, race day is a bliss with adrenalin rush, whole marathon, I used a type of anti-chaffing cream and t- atmosphere with the crowd, cheering bands and the shirts with better fabric that reduced the chaffing ultimate satisfaction of crossing the finish line at the considerably. end. To be sure, the chaffing is not the biggest discomfort So what are the challenges in running marathon, at all. After my first marathon I could barely walk for especially the physical hazards that people should a week -- pain in walking, sitting down, getting up, be award of? climbing stairs as body recovered from significant I can specify the physical hazards in two words – muscle tears. I recovered better in subsequent bloody nipples! Seriously, when I ran my first marathons. Also, there are significant inherent risks marathon I was mainly concerned about legs, cramps, for any challenging tasks. Sadly, there was a runner feet, backs, heart rate etc. But when I first took who died in the Denver marathon and two others shower after the marathon, it was not the legs or died in the NYC marathon that I ran. Cardiac arrest arms that were painful, it was the burning sensation was probably the main reason for the deaths in both that was coming from many bruises especially from the occasions. In fact, recent studies showed that the nipple area. Later, reading in the internet I came persistent long distant runners did have significant to know that this was quite well known phenomena.

57 damaging effect on heart walls than modest runners who limit their running to 30 to 60 minutes.

So how long do you plan to run?

Again, a fascinating question! On one hand, I plan to Are there any Bengalis who inspired you to run? run for a long time. On the other hand, I am going through some physical challenges, particularly some Thanks for asking the question. I would like to cardio-vascular issues (I get nausea and have to stop mention particularly two gentlemen – Ghanashyam or slow down after a while). If I can’t cure it, I may Chakraborty (Ghanti-da) and Nihar Ray. Ghanti-da is have to give up distant running and just limit myself a B.E.College alumni like me and I was inspired to in running for 10K or similar distances. run my first marathon at Denver because he was running the same race in his sixties. So I challenged So what would you tell others about the benefits of myself, if he could do that at his age why couldn’t I? I running? met Nihar Ray on my flight from Kolkata to Frankfurt. He was a fascinating character and a The benefit of running, for that matter of any member of exclusive Seven Continents Club (one of exercise, is well documented especially in these days of high obesity, heart disease and other cardio- only three hundred twenty seven people in the whole vascular problems. As my unofficial running mentor world who ran marathons on every continent (actually my ex-PCP – primary care physician) would including Antarctica). say, even from the evolutionary biology perspective, humans were destined to run. No other animals are Have you met any famous marathoners? more geared to endurance running than human. Cheetahs, lions or other fast moving animals may be On the eve of my first marathon, I met Ryan Hall good at sprints but they would easily get tired after a (represented USA in many marathons) who gave us mere few minutes, whereas human body, their leg tips in running a successful race. However, hearing muscles, respiratory systems have particularly those tips on the eve of the race made me quite evolved for persistent running. Our forefathers nervous as I realized how badly prepared I was not (hunters and gatherers) survived by the way of knowing all the eccentricities of running 42.2 km. distant running.

Celebrated British marathoner, Paula Radcliffe was To be sure, one does not need to run a marathon or there (and won the race) during my NYC marathon. even a half-marathon to get physical benefits. Consistent daily activities of half an hour or so is

sufficient. I like running because it requires less – “ŸdOR, ŸdOR, ŸdOR Î jIben …† pãTm baDaHIn, overhead than any other activities. A pair of shoes is g¸IHIn, mui¹¡r ˆLaes taHaedr taja tr›n r¹¡ tKn all one needs for a run. And people can do it in maitya ˆifyaiCl - per ik H†eb, taHa Baibbar Absr between their other errands like dropping the kids at ŸkaTay?“ (from Pather Panchali – for whatever piano or karate class and utilize the waiting time by reason I reminisce about these lines when I run). going for a jog. Apart from improving the physical health, running improves mental health by reducing sleep disorder, anxiety or mental tension.

The last point that I want to mention is that if I can do it, anybody can! Also, there is no age limit to start running. A person can start at any day at any age. If there is any interest perhaps I can start a running group on behalf of BSF. So what are you waiting for? –“Run, Forrest, run” (from the movie, Forrest Gump)

Summer Road Trip- “America the Beautiful” Soumya Chakrabarti

Traveling – about dreams, dreaming what you the first half, take the second half off, pickup want to see. As an enthusiast photographer I family, drive to Orlando International Airport am always excited about landscape- beautiful and fly to Denver. For the most part it remain mountains, rivers, snow, wilderness and wild that way except for minor delay at Airport due animals or should I say animals in the wild. I to thunder storms or a little incident at the time don’t know who coined the name wild animals. of rental car pickup. We checked in at the hotel I wonder what those animals think about us. and went to bed to start bright and early next Anyways I don’t want to get off the topic. There morning. is so much to see it was not easy to pick a route. Day 2 Being an engineer its second nature to solve everything like a puzzle and start putting Friday July 20th Rocky Mountain National Park: pieces together. It’s like pick anchor Day 2 of our trip began early in the morning. destination, add other destination in the pot Shopping for some basic necessities for the road and prepare a road map. So here is my road and leaving the hotel early to head to Rocky map. I picked the following spots for our road Mountain National Park. On our way to the trip-Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton park we stopped at Estes Park. Estes Park is National park, Canyonland National Park, town in Larimer County, Colorado. The town is Arches National Park, Rocky Mountain named after Missouri Native Joel Estes who National Park. Wow! That’s a lot to cover was founded the community in 1859. my first reaction. But I was like a little boy with a candy jar. I wanted to pick as many places as I could. Then I had to figure out a route. I ended up picking up a round trip from Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park(NP), to Arches NP, Canyonland NP, to Grand Teton NP, Yellowstone NP and drive back to Denver via Shoshone National Forest, Cody, Laramie, Cheyenne to Denver. Eleven-days, 5 National Parks, 6 States, I was really excited.

Day 1

Thursday July 19th Flight to Denver: This was the least eventful day as I was planning to work Estes Park sits along the front range of Rocky Mountain at the eastern entrance of Rocky

Mountain National park. Estes Park is well Program. It is very interesting program and known for its world famous ski resorts like great way to keeps young kids engaged during Davis Hill, Hidden Valley, and Old Man’s their visit to the park. It helps them in Mountain to name a few. Once in Estes Park the understanding the importance of national parks first reaction from my son Sahil was daddy this and their role in preserving and protecting the looks just like the picture. Are these mountains natural habitat for the native flora and fauna. real? Indeed the view was so picturesque that We highly recommend this program to kids words can’t describe. After a short stay at the anywhere from 4-5 years old to 13-14 years old. Estes Park we made our way to the Rocky Our next stop was at Sheep Lake and I have to Mountain NP. say the name reflects what you should expect. Rocky Mountain National Park Maybe we were lucky as soon as we got their there was group of big horn sheep that was Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) covers leaving the lake headed to the mountains. Park approximately 270,000 acres of land in rangers immediately sprung in action. Rangers Colorado’s northern Front Range. The park closed the road for motor traffic. They were contains 360 miles of trails, 150 lakes, and 450 guiding people away from the path of animals miles of streams. The park features splendid and asking them to stay quiet as the herd mountain views and a variety of flora and crossed the road. It was an amazing experience fauna. The highest point of the park is Longs for all of us. Peak, which rises to 14,259 feet above sea level. Bighorn male also called rams are famous for The park can be accessed by three roads, US highway their large curled horns. A ram’s horn can 34, 36 and State Highway 7. Highway 34 also weigh as much as 30 lbs. Females also have known as the famous Trail Ridge Road through the horns but they are small in size. park, runs from Estes Park on the east to Grand Lake on the southwest. The road reaches the maximum altitude of 12,100 feet and is closed by snow in winter. Due to short time to visit and experience RMNP we chose to drive Trail Ridge Road and make stops through visitor centers and point of interest. We made stops through, Fall River Visitor Center, Sheep Lakes, Alluvial Fan, West Horse Shoe park, Hidden Valley, Lava Cliffs, Alpine Ridge Visitor Center, Medicine Bow Curve, and Grand Lake.

At the Fall River Visitor Center one of the Park A herd of bighorn sheep crossing Ranger introduced Sahil to the Junior Ranger

A view of the mountains from trail ridge road Delicate Arch at Sunset

At the end of the day we barked on our drive Arches National Park is a photographers dream from RMNP, Colorado to Moab, UT. The drive comes true. It can be best described as nature’s was approximately 350 miles long. Most of the art gallery. Unfortunately these delicate drive was uneventful except for a stretch of 60 formations are detoriating and about forty three miles run where we got lost and my navigation of them have collapsed since 1970. re routed me through and unpaved mountain road with barely any traffic. My wife Tandra Arches NP is filled with so many natural was anxious and was checking the fuel gage formations that I can spend an entire article several times to make sure we were not going talking about the park alone. However I will to be stranded. like to pick a few of my favorite spots to

highlight the beauty of the park and I will let Day 3 the pictures speak for themselves.

Arches National Park

Arches National Park (ANP) is located in eastern Utah just outside Moab. The park is best known for preserving over 2000 natural sandstone arches including the world famous delicate arch pictured below. The arch is also permanent feature in Utah State License plate.

Devils Garden Viewpoint

Landscape Arch

The Three Gossips Landscape arch is the longest natural arch in the world measured at 290’ long. Unfortunately Landscape Arch the trailhead that once passed beneath it is closed due to several slabs of sandstone falling Once we were in the park our first stop was at from the arch. the Park Avenue. After spending a few minutes there we decided to head down to the farthest After visiting landscape arch I decided to go up point in the park and make our way back. to Double O Arch. Because of steep climbs I left the rest of the family behind at landscape arch. I We drove the paved road to its farthest point to confused the Double O Arch with Double Arch. the Devils Garden trail head. We decided to do The trailhead to Double Arch is only 0.5 miles this trail to Landscape arch. This is a mile long long. However the round trip to Double O Arch mildly strenuous trail with beautiful views of is 4 miles long and takes approximately 2-3 the devils garden and landscape arch. We hours. Most of the trail is filled with slickrock packed a bag with few water bottles and snack and the trail becomes more challenging as it and hit the trail. Trail head is filled with climbs over sandstone slabs. I would caution marvelous views of the sandstone formations. people before barking on this trip. However if you make the trip it is rewarding with panoramic views of the park.

After spending most of the day visiting numerous spots we made our way to Delicate Arch to witness its beauty at Sunset.

Day 4

Sunrise at Turret Arch

I have read so much about the views of sunrise at Arches NP I decided that I have to be there to witness. I woke up very early in the morning packed my camera gear and left for the park. I got there while it was still dark. Once I had all my equipments setup and took some test shots I was disappointed. I was disappointed because none of my shots looked the way I saw them in photography magazines or internet. I kept A view of turret arch thru north window changing my location but no luck. Finally I After coming back to the hotel I picked up the asked a guy if he knew where the best location family and loaded supplies for the day and for the sunrise shot. He pointed me to a rock. headed for Canyonland National Park This rock is about 100 plus feet high and it’s a slick rock. I got up with the help of directions Canyonland National Park from few guys who were setup on top and taking pictures. Finally I was getting the shots I Canyonland National Park (CNP) is located in was intending. I kept taking shots at different the southeastern Utah outside the town of angles for about fifteen minutes. This is when I Moab. The National Park is home to countless realized I was the only guy left on top. I canyons and mesas and abuts Green River and couldn’t see anyone else. I figured someone else Colorado River. The park is divided in four will show up soon. Now it was time to get districts Island in the Sky, Needles, Maze and down but wait I couldn’t figure out which way the rivers themselves. I came up. I was literally caught between a rock and a hard place. I waited another fifteen long The Maze district is the least accessible district minutes for someone to show up. Mind you of Canyonlands and only accessible by four these fifteen minutes felt like lifetime. Finally I wheel drive. Due to the remoteness and lack of said to myself Soumya no one is coming to your time we avoided this district. rescue just man up and figure your way down. Let me tell you the shot was worth it. Well you Since we only had a day to spend at the park be the judge. we selected Island in the Sky. During our stay at the park we visited Mesa Arch, Green River overlook, Upheaval dome, Grand View Point Overlook. We did the trail to Mesa Arch and Upheaval dome. The trail to Upheaval Dome is moderately strenuous and we got lost on our

65 way back. Thanks to Sahil he found foot marks Day 5 for the most part reserved for driving. and followed those back to the trail. After checking out from the hotel we drove from Moab, UT to Jackson, WY via Park City where we stopped for a delicious Indian food. I think after eating pizza and burgers everyone was ready for a little change. Once we reached Jackson Hole we checked in at the hotel by dusk. The hotel had a heated pool which we enjoyed after long tiring day of drive retired to bed early.

Day 6 Grand Teton National park After Spending most of the day at the park we left the park around 6 pm to Dead Horse Shoe Grand Teton National Park was established Point State Park for Sunset. 1929. The peaks of the Teton Range stand nearly 12,000 feet above sea level and make one Dead Horseshoe Point State Park of the boldest geologic statements in the Rockies. The Grand, Middle, and South Tetons Dead Horseshoe Point State Park is located off form the heart of the range. They rise through of Highway 191 only miles away from the forest into alpine meadows with Canyonland National Park. It is a major tourist wildflowers to naked granite pinnacles. But attraction for its breathtaking views of the their neighbors, especially Mount Owen, canyon country and the pinnacles of Teewinot Mountain, and Mount Moran, are Canyonland National Park. equally spectacular. A string of lakes fed by mountain streams are the true jewels of the park. The Snake River begins its journey in the southern Yellowstone National Park near the Teton Wilderness, winds leisurely past the Tetons on its way to Idaho. Since we had a full day to spend at the park we decided to visit all the important spots. Some of the location we visited were: Willow Flats/Oxbow Bend, Jackson Lake Dam Overlook, Signal Mountain Summit Road, North Jenny Lake Junction, South Jenny

Lake/Hidden Lakes, Inspiration Point, Antelope Day 5 Flats Loop, and Snake River Overlook.

We started our day at the Grand Teton Village and took the tram ride. This 12 minute tram After Hidden falls we decided to continue our ride will take you to the top of Rendezvous hike to Inspiration point. The hike from this Mountain which has spectacular 360 degree point on is strenuous but the view from views of Jackson, Teton Village, the Grand Inspiration Point is out of this world Teton and the Snake River Valley. Day 7-8-9 Yellow Stone National Park

It's wonderland. Yellowstone contains approximately one-half of the world’s hydrothermal features. Old Faithful and the majority of the world's geysers are preserved here. They are the main reason the park was established in 1872 as America's first national park—an idea that spread worldwide. A mountain wild land, home to grizzly bears,

wolves, and herds of bison and elk, the park is

the core of one of the last, nearly intact, natural Our next stop was at Jenny Lake. The views ecosystems in the Earth’s temperate zone. from the lake are one of the most mesmerizing views I have ever seen. Day 7 We took a ferry to the South Jenny Lake/trail head for the Hidden Falls and Inspiration point. Today the plan was to cover Old Faithfull Inn The mile long trail to the hidden falls is area and West Thumb area of the park. We rewarding with gorgeous views. reached the Old Faithfull parking area around 11 am. First thing to do is go to the visitor center and check the timing of eruptions of various geysers in the area. Old Faithful erupts more frequently than any of the other big geysers, although it is not the largest or most regular geyser in the park. Its average interval between eruptions is about 91 minutes, varying from 65 – 92 minutes. An eruption lasts 1 1/2 to 5 minutes, expels 3,700 – 8,400 gallons of boiling water, and reaches heights of 106 – 184 feet. It was named for its

67 consistent performance by members of the Biscuit Basin Washburn Expedition in 1870. Three miles north of Old Faithful is Biscuit Basin, named for the unusual biscuit-like deposits formerly surrounding Sapphire Pool. Other notable colorful features in the basin are Jewel Geyser, Shell Geyser, Avoca Spring, and Mustard Spring.

Midway Geyser Basin Next stop is Midway geyser basin. This geyser basin, though small in size compared to its companions along the Firehole River, holds large wonders for the visitor. Excelsior Geyser reveals a gaping crater 200 x 300 feet with a constant discharge of more than 4,000 gallons of water per minute into the Firehole River. Also in this surprising basin is Yellowstone’s largest hot springs, Grand Prismatic Spring. This feature is 370 feet in diameter and more than 121 feet in depth. After watching the eruptions we decided to take a stroll at the boarded Old Faithfull Geyser loop. Several trails and walkways start from the Old Faithfull Visitor Center.

Around 4 pm we headed back to the West Thumb area. The drive within the park is generally slow due to visitors stopping and slowing down due to wildlife crossing or pulling along the road due to sighting of wildlife. We had plenty of wildlife sightings along the way. We decided to stay inside the park to reduce travel time. We stayed at Grant Norris basin village on Day 7. We were greeted by elk as we Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest, oldest and were entering the parking lot. most dynamic of Yellowstone thermal areas. The vast majority of the waters at Norris are Day 8 acidic, including geysers which are rare; Steamboat Geyser, the tallest geyser in the Today we decided to cover the area from world (300’-400’) and Echinus Geyser (~pH 3.5) Biscuit basin to Norris Basin. are the most popular features. We barked on the trail to Porcelain Basin. The three quarter mile trail is barren of trees and

provides sensory experience in sound, color Canary Spring, Prospect Spring, Bath Lake, and smell. White Elephant Back terrace.

After the trail we headed back to our log room in Canyon Village. We had a reservation for dinner at the Canyon Village Hotel. They view from the hotel was fabulous and the food was delicious.

Day 9

Today we decided to start our day north of Norris Basin to Mammoth Hot Springs, Roosevelt Arch, Tower Roosevelt, Lamar Valley , Dunraven Pass, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and back to Canyon Village. Lamar Valley Lamar Valley is home to herds of elk, bison, Mammoth Hot Springs and several packs of wolves, making it Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces are creation of Yellowstone National Park’s prime location to several key ingredients: heat, water, limestone, view wildlife. Lamar Valley yields a and a rock fracture system through which hot breathtaking wide-open landscape scattered water can reach the earth’s surface. Today’s with ponds and large boulders. Lamar valley geothermal activity is a result of yesteryears buzzes with activity usually during dawn and volcanic activity. in dusk when animals come for feeding. We A system of small fissures carries water upward went there around 4 pm. to create approximately 50 hot springs in the After spending nearly 3 hours at this beautiful Mammoth Hot Springs area. Another necessary place during which we saw bison’s, Grizzly ingredient for terrace growth is the mineral bear, deer’s and lots of different wildflowers. calcium carbonate. Some of the point of interest we visited are Opal Terrace, Liberty Cap, Palette spring, Minerva Terrace, Main terrace,

Grand View Point

Inspiration Point After the North rim drive becomes one way, we made the first left turn. Drive to the end of the road and park. More than 50 steps direct you down this moderately strenuous walk to an overlook and spectacular canyon

Day 10

Today we decided to visit Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Fishing Bridge, Uncle Tom’s Point.

North Rim Drive

This one way loop road starts at the parking lot of the Canyon area. This loop consists of walks After visiting Uncle Tom’s Point we made our and overlooks that gives a panoramic view of way to the Fishing Bridge. From there on we the canyon as well as an up close view of the continued our journey back to Denver. upper and lower falls.

We drove through Shoshone National Forest. Buffalo Bills Dam, Laramie, Cheyenne to Denver. This was one of the best family vacations we had. I am sure the memories of the Midwest will linger for a long time to come.

Culture and traditional values conflicts with seeking mental health treatment. Renu Das

Culture is a composite of personal beliefs, Cultural attitude also influence whether people language, values, religion and other norms. seek help, as medication is viewed as a These beliefs, values and norms plays on weakness and psychotherapy as “washing your important role in influencing a person’s dirty linen in public”. attitudes, thoughts and behavior, thus affecting There is also a strong pressure in Asian and how he deals with his life general, particularly Hispanic culture not to shame the family, and how he deals with stress and illness (both community reactions are very much feared as mental and physical). community is regarded as an extension of Many studies have shown that compare with family. people from European descent, Hispanic and

Asian descents are more likely to report physical ailments, even if they suffer from Although rates of psychiatric problem are psychological symptoms. They are also less roughly similar across ethnicity and may be likely to report domestic violence due to shame, race, yet members of Asian and Hispanic fear and community reactions. population are less likely to be diagnosed and treated than white population. Socioeconomic

barriers, insurance coverage does play a role In many ethnic cultures mental illness is but their community’s attitude towards mental viewed as an weakness and phrases like “Be health also plays a part. strong and handle your problems” are very commonly heard. In one study published in general hospital

psychiatry in 2010, it was found that Hispanic Unfortunately around the world mental health Americans who were diagnosed with is still viewed as a stigma and taboo due to depression in a primary care setting, and out of ignorance, thus many patients suffer in silence these, those who viewed depression as a stigma and are kept behind locked doors without are less likely to take medications. Some also excess to proper treatment due to family hide their symptoms from their families. Many attitudes. patients who are able to fight their family’s attitudes and are able to fund their treatment or

had outside support and help found taking

71 medication and psychotherapy a very Societal issues around race, acculturation and rewarding experience. the degree to which immigrants, and their children adopt their new cultural norms A 19 year old Indian male was seen in complicate and confuses them as they try to consultation for anxiety and panic symptoms. make sense out of two cultural pressures. They Patient admitted to suffering from anxiety for may feel lost and try to hold on to their primary over a year and was self medicating with cultures more rigidly which confuses their alcohol and marijuana, he also reported his children who grow up in the host culture, family were not aware of his suffering. He did viewing their parents culture through a not tell them because he did not want to create “keyhole” exposure. They also feel trouble. Patient improved with medication and unsupported as their parents do not assimilate psychotherapy and showed some willingness to the host culture. This process can be difficult communicate with his parents. A family for both parents and children and may cause meeting was arranged but patient said his depression, anxiety and other severe mental parents became very angry with him for going health issues. Sometime main stream medical to an Indian (me) psychiatrist. They believed care is view within mistrust and people feel that I may tell other community members more comfortable to go to their priests and about his problem and put the family to shame. pastors for mental health issues. Language can They were reassured about HIPAA rules and be another barrier to communications. patient privacy policy. In spite of that Research also shows that main stream information, although they went along with practitioner are not alert to mental health issues patients treatment, their outlook of mental and do not bring up mental health as part of the health treatment really did not change that examinations. Doctors attitudes and culture much. It seemed fear of community reaction beliefs may also take part in whether a referral outweighed, their sense of their son’s well for mental health is made. being. Culture are very valuable in giving us direction

and stability but when subjected to Another Chinese American presented with acculturation in a foreign culture one must be depression due to family pressure to follow a alert to their own needs in the new certain profession, joined a certain college and environment with two sets of rules. They was constantly compared with other children in should also be aware of their children needs the community. Patient became depressed and and understand and guide mutual needs suicidal unable to deal with the pressure. He through open communication. was treated with depression and For solutions it will helps to build your own psychotherapy which encouraged him to network of people who understand mental communicate his needs to his family. health issues, which will help balance negative

messages with positive feedbacks. People with mental health may help. Given the diversity depression and anxiety can look for ways to among psychiatrists and psychotherapists it harness their cultural beliefs and practices to maybe hard to find one who matches your own assist their recovery by working with a mental culture. Look for professionals with training health professional who is sensitive to their and exposure to multi cultural issues. Telling cultural beliefs, such as incorporating Yoga and your psychiatrist about your cultural values prayer with medication and physiotherapy. and beliefs and tradition may help your doctor Asian women and Hispanic women to incorporate these elements in the treatment. traditionally put aside their needs to take care of others, talking to these women about how their family would like them to be in good

73 A Girl with a Red Dot and Brown Eyes Dr. Sulakshana Sen

As far as I remember from an early childhood in wear sindoor if they are not yet married. The India, my Mom always had a bright red powder dot powder is sacred and strictly made for women who sindoor on the center of her broad forehead. She are presently married and living with their looked so pretty with it; I used to keep on watching husbands. Women cannot wear sindoor if they her numerous times a day without her knowledge. became widows." Then I looked at my grandma, To my brown eyes, she was the most beautiful sitting at the end of our concrete L-shaped verandah woman in the world with light skin and slightly with my little brother on her lap. I noticed she did curly black hair. Mom always tied her hair in the not have the red tip on her forehead. Since I was back like a bun. She was slender, with a delicately born, I had never seen my grandpa. It made sense to balanced figure. Now I know that most women my young mind that she was not wearing the red would be envied for her gifted body and silky- powder as my grandpa had been dead for a long smooth skin. time.

I asked her one day, "Mom, why are you wearing I was not sure who would be my husband or sindoor?" Even though I noticed that most women in when he would put the sacred sindoor on my part of India were the particular red powder, I did not hair or on my forehead. I was seven then, with a know 'why'. I then asked, "Can I wear one?" thick mane of black hair and big brown eyes on a small oval face, not quite dark but with an olive skin "No" she replied as she turned her face to my little more like the color of whole-wheat bread. My father brother and added "Only married women wear was an attorney, six feet and two inches tall, with an sindoor." She looked again at me and continued, almost bald head, and sparse black and gray hair "But, girls can wear this red tip." She then pulled from the side of one ear to the other ear close to the out the drawer of her treasure box close to where back of his neck. In my world, then, he was the she was standing. It was a black mahogany wooden most powerful man who knew all and could do all polished box with maroon velvet lining inside. The that I knew of doing. He was fiercely intelligent. He box had little square and round holes rimmed with rarely smiled, but when he did smile, he would bright green lace borders around each hole where often have bursts of loud laugher that almost she used to keep her precious gold jewels. From this echoed. At that point, everyone in the family knew box, my Mom chose a little paper packet. I he would not be angry or serious for a while. It was immediately opened it and saw, it contained ten hard for a girl of my age to be brave enough to round red stickers attached inside the folded paper. approach toward a father like mine. I was in a male- They were not the red sindoor powder that my dominated world. But hat day, I slowly went close Mom used to wear from a small silver box with a to my father when nobody was around. Laxmi picture on the top. Every morning after she took her bath, she used to put the red powder on the "Daddy, look at me." I pointed my finger to the red part of her hair and a round small dot on the center sticker on my forehead, almost touching. of her forehead, dipping a tiny, thin round stick, made from elephant tusk. I was not sure, where she Always reserved, and usually showing no emotions, acquired the stick, or how somebody could make a my father realized that I wanted his attention to my stick from the tusk of an elephant. red dot, and asked: "Where did you get it from?" He did not mention if I looked pretty with it or not. I However, I was quite happy to get the packet of tips replied proudly, "From Mommy." that I had not seen before. When I looked back at my mother with a big smile, she said "Girls cannot

"Okay." That was all. Then he asked me to go to two carat gold peacock earrings with a matching Mommy if she was preparing his afternoon tea yet. gold necklace that had a big peacock charm with I ran back to Mom, feeling quite happy that I could precious blue and green stones in the center, just like still draw his attention to my red tip. a dazzling real miniature peacock hanging on her slender neck. My Mom replied softly, "She lost her Later, I lost some of the tips as they lose the red tip." I was happily surprised and hopeful as my stickiness needed to adhere to the skin. Sometimes, father started looking for it, even using a torch light I scratched the spot by mistake. If I found a lost tip, in the late afternoon. Then our two servants joined I would stick it back again right in the center of my in the search. A family relative stopped by with his forehead just between the eyebrows. Every night wife exactly at that time, and all joined in the search before going to bed, I would take off the tip and of the little jewel of mine that I considered worth press it on the big mirror attached to the dresser. saving. In spite of our entire attempts, the last red Next morning, I would use the same tip and I would dot tip was lost, and all of our efforts to find it were repeat this routine until the tip would not stick any lost with it as well. more. I felt guilty that I had not been responsible to save Time started flying as I matured, finishing my even the last one that I liked so much. It was sad high school years; I was selected to attend the best that my Mom could not get those from a regular school in our state named Ravenshaw University. store; they were not available in the small towns My father had studied there a long time ago and then. Once a year, a seller would come from East received his law degree there. I was the only one in Bengal with gold jewels and a variety of fancy our family who could qualify to study in the same accessories for women. Forty years before, women University after him. He was proud of me. Three did not go to stores in the Indian society, more so in days before going to the dorm, we had to attend a a small town like ours. A chubby well-groomed wedding in our small town. We all wore our chic man with long striped pants and matching shirt and fancy dresses that we could afford at the time would come from East Bengal to our small town and that we mostly saved to attend these special wearing a wide straw hat on his head and a big occasions. After my mother fixed my hair, I did not luggage with wide back straps hanging from his forget to stick on my red dot. As we all sat in our shoulder. He would walk door to door in the street faded blue jeep, which made a weird noise calling in a deep voice in Hindi language saying: whenever it cranked on, I carefully touched my red sticker with my finger. In the wedding party crowd, "Aa Jao...Ladies... For the stuff you were waiting I had to make sure that my tip was there all along. for... Aa Jao...”

The next day late in the afternoon, when we I heard my father was asking my Mom from the reached back home, I forgot to take my red tip off. other room, "When will the seller would come When I finally remembered, I was disappointed and again?" She replied, "I do not know, mostly in frustrated to find that it fell off...I called my mother summer." The summer was far away then. loudly, so that she could come right away to join me Eventually every one forgot about my last red dot, in looking for the lost and the last red tip. I was not and the salesman did not show up that summer sure if I had dropped it in the verandah, close to the either. I had been waiting for the summer, once in a bed, close to refrigerator or even at any place that I while, I would look for my lost red sticker, as if by had been since we arrived home. While we both miracle, it would show up somewhere, but it never were looking hard to find the lost red sticker tip, my did. father asked: The day before I left home to travel to Cuttack, "What happened? Did you lose any the city in which I was to start my college studies, I jewelry?" My Mom used to wear her finest twenty- packed my suitcase. I had not visited a big city

75 before. Early in the morning, my father and I rode a After entering to my room, I had to spread the bus for three hours to reach Cuttack. From the bus bed sheet that I took out from my suitcase on my stop, we took a rickshaw to the college almost two assigned bed. There was one more bed in that small miles away. While we were riding, my father room already occupied. I guessed, It belonged to started a conversation with the rickshawalla, another girl who was out. Her clothes had been left describing how those streets were twenty-five years on the bed in a way that looked as if she had been in ago when he was studying for his law degree. a hurry. I noticed a window close to my bed that faced outside to the road that lead to the campus. "Oh!- Is that old cafe still there?" Suddenly, I ran to see if I could still see my father or even the rickshaw from second floor window of my As I looked toward where he pointed his finger, the corner room. I could not. Feeling disappointed, and rickshawalla said, wiping away tears, I tried to occupy myself by "Yes Babu, only they renovated it, the color was teal removing clothes from my suitcase to put away in then." the side closet next to my bed. I also tried to engage myself by looking at the schedule for tomorrow's With a big smile my father added, "Yes, yes...now it class for my first day at college. I would attend a looks bright with yellow and high cone-style roof." Botany class at 8:00AM next morning. Maybe, he was revisiting his youth in the streets of Cuttack, close to his college. Our Rickshawalla took For almost an hour, I sat, mute and despondent. a U-turn to enter the campus and asked us, "Which Suddenly, I heard my name. The lady who was campus do you want to go Babu?" My father replied assigned to call the girls to the reception center, quickly, "Women's Dorm campus." I climbed down calling my name not pronouncing it perfectly but from the rickshaw, while my father descended with close enough. I could understand clearly that she the suitcase and asked the rickshawalla to wait for a was calling me. I was not sure why she was calling few minutes, if he could. The rickshawalla agreed and wondered, maybe I had to sign more papers or happily as he might not be able to get another return get some information about the dorm rules or the passenger from the women's dorm at the late hour. cafeteria. As I was hungry, I could only think about We walked to the Warden's office and were dinner. I swiftly locked the door, ran down the introduced to the lady who handed me a key for stairs towards the Warden's room. To my surprise, I second floor, room #33, that I remembered clearly saw my father was standing as tall and as strong as from my freshman year in the college. As my father always. With unexpected elation and joy, I smiled at about to leave, he looked at me. Our eyes met, him. With a very little smile, he handed me a exchanging unspoken words and feelings. I started package wrapped in old newspaper as if he had crying as he took a little pause, and then rushed forgotten to give me something. He touched my back to rickshaw. Before, I was happy to get the head softly, and said: "Let me go; otherwise I will freedom in my late teens, so that I could be miss the bus." That was all he said to me. He left independent. But at that moment I could not figure without looking back and got into the rickshaw in a out myself why and how I could not control my hurry. tears to look at the staid face of my father leaving me It was getting dark, looking darker even as a at the dorm. I was close to be seventeen. That was black cloud started engulfing the horizon at the the first time I had ever left home. I felt empty, onset of the evening. I turned my face away to hide afraid to face a new chapter of my life without my tears from Warden, and stepped up the stairs to parents around. I had not ever found any fault with my room with a longing for my father, wishing he my father's short temper or strict rules as my brother could have stayed a little more and talked to me a always did. Maybe, I was never a child in my little more! I could not imagine what was inside the childhood, but my father had always been my hero. package except that something felt soft like a fabric. When I got back to room #33, I opened the package.

It was a pretty orange colored dress with small bathroom with them at that miserable time! Feeling green prints, and it had lace frills on the neck and extremely uneasy, I started to accompany my Mom sleeves. I liked it a lot. As I put the dress next to my with these women in a way to protect her and to body to see how it would look on me, I found a know the weird reason why they were taking her to small packet fell off. I picked it up quickly. It had bathroom. The women asked my Mom to sit on a almost no weight, a folded white shining packet. I wooden stool inside the bathroom. One woman, opened the packet with excitement and curiosity to particularly the heavy one leading the group, came find out what could be inside. There were beautiful forward, wiped away the red sindoor tip from my round red tips ranging from small dots to bigger Mom's forehead and from the part of her hair with ones, more chic and more shiny, in a rich red color an old-small towel, then started breaking the glass and enough strong glue to stick. I turned on the bangles my mother was wearing, one after another, light to see the dots more closely and put one on my lastly, she pulled away the golden bangles and forehead. I could sense that my father, who looked sankhas from the wrists of both her hands. For so tough outside as a man, had such a soft touch centuries this old tradition in India had dictated that inside his heart. Thirty years later I could still feel widows abandon everything in life; they cannot his touch. wear any colored clothes, jewelry, bangles or bracelets and particularly sindoor. They have to live On my first day of college, I wore that little a life of abandonment. orange dress with its green flowery print. I also wore a medium size round red tip to attend my I was weeping helplessly, seeing my mother Botany class. In the big city, later I found tips with sitting there like a stone; her beautiful wrists looked even different colors in different shapes and sizes. empty and awful. I noticed my mother was not All the young girls in the college started wearing it. crying anymore-not at all. But I cried even more I liked only the red round ones that my father had loudly and called upon these evil women to "Stop, given to me. I saved those tips always for later wear, Stop, No...No. Please do not do that to her. I beg fearing that I might lose them again as I had lost the you..." I felt the women were cruel, with no ones that my mother had given me. I could not trust emotions; they did not even bother to look at me. myself to lose those precious red tips! These women have a special job in Indian society. When a tragedy happened to a woman, even though A few years later, my father passed away with no fault of hers, they were there. I wondered how prostate cancer. I could not forget the day. Right they were doing this awful job when they after two to three hours of my father's death, some themselves do not know what their future would women I had never seen before came and asked my hold for them. I was not sure who had called them Mom to go with them to the bathroom. At that time and asked them to come to our house at this horrible my mother was crying so hard, as if her life had time in our lives. Was it the priest who was fallen apart. I felt the earth was crying with her. supposed to perform the rituals for my father's Sobbing ceaselessly, I could not leave her for a funeral? I did not know. My Mom loved my father moment. The women stepped forward, one of them so much that she did not feel the need to wear the firmly holding my mother's hand almost pulling her sindoor tip or bangles anymore. Because just for my from her seat. I felt so oddly uncomfortable that I father, her beloved husband, she had been wearing stopped sobbing and asked her, "Why are you those for forty years. She did not feel the use of pulling at my mother? Why does she have to go to those accessories anymore. the bathroom with you all?" One of them said sternly, "She has to." When my Mom came out from the bathroom, I saw that she was wearing a white saree with I could not figure out who these women were and absolutely no borders of color on it, and she walked why they were asking my Mom to get to the slowly towards the bedroom with one of the woman

77 holding her empty wrists. My Mom was looking While continuously pouring ghee (butter) on the lifeless. I dreaded that moment. I did not want to burning firewoods, the priest handed him some see her that way. "Oh God", I cried again until all flowers and white rice to hold in his palms. Then he the tears would come out, and I hid my face away asked me to join him with the rice and flowers in my from her, leaning close to the wall behind me. I hand. He started chanting the "mantras" again and guessed at that moment, I was crying more, not asked us to throw rice and flowers into the flame. A from losing my father as much as from seeing my thin one-foot wide scarf long enough to hang from Mom losing him. There was quite a crowd by that groom's shoulder and another scarf hanging from time after the news spread that my father had my shoulder, and the priest made a "knot" to passed away. His lawyer friends, neighbors, connect us with the scarves. The special "knot" was relatives and almost the whole town were there with to bond the groom and the bride for happily ever my brother who already had become an attorney. after. He asked the groom to walk around the fire in a circle and the bride to follow him as closely as Our father passed away leaving a legacy for all of possible so that the scarves would not fall off. That us and others. I could not be what I am today would be a bad sign. While we were circling around, without him and his blessings. After finishing my the priest chanted Sanskrit "mantras" even more education with double master degrees, I married my loudly while continuously pouring white rice and husband who resided in the United States. The flowers on the flame. wedding was celebrated in my husband's hometown Calcutta, a big cosmopolitan city in West Bengal. I saw my Mom sitting in the front row of the Society's rule was that the rituals of the wedding audience with her beautiful smile wearing a white happen in front of all the relatives on both my saree. I definitely missed my father sitting next to husband's and my side. A sacred fire was specially her. I was sure he was watching his daughter's arranged in a squared concrete place, burning some wedding from heaven. After seven circles had been special red wood mixed with sandal woods. After completed, my niece, a little six year old girl some puja and the mantras chanted by the priest, the wearing a beautiful yellow dress, holding two bride and groom had to make seven circles around flower garlands in a brass-antique bowl handed the the sacred fire. I wore a gold-bordered red Banarasi garlands to us to exchange. The wedding crowd silk saree, red sankhas interspersed with gold started applauding. The priest also asked my sister- bangles on my slender wrists. I also wore my in-law to hand her brother a small silver box of red mother's twenty-two carat gold peacock earrings sindoor powder. The groom took some from the with the gorgeous peacock-centered necklace. My box, and filled in the empty circle on the center of sister-in-law helped me to put make-up on my oval my forehead and then put almost the rest on my face and fixed my black hair in a bun with a small part of the hair tightly pulled behind to the bun. flower in its center. She put sandal paste dots like an The people clapped with laughter and happy noises arch on both sides of my forehead just above the and gave a standing ovation to the married couple. eyebrows, making an empty circle of sandal paste in Then the priest pronounced us as "Husband and the center, to be filled later with red sindoor by the wife." In India we do not exchange rings in the bridegroom. While my sisters-in-law happily wedding ceremony, nor kiss each other at the end. engaged in perfecting the makeup and hair, all other young girls chatted but did not make their eyes off I noticed my Mom was smiling. I had not seen me even for a second. Maybe the girls were all her beaming smile for so long, and tears started waiting for their day...not for marrying somebody of filling up my eyes. But she kept on smiling and their dreams but for the special wedding makeup, came forward a little to take my husband’s both with glittery red saree, and beautiful rich gold hands, and held onto them as she politely requested, jewelry. “Please take care of my daughter: she is yours from now on.” My husband replied, “I will.” The next day we had court marriage. We exchanged the rings and

became officially husband and wife. My husband as well as from my mother.“ While her eyes came back to States after couple of days. Once my brightened, I carefully opened the white paper- visa was approved, I left India. packet and showed her all the bright red dot “tips” ranging from small to large that I had saved from I soon realized that with my master’s degrees of my first day of college. She was so excited seeing India, I could not achieve much academically here. those and said, “Yes Mom, I saw the red dot on your So I successfully added another master degree in forehead in the wedding photo with Daddy." mathematics and completed my doctorate degree in the States. I have a daughter who is fourteen and "Yes, honey, you are also going to wear a red saree, half years old already . We gave her name 'Susan' as peacock’s set and a red dot on your wedding day. it is easy to pronounce. Most Americans have hard That is the gift of blessings from my parents to you.” time to pronounce my full name 'Sulakshana' or my Then Susan asked: “What about the white dress?” I husband's name 'Shukdeb'. Time has flown. After I replied: “We will have a rehearsal day for the red left India, my mother passed away. I always have and the wedding day for the white.” Suddenly, she been carrying a guilt that my Mom would have started chocking, with tear-filled eyes hiding her lived longer if I had not left India. Sometimes, I face on my chest, declared softly, “I cannot leave asked myself “Why did I have to come to America? you Mommy.” Was not there any man in India born for me?” But I know my Mom felt like the happiest woman on I hugged her tight and said, “You are not going earth when her daughter married to an intellectual anywhere, you will stay in this United States so that and would live in a dreamland (which, to many we can visit each other as many times we want to.” Indians is America). Here, I do not wear sindoor on Imagining the day that my daughter wearing a my part except puja occasions or a red tip on my beautiful red saree, the peacock necklace set with a forehead as it does not go with any American outfit. bright red dot tip that my father gave me, I smiled, but I could not hold back the tears filling up my The other day Susan came to my room, saw my eyes. She had the same brown eyes like mine and jewelry box as I was looking to wear some jewelries beautiful black curly hair from my mother. Like a for a party. She looked at the ‘Peacock set’ and bridge, she is connecting my past to the present. exclaimed, “Oh! My! The necklace is so beautiful! Why do you not ever wear it Mom? Not even at P.S. About the author Dr. Sulakshana Sen: Christmas parties or for your college functions? Are Sulakshana Sen, Associate Professor at Bethune you going to wear it now?” She pressed me to wear Cookman University, teaches calculus and statistics. exclaiming: "It is so gorgeous! Where did you get However, her passion is writing. She was one of the it?” She had so many questions…I replied “My twelve to be selected to attend IOWA Writing Mom gave the necklace set as a gift on my wedding Festival in last July 2012 for Advanced Novel day. It is hers.” Writing. She published eight short stories in “Really Can I wear it and show this jewelries to different journals in America and completed her Andrea and Jordan?” novel "The Truth Has Its Way". She is an active member of Florida Writers' Association. “No, not now. I have saved it for your wedding day. You are going to wear it when the time would Dr. Sen recently elected as Vice President of Faculty come.. You can invite all of your friends for your Association of the University. She lives with her wedding. The peacock set would be my gift to you, husband Dr. Shukdeb Sen and daughter Susan Sen at Port Orange, FL.

79 A Grandfather’s musings… Prabhat Kumar Chakraborty

We have four granddaughters. My daughter I watch them in amazed wonder…..fighting Rupa (Rupa Bagchee from Orlando), has and crying at one moment while laughing two daughters, named Molly and Rhea and my and making merry the next. son has two daughters named Nitu and In his famous poem, “The Rainbow”, Priya. They are all aged from three to six. But Wordsworth had written “Child is the father of each one is a "Gunda" in her own right. man" But with all humility to that great man I All are terrors in the house. All like butterflies want to add "Child is the grandfather and like to come to India to see them of the man". My bunch of chirping birds are in our tiny garden .They can freely run after living examples. One moment they are crying them as "Dadu" is there as barrier from and fighting over a piece of chalk or colour parent's angry red eyes! They have strong pencil, next they are sharing happily opinions about colours. Rhea has fascination most desired ice-cream. Any new dress and for black. Molly & Nitly (as Nitu is Molly stakes her claim "It is mine". My affectionately called) go for pink and yellow, heart goes out to Rhea when she shows her which happiness with the other one. Rhea has is "Dadu's" choice. Priya is still little young to consented to take me to her play school if express and likes everything. Strangely teacher permits. But she is skeptical about this reflects in their choice of garments creating my friend "Elephant" as the doors are small. But big problems for Grandma's purchase of she may consider friend to stay in the dresses for them. play ground. The other day I saw them following Butterflies. When their chirping stops, it signals some No particular choice, chasing all mischief they are up to. The other day their butterflies irrespective of colour. All were in Ma got suspicious when there was no sound for their own world of Imagination. They wanted some time. She found that Rhea had to go to clouds riding on favorite butterfly. cut Molly's and her own hair with their Molly has very firmly held beliefs. According children’s scissors, making both heads look like to her, clouds are crying when it rains. Nitly Relief map of Himalayas. wants to touch the rainbow which, of I had read somewhere, "Grand children give us course, she has drawn many a times on paper. reason for living". I fully endorse the Rhea is always keen on performing same and thank God profusely for letting me her dance numbers for which she has lots of enjoy my twilight years with them. I very appreciation. Priya is only happy running much wish that their world of joy lingers on around and running behind her older sister. and on and on……..

Reflections of Life: Taking the Best of Both Worlds Bikash R. Pati

When Chira, the editor of the Abhijan activities. Academics is valued highly in India magazine, requested me to write an article, my as every Indian parent I know would like their first reaction was affirmative but confusion children to excel in this area. Generally, sports soon set in as to what should be the topic? More doesn’t get much priority in most Indian I thought about it, more ideas came to mind, household. One can see the lack of interest in and eventually I settled on the above various sports activities that has a bearing in introspective article, as it is perhaps the time to India’s medal counts in the recent Olympic reflect on my life in India that I left behind and Games. Contrary to this trend, our school the life that I now live here in America. The big made it a point to instill the value of sports for question is, “have we assimilated into the living well and for harmonious development of western culture and still able to maintain our our body and mind. We woke early every identity and heritage and take the best of both morning to the drumbeats of our band team, worlds”? I have used some generalizations, got ready, ran to the physical training ground and my own opinions and experiences that and began our morning rituals with exercise should resonate with many I hope. and running. Childhood Years Respect is the key in Indian household and we First, let me start with my childhood, were taught to respect each person specially the particularly, the middle and high school lives elders and take the best of what one has to which could be called the “formative” offer. No matter which economic strata or years. Our perspective on life really takes caste/religion a person may belong to, we were shape during these school years and roles of taught to respect them. We always saluted our parents, teachers, and the wider community can seniors by calling them “dada” and other not be overstated. It really takes a village to words of endearment. Treating others as one raise a child to cite Hillary Clinton’s famous would like to be treated makes for a better book, “It Takes a Village,” published in 1996 person needless to say. In our school, to while she was the First Lady of the United emphasize the value of oneness, we chanted States. I started my middle school education at during morning assembly,” India is my the fifth grade level at the Sainik School , the country. All Indians are my brothers and only military resident school in West Bengal, sisters….” On every 15th of August, India’s and feel that my values and opinions were Independence Day, students cooked and served largely shaped by the School. A variety of the staff who worked in our dinning hall, people, students and teachers alike, from laundromats, as sweepers and other jobs that various states of India, called the school need hard physical labor. It was such a home. We immensely benefitted from this pleasure giving these folks a rest for the day as cultural amalgam that existed. we took turns cooking and serving the meals. In India, our society values a balance in life Since the ancient time, respect by the disciple through active participation in both academics have been immortalized in two of our epics, and extra curricular and religious Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Education and Teaching Methods to be supported one hundred percent! I During our childhood years, teachers play a remember the frustration during my critical role as is the case in most societies. In engineering college days, when I wanted to our school, we had resident teachers who take a course in another major pertinent to my stayed in the school’s beautiful 600 acre bachelor degree thesis, but could not! campus, dined with us in our cafeteria, and My college days at the National Institute of took part in our cultural programs and sports Technology (NIT) was filled with hopes, and above all always listened and encouraged dreams and aspirations. Education system there us to do better. While the teachers are the same was pretty much the same as I described above on both sides of the world, teaching methods where we had examinations that stressed heavy differed. In India, memorization learning was reading nights before the exam and then and is still encouraged. To the contrary, kids in spitting it out during tests. The classes were the US are taught differently and learning to rigid and it was difficult for someone to take a instill the concept of the subject matter is more class outside of their curriculum. So, if important than retention. someone was doing a research thesis in While both teaching methods have benefits and Hydraulics, a part of Civil Engineering, or other drawbacks, as we see each group excel in engineering disciplines, cross-curricular courses different areas. A large number of Indians in in mechanical engineering, for example, was America is working in academia, engineering, not possible. Things have changed for the better information technology, medicine, and finance in some of the Indian educational institutions where excelling in theoretical knowledge is the but I feel much needs to be done and American key. I feel, at least partly, the Indian education universities can be a good model. system contributed the success of the Indian Young Adult Years diaspora in America. Americans on the other When we mature into a young adult and head hand excel in innovations, leading the world in to college, we feel liberated and ready to take science, space and nuclear fields to name a on the world. College life is a stage where we few. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are plentiful in become more mature and concentrate on this country partly due to the stress on fostering learning a trade that stays with us innovation and huge rewards that come with forever. Further, it is also a time where one it. So, this is one area where I feel Indian should continue to participate in the activities educators should consider tweaking the of interest, as by this time we develop strong educational curriculum that encourages interests in various activities. College days independent thinking and open book learning tend to be a testing time the augmentation of that lead to innovation. Recently Sam Pitroda, the skills learnt at school. Compared to school advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, days, college days starts out with added brought this topic to the forefront by urging the pressure and with a concern for many of life’s Indian lawmakers to make laws to permit challenges such as finding the right career, universities to allow more flexibility in allowing serving the community productively and courses in areas other than their major giving back in some fashion to the community (encouraging cross-discipline study) and and country as a whole. Upon graduation, we allowing students to finish college sooner if hope to live independently, with dignity and they are ready to graduate, and allowing character, and come of age where instead working while studying. I feel this idea needs getting support from our parents, we support

them. who was a freedom fighter and a West Bengal One issue close to my heart is volunteering and educator who retired after 41 years of service, giving. In schools and colleges, in US, students ardently wanted me to come back after are encouraged to volunteer and giveback. It completion of education. I still vividly helps in the college admission process. This remember after getting my student visa at the should be emulated in India. In NIT, I was Calcutta US consulate, we went to get my air influenced by several organizations but one of ticket to New York for my onward journey to them I regularly participated was the Society East Lansing, Michigan. On our way down the for Promotion of Indian Classical Music elevator from the “Everest House” office of Amongst Youth (SPIC-MACAY). This is where Swissair, we were both silent and emotional I found a key group of like minded students due to my impending departure. My father who were a positive influence in my life. Like made an emotional request to get my education our parents always said, “surround yourselves but come back and serve India, our with people of high caliber and values, and you motherland. I could not keep my dad’s request will become one.” The three friends who for reasons that rhyme with many of influenced me to join SPIC-MACAY us. Despite my strong desire to go back, I could (www.spicmacay.com) became my life long not resist the temptation of working a few years friends and great influence. We hosted many to get an experience and earning a nest egg so programs in our campus with great classical that life in India would be easier. Next thing I artists such as N. Rajam (Violin), Ustad Akbar knew I was getting deeper and deeper in to Ali Khan, and Pt. Jasraj (vocal) to name a few. settling here with a point of no return as There were several renditions of the same with marriage and kids came along and their performances involving “Lecture- priorities were mime. Demonstration” (LEC-DEC), where the aim was to show how the Indian classical music is More Questions than Answers played. These events generated serious After joining an engineering firm in the US enthusiasm in Indian classical music amongst upon my graduation and climbing the the college youth. corporate ladder, there was a little chance to Dubiousness of Immigrant Life look back. Family life, kids education and After moving to Michigan State University, East activities took priority over my own Lansing, my life’s focus changed life. Almost two decades later, now at middle dramatically. As a foreign student, we had age, I am feeling the need to reflect on the past many challenges, namely, adapting to the new and perhaps change course a little. I feel that to country’s culture, education system, social life, leave our legacy for our next generation we and learning the day-to-day life skills such as need to tell them about our lives and encourage driving and cooking. It was a coming of age as them to take the best of both worlds. Bengali I slowly had to learn the ropes of living society serves as a great forum to inculcate the independently while working hard to earn my good values that we left behind. Many of BSF degree. After college graduation in America, members unselfishly give back to the society like many of us, I was determined to go back to and we should all be thankful to them. But India to work so much so that I took courses much more needs to be done. How can an that would fetch me a job in India. My father, organization like BSF be a better promoter of

83 these values? How can we bury our differences “The father of the righteous shall greatly and come together for a stronger society? How rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall can we teach our children to take the best of have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother both cultures and be proud of their roots? I shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall think these are some of the challenges we face rejoice. My son, give me thine heart, and let as an organization. In conclusion an old thine eyes observe my ways.” proverb sums up the need for adhering to our (Proverbs 23:24-26) culture and values to raise our children.

Cancer Detection with Laser: An Interview with Dr. Kunal Mitra, the inventor Chirajyoti Deb

Attention of Bengalis of Florida was attracted to a front-page news of potential interest that was published in the 10 October issue of the widely circulated news daily, ‘Ananadabazar Patrika’, at Kolkata, India. Why Bengalis of Florida were especially attracted and celebrated that news? Because, most of us know the newsmaker, Prof. Kunal Mitra of FIT, Melbourne, FL. Quite naturally we wanted to take this opportunity to first heartily congratulate him and secondly to interact with him for an interview as we are about to publish our annual autumn festival journal ‘Abhijan’. Therefore, I took this opportunity to interview Dr. Mitra on his new discoveries and the news.

C. Deb: Kunal, first of all please accept our heartfelt congratulations and thank you for your time for this interview. I would like to ask you about your recent recognition that was published in Anandabazar. It was interesting to read this news in Anandabazar. I had some general idea about your research interests. However, I do not know the details of it. We would like to know a few aspects of your research and achievements. What you would like to comment on this news and related achievement?

K. Mitra: Well, I will not consider this as an achievement but I would rather consider this as the progress of my research endeavor in recent times. We all know that skin cancer is one of the deadliest forms; especially in Florida skin cancer has significant impact. We all know that biopsy is the gold standard for the detection of cancer. However, people in medical and scientific fields are looking for alternative techniques. From discussions dermatologists it is clear that biopsy is the gold standard, however, an alternative faster cancer detection technique is highly desired. Currently there is no commercially available technique for this type of use, which is reliable. So, development of this kind of technique, which is complementary to biopsy will have potential impact if cancer diagnostics and will have a great demand. Although, biopsy is a gold standard for skin cancer detection, but there are many drawbacks of the biopsy method too. Wrong or incorrect diagnosis are common in skin positives and misdiagnosis are generally rang by biopsy.

C. Deb: Based on recent patent this news was published. Now how you proceed towards further goals?

K. Mitra: A company has licensed it. We are now planning for clinical studies. This is a lab based table top system. So, this cannot be used for human use and before that we need to generate data on human use. We are directing towards that endeavor.

We can be used for clinical data collections. But for clinical use you need a device. In its current form this is not a device. Basically what we need to do now is to develop a compact device, which will be easily portable and suitable for human clinical use, like an ultrasound machine etc. Now the company is trying to raise fund and develop such a device.

C. Deb: So, are you going to do clinical trial?

KM: For clinical trials we will have to depend on some professional organization. So, what the company is doing to do now is two things: 1 –Raise funds to develop a prototype of the machine and 2- at the same time start working on basic data collections with human subjects. We need to find out what type of data we get with human samples and this will be a jump from mouse to human. So, now we are looking into pursuing these two parallel tasks that we want to achieve. We are now focusing on skin cancer as the funding agencies will look for a specific and focused use.

C. Deb: Up to, we were discussing about the application part of this and how it will be directed for the development of a device. I read articles in relation to this particular and also the patent publication.

K. Mitra: We kept provision open to add future claims, But.

C. Deb: As per as I understand your main expertise is laser and optics.

K. Mitra: Yes, I am actually the use of the laser but I build or try to tweak the box. My works starts after the laser comes of the box. I mainly use short pulse laser which has very good penetration power. Function of time delay is what we use to characterize if it is a normal tissue or if it is a diseased tissue. That's why it is very useful for invasive diagnostics. What I do is determine the properties of the cells or tissues based on the short pulse of laser that goes in and comes out of the targeted cells or tissues. With mouse we were able to classify the signals for malignant and benign tissues. A significant amount of database has to be developed. Then it will be used for the detection.

C. Deb: Fantastic. Looks very interesting to me.

C. Deb: So do you think this can be used to detect the metastatic level of cancer?

K Mitra: Yes, well this is not my work but it can detect precancerous properties using optical techniques. We hope it will be used for early detection.

C. Deb: But can these techniques also be used to measure the level of control, for example when you are giving chemotherapy for other types of cancer, and you want to check if the metastasis

is gone?

K. Mitra: Yeah, I mean, it's the same concept. We have not looked into that, but if it can measure the optical properties then it is possible.

C. Deb: How is this going to differentiate artifactual data, or false positive data due to the difference between cells?

K. Mitra: That's a good question. The major task there is to build, basically, a large database of false positive data versus actual malignancies so that we can identify actual cancerous cells.

C. Deb: Now, coming to the other part... There is no other laser mediated technique in this current clinical world with which people are detecting malignant cells, correct?

K. Mitra: People have been using conventional lasers, but I don't know of anything like this technique for cancerous cells. One of the goals is removal. We hope that the laser can be used to detect the cancerous cells and then fire a burst of energy to remove the tumor. That is the ultimate achievement. If we can do that..... well, that's what we should be aiming for.

C. Deb: So can this be applied to detect other types of malignancy, besides skin cancer?

K. Mitra: Yeah, actually skin and breast cancer are very similar, and when I first started I was working on mammary gland-based cancer.

C. Deb: The most common question that people would lik e to know is when will people get the most benefit out of this in the real world?

K. Mitra: My understanding for the FDA is 5-10 years. The way it works is you send data in batches, so if the funding falls in place and everything goes on track, the minimum time will be 5 years.

C. Deb: So what happens when this technology first appears is that the cost is high, but eventually goes down. That is the beauty of technology. Basically, anytime we start using technology the cost goes down.

K. Mitra: Right, so... you cannot bring costs down significantly right now, but that is part of the challenge: how quickly bring the costs down.

C. Deb: Alright Kunal, thank you very much. Also congratulations to Sue Mitra for her appearance in “Brevard Physicians Network Member Spotlight.” This has been very interesting. I will unfortunately not be able to include all the technical details so the printed conversation will be a paraphrased.

87 An Optimistic Life is a Happy Life Rupa Bagchee

Voltaire said optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable. Dictionary.com defines optimism as a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome. It is the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world and that goodness pervades reality. Optimism is also the doctrine that the existing world is the best of all possible worlds. According to the Mayo clinic, “Optimism is the belief that good things will happen to you and that negative events are temporary setbacks to be overcome.” Basically, it can be defined as a positive attitude. Studies conducted by Mayo clinic over the last 30 years have shown that optimists report a better quality of life than pessimists. Optimists show lower rates of depression and distress and also lower rates of cardiovascular diseases. They have better coping skills during hardships and times of stress and also overall better psychological and physical well-being. In one study based on psychological tests starting in the 1960s it was also seen that optimists had lower death rates than pessimists. So not only quality of life but also longevity is affected by positive attitudes. This is also probably due to the fact that optimistic people tend to exercise more and generally take better care of themselves. Optimistic people are more able to handle stress better and think through situations constructively. Positive thinking is essential to creating optimism since we can try to change perceived realities by reprogramming the brain. This can be achieved by repeating positive affirmations and through self-help talk. Remember Saturday Night Live’s “Daily affirmations with Stuart Smalley” (“Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!")? Filtering out negative thoughts and thinking more positively about situations and events is important. Gautama Buddha said “we are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.” This can take time and also some effort since this is trying to change a habit. Optimism is not just thinking positive and hoping that things will be all right again (although that helps too!) but also changing our behavior. There is a saying “fake it till you make it” that always helps. If we act positive and happy the right feelings will follow. This in turn will provide us with the mental capacity and tools to approach problems head on and find solutions for them and not give up at the first obstacle. UCLA life scientists have identified for the first time a particular gene's link to optimism, self-esteem and "mastery," the belief that one has control over one's own life. These are the three critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression. Although the research indicates that some people may be pre-disposed towards optimism, the researchers also concluded that people can train themselves to have an optimistic outlook, positive self- esteem and improve their skills to cope with stressful situations. We can also help our children develop self-esteem and a lifelong positive, can-do attitude by avoiding criticisms and praising accomplishments.

In today’s world it is hard to stay optimistic at all times. We are bombarded with information from all directions. Every time we switch on the TV or surf the internet news sites, seems like everything that could go wrong with the world is going wrong. Climate change, economic inequalities, wars, pervasive use of guns in the society etc are some things that seem so out of our control. These are some things that we may not be able to directly affect and change but it will help to have a pleasant outlook of life and a hope that reason will eventually prevail. For things we may have control over and can actually change, we can use positive thinking and optimistic outlook. These are some science-based “retraining” methods from the New York Times Well blog (The Optimistic Life):

 Face your fears head on. Step outside your comfort zone to help eliminate fear, anxiety and negative thoughts that can stand in the way of success.  Re-evaluate events in your everyday life. Tell yourself that maybe things aren't so bad.  Practice mindful meditation. Allow feelings and thoughts to pass through your mind without judging or reacting to them; that helps create a sense of detachment from negative experiences.  Take control over how you feel instead of letting feelings control you. A sense that you control your destiny can help you bounce back from setbacks and maximize your enjoyment of life.  Laugh. Seek humor in everyday situations. It may sound clichéd but things do look better if you can learn to laugh at problems. Use positive feelings to counter negative ones.  Follow a healthy lifestyle. Exercise at least three times a week to positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. And learn to manage stress.  Surround yourself with positive people.  Be fully engaged. Get involved in activities that are meaningful to you, whether it's a career, hobby, sport or volunteering. As realists, living in the real world (most of the time!), we know that we will not be able to control all situations and not all outcomes will be positive. As optimists, we can succeed more than we expected and even if the effort is not successful we can take away positive life lessons from them. Lessons we can apply to future situations or develop abilities to tackle problems differently. To quote Winston Churchill “The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

References: www.sciencedaily.com, www.newsroom.ucla.edu, www.mayoclinic.com, www.nytimes.com

89 A Summer's Spell Adrija Das

The waves crash, and the children laugh

There is a crisp, warm feeling in the air, that lets no one stay still in their chair.

A couple in love, smile at the doves above.

The flowers sway to the symphony of the blue-jays.

The kids hop to and fro, glad that to school they no more have to go.

But then I wonder, as we pull our boats' mast, how long will this joy last?

My GAILSF Story Neel Maity

I came up with the word “GAILSF” few weeks Wurzburg is an UNESCO heritage site. ago. GAILSF happens to be the first letters of six We saw a 17th century Palace called Residenz countries in the middle of Europe: Germany, that was partially damaged during the World Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Wars. The Alstadt (or oldtown) by the side of France. Other than France and Italy, the the Main river was fun to walk around. There countries speak German. Other than was a beautiful Mainbrucke (bridge) over the Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the countries river decorated with statues. Then we drove on belong to the European Union (and use Euro). Autobahn A7 to Rothenburg where we spent the But what is common between all six countries is night. This was a 14th century walled city with a that the Alps run through them. I got a chance partial moat remaining around it. Our hotel to travel through these six countries this was in the center of this medieval town. All summer and that is how my GAILSF story houses had red tiled roof and colorful walls and started. cobble streets. I was so tired from a very long day after 24 hours of no sleep, so I crashed right I had been looking at the Google maps away. for days. I would try to imagine how fast cars could run on autobahns. I spent hours looking The next morning we went to explore through road signs. So I was very excited when the little town of Rothenburg. We climbed 208 the day arrived for us to leave. I could hardly stairs to reach the top of the clock tower which sleep in the airplane – I was going to Germany! was the tallest building in town. We also Straight after landing in Frankfurt, we started walked on the walls around the city like the driving to Wurzburg. This was our first time on watchman did in those olden times. an Autobahn. This was Autobahn A3. I was We continued south on Autobahn, A7 wide awake and eagerly read new German road again, this time to Füssen. The road from signs. Wurtzburg to Fussen through Rothenburg is

called the Romantik Strausse (Romantic Road)

saw a beautiful Linderhof castle right in the middle of the mountains. We saw a huge monastery in Ettal and walked around in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Over there we saw Zugspitze, the tallest mountain in Germany. Our final stop was Munich. We got very lost entering in Munich due to major subway

which was an important trade route in the olden times. We looked around Füssen that day and went to sleep early for the big event the next morning. Baba ran a Marathon in the rain and cold weather next morning. But luckily the sun came out by the time the race ended. We were excited to see him near the finish line. We took two busses to see the famous Neuschwanstein constructions. But with four pairs of eyes castle. This castle was built by Ludwig II and is looking for directions, we were able to get to our hotel safely. We took the S-Bahn to downtown Munich and had dinner in Marienplatz (the center of old town Munich). Next morning, we

built on top of a hill. He didn’t get to finish the castle while he was alive. It took 60 men to make his decorated bed canopy for one and a half years. We saw this bed in the tour and took the S-Bahn (S3) to oldtown again. Baba many other royal belongings inside the castle. went to see the concentration camp in Dachau From the hill, I could see vast green meadows, on the S2 line. Rest of us walked around the many lakes and the mighty Austrian Alps all VirtualMakt and had brunch there under the around from there. Beautiful! shady trees. It was a warm, sunny but a very nice day. We climbed 307 stairs of the clock The next day we detoured via Austria to tower at St. Peterkirsche (Church), the highest get into some of the hilly areas of Germany. We point of Munich and so we could see the whole

city from there. It was a very beautiful sight. We took U4 and U3 via Odeonsplatz to Universitatt. We walked a long ways in Englischer Garten where a lot of people were enjoying the sunshine. From there we took U6 and S4 to Isator to walk by the river Isar. Then we took S3 back to Taufkirchen. Unlike Paris where each track served a separate metro line, in Munich, they had same rail tracks serving up to 7 S-Bahn/U-Bahn lines in the old town area. whole area was covered in a thick blanket of ice and glaciers few 100 meters thick. Mountains Finally we were on the autobahns again, here were cut out in strange shapes with about on A995 to A8 (in Germany) and then A1 in 90 degree slopes by the glaciers. Now only Austria to reach Salzburg. In Salzburg, we saw beautiful lakes and little villages remain. One lots of beautiful Palaces, Cathedrals and plazas such village was Hallstatt. It is clinging on the in the oldtown. There was a castle called mountains in a very remote location by a lake. Hohensalzburg on top of a hill right next to the We also drove on very steep slopes up to a hill downtown. We climbed all the way up to the to Berchtesgaden and Konigsee in Germany. castle. River Salzach flows by Salzburg. The movie “Sound of Music” was filmed all around Innsbruck was out next stop. This town Salzburg. We walked around the city and saw is surrounded by Austrian Alps. Our hotel th many of those beautiful sights and palaces. I room was on the top (10 ) floor and we could liked Mirabell Gardens the most because I could see amazing views of the red roofed old see the castle on the hill from here and the buildings, church steeples and domes and Alps garden was decorated with lots of colorful behind. Innsbruck was home of 1964 and 1976 flowers and statues. winter Olympics, so it was a coincidence that we watched the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics games from here! This part

Our next destination was the Lake District and we took A10 to A1 towards Vienna. We drove to Mondsee, St. Gilgen and of Austria is very narrow and Italy is just south Wolfgangsee. During the great Ice Age, the of here and Germany little north of here. We

93 went over Brenner Pass and a slick looking Station) and saw a lot of long distance trains and Europa Bridge to go to Italy for a day. We S-Bahns leaving or London, Paris, Berlin, visited towns of Vipiteno (Sterzling) and Munchen and Milano. We walked down Bresannone (Brixen) in Italia. Towns in this part BahnhofStrausse. It was lined with many fancy of Italy have two names – one Italian and one stores. The oldtown of Zurich spreads over both German. We had an Italian lunch (Frutti di sides of the river Limmat and so we crossed the river many times on old (16th century) bridges. Lake Zurich borders the oldtown on the south east side. There were many boats sailing on the lake and lots of white swans.

Next day the sun came out and we drove to Interlaken. The road to Interlaken was very curvy. At one time we took a 2 u-turns followed by a 360 degree sharp turn through a tunnel – totaling to 720 degree turn that got me dizzy. Ma called it the “jilipi-r pyech”. We climbed up to Murren and saw a beautiful Mare pizza) in Italy!

Going west on A12, we went through the longest tunnel I had ever seen. It was almost 14km long. It seemed like I would never see light at the end of the tunnel again! Soon we reached the little country called Liechtenstein. It is only 62.7sq Km in area and its capital is Vaduz. We stopped for a while in Vaduz and then drove to Zurich (on A13 and A3). This day was an interesting day with a 3-country-meal deal: we had breakfast in Austria, lunch in Liechtenstein, and dinner in Switzerland. waterfall. The clouds cleared out and we saw Jungfrau and the mighty glaciers of Swiss Alps. In Switzerland the weather did not Then we drove to Bern and then Basel and then cooperate the first day with low clouds and to Strasbourg, France. drizzle. We went to Luzern and walked on the covered bridge and the old town. Luzern has a In Strasbourg we stayed in a hotel lake on one side and mountains all around, so it overlooking river Rhine. The old town of reminded me of Hallstatt. We then went to Stasbourg is on a big island on the Rhine. In the Engleburg which is the base camp for climbing oldtown, there is a magnificent Cathedral of Mt. Titlus and many other snowy peaks. Later Notre Dame (bigger than the one in Paris) – in the day we went to see Zurich. We drove which was built starting in 9th century and was right into the downtown without getting lost. made bigger many times in the medieval days. We walked to Hauptbahnhof (Central Train One of its bell towers that remain is very tall and

that makes this church 6th tallest in the world. Our trip was over, the next day we had On another part of the island we saw “Petit to pack and leave for Frankfurt. We were all France” with lots of medieval buildings around very sad that our adventurous road trip through canals on Rhine. After dark we went back to the the heart of Europe had come to an end. Cathedral of Notre Dame to see a nice music and light show on the huge front façade of the church.

95 Down the Ages Niharika Maity

The first time I ever experienced the grandeur of Medieval India was last December. For our winter break, on our way to Kolkata, we were going to stop over in New Delhi for a week to visit the popular Golden triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, to get a glimpse of Medieval Indian Architecture.

It was an early Christmas morning when we arrived in New Delhi. As we left the airport, a crimson sun peeped above the horizon. It looked pale through the dreaded, gray smog of New Delhi in winter. Yet it was refreshing to see the sun -- an advent of a new day in a new place for a new adventure. As we drove through the streets, lined with dusty trees and stores, I could feel a strange sense of thrill of simply being here – in the capital of modern, medieval and ancient India, the capital that has witnessed the rise and fall of numerous empires over more than two millenniums! Ironically, we had only a few days to indulge in this rich history.

Over the next few days we saw many monuments in New Delhi. I couldn’t help but admire the geometric precision of the fluted red sandstone tower of Qutub Minar, which tapers up to a height of about 240 feet and its intricate carvings and verses from the holy Qur'an. We visited the Humayun’s Tomb, the Red Fort, the Purana Quila, and a few others. All these monuments had one thing in common – their sheer massive structure and the awe inspiring architectural designs with precise symmetry and aesthetic beauty! The fine inlaid work on red sand stone or white marble was mesmerizing! I only gazed with amazement to learn that all these detailed carvings, inlaid and filigree work on marble and red stone were done manually without any modern precision machinery.

In conjunction with visiting some of marvels of medieval India, we saw a number of modern Indian sites as well such as the Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, and various government buildings. From the India Gate

driving west towards Rastrapati Bhavan (Prime Minister’s house) on the wide road called the Raj Path (which means “Royal Road”) indeed gave us a sense of pride and splendor. On both sides of the Raj Path, we noticed that preparations were already underway for the Republic Day that was still a month away. I have heard that an elaborate parade and show of Indian military power take place on the Raj Path commemorating India’s adoption of its Constitution in 1952 on that day.

After all the hustle and bustle of the Indian Capital, Lodi Gardens was a welcome change. Its greenery and shaded trees with several dilapidated tombs of medieval kings provided us a fine place to stroll for a while. Right next to the Lodi Gardens was the fine-looking Safdarjung’s Tomb, a similar monument but far less visited than the Humayun’s Tomb. We were the only tourists on the premise when the sun set midst the evening fog silhouetting the monument.

We rode the sparkling Delhi metro one day for a couple of stops to return back to our hotel in the Saket district. My brother was too eager to ride the metro – he tries to do so in every new city he visits! At the Saket Place, adjoining our hotel, were three mega malls that were decked up for the season with lots of light and decorations. The malls were so packed with people that there was hardly any room to stand and move around! Venturing through this impenetrable crowd, we managed to meet a family friend for dinner in the mall one night – it was quite an achievement!

The road leading from Delhi to Agra was uneventful through pastoral fields of mustard and other crops. On the way to our hotel, we stopped to see Sikandra, the tomb of Akbar the great, at just around sunset. By then, I had taken for granted the enormity of medieval monuments! But this ornate tomb was especially impressive with colossal walls filled with intricate geometric mosaic art. We watched a few wild peacocks put up an impromptu show for us in the gardens at dusk. The city of Agra itself was a letdown. It was quite ironic to see its dusty, narrow, unplanned,

97 crowded roads leading to many grand, world famous mausoleums!

Over the last several years, friends in my school would ask me if I had seen the Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal has always been the icon of India to the western world. So I had longed to see its greatness with my own eyes. Finally, we went to see the Taj on a clear cold morning just before sunrise. When we arrived, the monument was completely covered with dense fog and we could not see a thing beyond the massive gates. As we walked around the beautiful gardens in the complex, the sun rose and the curtains of fog lifted in front of our eyes, revealing the grandest wonder I had ever seen! In the early morning rays of sunshine, thru the cold and crisp air, the Taj Mahal appeared like an enormous monument of gold – unlike any image I had ever seen. We spend a good part of the morning walking around the complex, absorbing its beauty and vastness. We admired the rows and rows of floral motifs and calligraphy that beautifully adorned the massive walls. We spent the rest of the day touring other famous sights of Agra including Agra Fort, Itmad-Ul-daulah (also called baby Taj for its exquisite inlaid work packed in a relatively small sized monument) and the less travelled Charbagh across the Jamuna river presenting beautiful views of the Taj Mahal. Agra Fort was grand and gigantic with two layers of protective walls around the fort. We saw the chamber where Shah Jahan spent his last days, imprisoned by his son, overlooking the Taj Mahal at a distance.

Our next stop was Fatehpur Sikri – built in red sandstone. I was a bit overwhelmed with visiting too many forts and grand architectures that were similar in many ways, yet each had its own identity. All forts (Red fort, Agra fort and the one at Fatehpur Sikri) had Diwan-i-Am or Hall for the Public where the ruler held their daily meetings with the subjects; and the Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of private audience where the ruler would hold private meetings with selected ministers.

The fort at Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar but was later abandoned due to scarcity of water. One of Akbar’s favorite wives (the Mughal emperors often had many wives) was Hindu and with her came the Hindu influences in the architecture of Fatehpur Sikri. The most prominent

inflence was the Panch Mahal – a five storey palace with decorated pillars and brackets. We also saw the high entrance gate called Buland Darwaja, which was added after Akbar's victory over the Deccan. Only one building at Fatehpur Sikri was made out of white marble, the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti, Akbar's spiritual teacher. It was a square chamber, with a screened verandah, containing latticed panels of exquisite design.

By now, I had learned the Bangla mnemonic “Babar Hoilo Abar Jor Sarilo Aushodhe” to remember the succession of the Mughal emperors “Babar Humayun Akbar Jahangir Shah Jahan and Aurangjeb.”

The highway leading from Agra to Jaipur, capital of the state of Rajasthan, was very modern with six lanes passing through rural landscape and vast mustard fields covered with bright yellow blooms. As we approached Jaipur, we could see the hills of the Aravalli Range slowly making their appearance.

The old city of Jaipur, popularly known as the Pink City, was literally enclosed within pink city walls. Majority of the buildings were also painted pink, some with white hand painted decorations.

The next day we went to see the Amber Palace perched on top of a hill. Unlike the monuments and forts we had seen before, this was built by a Rajput (Hindu) King – Raja Mansingh. The Palace was beautifully decorated with hundreds of chambers and balconies overlooking the hills and circuitous roads below. Further up the Aravalli hills was Jaigard Fort that still houses the world’s largest cannon. According to a legend, there is a secret passage from the Amber Palace to the Jaigard Fort that the king used for quick readiness in times of attacks.

One of the unique architectures we saw was the 'Hawa Mahal' (the Palace of the Wind) at Jaipur. An extraordinary set of extremely narrow rooms adjoined the façade with perforated screens for queens and royal ladies to watch the procession below on the streets without being seen, yet provided enough ventilation to be comfortable in the hot, dry climate of Rajasthan. We also visited the City Palace and ended our day at the Jantar Mantar – an

99 astronomical observatory built in the seventeenth century by King Jai Singh. The observatory consisted of fourteen major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars' location as the earth orbits around the sun, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. It was fascinating to learn about the advanced nature of astronomical studies during the medieval days!

After a wondrous and hectic week in North India and thoroughly enjoying the true collection of gems all over the Golden Triangle – it was time to go to Kolkata for a real vacation and to meet our relatives. As we flew from Jaipur to Kolkata, through the morning fog we could see the grand Himalaya Range to our left crowning this glorious nation that I am so proud of!

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Ishika Nag

Anoushka Chakrabarty Molly Bagchee

101 Without Anything Ananya Chakrabarty

Without summer, your whole life would be a bummer Without cake, you wouldn’t have anything to bake Without the sun, you would miss out on all the fun Without frogs, flies would attack dogs Without donuts, you would have to eat coconuts Without art, you wouldn’t be able to paint a heart Without a song, you wouldn’t have anything to play along Without a hand, you wouldn’t be able to play with sand Without a sport, you wouldn’t be able to give a team support Without a laptop, you can’t order online from a gift shop Without ANYthing, your life wouldn’t be amazing

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raÊa baÊa nIla muKuiF, tÆÅa cº¡bà¹I

†ilS maeCr Ÿpalaw banabar pãNalI : nIla muKuiF

†ilS maeCr ŸpFIr idek kƒaFa km Taek, taet nun Hlud maKaet Hy, ŸbS Bal ker Bajet Heb| sr› puraena cal Duey taet nun, Hlud, kƒaca lªka, Vda baFa pCÆd meta icin ŸmeK VD GÆFa raKet Heb| bR pYaen Ÿtl idey ˆnaen Aæp Vƒec ikCuQn Bajet Heb, VÆdaj meta jl idet Heb, Bat ŸbSI nrm na Hy, jl ìikey Ÿgel Baja maC idey pYan Jƒaikey naRet Heb Zaet maC imeS Zay ATc na Ba„eg| grm grm ŸKet Bal lageb| Zara kƒaFa semt maC ŸKet ABYó» nn, taedr jnY sabDan, sabDan, sabDan!!! raÊa baÊa tÆÅa cº¡bà¹I ŸgaFa mSlay pafar ma„s raÊar pãNalI : raÊar ˆpkrN : 3 paˆ¸ paFar ma„s, 7-8iF ŸgaFa Ÿpƒyaj, 8-10 iF ŸgaFa rsuenr Ÿkaya,4-5 iF kƒaca lªka,7-8 iF Vdar bR ips, ŸgaFa ijer 1/2 camc,5-6 iF ìkena lªka, 5-6 lbªg, 5-6 iF ŸCaF …lac,Ÿgal mirc,8-5 iF daricin| nun Jal VÆdaj mt| pãTem iBingaer ma„s Faek Bal ker Duey inn| tarpr samanY Hlud …b„ nun maiKey KainQN ŸreK idn| pãTem k™kaer Ÿtl Ÿzel Bal ker grm Het idn, Ÿtl grm Hey Ÿgel ìkena sb mSla §ela grm Ÿtel Bajun ŸZmn ijer, ìkena lªka, …lac, Ÿgal mirc, daricin, lbªg^ …rpr Vda ,rsun, Ÿpƒyaj, kƒaca lªka … §il …k sŸªg Bajun| Halka lal Baja Hey Ÿgel, nun Hlud maKa ma„s Ÿzel …ksaeT KainQn Bajun, tapr VÆdaj meta jl idey k™kariFek bÉ ker idn| ma„s ŸsÁ Hey Ÿgel k™kariF weBn ŸTek s irey raKun, ikCuQN AepQa ker pirebSn kr›n|

103 My 30 Minute Bengali Ranna Trishna Pati

What comes to mind when you think of Bengali cooking? Most definitely it would be the elaborate preparation with cooking time of 1 hour and above. It needs many different spices ground down to fine powder or made into a paste. Almost every Bengali dishes needs whole spices or red chilies for tempering and the list doesn’t end there. In the end it requires garnishing too. Of late, I have started considering myself a great cook as I have been getting compliments from my close friends on my very simple dishes. My husband and my daughter are my greatest fans. For my better cooking talents, I give the whole credit to my genes. My mom is a great cook, and all her dishes have a special flavor to it. According to my mom, to create dishes with good flavor, consistency, and texture, various ingredients must have a kind of relationship to one another.

My friends who love my cooking doesn’t know the fact that I hate day-to-day cooking. With two growing children, who can eat the whole house, cooking gets even more challenging. So I decided to focus on simple easy quick-30 minutes recipes. I am preparing myself to be the next Bengali Racheal Ray. Here are a few of them for you to try:

Aloo Poustu:

Ingredients: Two cups aloo cubes, salt per your taste, ½ cup poustu paste, green peppers slit, 2 teaspoon oil.

Procedure: Mix all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl, cover it and microwave for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with mustard oil.

Begoon Bhaafa:

Ingredients: 3 cups Japanese eggplant cut into rectangles, salt per your taste, pinch of turmeric, ½ cup mustard coconut paste, green peppers slit, 4 teaspoon oil

Procedure: Mix all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl, cover it and microwave it for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with mustard oil and cilantro.

Chicken Masala:

Ingredients: 1 pound of chicken breast/ thigh marinated in yoghurt for 3-4 hours, salt per your taste, i/2 packet Shaan’s chicken masala or barbeque masala, ½ cup ginger-garlic-onion paste, 1 tablespoon oil

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Procedure: Take the chicken out of the marinate, mix all the ingredients in a oven safe container, and stick it in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 350 degree Fareinheit. Garnish with cilantro. This tastes better than any chicken recipes.

Shorse Maach:

Ingredients: 1 pound of Tilapia fila cleaned and marinated in salt for an hour, mustard paste home grinded, 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste, green peppers slit, 1 tablespoon oil or less.

Procedure: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except the fish. Place the fish in a oven safe container, pour the sauce on the fish, and stick it in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 350 degree Fareinheit. Garnish with cilantro and mustard oil (optional).

105 Obituary:

Dr. Subtrato Chandra was born to Shachi Dulal and Sujata on September 28, 1950. He passed away in University of Miami Hospital from complications after surgery on January 13, 2012. He came to US in 1971 as a student in University of West Virginia (WVU) and received his PhD in Aerospace Engineering in 1975. He Worked from 1976-2010 as Director of Research and Development and Program Director in Florida Solar Energy Center of the University of central Florida. Since 2010, He was a Senior Buildings Engineer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He was a founding member of the Bengali Society of Florida. He is survived by his wife Mitra Son Samir, daugher Seema, Father Sachi Dulal Chandra, Sisters Sucharita and Shraboni and brother Sugato. His mother Sujata passed away in 1973.

Dr. Narayan Chandra Halder was born to Anant Lal and Suniti Halder on August 9, 1939. He passed away peacefully at his home on September 25, 2012. He received his Ph. D. in Physics from Indian Institute of Technology, India. He was a professor in Physics at the University of South Florida for a long period of time and retired as a Professor Emeritus in Physics. He was a member of the Bengali Society of Florida since its inception for a long period of time. He is survived by his wife Gita Halder, sons Abhijit (Punita) and Devjit and grandsons Ayush and Ankit.

Courtesy: Dr. Ratan Guha

"Ÿkˆ kTa raeK in, Ÿkˆ kTa raeK na'ÎsunIl geªgapaDYay …r mHapãyaN

"kaeSr iSKa Zt kƒipeC TrTir miln maltI ŸZ piReC Jir Jir Ÿtamar ŸZ Velaek Amât idt ŸcaeK sMrN tar ikega mreN Zaeb Ÿfik' - cel Ÿgeln sunIl geªgapaDYay| "Ÿs† smy',"AreNY idnraiº' "pUàb-piëcm',"ranu w Banu' "pãTm Vela'"menr manux'-…r ŸlKk ba–ailr menr manux,ipãy ŸlKk sunIl geªgapaDYay Vmaedr ŸCeR cel Ÿgeln,Vj mªglbar mHanbimr idn| itin Hœderaeg Vº¡aÇ» Hey mara Zan| tƒar VtMar SaiÇ» kamna k'ir|

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Children's Art

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Durga Puja 2011

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Saraswati Puja 2012

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114 Baishakhi 2012

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Holi 2012

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SILVER SPONSORS

Dr. Tahsina & Dr. B.M. Atiquzzaman Rupa & Angshuman Bagchee Dr. Amrita Mukherjee & Aniket Bhattacharya

Gargi & Amitava Bose Ratna & Debopam Chakrabati Tandra & Soumya Chakrabarti Paramita & Ajay Chakraborty Kakali & Debashis Chanda

Sadhinata Chatterjee Debleena & Debojyoti Ghosh Bratati & Dr. Ratan Guha Jhunu & Ram Mahapatro Bharati Mandal Sumita & Samir Mitra Piyali and Avitosh Pal

Reena & Anindiya Paul Samapika & Madhusudan Rana Sadhinata Chatterjee Samapika and Madhusudan Rana

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CURRENT COMMITTEE 2011

Member at Large: Reena Ghosal

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PREVIOUS COMMITTEES

 1982: President: Amar Mukherjee; Vice President: Deblina Rudra; Secretary: Sukumar Banerjee; Treasurer: Ratan Guha; Member-at-large: Mahendra Biswas

 1983-1984: President: Amar Mukherjee; Vice President: Deblina Rudra; Secretary: Sukumar Banerjee; Treasurer: Ratan Guha; Member-at-large: Dines Das

 1985: President: Amar Mukherjee; Vice President: Deblina Rudra; Secretary: Sukumar Banerjee; Treasurer: Sadhana Debnath; Member-at-large: Dines Das

 1986-1987: President: Ratan Guha; Vice President: Deblina Rudra; Dipak Roy; Secretaries: Sukumar Banerjee; Ruby Das; Treasurers: Jhunu Mahapatra, Narayan Halder; Members-at- large: Krishna Mandal; Ajoy Adhikari

 1988-1989: President: Deblina Rudra; Dipak Roy; Vice President: Mahendra Biswas; Secretaries: Mitra Chandra, Asit Ghosh; Treasurers: Pampa Mukherjee, Prabir Guha; Ratan Guha (1989); Members-at-large: Renu Das, Basudeb Roy; Kalidas Bhadra

 1990-1991: President: Krishna Mandal ; Vice President: Subhas Chatterjee; Secretaries: Manoranjan Das; Basana Biswas; Treasurers: Ram Mohapatra; Nandita Bose; Members-at-large: Ranojoy Adhikari, Madhumita Chatterjee, Dipak Roy

 1992-1993: President: Kalidas Bhadra; Vice President: Sanghamitra Ghosh; Secretaries: Keya Mazumder; Ajoy Adhikari; Treasurer: Ratan Guha; Members-at-large: Jhunu Mohapatra, Tanima Roy Choudhury

 1994-1995: President: Pranab Bhattacharya; Vice Presidents: Alok Bose, Sujit Rudra; Secretaries: Sujit Bhowmik, Sudeep Sarkar; Treasurers: Gita Halder, Trishna Pati; Members-at-large: Anuradha Banerjee, Mitra Chandra, Madhurima Das; Ashoke Gangopadhyay

 1996-1997: President: Arunava Mukherjea; Vice Presidents: Banani Bhadra; Sudeep Sarkar; Secretaries: Arabinda Banerjee; Bhaswati (Nina) Brahma; Treasurers: Ratan Guha, Trishna Pati; Members-at-large: Asoke Gangopadhyay; Arunava Ganguly; Renu Das; Anju Mukherjee; Sanghamitra Saha

 1998-1999: President: Bidyut Chakravorty; Vice Presidents: Milan Mukherji, Abani Sharma; Secretaries: Siddhartha Sarbadhikary; Siddhratha Sen; Treasurers: Supratik Dey; Ratan Guha; Members-at-large: Amitabha Bose; Dipak Roy (Dipak Mukherjee); Tanima Roy Choudhury; Sanghamitra Saha

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 2000-2001: President: Rabindranath Bera; Vice Presidents: Madhabi Banerjee; Jayanta Bhattacharya; Secretaries: Ratan Guha; Kunal Mitra ; Treasurers: Debarati Ghosh; Mahua Kar; Members-at-large: Anita Chakraborty; Durgabai Ganguli; Shampa Mitra; Tanima Roy Choudhury; Rupa Sarkar

 2002-2003: President: Soumitra De; Vice Presidents: Jhunu Mahapatra; Secretaries: Kunal Mitra; Rupa Sarkar; Treasurers: Sreemoy Ghosh; Mallika Kapat; Members-at-large: Chanchal Hazra; Avanti Pakrasi; Bidhan Saha; Sabyasachi Chakraborty; Advisory Council: Kalyan Chakraborty; Ratan Guha; Deblina Rudra

 2004: President: Ashoke Mukherjee; Vice President: Trishna Pati; Secretaries: Soumya Chakraborty (Subir Goswami); Debasis Bera (Sujit Das); Treasurers: Pratyush Nag; Cultural committee: Aparajita Deb; Aparajita Das (Mahua Choudhury); Members-at-large: Avanti Pakrasi; Shraboni Chakraborti; Advisory Council: Renu Das; Anuradha Banerjee; Swagata Nair; Ratan Guha; Jhunu Chatterjee; Manoranjan Das; Deblina Rudra

 2005-2006: President: Soumitra De; Vice President: Subir Goswami; Secretary: Anirban Bhattacharya; Treasurer: Mahua Kar; Cultural committee: Rupa Sarkar; Members-at-large: Shraboni Chakraborty; Sreemoy Ghosh; Bidhan Saha; Advisory Council: Deblina Rudra; Anuradha Banerjee; Ashok Choudhuri; Ratan Guha; Ram Mahapatra

 2007-2008: President: Soumitra De; Vice-President: Sujoy Das Kundu; Vice-President: Trishna Pati; Secretaries: Soumya Chakrabarti; Ritwik Biswas; Treasurer: Tanima Roy Choudhury; Pradip gupta; Registered Agent: Subir Goswami

 2009-2010: President: Sujoy Daskundu; Vice President : Trishna Pati; Secretary : Debasish Bera; Asst. Secretary : Souranshu Sarkar; Treasurer: Pradip Gupta; Member-at-large: Chirajyoti Deb; Avanti Pakrasi; Registered Agent : Soumitra De

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Financial Statement 2011 Bengali Society of Florida 1/1/2011 Through 12/31/2011 Beginning Bank Balance 1/1/2011 $ 3,202.93 CD 1 1/1/2011 $ 10,100.46 CD2 1/1/2011 $ 11,042.56

Income Collection Deposit From Last term $ 100.00 Interest income from CD $ 64.90 $ 100.00 Saraswati Puja 2011 $ 2,695.00 $ 164.90 Poila Baishakha - 2011 $ 1,800.00 $ 2,859.90 Durga Puja -2011 $ 30,463.70 $ 4,659.90 Kali Puja-2011 $ 3,610.00 $ 35,123.60 Total Income Categories $ 38,733.60 $ 38,733.60 Grand Total Income & Bank Balance + CD $ 63,079.55 $ 63,079.55 Expense BSF Expenses Outstanding check from 2010 $ 150.00 Bank Charges $ 17.00 $ 150.00 Bank Charges misc $ 12.00 $ 167.00 Registration $ 61.25 $ 179.00 BSF Misc Expense $ 124.81 $ 240.25 Stamp/reciept Book $ 40.64 $ 365.06 Keys $ 3.26 $ 405.70 Domain Registry $ 61.80 $ 408.96 Storage $ 1,442.00 $ 470.76 Yahoo Website $ 119.40 $ 1,912.76 Total BSF $ 2,032.16 $ 2,032.16 saraswati Puja - 2011 Hall $ 695.00 $ 695.00 Cultural Program $ 250.00 $ 945.00 Sound System $ 140.00 $ 1,085.00 Sound System Tech $ 60.00 $ 1,145.00 Food (Dinner) $ 625.00 $ 1,770.00 Puja Prasad & misc $ 206.95 $ 1,976.95 Pizza $ 95.00 $ 2,071.95 hall Attendant $ 20.00 $ 2,091.95 Stove & propane $ 77.03 $ 2,168.98 Food- Lunch $ 535.32 $ 2,704.30 Water Bottle $ 62.50 $ 2,766.80 Total Sarswati Puja Expense $ 2,766.80 $ 2,766.80 Poila Baishaks 2011 Food $ 1,050.00 Hall Rental $ 374.50 $ 1,050.00 Sound System $ 200.00 $ 1,424.50 Artist $ 200.00 $ 1,624.50 Pizza $ 64.59 $ 1,824.50 Plates/Water etc $ 110.00 $ 1,889.09 Total Poila Baishaks 2011 $ 1,999.09 $ 1,999.09 Durga Puja 2011 Cultural Event $ 8,190.00 Artist Accomodation, Transporation & hosting $ 718.75 $ 8,190.00 Puja Decoration, Prasad< flowers $ 768.50 $ 8,908.75 Food Inlc all lunch, dinner, pizza $ 6,359.22 $ 9,677.25 Movers, Cleaners and Day Help $ 730.00 $ 16,036.47 Hall Rental $ 3,033.02 $ 16,766.47 Magazine $ 2,390.00 $ 19,799.49 Sound System $ 1,250.00 $ 22,189.49 Event Misc, Prizes, Plaqs, $ 162.85 $ 23,439.49 Total Durga Puja Expenses $ 23,602.34 $ 23,602.34 Kali Puja 2011 Cultural Event $ 1,800.00 Artist Accomodation (for 1 night) $ 62.59 $ 1,800.00 Food Incld Dinner, Pizza, Misc $ 915.28 $ 1,862.59 Hall Rental $ 467.59 $ 2,777.87 Sound System $ 125.00 $ 3,245.46 Decoration & Misc $ 52.60 $ 3,370.46 Total Kali Puja Expenses $ 3,423.06 $ 3,423.06 Total Expenses $ 33,823.45 $ 33,823.45 Income + Beginning BB +CD Minus Expenses $ 29,256.10 $ 29,256.10 Ending Bank Balance December, 2011 including CD $ 29,439.80 $ 29,439.80 Pending Checks Durga Puja 2011 $ 81.03 Kali Puja2011 $ 102.60 $ 81.03 Total Outstanding Checks $ 183.63 $ 183.63

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Financial Statement 2012 Bengali Society of Florida 1/1/2012 Through 8/31/2012 Beginning Bank Balance 1/1/2012 $ 19,287.34 CD 1 1/1/2012 $ 10,152.46

Category Income Collection Interest income from CD $ 4.91 Saraswati Puja 2012 $ 2,771.00 $ 4.91 Poila Baishakha - 2012 $ 739.70 $ 2,775.91 Durga Puja -2012 $ 2,500.00 $ 3,515.61 Total Income Categories $ 6,015.61 $ 6,015.61 Grand Total Income & Bank Balance (BB) $ 35,455.41 $ 35,455.41

Expense BSF Expenses Outstanding check from 2011 $ 155.22 Bank Charges misc $ 24.00 $ 155.22 Registration $ 61.25 $ 179.22 BSF Misc Expense $ 346.47 $ 240.47 Storage $ 1,476.00 $ 586.94 Sound System Damage $ 189.00 $ 2,062.94 Domain registry $ 95.92 $ 2,251.94 BSF Website $ 400.00 $ 2,347.86 Total BSF $ 2,747.86 $ 2,747.86 saraswati Puja - 2012 Hall $ 400.00 Sound System $ 260.00 $ 400.00 Food (Dinner) $ 850.00 $ 660.00 Puja Prasad & misc $ 234.55 $ 1,510.00 Cleaning Help $ 80.00 $ 1,744.55 Food- Lunch $ 588.97 $ 1,824.55 Prizes $ 120.00 $ 2,413.52 Total Sarswati Puja Expense $ 2,533.52 $ 2,533.52 Poila Baishaks 2012 Food $ 650.00 Hall Rental Plus attendent $ 396.00 $ 650.00 Sound System $ 250.00 $ 1,046.00 Artist $ 250.00 $ 1,296.00 Flowers $ 27.52 $ 1,546.00 Plates/Water etc $ 56.74 $ 1,573.52 Total Poila Baishaks 2011 $ 1,630.26 $ 1,630.26 Holi Picnic 2012 Pavillion $ 50.00 Food $ 560.00 $ 50.00 Water, Coal, Indian grocetc Misc $ 211.17 $ 610.00 Total Holi/Picnic Expense $ 821.17 $ 821.17 Durga Puja 2012 Cultural Event (Artist Advance) $ 4,000.00 Total Durga Puja Expenses $ 4,000.00 $ 4,000.00 Total Expenses $ 11,732.81 $ 11,732.81 Income + Beginning BB + CD minus expenses $ 23,722.60 $ 23,722.60 Ending Bank Balance August 31, 2012 $ 23,882.00 $ 23,882.00 Pending Checks $ 56.74 $ 56.74 $ 102.60 $ 102.60

Total Outstanding Checks $ 159.34 $ 159.34

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BSF MEMBER DIRECTORY