North Kolkata Calling !!

I was around 27 years old when I first started the Basant Utsav along with my friends. I was very interested in music and took my first lesson in Rabindra Sangeet from my cousin brother. He usually organised Tagore's dance drama  such as Shyama, Tasher Desh etc. I also took my lesson in Indian Classical Music from a descendant of Jadu Bhatta.                          Basanta Utsav to be held at          Chatu Babu Latu Babu Bari

We have a strange feeling when we come face to face with people who are no more. Here ,specially, I am talking about the  artists who left us. Yet they have left behind a strong legacy for us to follow. The picture we see of Vilayat Khan and Alla Rakha shows the closeness of the artists between their interested listeners.                 An old photo from Chatu Babu Latu Babu's Thakurbari.

Cooks are highly regarded in our society. It is a known fact that they can easily grab our attention by serving us tasty foods. It so happened that two customers named Tajeem Shamsi and Mayanak Rastogi ordered kebab at a restaurant. Nasir Ahmed the cook prepared the ordered food and served. According to the customers, who were drunk ,the food was tasteless. They had an argument with the cook and the final outcome was that Rastogi lost his patience. He took out his father's licensed gun and shot the cook. Unfortunately the cook died. A Bareilly court sentenced both of them to jail for life imprisonment.

The Basanta Utsav, organised by Saibal and Mausam Deb, is being held every year. This year it will be held at Chatu Babu Latu Babu's Bari  on 6th April 2024. The program will be Classical as well as Rabindrasangeet and dance . Since Chatu Babu (Ashutosh Deb) is probably the first Bengali Sitarist- Sitar plays an important role in every program of this house.    Pdt.Ravishankar at Chatu Babu Latu Babu's Thakurbari.

Bengali accounts books found in an old zamindar's house. Rokor, Challan, Khotian, Thoka etc names.

People with breathing problem usually takes the help of oxygen. Now, here is the case of a lawyer named Paul Alexander who has been living for 72 years with an iron lung ! Unbelievable isn't it ? The fact is that when he was only 6 years old  he was paralyzed by polio. He was forced to live with an iron lung that however kept him alive.  He was not expected to live long. Strangely Alexander did not stop. With his unusual lung he went on with his studies. After getting his degree in law he practiced for 30 years. He had to use the machine everyday throughout his life. He died at the age of 78 this Monday.

I was never interested in that girl. I have repeatedly tried to avoid her but to no avail. However she kept on disturbing me-sometime on the road and sometime over the phone. It so happened that I was taking my mother to the market to buy some clothes. I still remember it was the New market in Kolkata which is known to all. To my surprise I found the girl there probably with her father. I presumed that she was telling something to her father and the elderly person looked awkwardly at me. I was at a loss to  understand what she might be telling about me. I however turned away from them and looked at my mother to see what she was doing. The more I tried to concentrate the more confused became I. I felt like a helpless man until someone tapped me on my shoulder. Surprisingly  I found the father. He excused himself and took me  aside. I was not only curious but a bit confused. However I decided to find out what he would like to say. Before he started speaking I found a tear r...