Tuesday 27 May 2014

Let it rain

“Into each life some rain must fall” – H.W. Longfellow.

Through the looking glass | www.anirbansaha.com

There is just something about the sight, sounds and smell of raindrops falling from the sky that appeals to the senses more than any other natural phenomenon ever can. Rains make you realize the wealth of emotions that you carry. Rains make you introspect and retrospect, and bring you closer to understanding yourself. Put very simply, rains make you happy.

After braving the tumultuous heat of the Great Indian Summer, the rains come with a cathartic appeal – helping you transcend your dilapidated state both physically and mentally. The rains are nature’s way of asking you to let go. Let go of the soggy grimness that accompanied your summer. Let go of the exhaustion in your mind and in your limbs. Let go of your inhibitions and rise again, for the rains have washed away the sorrows of yesterday.

Monday 26 May 2014

Hanging out with Derek O'Brien

Every Calcuttan has been a fan of TV's most popular quiz contest, and consequently a fan of the quizmaster Derek O'Brien. We have grown up watching the man carry on the legacy of the O’Brien family, and at some point or the other we have all attended a Derek O’Brien quiz. It was, therefore, an immense honour to be given the opportunity to discuss ideas face to face with the man himself.

O'Brien wants Kolkata to fly high.

On Sunday the 25th of May, 2014, Kolkata Bloggers collaborated with other bloggers and concerned minds around the city to discuss with Derek O’Brien the way to further the image of our beloved state of Bengal.

Monday 19 May 2014

Baari Tar Bangla: Bloggers' Meet

On the 18th of May, 2014, a team from the movie “Baari tar Bangla” conducted a Blogger Engagement program and Google Hangout, streamed live, in collaboration with Kolkata Bloggers and Google.
The event was a one-of-its-kind “Virtual adda”, as SatrajitSen put it. You can watch the recorded hangout here.

Raima Sen defends a googly. Picture: www.anirbansaha.com

For well over an hour and a half, actors Saswata Chatterjee and Raima Sen, along with Satrajit Sen and direction Rangan Chakravarti, fielded questions from us bloggers, shared jokes, narrated stories from incidents during shooting of the movie, and just generally participated in a fun interaction. From candid jokes, to memorable moments, the evening had it all.

Tuesday 13 May 2014

Desires

Note: This is the first guest-article on this blog. The story is written mostly by Rupsha Bhadra, a woman of myriad talents (I'm whipped) who took a paragraph I had written and gave it a plot. She refused to share the story herself, for some inexplicable reason, which is why it finds a place here. Check out her blog here

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Love. A strange word indeed.

Suchitra was tongue-tied. She tried to tell him, but she was too shy. Her mind conjured up all possible responses that would amount to rejection on his part. At the same time, she knew now was as good a time as any to tell him how much she loved him; how long she would wait each day for him to arrive just so they could travel the remaining distance together; how the sound of his voice was music to her ears. “I love you, Sid”, she whispered. Its easy, she told herself. She’d practiced this way too many times already.

Monday 12 May 2014

Our Dysfunctional Democracy

Your right. Your responsibility.
“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.” At the stroke of the midnight hour, a torn blouse, a frantic scream, a red stain on white sheet. Just a mile away, the tryst with destiny had begun.

The largest democracy in the world was always a troubled daughter. She was the pinnacle of glory and culture, revered by the world. Then she fell from grace, and her body was torn apart by emperors and rulers out for blood. This went on for far too long. And just as she could smell a hint of relief, the British came in and entered her coasts, ravaging her, violating her dignity for centuries.

Monday 5 May 2014

#Vote4Children - This Time For Education

She looks up at the skies in hope – a hope of liberation from the shackles of labour. But soon, her master’s screams send her crashing back to reality. She is only ten years old, yet forced to work as a servant. Her family needs the money to survive. In her heart, she wonders what she did wrong to fall into this punishment. She looks up at the skies again, but all she can see are dark clouds, echoing the gloom in her life.

Such is the story of over 126 lakh children in India today. In addition, roughly 140 lakh children in the country have never seen the inside of a school. We are a land of contradictions – India dreams of becoming a superpower, yet a third of the world’s poor still reside here. India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, yet home to the most number of malnourished children. Indians are part of the most educated circles in the world, yet the country is plagued with illiteracy.

Friday 2 May 2014

India's "Premier" League

The drama began in 2008 when the Board of Control for Cricket Internationally, I mean, in India (BCCI) decided that they needed something different to showcase their plans for future entertainment. Add a dollop of ideas stolen from the erstwhile Indian Cricket League (ICL), a generous flow of money poured in by businessmen and filmstars alike, a splash of semi-nude cheerleaders and extra-loud DJ’s, and you have the birth of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

One must admit that the tournament was inaugurated in unbelievable fashion – courtesy an unbeaten 158 by Brendon McCullum. However, six seasons and sixty thousand scandals into the proceedings, the event has now become less about cricket, and more about unadulterated entertainment.