What it Means...

For a good build up of a World Cup Final?

India meets Sri Lanka. The Royal Bengal Tigers meet the Singhaleese Lions. Its a battle, all gonna remember coz many things are at stake. But before talking more about it, its time to recapitulate of the week gone by, where everything started to stare at India's way...

24/03/11. The D/N... a full house to view the India Australia match, when I was running to catch the train. It was fun time, a vacation, a departmental retreat as one would like to place it forward. Boarded in the clean Darjeeling Mail, Mayukh Da luckily found a plug point. He pressed in the button and his Tata Photon Plus put forward a great service, backed up by live scores in my Airtel Mobile Internet. In a span of two overs, with India chasing, 13 of the lads in the strong contingent of 41 people cooped in the coupe of S2 Bogey. It was a sumptous entertainment and clap by the fellow passenger, when Yuvraj Singh hit a boundary to secure the Indian Win and meet horns against the arch rivals Pakistan.

A snap shot of the occasion thanks to Pinaki Da's collection.

Courtesy: Pinaki Da, IICB.

Party Online!

Meet the horns... pains and emotions run high and throats become dry when they meet. The Blue meets the Green, Mohali, 30/3/11. The center stage, a battle for the Final Berth. With Srilanka already into the finals, a day ago, 30/03/11 was more than explicable. I remember a similar situation  in 2003, but more precisely when I was in standard 6. That year too, the CWC 96, Pakistan were beaten comprehensively in Bangalore, in the Quarters. They met Sri Lanka in the Semis at Eden Gardens, but thats a different story though!

After India won against their arch Rivals, I commented on FB: The answer of 26/11. Given the Right Way! People had many things to say...keeping cricket noble, but I would like to point them:

1) Organized fights were part of showing might and proving a diplomatic point all over the world... and Cricket is the modern version of that...any sport as a matter of fact is.

2) Here, our Ambassadors are the Gladiators... They fought for the nation...

and fought for a nation who have sponsored terrorism against India. 1967 War, 1971 War, 1993 Bombay, 1999 Kargil, 2008 Mumbai... they have LETs and Mujahhidins as well...

Next...

Its Ramayan on Saturday, 2/04/11...

Ahiron Part 4: The Last Few Straws of the Journey.

Incredible India, Incredible History.

Just now listening to one of my favorite oldies, Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye, from Anand. Ahiron and Murshidabad domain occupies just 0.075% of the land mass of the nation, but it is here where the fate of India was written 300 years ago, initiating its slipping into the hands of the British. The Britons set their first claw grasp here, thanks to Lord Robert Clive. Shiraj Ud Dwala, the then Nawab of Bengal (King of Bengal), faced the atrocities of the british, but he was also subjected to an internal betrayal of his relatives, especially his elder maternal aunt, Ghaseti Begum. Ghaseti Begum wasn't pleased with his annex to the throne, after the death of Ali Vadri Khan, Shiraj's maternal grand father. Shiraj's original name was Mirja Mohammed Siraj, originally from Bihar where he was from the royal family, the ruler of Bihar, Zain Uddin being his father. Ghaseti Begum wasn't happy with the interference of Bihar and wanted his son Shawkat Jung to be the ruler. She along with Shawkat Jung and Mir Zaffer conspired against Shiraj, from a small palatial residence aside Motijheel. Motijheel, is a horse shoe lake, where once in ancient days, pearl (moti) were being cultivated from oysters. It was patronized by Ghaseti Begum, beside the Motijheel Mosque.

Motijheel Masjid (Mosque). The Dark Days of India was chalked here and there.

These days, birds flock around at the place making it a beautiful place to lazy around.

Motijheel Lake.

Way to the lake

The pomp and luxury, the Nawabi Style was ample in Murshidabad. Every monument made its mark, but of the many that I saw, I loved this one, at Katgola. It house some exquisite materials inside it, which couldn't be photographed. Not allowed! But they are worth seeing, for people who has fascination of antiques!

Entrance of Katgola Mansion

Sideways of the Mansion

Besides there is the ugly and cruel history at Devi Singh's Mansion, the cruel revenue collector of British Era. Everything shouldn't be said, but seen...so please pay a visit.

We boarded the Radhikapur Express, at 10:30PM from Jangipur and reached Kolkata Station at 7:50AM, one hour behind schedule.

It was nice weekend visit, blended with nature and history.

Journey UP Ahead.

A Small note, not worthy, may be.

With Ravangla just a few days from now, its great to unravel my signature photo watermark. I look forward for some great snaps and going to the laps of Himalayas after 11 long years. The last time, it was in Class X, from Calcutta Boys' School Excursion, 2000. I also had another opportunity to visit the mighty mysterious world of Oaks and pines, in 1994, when my dad and mom took me to Gangtok, Darjeeling and Kalimpong. This is my third visit with my work group, the Molecular and Human Genetics division, IICB. I think, I will be in my groove as I love snapping nature...

My logo to be held reckoned.

Bengal Elections 2011: The Facebook Way.

DISCLAIMER: The whole article is just a figment of imagination and has no intention of hurting any political sentiment or individual. This is intended to be tickle bones and not knuckle heads!

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event: BENGAL ELECTION 2011

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You, Mamata Banerjee, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Anil Biswas and 30,001,894 other guests

You and 25,304,279 people like this.

Time: Friday, May 13 at 5:00PM

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Election Commission

Bengal being a troubled state, election to be held in 5 phases and results would be announced on May 13, 2011.

Feb 12 at 12:30PM . Mamata Banerjee and 257 people like this . Comment

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Mamata Banerjee Ebar hobe moja.

Feb 12 at 4:07PM . Like. 17 people

Biman Bose Amra jani ebareo manush amader pashe achen.

Feb 12 at 5:19PM . Like . 15 people

Derek O'Brein @BB *Super Dislike* The atrocities for the past 35 years shall we answered in 2011. As it is, 2011 marks the "upturn" of many dictators, like in Egypt and Libya. Its time for Bengal.

Feb 14 at 4:16AM . Like. 27 people

Biman Bose Pagol-e ki na bol-e.... r bakita bollam na. :P

Feb 15 at 8:41AM . Like . 11 people

Partha M Biman Da, "jar naam ta nilen na"  tara ki na bole...

Feb 16 at 2:47PM . Like . 10 people

Mamata Banerjee 

Netai-r ghatana amader chokhe angul diye dekhiye dei j ora kirom julum kore asche gato 35 bachor dhore. Ora Singur, Nandigram theke sekhe na. Ora manusher katha bhabhe na. Ora tahole kara?

Feb 27 at 2:27PM . Unlike . 458 people like this . Comment

Buddhadeb Bhattacharya

Sudhu Netai, Nandigram ba Singur korlei manusher kache asha jaina. Amar borgadar der shoriye banglar buke natun er asha enechi. Ami manchi amader onek kichu kora baki ache. Korbo. Kintu tar ekta dhoron ache. Aj jakhun korte gelam ekta factory, apni ese daralen samne. Apnara ki tahole chan kichu hok? Naki chan na?!

Mar 1 at 3:00PM . Like . 504 people like this . Comment.

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Gautam Deb Rajarhat e railer jomi diyechi dada. Kintu onara toh kichui manen na. Metro udhbhdhone dakleno na!
Mar 4 at 4:57PM . Unlike . 29 people


Guess this is a very small attempt to bring a modern look to elections. All these are fictitious and has no corellation with any kind of support in numbers or words. Just a pun. Infact, this is just to mention that elections can be little more soundproof, thanks to these modern innovations. Madam and Sir, are you reading?

Ahiron Part 3: Frames of History.

And figments of my remembrance.

I have always been a silent admirer of history embedded within the walls of the forts and monuments. Its not that the grandeur lures me towards them, but the idea of being witness of the times when I wasn't around as myself. Childhood paced my mind such. (but I am no demi-manjulika from Bhool Bhulaiya)

Epoch blends beautifully with the hues of a human imagination. Murshidabad dresses with an attire that startles the best of the best. Start from the stories of cruel rulers, like the one called Katra Mosque. It is the oldest in Murshidabad, built by Nawab Murshid Qila Khan. The Nawab was originally a hindu born, but was kidnapped by muslim dacoits of the time, in childhood. Later on, he escaped their grasp, but the hindu family disregarded his identity. Desolate and alone, he was adopted by a noble muslim land lord. Later on, Qila Khan became the Nawab of Murshidabad and adjacent parts of Malda and Dinajpur. Because of his episode with the Hindus, Qila khan became an atrocious name for the Hindu household, rampaging the religion all over his regime. Later on, he realized his mistake and erected a temple of Lord Shiva, alongside the Mosque. His grave is under the staircase of the Mosques' entrance, witnessing his command till date. At his death bed, he wished that people would walk over his tomb, before going to the Mosque to pray, as a sign of repent of his actions against the Hindus.

Back side of Katra Mosque, Murshidabad. 

Somnath Paul, March 2011.

Architecture bears the notion of Mughal Extravagance and elegance in the utilization of geometry. The Pillars and the Central Dome (now dilapidated) along with the 54 minor domes signs off with the traditional of Mughal architecture as well as touches the presence of Bengal (using clay sand). The use of clay sand makes the rooms and the smaller channels cooler than an AC, running at 14'C! Ancient planning... well they always win!

   The history of Katra Mosque was really intriguing, but what captured my admiration, was the planning to illuminate the Mosque, especially at night. Must have been a grand sight in those less polluted and no neon- lamp days. In the next picture, we would find channeled rectangles made on the walls. They once used to house Belgian Glass Mirrors (one of the finest of those times). These mirrors were paced vertically opposite to the fences, which has small pockets capable to house oil filled lamps. At night, the light from the lamps used to create a magical (Indrapuri) ambiance at the place. My imagination though took me to those places.... awesome!

    There is more to these places than these pictures and the blog articles.

    The next place of attraction was Hajar Duari (1000 doors/windows). A British architecture, erected as a court house. In fact, at Murshidabad, Bengal was the first ever kingdom that the British could snatch in India, defeating Shiraj Ud Dwala in the Battle of Plassey, 1757 A.D. In bengali its called পলাশীর যুদ্ধ | Lord Clive entered India with England. Hajar Duari rests as the reminescence of those history, bringing up 200 years of Indian Dependence. There is a museum inside, but no photography is allowed in there. The surrounding is vibrant with the gardens, but I loved the Watch Tower the most at this place.

   But, some really touching and angry history awaited us at Devi Singh's Mansion. Later, in Part 4, the concluding tour diary.