North Kolkata Calling !!

                   Old Calcutta Musical Society organised its next session on Classical Music                   &  Dance on 13th July 2013 at Chatu Babu Latu Babu's Natmandir.

It was an experience ! An experience to witness how a brand was  being artificially built within a short span. Here is the story.... It was a wedding house and the host was, of course , a very rich  person. Through his influence he successfully invited few dignitaries who were supposed to enlighten the occasion. Nothing unusual, of course, as these things have become quite normal and nobody bothers to dig deeper. Things were going in the right direction when something unusual happened.... (to continue)   

                                       WHAT :  MITALI SENGUPTA-THUMRI                                                     Accompaniment:                                                   BIVASH SANGHAI-TABLA                                                   DEBASHIS HALDER-SARENGHI                                                                                                     ARCHI DEB-LIGHT CLASSICAL                                                   Accompaniment :-                                                  SANDIP CHAKTABORTY-TABLA                                                  ARCHANA DUTT-HARMONIUM                                                                                                      ANUREKHA GHOSH-KATHAK                                        ORGANIZER : OLD CALCUTTA MUSICAL SOCIETY                                                                                                                        WHERE: CHATU BA

Biryani is perhaps the most popular dish in India.One can believe Pista House of Hyderabad if they claim that they are selling more than 7/8 Lak plates per day. But that cannot be a reasonable excuse for claiming a patient.Both the Muglai and Andhra Pradeshi influence played  important role in producing  Hyderabadi biryani which is considered the best in our country.One,however cannot deny that various forms of biryani exists. This could easily be detected  if one travels from place to place while tasting the variety !   

Let us not take any name-we could call him ram shyam or rahim. He was a happy go lucky man in the truest sense.Sometimes,though, he felt an urge to peep a little further from the laxman rekha, that he himself has built around him. This time he, unfortunately, peeped a  little too further-just, maybe to have a little more fun out of his daily round the clock life. Sorry-got himself into trouble! A trouble that took his life !! A chit fund victim ? Maybe.     

In a report by Abhinanda Datta (The Telegraph, Metro Dt.6th May 2013) it is stated" Chatubabu Latubabur Bari, now known for the family's annual Durga and Kali Puja." It is to be noted that the word 'now known' is perhaps incorrect.If one cares to search history (or the Net) one could easily find the importance of the house in various fields for centuries.Apart from Durga, Jaggadharti,Saraswati,Kali and even Kartik Puja -the Jhulan & Charak Utsab too is celebrated till now.The house is equally well known for its patronage towards Indian Classical Music ! Chatubabu himself was a musician and perhaps the first Bengali Sitarist. Eminent artists like Bade Gulam Ali Khan,Amir Khan,Udayshankar, Ravishankar, Vilayat  Khan,Roshan Kumari,Allarakha, Karamutalla etc. performed in this house. This tradition is still maintained by mainly Saibal & Mausam Deb.                        

We came to know from The Hindu (17th April 2013) that an exhibition will be held in Washington DC in December 2013.Expectation is that it will attract more than 7 million visitors. Object is to highlight the Indian- American story. As claimed by Lavina Melwani the early Indian presence dates back to 1790. Heartiest congratulations to the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History for the endeavor !