1425 2018 sharodiya 2018_16... · 2019-11-12 · Anirban Maiti Aniruddha Dasgupta Aniruddhya Sur...

Shankha: Puja: 2018 ShrvIzh: 1425 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bay Area Prabasi 2018

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1425

2018



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Autumn ShrvIz 2018 Shankha 1425

fcùiáSym bA_ - p{fjh s}K]h Thirty Fourth Year – Puja Issue

s{cIpá / Contents 11 President’s Message - Subrata Saha

16 cRik (g%p) - icáh vhSåè 18 aëHIfnr fvfS (kibyh) - inBh bs[ 18 sHbhs (g%p) - uñvIpn m[Khj_I 19 fmGlh ivfnr CRh (kibyh) - s[Amh c@v/ 19 The Pride in Being Indian (Essay) - Shounik Bagchi

21 India’s Military Campaigns (Essay) - Partha Sircar

26 Bong Cricket (Essay) - Udayan Bhattacharrya

28 Joy Mata Di! (Essay) - Jyoti Rani

30 Bisarjon (Essay) - Nilanjana Maulik

32 Remembering Ma (Essay) - Jayanta Roy 5 List of Volunteers 6 List of Sponsors and Advertisers

9 Durga Puja Schedule

‘p/bhsI’r kimit fYfk ahpnhfvr sklfk jhnhe

âB ibjzhr p/Iiy o âfBêCh



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Volunteers List Wearethankfultoallvolunteersfortheirenthusiasticandselflesssupport.Oursincereapologiestothosevolunteerswhosenameswemissedtoprintinthefollowinglist.AkankshaBanerjeeAllyaMukherjeeAmitDuttAmitKumarSahaAmitavaSamaddarAmritaHalderAmritaKunduAmritaPaulAnanyaSenguptaAnindaMukherjeeAnirbanMaitiAniruddhaDasguptaAniruddhyaSurAnjalyBanerjeeAnoushkaBiswasAnupamBagchiAnushkaBanerjeeAparnaDasguptaArijitMukherjiAvishekMukherjeeAyushiBiswasBaishaliChattapadhyayBasumitraChakiBijoyaSahaBitastaNandiChandanBiswasChandanaMukherjiDebalinaGhoshDeblinaPakhiraDepanwitaSealDevayaneeMitraDasDipaMondalDipanjanPramanikDiptanjanSahaDivyaRaniEkataBanerjee

GopaRoyGouravRoyIndranilBanerjeeJayantaRayJyotirmayBanerjeeKallolChatterjee

KamalikaBanerjeeKasturiBasuKingshukDasKrishnaKhatuaKumkumKushalChatterjeeLitonDeyMadhuwantiganguliMahuaSahaManamiBhuniaManjishthaGhoshMonosrijaMaityMoumitaSealMousumiBanerjeeNandiniBhattacharyaNeelikaChoudhuryPinakiMukherjeePiyaMitraPrajaktapardeshiPurabiGhoshPushpitaMoitraRahulSinghRajarshiGuhaRajeevKunarRakeshDuttaRanjitaChakravartyReemaMukherjeeRikparnaGhoshRinaBanerjeeSabyasachiMondalSanchitaSandipBhattacharyaSandipMajumdarSangitaChatterjeeSangitaMaitySaoliBiswasShampaGuptaSharvaniBanerjeeShayariSaha

ShreyasiMandalSiddharthaChattopadhyaySiddharthaDasguptaSimadriMoitraSinjitaRaySipraGhoshSmarajitMondalSnehashisChoudhurySoumitaGhoseSouravDattaSravaniBanerjeeSreyasiBhattacharyaSukanyaDasSupratimBasuSushmitaDattaSutapaDattSwarajGhoshSwatiBanerjeeTracyHaldarTrinaMandalTrishaSen

UrmiDutta



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List of Sponsors and Advertisers

Sponsors and Advertisers Page Nirmalya Modak 48 Park Balluchi/Chaat Bhavan 25 Priya Living 47 CapB Infotek 2 ABG Associates 4 ThirdEyeData.io 40 PMG/SRF 8 ZeeTv 12 Air India 24 Krishnan Padmanabhan 31 Shastha Foods 33 New India Bazar 34 Kumar Jewelers 36 Bongo's 10 Shantanu Nag/Print papa 17 Sushmita & Diptish Datta 13 Swati & Prith Banerjee 45 Krishna & Tara Khatua 14 Ila & Sakti Basu 35 Pradip Banerjee & family 38 Bhaskar & Aulenadi Chaudhuri 39 Kajal & Mrinmoy Basu 41 Mahua & Subrata Saha 42 Baishali & Subhomoy 43 Bitan & Chandan Biswas 44 Amrita & Sudipto Mukhopadhyay 15



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Durga Puja Schedule 2018

Friday, October 19, 2018

TIME PUJO TIME Cultural Program

6:00 -7:00 PM onwards Shasti 5:00 PM onwards Children’s Art Gallery &Alpona

7:00 - 7:45 PM AgomoniGaan by Bandish 6:00 - 7:30 PM Dinner

7:30 - 11:00 PM Chandrabindoo

Saturday, October 20, 2018


10:30 AM -1:00 PM Saptami Arati& Puja 11:00 AM -12:00 PM -

12:00 AM -12:30 PM [Sankha] 12:00 - 2:00 PM Lunch

12:30 Noon- 1:30 PM Ashtami Anjali 3:00 - 4:15 PM Traditional Musical- Mahisasurmardini

1:30 PM- 2:30 PM Kumari Puja 4:30 - 5:00 PM DurgaVandana Dance Igurukul School of Dance

1:30 PM Onwards Prasad 5:15 - 5:45 PM Youth Melody (Instrumental & Vocal performance)

4:30 - 5:30 PM Sandhi Puja 6:00 - 6:45 PM Welcome Note

5:30 - 6:30 PM Navami Puja & Holm 6:15 - 8:20 PM Dinner

6:30 PM to 7:00 PM Navami DhunuchiArati 8:30- 9:15 PM PSP Dance Production “CHOTUSKON” - Global Echoes

9:30-10:30 PM PSP Comedy Play- “OjoKahini”

Sunday, October 21, 2018


10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Arati, Dashami Puja

12::30 - 1:30 PM Bisorjon r Dhaaker Baddi 12:00 - 2:00 PM Lunch Break

1:30 - 3:15 PM Devi Baran & Sindoor Khela 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM Tea/ Snack

3:15 - 4:00 PM Bijoya 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Melody Labs:Classical Fusion



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5:15 PM - 5:45 PM Youth Fashion Show “The Decades”

6:00 PM - 6:35 PM Poetry & Songs: Ballads of love, life and beyond.

6:30 PM to 6:45 PM Down the memory Lane

7:00 PM to 9:00 PM Iman Chakraborty



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Board of Directors President: Subrata Saha Treasurer: Sanjoy Haldar General Secretary: Sudipto Mukhopadhyay Directors: Samita Sen Bitan Biswas Subhomoy Chattopadhyay Trustee Committee: Ashish Sengupta Surajit Sengupta Subrata Dey Pradip Banerjee Internet Coordinator: Anupam Bagchi Shankha Editor: Sunil Ghose Shankha Coordinators: Aniruddha Dasgupta Siddhartha Dasgupta Subhomoy Chattopadhyay

President’s Message October 2018 Dear Friends and Families, On behalf of Bay Area Prabasi Board of Directors, I welcome you and your family to attend the auspicious occasion of our 2018 Durga Puja which is being celebrated at Santa Clara County Fair Ground, San Jose on October 19th (evening), 20th and 21st. It is overwhelming to see how far this organization has come through in the last forty-three years. We are growing not only in numbers but also in achievements. The seed that was planted more than four decades ago is nurtured over time by different executive committees and many of our community members, and today, Prabasi is standing tall on a solid ground today with its roots spread very deep within the community. Simply put, the current members of the BOD are honored to have the opportunity to contribute our share in serving our own organization –BAY AREA PRABASI. This year we are blessed to offer free “bhog” from the generosity of the Gurdwara Langar. Also, we have their support with “debi-boron-dala” project, our philanthropic endeavor of gift a saree back to the economically challenged women of rural Bengal. Bay Area Panjabi community is also providing us thousands of bottles of drinking water and flowers for Durga Puja. Unlike all other years, this year also we got donations and support for Durga Puja and Bhog from our patrons. Apart from that, this year we have also arranged "Kumari Puja" on Saturday, October 20th. On the cultural side with all our efforts, this year, we are delighted to tell you that keeping with the tradition of Prabasi, we have arranged an array of exciting programs with artists from Kolkata. In addition, we have numerous performances by our immensely talented local artists. Please refer to our website www.prabasi.org for more details. Though Durga Puja continues to be our main event, we would also celebrate Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja, and Annual Day during the course of the year (Venue and dates will be announced shortly in www.prabasi.org). Additionally, Bay Area Prabasi has been actively supporting philanthropic activities in USA and India. Please refer the philanthropic section of this magazine for the details. Durga Puja - the ceremonial worship of the mother goddess, is one of the most important festivals. All our devoted and dedicated members are working tirelessly to make this puja enjoyable for both you and your family. I would also like to express gratitude to our donors, patrons, sponsors, several vendors and corporate donors for their spontaneous help, without which this would not have been possible. As usual, your participation is vital to our progress and remains the primary determining factor concerning the success of our mega event of the year. Wishing you a very happy “Sharadiya Subhechcha”. I look forward to meeting you all at Santa Clara County Fair Ground as Prabasi welcomes Ma Durga this year. With warm regard, Subrata Saha President



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চড়িক িচ&া দাশ*+

গতকাল /াইটা 2লট করায় 2পৗ7ছােত 2বশ রাত হেয় 2গিছেলা। যথারীিত আমােক িনেত এয়ারেপােটD আমার বড় 2মেয়ওজামাই উপিHত িছেলা , কথায় কথায় আমরা বািড় 2পৗ7েছ 2গলাম। খাবার পাটটা /াইেটই হেয় 2গিছেলা, তাই সবার সােথ একটK কথা বাত Dা বেল জামা কাপড় পােL Mেত Mেত রাত দুেটা 2বেজ 2গেলা। রােত ভােলা ঘুম হেলা না। সকােল উেঠ মাথাটা 2বশ ভাড়ভাড় লাগিছেলা। জানলা িদেয় 2দখলাম সুRর সকাল। কSািলফিন Dয়া ,সSান 2হােস ্ 2রােদ ঝলমল করেছ। চটপট Wতির হেয় িনেচ 2নেম এলাম। 2টিবেল Xটপেট চা 2রিড , Xটেকাজী্ িদেয় ঢাকা। আিম এককাপ চা 2ঢেল িনেয় কােঁচর দরজাটা 2ঠেল বাইের 2ডেক (deck) িগেয় একটা 2চয়ার 2টেন বসলাম। এজায়গাটা আমার খুব পছেRর। সুRর লাল রংএর কােঠর 2ডক ,বাপােশ সবুজ ঘােসর লন। অবশS এবার অনাবXৃ_র জনS মােঝমােঝ চাপচাপ ঘাস ঝলেস 2গেছ। ডান পােশ নানা রংএর ফুেলর সমারহ িকন্তK এবার বXৃ_র অভােব তারও বড় ক`ণ অবHা। সামেন 2ফেbর (fence) গা 2ঘেঁষ িকছK ফেলর গাছ। dাম গােছ লাল লাল dাম ঝুলেছ। বাতাবীেলব ু ও কমলােলবুর গােছ eচK র 2ছাটেছাট ফলএেসেছ। সব িমিলেয় খুব সুRর পিরেবশ , ঠাfা হাওয়া বইেছ,পাখী ডাকেছ তবু মনটা বড় উতলা লাগেছ ... . টানা দুেটা মাস আমার 2ছাট 2মেয়র বািড় িহউgেন কাXটেয় এলাম। ওর একXট 2ছেল অজুDন , এগার বােরা বছর বেয়স। বেয়েসর ধম Dানুসাের চiল, eাণবj , হািসখুশী , িমMেক 2ছেল। ওর kুেল গরেমর ছK Xট পড়ার পর সারাটা িদন eায় আমার সােথ ঘুরঘুর করেতা। নানা গl কথা, নানারকম ইনেডার 2গম 2খলা , িবকােল পুেল 2নেম ওর সােথ ঝাপাঝািপ কের সাতঁার কাটা ...2কাথা িদেয় 2যন িদন*েলা 2কেট 2গেলা। Mধ ু তাইনা *`গmীর চােল ও আমােক 2বশ বকাঝকাও করেতা, আিম দুধ 2খলাম িকনা, 2কন িচেকন 2খলামনা , ভারী বSাগটা 2কন তK ললাম , আেরা কত িক ! এইভােব খবু জিড়েয় পেরিছলাম , তাই ওেক 2ছেড় এেস মনটা খুব খারাপ লাগেছ , খুব িমkরিছ ওেক। আসার সময়

এয়ারেপােটD ওর ক`ণ মুখখানা সবসময় 2চােখর সামেন ভাসেছ .... আিম আনেমানা হেয় চােয় চK মুক িদno আর শনূS দৃX_েত ইিতউিত 2দখিছ। হঠাৎ "িচড়িড়ক " 2ছাr একটা শেs আমার 2ঘারটা 2কেট 2গল , লtS করলাম একটা 2ছাr বাuা কাঠেবড়ািল ! আমার 2থেক একটK দেূর 2ডেকর অপর eােj িক সুRর 2ছাটাছK Xট কের 2খলা করেছ। কখেনা বােরােদ চার হাত পা ছিড়েয় টানটান হেয় Mেয় থাকেছ আবার উঠেছ ছK টেছ ...' মা 2vকফাg 2রিড, চেল এেসা ' 2মেয়র ডাক Mেন আিম উেঠ 2ভতের 2গলাম। িপয়া আমার বড় 2মেয় , অেনক বছর ধের ওরা কSািলফিন Dয়ােত আেছ। খাবােরর 2dটটা আমার িদেক এিগেয় িদেয় ও িনেজর 2dটটা সামেন িনেয় গেlর মুেড সেব বেসেছ হঠাৎ 2ফানটা 2বেজ উঠেলা ও 2ফান ধরেত উেঠ 2গেলা। আিম কােঁচর দরজা িদেয় বারবার ঐ পুচঁেক কাঠিবড়ািলটােক 2দখিছলাম , 2বশ মজা লাগিছেলা। হঠাৎকের ওটা dাম গােছ উেঠ 2গেলা , ঘন পাতার আড়ােল 2কাথায় 2য লুকােলা আিম আর 2দখেত 2পলাম না। পরিদন সকােল আবার চা িনেয় বাইের বেস আমার xাটD 2ফােন আনRবাজার পn&কাটা মন িদেয় পড়িছেলম , হঠাৎ মেন 2হাল কীেযন একটা পাশ িদেয় ছK েট চেল 2গল। এিদক ওিদক তাকােত 2দখলাম ঐ পুচঁেকটােক। আিম িকন্তK ভK েল 2গিছেলম ওর কথা তেব ওেক 2দেখ 2বশ ভােলা লাগেলা। 2ফানটা 2রেখ আিম ওর 2খলা 2দখিছলাম। কখেনা দুপােয় ভরিদেয় গলা উঁচK কের 2দখেছ , ডানহােত পােয় ভর িদেয় বাহাতপা তK েল কসরত করেছ , আবার বািদেক ভর িদেয় ডান হাতপা টান করেছ... আমার মেন হnoেলা আিম 2যন আSিনেমশন িপকচার (animation picture) 2দখিছ। মেন 2হাল ওর একটা ছিবতK িল , িভিডও করেত পারেল আেরা ভােলা হয় ! 2ফানটা হােত িনেয় দাড়ঁােতই ও তরতর কের গােছ উেঠ 2গেলা। হতাশ হেয় বেস আবার 2ফােন পn&কা পড়িছ আর আড় 2চােখ 2দখিছ ওেক 2দখা যায় িকনা। ঐেতা আবার এেসেছ , ছK টেছ , 2খলেছ, বসেছ .... আিম 2ফানটা হােত িনেয় দাড়ঁােতই 2দ ছK ট। এই ভােব চলেলা িকছK tণ। 2লজ উিচেয় দরূ 2থেক আমার িদেক পুটKস পুটKস 2দখেছ। আমারও িনেজেক 2কমন রবীyনােথর সমাি+র মzৃয়ী মােন িমনুর মত মেনহnoেলা , ইoা করিছেলা ওর িপছেন 2দৗড়াই , ওেক ধির ...



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আoা িমন ু2যন কী বলেতা ওর পিুষSটােক, 2বাধহয় চড়িক , সXঠক মেন পড়েছনা। যাগেগ্ আিম ওর নাম রাখলাম চড়িক। ধীেরধীের চড়িক সােথ আমার 2বশ ভাব হেয় 2গেলা , যিদও ওর ছিব 2তালাটা িকছK েতই এলাও করেছনা , ছিব তK লেত 2গেলই হয় গােছ উেঠ বেস নাহেল 2ডেকর িনেচ ওর লুকােনা আ{ানায় ঢK েক পেড় িকন্তK আিম িবkুট 2ভে| *েড়া কের ছিড়েয় িদেল কুটকুট কের খায় , "িচড়িড়ক " "িচড়িড়ক" কের আমার চারপােশ িনভDেয় ঘুের 2বড়ায়। এইভােব 2কেট 2গেলা িতন চারেট িদন। 2সিদনটা িছেলা শিনবার , সকােল একটK 2দরী কের উঠলাম। চােয়র কাপটা হােত িনেয় বাইের িগেয় বসলাম , চড়িকেক 2দখেত 2পলামনা। মেনমেন ভাবলম 2কাথায় লুিকেয় আেছ 2বাধহয়। নািতেদর জনS িকছK 2}শাল 2vকফাg বানাবার dSান িছল তাই তাড়াতািড় চাটা 2শষ কের 2ভতের চেলেগলাম। নানা কারেণ সারািদন আর চড়িকেক 2দখার কথা মাথায় এেলানা। রিববার সকােল আবার 2রাজকার মেতা চা িনেয় বাইের িগেয় বসলাম। িকছK িবkুট 2ভে| *েড়া কের ছিড়েয় িদেয় বেস আিছ , অধীর আ~েহ চড়িকেক তীt্ণ দৃX_ িদেয় খুজঁিছ

....িকন্তK না n& সীমানার মেধS ওেক 2দখেত পাnoনা ! 2কাথায় 2গেলা চড়িক ? এখােনই 2তা থােক , এগােছ ওগােছ চেড় ফল খায় , ছK েটাছK Xট কের 2খলা কের , 2রাদ 2পাহায় িডগবাজী খায় , এভােব উধাও হেয় যায়না কখেনা। 2ডেকর িনেচ ঢK েক 2গেলও িকছK tেনর মেধS 2বিরেয় আেস। আিম মেনমেন অৈধয D হেয় উঠিছলাম। হঠাৎ ঝুপ্কের একটা শs Mেন 2সিদেক তাকালাম , 2দখলাম একটা 2মাটকা 2বড়াল *িড় 2মের গ Mঁকেত Mঁকেত ধীর পােয় 2ডেকর িনেচ 2যখােন চড়িকর আ{ানা 2সিদেক যােo। মেন পড়েলা কালেকও এই 2বড়ালটােক এখােন ঘুরঘুর করেত 2দেখিছ , আিম দম ব কের বেস আিছ ...একটK পের ঐ 2বড়ালটা 2বিরেয় এেলা , এিদক এিদক 2দখেলা , গােছর চারিদেক ঘেুরঘেুর 2দখেলা , 2ডেকর এমাথা 2থেক ওমাথা গ Mঁেক Mঁেক িকছK না 2পেয় "মSায়াও" "মSায়াও " কের 2লজ নাড়েত নাড়েত 2ফেbর ওপাের লাফ িদেয় চেল 2গেলা। তখন আমার 2চােখর 2কাণ দুেটা 2কমন 2যন টনটন করেছ, ধীের ধীের সামেনর সবিকছK 2কমন ঝাপসা হেয় যােo ….... তারপর 2থেক চড়িকেক আর 2দখা যায়িন।

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The Pride in Being Indian Shounak Bagchi

As Indians, home and abroad, recently commemorate 71 years of independence, there’s much to celebrate. Looking back, descendants of the sub-continent can be proud of birthing an array of amenities that humans universally enjoy: shampoo, ink, buttons, chess, the concept of board games in general, and most notably, yoga (among a litany of other important discoveries part of modern society). Indians contributed to the field of arithmetic by assisting in deriving the rudiments of Algebra and conceptualizing the number zero (an appropriate figure for how many times Indian children enjoyed studying this field of math over summer break). In science and technology, members on team melanin are responsible for the invention of wireless communication, USB flash drive, and plastic surgery. For those who have ever sent a text, transferred a file, or starred in a Real Housewives show… you’re welcome. Today, India’s muscular democracy (near 70 percent of Indians vote) and booming economy (6th largest in terms of nominal GDP and now the fastest growing among industrialized nations), provide reason to be cautiously optimistic about its future. With 23 national languages recognized, eight main religions, 22,000 distinct dialects, and over 1,000 types of brews cultivated, the subcontinent is an area where anyone can literally find their cup of tea. Overseas, snippets of Indian culture are ubiquitously enjoyed. From the tiny villages in sub-Saharan Africa to our colonial companions in Australia, individuals across the globe gleefully consume India’s most popular cultural export: Bollywood - a multi-billion dollar industry that annually produces a thousand movies, garners billions of fans, and has been the largest film industry in the world since 1970. (America, it’s time to rename your film capital Hombay). On my way to the airport recently, my Senegalese cab driver told me about his mother back home, who despite being illiterate and deaf in one ear, took the bus once a month to immerse herself in the highly-choreographed sequences and delightfully innocent love tales showcased in Indian cinema. These occasions were also the only time she left the house. In the home of India’s pale stepfather, England, South Asian restaurants now employ more people than the nation’s coal mining, ship building, and iron and steel



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industries combined. Some call it globalization, others call it karma. Over the past few months, I corresponded with over 1,200 of my brown brethren across six continents, evenly split between male and female, to gauge what makes them proud of their ethnic heritage. Many praised the strong values instilled in them, the importance placed on family, and the monikers meant to show respect. In the United States, second generation Indians praised their parent’s bravery and distinct struggle in their pursuit of the American dream. Specifically, pulling a Drake and starting from the bottom, fighting through the pain of being homesick, and combating xenophobia and unchecked institutional bigotry in order to broaden economic and artistic opportunities for their offspring. Thanks mom. Others highlighted a group with a strong desire for inclusivity, as well as a people engulfed in raw, welcoming affection who live life with extreme emotions, even when it’s at their own peril. As the great Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore noted, “A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it.” Eight percent of those surveyed stated the success of Priyanka Chopra as a reason to be proud, while 33 percent cited her recent engagement to Nick Jonas as a reason not to be. My favorite response came from Rahul Adhia, a young man I met while vacationing in Tanzania during the summer of 2014. Rahul’s Goan grandfather moved to Tanzania in 1958 to work on a clothes plantation. Today, Rahul is a petroleum engineer who presides over north Africa exploration projects for Shell. After berating me for 15 minutes for not visiting, the self-described third generation Afro-Asian stated, “Bhai, this is easy. Whether we were born in India or migrated elsewhere, we know chicken tikka masala is British bullshit.” Personally, identifying the source of my pride would be as hard as choosing between rasgulla or jalebi for desert. What’s brought me the most joy is coming to understand the complex vibrancy that individuals from namaste nation offer. If parts of the typical Indian character were placed in a thali, it’d be comprised of the following: carbs from the rice or naan symbolizing the energy of a global nomad complemented by a sumptuous serving of intellectual boldness, along with a side of altruistic curiosity and a dash of warmth sprinkled in every component as if it were turmeric powder.

I remember first witnessing this idiosyncratic vitality at dinner parties thrown during my adolescence. Our family would invite over fellow Eastern migrants where the analysis of affairs back home and the opinions regarding the hurdles of navigating a new life as a stranger in a strange land were as lavish, diverse, and multifaceted as the eight-course meal being served. However, as much as this time amongst fellow melanin migrants was valued, there was an unspoken understanding that this blissful period was fleeting as many would trek to their next destination whether that be California, Indiana, West Virginia or taking their talents back home. The melancholy of these moments was eventually swapped with a sense of pride over this vagabond spirit I’d come to realize was instilled in our DNA; a tribe ready, eager, and confident to wade into unchartered territory where we would in due course build a community that blended our new world with the old. On the nation’s 60th birthday, Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor wrote, “India’s founding fathers wrote a constitution for their dreams, we have given passports to their ideals.” In acquiescing to the principles of Gandhi, Ambedkar, and Nehru, this grand social experiment has created a cohort that is a beautiful contradiction. An ecosystem of individuals who are awkwardly endearing, adaptable in stubborn times, calm on the shoulders of chaos, and hospitable in an inhospitable world. Like any other dense democratic laboratory, there are grand shortcomings. For a nation that reveres the likes of Sonia Gandhi, the poetry of Rumi, and holds such ecstatic adulation for their Bollywood heroines, far too many aunties and didis tremble in fear while strolling through the public streets aware that these may be their last steps. Further, for all the lofty rhetoric around the nation’s harmonious diversity, state sanctioned ethnic strife and/or indifference to religious conflicts are a troubling norm. Despite the laudable achievement of empowering so many in the underclass over the past twenty years, there are still many with no hope of climbing up the ladders of prosperity. In the Western world, too many in our Indian community shed any attachment to our roots, harbor unjustifiable animosity towards other ethnicities, and publicly disown others in our diaspora in efforts to appease the majority Caucasian culture. And let’s not get started on Indian bros.



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Fortunately, none of this is ignored by the greater Indus network. Last week I gathered with a group of six Indians, some immigrants and some second generation, for snacks in Jackson Heights, an area in northwest Queens, NY that is scattered with heaps of tandoori shops, sari stores, and a region where it is the norm to see business signs in English and Hindi, Bengali, or Urdu. Over some chai and samosas, we spent an hour arguing over the most pressing topics concerning our broader community: is Prime Minister Modi’s strain of nationalism dangerous, what is India’s ideal position on the global stage, how do those abroad continue to pass down traditions, and will Katrina Kaif ever learn Hindi? Knowing this was not going to end soon, an uncle invited us all over to his house to continue this discussion over drinks. Perhaps it was the generous pours of Blue Label Johnnie Walker that I consumed as the conversation continued well into the night, but what I realized that evening is that being Indian isn’t easy, nor will it ever be. Its culture and history incapable of being neatly reduced to a sound bite, its home’s rich tapestry impossible to be explained with a simple narrative, and its people uneasily appeased. There are nuanced problems of being part of this ecosystem, but this unique challenge is a privilege bestowed to one of six people on the globe, a mixture of circumstances when stitched together is a blessing, and a spice to life that I am proud to possess.

India’s Military Campaigns Beyond Her Boundaries

Partha Sircar We often hear that Indian rulers throughout history never invaded other countries – never established colonies in foreign lands. The above statements are made, no doubt, to extol the virtues of our Hindu/Buddhist civilization, with its emphasis on high philosophy, penchant for peace and deep-rooted spiritual (as opposed to materialistic) values. The statements are generally borne out by history for the most part. There are however, some very notable exceptions. The earliest example of foreign invasion is that of Rama attacking Lanka (now Sri Lanka) and killing their great king Ravana. Admittedly, the historicity of Ramayana is questionable at best. But we cannot deny that the ethos for foreign invasions clearly finds favor in Ramayana. Of course, gods like Rama are judged differently from mere mortals like us. Then, we have all heard the legends of Vijaysingha, a prince from Bengal subjugating the same Lanka (a favorite whipping boy, it seems) and rechristened it as Simhala. The historicity of this conquest, I gather, has not gotten universal approval from established historians. However, here also, reverence for his exploits has withstood the test of time surely indicating our support for such endeavors, quite at variance with ethos of non-aggression outside our borders. Moving down in time, and based on firmer historical evidence, we find the great Maurya Empire of Chandragupta, Bindusara and Asoka (322 BC to 232 BC) extending in the northwest into what is now Afghanistan and Balochistan and into the borders of Persia (Iran). In 305 BCE, Chandragupta Maurya of led a series of campaigns to capture the satrapies left behind by Alexander the Great when he returned westwards. Seleucus I Nicator fought to defend these territories, but both sides made peace in 303 BCE. The treaty ended the Seleucid–Mauryan war and gave Chandragupta control of the regions he sought, while Seleucus was given 500 highly valued war elephants in exchange (Wikipedia). However, the most stunning examples of campaigns outside the traditional borders of India are the naval exploits of the Chola kings of South India, Raja Raja Chola reigned 985-1014) and his son Rajendra Chola (reigned 1014-1044). Raja Raja Chola’s naval forces



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captured the northern part of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and also subjugated the Maldive Islands. His son Rajendra’s naval campaigns were even more impressive. He captured the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and brought the whole island of Ceylon under his control by imprisoning their king, Mahinda. In 1025 CE, Rajendra led Chola forces across the Indian Ocean and invaded Srivijaya kingdom, attacking several places in Malaysia and Indonesia. The Chola sacked Kadaram (the capital) and Pannai in Sumatra and Malaiyur in Indonesia. Rajendra also invaded Tambralinga, the Langkasuka Kingdom in modern Malaysia and south Thailand. The Chola forces captured the last ruler of the Sailendra Dynasty, Sangrama Vijayatunggavarman. The Chola invasion was the end of the Srivajaya empire. Srivijaya's maritime power declined under Chola attack. After this the Chola Empire conquered large portions of Srivijaya, including its ports of Ligor, Kedah, and Tumask (now Singapore). For the next century, Tamil trading companies from southern India dominated Southeast Asia (Wikipedia). Perhaps it will not be out of place to bring up the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s encounters with the Uzbeks in 1645-1647. It is conceivable that it was inspired by his dreams of recapturing the Mughals’ ancestral home I those parts. This military campaign is notable for being the only time in recorded history that an India-based power ventured across the Hindu Kush to annex a Central Asian territory. Shah Jahan himself moved o Kabul to oversee the operations and two of his sons, Murad and Aurungzeb were involved in various phases. The Mughals ultimately failed to achieve their objectives and the wae ended in a status quo with the Hindu Kush remaining as te western border of the Mughal empire. The Mughals suffered heavy losses in the campaigns, both financially and in manpower. A lot of the casualties were due to severe weather conditions. Finally, there was the Sikh empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh(1780-1839 CE), which extended from Khyber Pass in the west to western Tibet in the east. Ranjit Singh had several encounters with the Afghans in the borders, starting from 1823 with the defeat of a large army of Yusufzai north of the Kabul River. The Battle of Jamrud and his march through Kabul in 1838, in cooperation with the colonial British army stationed in Sindh, became the last confrontation between the Sikhs led by him and the Afghans, which helped extend and establish the western boundaries of the Sikh Empire. In 1838, Ranjit Singh with his troops

marched into Kabul to take part in the victory parade along with the British after restoring Shah Shoja to the Afghan throne at Kabul. The Maharaja’s general, Zorowar Singh, after successful campaigns to Ladakh, Gilgit and Baltistan, marched into Tibet in 1841 and fought successfully with the Chinese Qing forces. He marched into Tibet at the head of a large army and within six months had conquered territory to the north west of the Mayyum Pass. But then a strong Tibetan army descended down from Lhasa.. He fought many a pitched action in the vicinity of Lake Manasarovar and was killed in the last one of these on 12 December 1841. I contend that there are many more reasons for the relatively small number of incidences of Indian invasions beyond traditional borders other than our Hindu/Buddhist ethos. I rather think that over the years, India has had few very powerful kings and large empires. It is self-evident that unless one’s kingdom was on the borders of India, the intervening territory had to be subjugated before venturing across the borders. And the kings were kept busy fighting their neighboring kings as well as usurpers in their own kingdoms. India’s geography – the high mountains in the north and seas around the peninsular south India - was a further deterrent to potential ambitions of Indian kings regarding campaigns beyond the borders. The high altitudes of the Himalayas and the very cold climates for much of the year were always formidable obstacles to overcome. And campaigns across the seas required significant development of naval technologies. It is perhaps no accident that the great European colonies of Britain, France, Holland, Portugal, Spain in Asia, Africa and the Americas, all sprouted after fourteenth and fifteenth centuries with the advent of newer naval developments.



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Shruti Nag



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Bong Cricket - A Journey

Through Time Udayan Bhattacharyya

So, what is common between a shower cap, a chilly winter morning in the Bay Area, 26 people of all ages running around amidst rain during the wee hours of a Sunday morning? Yes, you guessed it right….It is a phenomenon called “Bong_Cricket” …….. Amader Jatra holo shuru - The humble beginning ====================================== The journey started 9+ years back at a typical lazy Sunday Bengali "post-mangsho-bhaat adda", the discussion meandered from this to that, and then finally to a very simple idea …. We used to play cricket back in Kolkata after Puja holidays, let’s play here too... Next… Why can't we have a one-off cricket tournament among Bengalis? Yeah it sounded and still sounds a bit provincial, but, that is how it started. This raised the million dollar question, can we gather as many Bengalis so as to form 4 teams, all of who would be willing to temporarily give up the Sunday "Posto-bhaat", "Pathar Mangsho", "Mushur Daal", along with innumerable social gatherings simply to show up for cricket? Are you nuts? Some questioned; "Khhepechhish?" as said in Bengali. Thus started the biggest Bong hunt ever known in the history of mankind. The first tournament Finding all the participants was fairly tedious and hence it went through a thorough filtering process. It first started with "Ae tui kono bangali ke janish je cricket khele?" ("Do you know any Bengali who plays cricket?"). Names were dug up and hunted out of caves, several phone spams started, unknown Bongs started getting phone calls from some other unknown Bongs; which were subsequently followed by a very rigorous interview process, which went roughly as follows... The first round of screening: -“I am so and so, got your number from so and so, by the way, you know how to play cricket", -"No?" -"But you can spell it, right? Good, you are selected for the final round." The second round (the toughest one): "Can you speak in Bengali?" "No?" "Hmm.. Ever visited Kolkata?" "No?" "Know a

Bengali?", "Yes? :-), good, you are in" Finally, selling the job.... "No, no, do not worry, you do need to be a good player, we are all like you, just play." After a couple of months of vigorous scouting and recruiting, four teams were formed, a lot of new faces, mostly talking about, oh.. you are from Ballygunje, I am from Bhowanipur... So, you went to South Point or Sibpur, you must know so and so from so and so batch, or simply, I see you in Prabasi Durga Puja every year, but never knew you were so and so, and you live right next to us etc. etc. A couple of practice sessions followed. Some people claimed their cricketing prowess, some just kept quiet, until the D-day arrived, Sept 20th 2003, a Saturday. It was a one weekend tournament, duly won by San Jose. The seed was sown. The first success criteria of the tournament was very well visible within weeks, suddenly the local bong social activities sky-rocketed, newly found friendships blossomed through common interest, new social groups were formed, wives started complaining less and less, life seemed to be never better before. The next step was inevitable, hmm…This is fun, so, why not keep playing? It was already December. India was seeing eye-to-eye Australia at their own backyard, and our own Dada fist pumped his regal 144 at Brisbane, cricket was in the air, everywhere..... By then, it was chilly, and started raining in the bay area as usual, any sensible folk would have pushed the very thought of playing until next Spring at the least. But, no, not this group ... No siree Bob.... A couple of experimental cricket games followed, a whole lot of new person X joined in, person Y left, it was slowly meandering without purpose, something had to be done to keep the completive spirit alive to keep the association going. The growth phase Bong_cric entered the next phase of its growth. Two distinct teams were formed, Age 38 and above, and aptly named Flintsones, and 37 and below, named Young Guns. After a first couple of matches, everyone sensed blood, and cried out for the Duel match. That started the first ever best of 7 matches between Flintstones and Young Guns, the beginning of the eternal rivalry and was termed the "Mangsho-Bhaat" series (The loser treats the winner with a Biriyani and Kabab dinner). And a series it was, I remember pretty much every game was played under pouring rain, but it did not matter, the teams played with their heart, and it turned out to be very competitive. One series followed the next, the bongs kept playing under the



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rain and the sun, sledging found its new form, the players kept drinking scotch, and kept eating Biriyani and kababs for a while, and you blink, it was September again, 2004… Time for the next tournament. This time, it was lot more organized, and a 2 weekend event, teams were balanced, fights were fought and the final was played in front of a full house amidst a lot of fanfare. The serious and permanent member count had grown by then, ranging from ages 15 to 55, from the mere beginners to ex- Ranji cricketer and ex-University players playing Kolkata cricket league and playing local league cricket in NCCA. Bong Cricket’s home Ground ======================== Until 2005 spring, bong_cric was more of a nomadic species, moving from one ground to another, whichever is free, and wherever they are not driven out, negotiating and trying to secure a home ground on an existing cricket pitch. Slowly, it started to dawn onto people, that, to sustain, we needed a home ground, which we can call our own, and where we can dictate and control our own destiny. Die-hards jumped in again and they started meeting city officials to convince them to give us a ground. Once we even met the mayor of Sunnyvale and his team and presented to him a short history of cricket and what is bong cricket etc. However, nothing was working. Wherever you go, the little league baseball and soccer seemed to gulp up every possible opportunity, even if we found a new ground. Finally, we met the Alum Rock school district officials, who told us, find an unused ground and it is yours. We dug through the website, identified each possible ground and formed 4 separate teams to scout them, which landed us at the Cassell Elementary school, Bong Cricket future home. After initial meetings, and convincing the officials to let us build a pitch, we finally built one from ground-up in Oct. 2005. The joy and excitement surrounding the pitch building was inexplicable, it is like when one finally finds his first house, its resting place after a long journey. With this, Bong cricket entered the next phase of its metamorphosis. May Tournament Now, that bong cricket has its own home ground, and they can dictate their own terms ... he.. he ...he... that means more cricket ... more tournaments...., why wait? We promptly introduced the May tournament starting 2006, in the loving memory of our beloved Mashima,

Pradip Banerjee-da's mother, who left us in 2005, and was duly named "Anima Memorial May tournament". It was decided, that we will reach outside bong cricket and try to measure our exploits against teams outside the Bong Cricket domain. Enters a local TCA (Tennis Ball Cricket Association) team named Sloggers (a couple of the bongs used to play in that team) and BABA (Bangladesh association of Bay Area). The other two teams had to be .., yeah.. You guessed it right, Flintstones and Young Guns. The tournament was a huge success, with Sloggers team winning the inaugural Anima Memorial Cup beating the Young Guns in the finals. The May tournament has been Bong Cricket's one of the major events ever since. Next phase Until 2006-07, bong cricket was still holding on to its, the so called "bong" identity. However, with the arrival of the Sloggers team, it broke all the boundaries for good reasons. As it literally says, cricket (in fact, any sports so as to speak) understands no language, Bong Cricket happily gave up its forced upon identity, and carried on happily with its new found friends. The named remained the same, I guess it will always remain Bong Cricket, simply because of the formative history, legacy and nostalgia associated with it. The member count and interest kept growing over time. The regular Sunday mornings kept getting lit up with competitive cricket, and super enlightening discussions about everything starting with Jyoti Babu (until he survived), Didi, Trump, bridge collapse, the latest and greatest Bong/Hindi movies/songs/singers, gossips, bantering, latest jokes and what not. In the meantime, we also formed a habit of settling down after the game at the local Starbucks for a post-game coffee, and gossip even more, as if, we just couldn't let the time with cricket get away so easily. Bong cricket flourished. In Sept 2012, we celebrated our 10th year anniversary. That was the year, we sourced 4 sets of colored jerseys from Kolkata, which would be rotated in future in every tournament with bong cricket logo in the shirt, the teams are named after the color they wear, White, Blue, Green and Ash. Today We started to realize and acknowledge, the name Bong is merely a concept, it’s just a name, but not the identity. You don’t need to be and more importantly can’t be Rays or Duttas or Chatterjees or Mitras and such, to claim yourself to be a Bengali. Sumant, a Bihari seemed to know, culture and appreciate Satyajit



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Ray a lot more than an average Bengali Joe. Vivek, a Tamilian born and grown up in Kolkata, speaks as fluent Bengali as any one of us. Miloo, a Marwari by birth, again born and raised in Kolkata, married to a Bengali girl, speaks the same fluent Bengali like any other Bengali found in everyday Kolkata streets, in fact better than Ajoy, a Bengali born and raised in Hyderabad, with whom most of the folks carry on their conversation mostly in Hindi. Vaibhab, Rahul, Charan, Rajinder et. al. seem to start speaking broken Bengali, and pick up the Bengali conversation no matter what is being said. It is that non-bong-ness which is what thankfully defines Bong-cricket today. We wanted to play competitive cricket among friends, and we found that, bong or non-bong. Over years, old legs gave up and retired from playing the game, however, the spirit never retired. Every tournament, they show up during the tournament time, they stop by as the game is going on, take part in the bantering, drink a beer, and give a hug. Bong cricket now is a melting pot of old and young, friends from all corners of India, funny anecdotes of known and unknowns, some attaining the status of folklore, more so urban legends. The oldies and the poor discards formed a new team named MASH, where participation and camaraderie is king, and they kept playing in the tournament under that banner, not to mention rejoice their loss in every game. The other teams are formed in IPL style auctions adding to the fun. This year, the Blue team won the September tournament beating the White team in the finals. So after all this, what is Bong Cricket ============================ You start with 80% competitive cricket, add 90% social interaction and finally 100% participation andn, put all together in a mixer, grind it fine, and finally add a gallon of 18yr. old single malt from the Oak casket, and you get the new compound named Bong Cricket. The motto is to play competitive cricket while keeping the social participation in balance. It has been a long journey from the formative years of Bong Cricket, and heck, we are proud of it. However, the viability and the continuance of Bong Cricket rests on the shoulder of the younger generation, the new faces, who come and adorn our adopted home in Silicon Valley. I hope some of them are reading this journey and find the association interesting and worthwhile, and in coming days would come and join us.

JAI MATA DI!

Jyoti Rani, (15 yr old) It's in the air, the festive season is here, For ten special, divine days once a year. Durga Ma, mother of the world, the ten handed one, Has descended on Earth, in all her glory, shining like a sun. Radiating her energy, she calls all of us to her shrines. Thousands flock to seek her blessings, for she is shakti defined! Thinking constantly of her beautifully adorned moorti in the day, We wait for the pandal visit in the evening, biding time in school away. The excitement and fervor, festivity and colors, are effusively bright, Fused with sweets, prasad and prayers, we spark our inner light. Alpona designs swirling, and the drums in rhythm beating, To appease the timeless one, are the devotees dhunuchi dancing. Equipped with weapons of 10 deities, proudly atop her tiger, Sherawaaliye will destroy all of our troubles, for she is a fighter. After 10 days of festivity, Mata must go, which us children are sad to see, But we know she is forever in our hearts, and thus we chant, "JAI MATA DI!”

HAPPY DURGA PUJA TO ALL!



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Bisarjon Nilanjana Maulik

It takes each one of us a reason to wake up. For me, it was my Baba’s death on a humid February afternoon 2014. He passed away only couple of weeks after we were told he had multiple myeloma and it was beyond treatment. My mother, brother and I sat unable to avoid the question that we’d gathered to discuss: When was it time to let Baba die? That moment reminded me of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” which offers a comparison for decision making in life. My mother and brother looked to me for my thoughts. In our family, after all, I was the person for all things medical because of my long association with persons and their families living with dementia. In this situation, like so many before, I was expected to have some answers. Yet none of my years of caregiving journey had prepared me for this moment, this decision. When my Baba’s death was at hand, things happened not described in any of the materials I had been given to read in my courses. The experience was not peaceful and it still comes back to me often with countless what ifs. And, I realized that end of life choice is one of the hardest every family face as they struggle with fear and conflict to make real decisions. That experience was humbling in ways I never anticipated ever before. I am reminded of Frost’s work every day now and I try and make a conscious shift in my approach when I sit to discuss the care plans with families who have a person living with dementia. Earlier, the focus of the session would be deciding on planning and managing the present and consciously avoiding the end of life choices. However, now the goal is to have discussions about death and end of life care and to understand some of the practical issues that must be dealt with towards the end of life. By the way, my work is based in Kolkata. However, my family brings me to Bayarea for the past few years. And, as I get to meet and talk to the Bengali community settled here, I sense a great demand being placed on them to provide care and make decisions for their aging family member’s ongoing health issues and end of life journey back home. Just the other day, I received a call from this lady who recounted her own ordeal last Durga pujo in Kolkata. Her father who had dementia was hospitalized for pneumonia. The doctor, a specialist in lung disease, gave him oxygen, powerful antibiotics and steroids, but his condition quickly deteriorated. The family was

faced with the choice of either a ventilator or take him home. Then, there were challenges of arranging oxygen, emergency medical team and private duty nurse. The list was endless during the festive month. She, all along this chaos could not make it to Kolkata as her eight years old daughter was unwell. Her only other sibling who took care of her parents in Kolkata was on vacation with his own family. Their father passed away amidst turmoil that took a huge emotional toll on them and their aging mother. This case along with numerous others, highlight the critical importance of our community— family members living far away and at home, clinicians, health care providers, friends—working together to overcome the routine complexity to ensure quality care throughout the disease process and at the end of life for a loved one. I bring up this topic at this forum to get the attention of all who have an aging parent back home and invite them to work towards building a community engagement model here that will connect, interact and form relationship by telling their stories, asking people for their ideas, their viewpoints and what they did that helped ease the journey. My request is for this community to share information about the medical, financial, social and legal resources available back home and learn what has been used by others and what still needs attention. Additionally, share the type of need (physical, social, financial, emotional or spiritual) and the degree of help that is necessary by their aging members. There are two justifications for this community engagement in tackling the health crisis of aging parents back home. The first connects to the fact that, community engagement increases the reach of services with community members. Secondly, community engagement is essential for developing an empowered community that support the possibility of effective prevention, care, treatment. This model is simple yet powerful for long distance caregivers. This model also means that each of the community members will be informed when coordinating the health and social services and finding appropriate ways to monitor your loved one’s situation back home and make important decisions on an ongoing basis. My experience is not unusual; identify your biggest needs as a long-distance caregiver today and do not wait for the crisis to happen to form this community model. After all, we Bengalis are very good at creating groups.



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Remembering Ma

Jayanta Roy It has been 6 years since Ma left us leaving behind her husband (Jadav), two sons – me and Kaushik, and a middle daughter Jayati. Ma was born in Mymensingh. Like many in her generation, they were forced to leave Bangladesh during the partition, settling in Jalpaiguri. Dadu was a school teacher and supplemented his 32eager income with tuition to took care of his immediate family of three sons and two daughters and several more in his extended family. Baro-mama became a doctor, Mejo-mama joined the Army Corp of Engineers, Baro-masi became a school teacher, Ma did MA in Economics from Jadavpur, and Choto-mama did his Electrical Engineering from Sibpur. Baba was born in Tangail and was also a refugee, settling in Nabodwip. Baro-jethu was a Civil Engineer settled in Jalpaiguri on the same street, which Baba used to visit frequently. That’s where Ma & Baba met, fell in love, and got married. Baba was a Civil Engineer from Sibpur, working in private sector. His job took him to many places, starting in Assam, to Bihar, to Orissa, and Gujrat, finally settling down in Laketown Kolkata. Hence I was sent to hostel in Ramakrishna Mission, Purulia from 6th grade. Mintu (my sister) was 7 years younger to me, and Bappa (brother) was 10 years younger. Ma declined offer of Lecturer in Women’s College in Kolkata to take care of her kids. She imbued in us values of education, hard work, and responsibility. Ma passed away a few days before 2012 Durgo Pujo in Amri Hospital Kolkata. She had Lung Fibrosis and suffered her last few days. I am fortunate that I was in India on work at that time and could spend her last few days with her. My only regret is that I was not by her side when her lungs finally collapsed and she passed away. Hospitals in India have visiting hours policy, but I should have insisted that I be with her that night. Ma, I miss you very much. There are so many memories that keep me connected to you every day. I have flaws but am doing my best to make you proud. Baba is with me and I’m doing my best to take care of him. I know you are in good hands with Thakur, Sarada-ma and Swamiji. Love and pranam. Iti Tinku. Letter from Baba – It was a very sad day for me, the day my beloved wife Jharna took her last breath on Oct 8, 2012 at AMRI Hospital Kolkata. It was my misfortune that at the last moment of her life, I was not by her side. Many things/events throng my mind very often whenever I travel down the memory lane. We spent a happy married life. We could have celebrated our 50 year marriage anniversary if she had lived a year more. Anyway, it was our fate and it is to be accepted as the Will of God. We loved each other immensely. We were a happy family with three kids – two sons and one daughter.

Jharna was a lady of many good virtues. She was intelligent, good at study, and courteous to everyone irrespective of their social status. She was a MA in Economics from Jadavpur University. She was a good singer. She was mindful of her family and wellbeing of the children for which she declined a job of Lecturer in Women’s College in Kolkata. I am widowed for 6 years. I miss her very much every day. I wish she had lived with me till this day. May God give her soul eternal peace in Heaven! Letter from Mintu (Jayati) – My daughter is about to sit for her 10th board exam within three months. And I was thinking how supportive Ma was during my first main exam. I studied from 5 to 10 at my Dadu ‘s place in Jalpaiguri. After my Dadu’ss sudden death, Dimma (as I fondly call her) was all alone. Ma decided to have me with Dimma. Though l was morose initially but eventually Dimma ‘s unconditional love for her granddaughter surpassed everything. Exactly 30 years ago, Ma came to Jalpaiguri 2 months before my exam, leaving behind my father and younger brother (he was in class 7 then) in Kolkata. Due to her support I was able to make a mark in my results. The memories are so fresh that I still think Ma is around me like a rock of support. I feel her loving presence whenever I see Ma Durga’s idol or any Goddess, since Ma used to participate in any religious activity vigorously – she loved it. Ma, I miss you so much !!! Letter from Bappa (Kaushik) – A mother is a mother is a mother. There is no person in the universe like her. You feel it when she is no more – neither at your side nor her voice or video at the other end of the line on the phone. The acute pain you feel at the beginning when she is no longer there slowly fades over time but her memories still remain and they keep coming back at the utterance of even a simple expression like ‘Oh Maa’ or ‘Oh Maa Go’. You think of all the times she showered her love, anger, support, and countless other emotions on you born out of just pure love for her child. As her youngest child, I felt the same and more of her sometimes over-protective and over-bearing nature. Underlying all these was her desire for wanting the best for me all the time. The final moments with her were really painful but I choose to live on with her fond memories, memories which bring a smile to the face. I miss you Maa.

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Anoushka Biswas

Bay Area Prabasi 2018 47

Bay Area Prabasi 2018 48

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