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When I was my daughter's age, my dad would take me to the Calcutta Book Fair every winter; it was a mandatory event, despite his limited time due to work. I also remember visiting various museums with him, like the Indian Museum and the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum. I have decided that, just like he did, I will introduce my daughter to all these places whenever I visit Kolkata. So this summer, around my birthday, we took her to the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum. Luckily, my dad was there too, and I wanted to recreate the wonderful experiences I had as a child for my daughter.  The Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM) is located on Gurusaday Road in Ballygunge, Kolkata. Started in 1959, it is the first museum in India under the National Council of Science Museums. The museum is divided into two parts. Upon entering, one would be stunned to find the aquariums and various bird cages on the left. On the right side, there is a small garden with the b...

An advertisement for KitKat featuring Ayushmann Khurrana perfectly illustrates what many of us experience daily in our hectic lives. With professional deadlines, family demands, and social pressures, the expectations placed on a single individual can sometimes feel overwhelming in this complex world.  I am not immune to the chaotic nature of the world we live in and am equally affected by its vicious circle. In the past, I would often feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure of my responsibilities, which led me to isolate myself. However, I eventually realized that this only worsened my problems by straining my personal and social life. I was fortunate to take a three-year break from my professional life. During this time, I focused on personal growth and came to realize the importance of one key concept: balance. The essence of living lies in balancing our responsibilities. I've learned a great deal from my husband about how to manage work while still maintaining a sense of openn...

Ruku was walking alone toward the school, his eyes wandering, trying to find something. Suddenly, he felt a pat on his back. It was Sonia. "Hey, how are your preparations?" she asked excitedly. "Good, but..." he replied, seeming upset. "Hey, what happened?" inquired a concerned Sonia. "Nothing, let's hurry up; we have to arrive on time." Although he said that, Ruku kept looking around as if searching for something the entire way. The question paper was tough, and Ruku was nervous. He did not know how he had done; it went by in a flow, and he wrote everything he could. However, one thought kept nagging at him: he should have seen them on his way to school before the exam. They were always his lucky charm, and today there were none, leaving him with a sense of emptiness. He glanced at Sonia, who appeared calm and satisfied while writing her paper. After school, Sonia was cheerful, discussing how easy the exam had been. Suddenly, Ruku stopped an...

Sukanta Bhattacharya was a highly talented poet from Bengal whose untimely demise at the young age of 23 was a significant loss to Bengal's literary scene. In the short span of his life, the few poems published in his poetry book, "Chharpatra" (The Passport), established him as one of Bengal's leading poets, posthumously. Even today, his poems remain relevant, capturing the spirit of India's youth and advocating for change and equality. His life and death, along with his impact on Bengal's literary scene, have often been compared to that of John Keats, as both died from tuberculosis at a young age. He has always spoken about the oppressed and their struggle to make ends meet. His descriptions of the harsh realities, with mundane comparisons, are unparalleled. This is my attempt to translate one of his most famous poems from Chharpatra. Oh, the Greatness, now no more poetry Bring us to the harsh prose of reality. Remove the grace and chime of verses Blow th...

June 21st is celebrated as World Music Day . I have always been a huge fan of Hindi film music from the 80s and 90s. Additionally, I have a strong fondness for Bengali music, particularly the work of Anupam Roy, who has been almost ruling the Bangla music scene for a decade. His music is soulful and gentle, and his lyrics are both novel and relatable, making a significant impact on listeners. It is for the urban hearts who fall in love, break up, get shattered, but rise again and continue to live. Here are a few of his most popular songs that have surely touched many hearts.   1. Amake Amar Moto Thakte Dao ( Autograph ): Srijit Mukherji's first feature film, along with Anupam Roy's debut album, features a few songs that have introduced a new genre of music representative of Anupam Roy's signature style. The lyrics, somewhat unusual, include lines like "Hiseber Bhire Ami Chaina Chute, Joto Sukno Peyaj Koli Fridge-er Shite, Ami Obelar Dal Bhate Furiye Gechi, Gelaser Jol...

While exploring old Bengali literature, I often encounter descriptions of a person's beautiful features being compared to various food items. Similar to the phrase "Sharbati Aankhen" in Hindi/Urdu or "almond-shaped eyes" in English, we Bengalis have developed our own beauty standards influenced by food. Perhaps I could call it "BeautiFood standards." Today, I thought of sharing with my readers some of the most popular "Beautifood Standards" most widely used in literature. 1. Potol Chera Chokh: It literally means eyes shaped like split pointed gourds or parwal . This phrase has been extensively used to describe a woman's beautiful and large eyes. However, if we consider it literally, the image may look...well...you decide.. Is it not "Beautifood?" 2. Paner Moton Mukh: The literal translation of the phrase is a face shaped like a betel leaf, which refers to heart-shaped facial features. If you've observed, many of the tradi...