Formula for Afforestation. Satire in Odia.

Nirbhay, 22.4.24

 

Book Review of Lokasamparka O Corporate Jogajoga

Nirbhay, 21.4.24

 

Window Seat. Weekly Column in English. 21.4.24

Sikkim Express, 21.4.24

 

Pathe Prantare. Weekly Column in Odia

Samay, 21.4.24

 

Story in Odia. Bhutara Selfie

Sovana. April. 2024 

 

Politics and Films. Article in Odia

Nitidin. 20.4.24

 

Window Seat. Weekly Column in English. 14.3.24

Sikkim Express. 14.3.24

 

Article on Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Language: Odia.

Nirbhaya, 13.4.24

 

Jallianwala Bagh. Poem translated from Hindi to Odia.

Samadrusti, 1-15 April 2024

 

Window Seat. Weekly Column in English, 14.4.24

 

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 14.4.24

Vote

India, the largest democracy of the world is going to vote in the next two months.  An estimated 970 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots to elect 543 politicians to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament. Some states including Odisha are also having assembly elections.

2024 is called the year of elections, as about 60 countries in the world are having elections this year. But India’s is the grandest. Here are some numbers to underline the grand scale of election in India: the US has 168 million registered voters, Indonesia 204 m. Russia had 114 million, Pakistan 128 and Bangladesh 119 million.

The voter participation in India is more vigorous than many other copuntries including the US.

Election Commission in India (ECI) has embarked on several programmes including the flagship ‘Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation’ (SVEEP) for voter education, spreading voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in India. SVEEP is designed according to the socio-economic, cultural, and demographic profile of the state as well as history of electoral participation in previous rounds of elections. The Commission produces several voter awareness materials and disseminates it various mediums/platforms of communication i.e Print Media, Electronic Media, Social Media etc. Under this initiative, Pran’s Features have published a comic book “Chacha Chaudhary aur Chunavi Dangal” of 62 pages with Pran’s popular cartoon characters Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Raaka, Dhamaka Singh and Billoo. The comic book has same action and adventure along with a social message to vote. It contains ten episodic stories and a quiz covering a wide range of topics on Voter awareness by the ECI. In New Voter Registration story Chacha Chaudhary guides Billoo who has recently achieved his voting age the process for voter registration. Chacha Chaudhary inspires everyone to be a smart voter like him through various Apps developed by the ECI, such as Know Your Candidate App, cVIGIL App, Voter Turnout App, PWD App and Candidate App. Chacha Chaudhary and Bini motivates our women voters to come forward and vote fearlessly. A comic story inspires Third Gender voter awareness campaign of their equal rights in voting. Chacha Chaudhary explains to Sabu and Bini why everyone should vote and each vote matters.

It is available online- free of cost. Check it out.

Chhena Poda

For the last few years Chhena Poda Day is observed in Odisha on 11 April, which happens to be the birthday of master confectioner Sudarshan Sahu of Dashapalla (Nayagarh) who first made it- accidentally in 1947. He had left sweet chenna on hot flame, got occupied and forgot about his chenna for a few hours. When he came back, the chenna was charred on the surface, but was granular underneath. He liked its taste. He developed the dessert and gave us what we know as Chenna Poda today.  

The closest English translation of ‘chhena poda’ is burnt (poda) or baked sweetmeat. But like most of the translations, it does not do justice to the original.

Chhena Poda, for the uninitiated, is a unique dessert which has a character of its own- framed by the burnt leave aroma and granular taste. Chena Poda has to be made from fresh, home-made Chhena (not commercially produced stuff), which is well-kneaded with sugar, semolina and flavoured with cardamom, cashew nuts and raisins and is wrapped with Sal leaves and baked over wood fire,  for several hours until it browns. A North Indian equivalent of it can be the baked Kalakand sold as Milk Cake. Bengalis have tried to compete, with Baked Sandesh, but nothing comes close to the sublime Chhenna Poda.

Compared to Rasagola or Rasogolla, chhena poda is of recent origin, although paneer, it is claimed, existed since Vedic times and there is evidence to indicate that it was known to the people of the Indus Valley civilization.

A Ghost Story

 A donkey was tied to a tree. One night a ghost cut the rope and released the donkey. 

The donkey went and destroyed the crops in a farmer's land. Infuriated, the farmer's wife shot the donkey and killed it. 

The donkey's owner was devastated at the loss. In reply, he shot dead the farmer's wife. 

Angered by his wife's death, the farmer took a sickle and killed the donkey's owner. 

The wife of the donkey's owner got so angry that she and her sons set the farmer's house on fire. 

The farmer, looking at his house turned into ashes, went ahead and killed both the wife and children of that donkey's owner. 

Finally, when the farmer was full of regret, he asked the ghost as to why did it kill them all? 

The ghost replied, "I killed nobody. I just released a donkey that was tied to a rope. It is all of you who released the devil within you which resulted into everything bad that happened."

Morale of the Story: Be aware of the possibility of the Ghost releasing donkey. And don’t overtly react to every donkey.

(Courtesy:  Social Media)

 

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Pathe Prantare. Weekly Column in Odia

Samay, 14.4.24

 

Window Seat. Weekly Column in English. 17.3.24

 

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 17.3.24

Popcorn Brain

‘Popcorn Brain’ refers to a multitude of kernel-like thoughts jostling about in one’s brain, rather than one or more substantial concepts. Coined by researcher David Levy in 2011, it refers to a person’s attention jumping from thought to thought like the kernels popping in popcorn. A 2003 study by the University of California Irvine found the average attention span was two minutes and 30 seconds. Recent studies have shed light on Gen Z's shorter attention span, revealing significant implications for every industry. Research conducted by Microsoft in 2015 found that the average attention span of Gen Z individuals was only about eight seconds, four seconds less than that of millennials.

We are inundated with a deluge of information, comprising both meaningful data and trivial details. This flood of content overwhelms our brains, diminishing their ability to discern what truly holds significance. With our mental landscape crowded by a constant barrage of information, there's little room left for the cultivation of clear, cogent thoughts or opinions.

This is so pervasive, that I strongly suspect we are heading towards a popcorn brain pandemic.

Graphic Novel

I was writing an essay on Graphic Novel on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the publication of ‘A River of Stories’ considered to be the first Indian graphic novel. There is a difference between Comic Book and Graphic Novel. Comic Books are serialized stories, mostly short in length and the stories they contain can continue over months and sometimes years. Graphic Novels on the other hand tend to be much longer, and also usually have their story lines wrapped up in one or two books. Graphic Novels are usually more complex and layered.

Incidentally the first graphic novelist of the world Will Wisner was born on this month- March, 107 years ago. His graphic novel ‘A Contract with God’ was published in 1978, though it was not promoted as a graphic novel.

I first heard about graphic novel about six years ago from a fifteen year old boy, who was writing one himself. He named it Monster Park. That teenager Himanshu Parija, son of Neelima BN, Professor of Mass Communication at Tirupati based Padmavati Women University is 21 now, pursuing graduation in veterinary science, because he wants to treat sick wild animals.  If ever I write a book on Graphic Novels in India, which I am planning to do- I’ll dedicate that book to him. 

The Wise Owl

Our house is located almost inside a forest. It borders a reserve forest on the back side. There are a number of mango and jamun trees and bamboo groves across the boundary wall on the front side.

The other night I found an owl sitting on a bamboo grove in front of our house. We often meet. And whenever we do, he hoots- and in its language, gives me some gyan.  

That night he said something, which I found printed on a banyan some days ago: may the forest be with you. 

When I retire (in two years) and shift from this place, adjacent to a reserve forest to Bhubaneswar, the only thing that I’ll definitely carry with me is this forest. It’ll remain with and within me for as long as I live. 

AI Teacher

A school in Kerala has introduced India's First Artificial Intelligence Teacher, Iris. The saree clad Caucasian, early thirty looking female teacher, an Artificial Intelligence driven robot is claimed to be able to answer complex questions of the students.

I can understand the reasons behind introducing AI teacher at a state where there probably are more teachers than students. There are two sets of reasons: one- pushing the boundary of knowledge and technology; two- no salary, no pension, no lafda, no tension.

I am thinking of a future scenario. In not a very distant future, in our schools the robo-teachers will teach robo- students, while the human beings search for another planet to live as the planet earth is increasingly becoming unlivable. 

The present world is full of ironies. Consider this: Recently AI powered robo teacher has been launched. So in near future, robo teachers will teach robo students, while the human beings search for another planet to live. 

Human beings are now called Homo Sapiens; ‘Sapiens’ mean wise men. The future human beings, as my friend J P Jagdev says, “will be called Hobo Sapiens: intelligent and homeless.
 

Height of Marketing

Holi, being a festival of colours, it used to be the occasion to wear dresses- sarees, salwar kameez, kurta- which were old and soon to be discarded. 

Not so anymore.

Specially designed sarees and Kurtas to wear on Holi are being sold online and on brick and mortar shops. These sarees and Kurtas have holi motifs printed on them.

Either we have grown sticking rich or have become stupid.

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Pathe Prantare. Weekly Column in Odia. 17.3.24

Pathe Prantare. Samay. 17.3.24

 

RamyaRachana in Odia

Nirbhay 11.3.24

 

window seat, 10.3.24

 

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 10.3.24

Why is Maha-Shivaratri so Holy?

Maha-Shivaratri, observed on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month of Phalguna or Magha (this year it fell on 8 March) is one of the holiest days in the Hindu calendar. It is believed that it marks the anniversary of the divine marriage between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, representing the celestial merger of cosmic forces and the balance between masculine and feminine energies. Hindus across the country observe maha-Shivaratri-. However there are differences in the way it is observed.

Many believe that the planetary positions in the northern hemisphere are in such a conjunction that day that it is a potent catalyst which can help a person improve his spiritual and other energies. Many recite Sanskrit mantras like Maha-Mrityunjaya to really enhance their powers, on this very night. 

In many states, it is primarily a ritual where young women observed fast and prayed for a manly husband like Shiva.

It is observed in Bengal quite vigorously and differently. Jawhar Sircar, former Union Culture Secretary and a known cultural anthropologist explained the phenomenon from social and historical perspective.                

“Let us try to understand why and when this festival assumed importance among the masses in Bengal. People of this state who are so averse to the cold and wear mufflers and monkey-caps as soon as it’s a little chilly have always wondered how Shiva can survive the icy Himalayas — with just a single piece of tiger skin around his waist. But one must understand that the most popular imagery of Shiva that succeeded in Bengal was not so much the king of Kailash, but the humble peasant of Shivayana literature. Here he is portrayed as a potbellied peasant, who smokes ganja with his ganas and is chased around by an angry Parvati, with a broom in her hand. 

Kalighat Pot painting

Between the 15th and 17th Centuries, more and more persons joined settled life and agriculture in Bengal — and many other parts of India. They gave up their earlier professions of hunting, gathering, fishing and herding cattle, for economic improvement and social respect. This is when Bengal was coming to terms with Puranic deities. We may recall Kalketu, the hunter, who came out of the forests in the Middle Ages to set up a kingdom, where agriculture was the mainstay not the hunting. The Mangal Kavyas, celebrated the defeat of the great Pauranc deities of North India like the Shiva of Kailash and even Durga, at the hands of the local gods and goddesses like Dharma, Manasa and Chandi. This is when and the Shivayan poems of Bengal celebrated the poor peasant Shiva — not the king of Kailash. It became an instant hit with the newly emerging farmers from the lower orders and this ‘democratisation’ of worship is what distinguishes Bengal from other provinces.”

 

Sahitya Academi@70

Sahitya Academi, India’s National Academy of Letters completes 70 years on 12 March.  It undertakes literary activities in 24 Indian languages, including English.

The proposal to establish a National Academy of letters in India had been under the consideration of the British Government of the country long before independence. In 1944, the Government of India accepted in principle a proposal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal that a National Cultural trust should be set up to encourage cultural activities in all fields. The trust was to consist of three Academies, including the Academy of letters.

After freedom, the proposal was pursued by the independent Government of India, and it was decided to establish three National Academies one of letters, another of visual arts and the third of dance, drama and music. It was also decided that The Govt. would set up the Academies, but once they were established, it would refrain from exercising any control and leave them to perform their function as autonomous institution.

Jawaharlal Nehru was its first chairperson. The logo of Sahitya Academi was designed by Satyajit Ray.

Every year since its inception in 1954, the Sahitya Akademi Awards are presented to the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the major Indian languages recognised by the Akademi. The first awards were given in 1955.  

Amrita Pritam was the first woman to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956, for her magnum opus in Punjabi literature, “Sunehade” (Messages). Jayanta Mahapatra (22 October 1928 – 27 August 2023) was the first Indian poet to win a Sahitya Akademi award for English poetry in 1981.

Loyola@100

Question: What is common among Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, Politician Dayanidhi Maran and actors Vijay and Suriya?

Answer: All of them are alumni of Loyola College, Chennai, which turned 100 on 10 March 2024.

One hundred years ago Father Betram, a Jesuit priest bought 50 acres of ‘unattractive’ land in Madras (now Chennai) for Rs 60,000 and established a college. It was named Loyola College. It grew to be one of the most prestigious colleges in South India.

Jamnagar Jamboree

The social media these days are hyper active over the pre-wedding celebration of the Ambani family. Discussions are on over the guest list (especially, who has not been invited and why) to the programs to the food served to the dresses the invitees wore. Hundreds of jokes and memes are circulating to the delight of nosey people.

Meanwhile I saw a wisecrack on social media:

If you go by traffic, then Bengaluru should be called Jamnagar!

 

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Window Seat, 3.3.24

 

pathe Prantare, 3.3.24

 

Nitidin, 9.3.24

 

pathe prantare, 25.2.24

 

Window Seat. Weekly Column in English. 25.2.24

 

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 25.2.24

Indigenous Technology for a Developed India

That is the theme for this year’s National Science Day to be celebrated on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of “Raman Effect” by Indian physicist C.V. Raman (Sir Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman, 1888-1970). The Raman Effect is the process of scattering of light particles by molecules of a medium. A difference in the wavelength of light as it reaches the medium causes scattering.  He was awarded the 1930 Nobel Prize in physics for this, which had multiple applications in different fields from identification of food fraud and food adulteration to quantification of biomolecules, hyper spectral molecular imaging of cells and tissue, medical diagnosis, and others.

This year’s theme foregrounds the importance of indigenous technology for development of a country with a long history of engagement with science. What is indigenous knowledge in technology?

Indigenous knowledge (IK) and indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) refer to knowledge and knowledge systems that are unique to a given culture. It can be different from modern scientific knowledge system. It is centred on local or indigenous peoples and their beliefs and practices. It is generally tacit in nature, passed from generation to generation through practice, stories, legends, etc. It is hardly academically codified like the modern science does.

Indigenous science plays a crucial role in the development of science and technology. It provides rich contexts for understanding the relationship between sociocultural life and environmental ethics, Linking indigenous knowledge and technology use can effectively engage communities in their contextual development process and contribute to building strong partnerships between communities and development institutions at local, national and international levels.

If India harvests its rich indigenous knowledge and technology and syncs with modern technology- it’ll augur well for the country.

Guilt

I often see working parents, especially young parents succumb to all demands, whims and fancies of their kids. Instead of reprimanding the kids in situation that warrants that, the parents give in. As a result the kids gradually become arrogant.

I confronted some such parents, talked to them at length, and I found they suffer from a sense of guilt for not being able to give enough time to the kids. Guilt is a demon. A betal sitting on every working parent’s back.

“Just because we had to go out to earn our livelihood and cannot devote time to our kids, we suffer form that guilt. As compensation we bow down to every whim and fancy of our kids. We pamper them. We fail to chastise them when it should have been done. As a result our kids become arrogant and demanding. They know our week points and blackmail us- emotionally or otherwise.”

My advice to the young parents: don’t do that. You are spoiling your kids and making them arrogant brats who will grow as bad human beings.

Law

At Sambalpur railway station I saw a bunch of young transgender - teen aged and early twenties. I overheard one of them saying, “What do we do if the TT asks for tickets?”

One of them with garishly coloured lips clapped the way transgender usually do and said, “They will not dare to ask tickets from us.”

His/ her confidence set me thinking: what gives people this kind of confidence in breaking the law? .

Tailpiece: Logical Boy

Boy (aged four): Dad, I’ve decided to get married.

Dad: Wonderful; Do you have a girl in mind?

Boy: Yes; Grandma! She said, she loves me. I love her, too… and she is the best cook and story teller in the whole world.

Dad: That’s nice, but we have a small problem.

Boy: What problem?

Dad: She happens to be my mother. How can you marry my mother?

Boy: Why not? You married mine!

(Courtesy: Social Media)

Tailpiece: Just Thinking

When butterflies are in love, do they feel humans in their stomach!

(Courtesy: Social Media)

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 Published in Sikkim Express and www.prameyanews.com, 25.2.24

Pathe Prantare. Weekly Column in Odia. 25.2.24

Samay, 25.2.24

 

Window Seat, Weekly Column in English, 4.2.24

 

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 4.2.24

Pushkar

Pushkar is one of the oldest cities in India, which finds mention in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. Located to the northwest of Ajmer, it is situated at the height of 510 metres, surrounded by hillocks on three sides. The ‘Nag Pahar’ (literally Snake Mountain)forms a natural border between Ajmer and Pushkar.

The city of Pushkar is home to the very few temples dedicated to Lord Bramha. Hindus consider a journey to Pushkar to be a ‘must do’ pilgrimage. Local pundits call it ‘tirtha raj.

According to the legends, Lord Bramha, creator of the universe dropped a lotus to the ground leading to the immediate creation of a lake. He then named the place after the flower, and thus the name, Pushkar. 

Semi-circular in shape and about 8-10 metres deep, Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ghats and over 400 temples. The Bramha Temple is located about a km away from the lake on a hillock. Built with marble and decorated with silver coins, this temple can be identified by its red spire and the image of a swan (considered sacred to Lord Brahma). The chaturmukhi (four faced) idol of Lord Brahma is housed in the inner sanctum. A marble statue of the sun god stands sentinel at the temple.

Puskar is also a holy place for the Sikhs because of the Gurudwara Singh Sabha. Situated in the eastern part of Pushkar, it was built in the beginning of the 19th century to commemorate the visits of the first and the tenth gurus- Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Govind Singhji .

Pushkar is also known for its camel fair. Held each November at the time of the Kartik Purnima (full moon), it is is one of India's largest camel, horse and cattle fairs.

The city is home to a large number of artisans who create exquisite handicrafts using traditional techniques. The handicrafts industry is a major contributor to the economy of Pushkar. Some of the popular handicraft items made here include textiles, pottery, and jewelry.

Sadhu Meher

I met Sadhu Meher, veteran Odia cine actor, director and producer at a special screening of Bhukha in Bhubaneswar in 1989. I was a working journalist then. Sabyasachi Mahapatra, the Director of the film introduced me to Sadhu Meher. I instantly liked the person. He had no air of a star.  Sadhu Meher passed away in Mumbai on 2 February 2024. He was 84.

He performed in both Odia and Hindi films. He began his career in Hindi films with Bhuvan Shome (1968, Dir. Mrinal Sen) He acted in several parallel cinema like Ankur, Manthan, Nisant, Mrigaya and so on. Later he shifted his interest towards Odia films. He acted in over 30 films and television serials and directed six films including a Children’s film Babula.

Born in Manamunda, Odisha in 1940, Sadhu Meher lived mostly in Mumbai.

He won National Film Award for Ankur (1974). He was conferred Padma Sri in 2017.

 Turban

People all over the world wear headgears including turban- for different purposes- climatic condition, identity, ceremonial, and so on.

I found the most colourful turbans in Rajasthan. Wearing a colorful turban is the ultimate fashion statement in Rajasthan. The men here have perfected the art of turban (locally called safa or paaga or pagri) tying to the point where it's practically a competitive sport. It is not an easy task, considering a safa or pagri could be a piece of cloth averagely nine metres long, but some are even longer. Each turban is a work of art, a towering masterpiece that can put the Leaning Tower of Pisa to shame.

And there are different types of safa or pagdi. You could often get to know the region, caste and religion of the man, through the style of the turban worn.

Window Seat 2023

I have been writing this weekly column for over a decade now. It has become a part of my being- my stress booster, my creative genie, my favourite past time.

For the last five years, I put together of the write-ups into an anthology in e-book format and distribute it to whoever is interested to read free of any charge. Every year I pick up a photograph of one young photographer for the cover. This year, the cover photo is by Adarsh Singh a young student of NIFT, Bhubaneswar.

If you are interested to get a copy, write a request mail to mrinalchatterjeeiimc@gmail.com

 

Tailpiece: Doubt

 

Son: Dad, I have a doubt.

Dad: What's it, son?

Son: I learnt that Shri Ram attained Godly status by listening to his father in Tretayug.

Dad: That's true, son.

 

Son: But then Prahlad became great by not listening to his father* in Satyayug.

Dad: That is also true.

Son: So, dad, kindly enlighten me, should I listen to you, or not? 

Dad: My dear son, we are living in Kalyug. It's good for both of us to listen to your mother  to lead a peaceful and harmonious life.

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 Published in Sikkim Express, 4.2.24 and www.prameyanews.com