Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee |21.11.21
Winter
India is truly a land of contradictions. While there is a
prediction that some North Indian states may suffer the harshest winter in
years, we at Central Odisha are actually eagerly looking forward to a cool
winter. Even the quilts tucked inside trunks and boxes are waiting to be taken
out- dried under the soft sun and used. Everybody at this part of the country
is ruing the fact that the world is warming up. My mother says, in her times
winter used to arrive much earlier around Durga Puja. Now we are celebrating
Kartick Purnima- and there is no trace of the bone numbing cold, which should
have been here.
Winter in our part of the country has its own charm. The mellow
sun in the morning feels like a shawl that you would like to warp around you.
The evenings almost invite you to snuggle under the quilt- but not before one
partakes bellyful of pakoda- the spiced fritters. Incidentally pakoda
originated in Indian sub-continent.
Winter and Tea
India
drinks her tea (or chai) in myriad ways. From the Noon Chai in J&K to
Nilgiri Tea down south, from smoked tea in NE to Nathwada chai in Gujarat- we
have various kinds and concoctions of tea. In Bengal and Assam- putting milk in
tea is sacrilege. In Hindi heartland it is the main ingredient.
Whatever
be the kind, type and ingredient- winter is the best time of savour tea. A hot
cup of tea in winter- is the best thing that can happen. Remember the scene
from railway platform scene in Dil se!
A rainy winter night, Monisha Koirala with her wet brush painted innocence and
a Sharukh Khan trying to offer her a glass (not cup) of tea!
Thankfully
our engagement with tea has changed drastically over time. When I was a kid- (I
was born in 1961) tea was kind of adult drink. Kids only get to drink it
occasionally- like when somebody has fever or has an examination and has to
study late into night or if it too cold. Now it is ok to allow even toddler to
have tea.
How
times have changed- for the better, for lovers of tea!
Mannu Bhandari
Mannu
Bhandari, one of the pioneers of the Hindi Nayi
Kahaani Movement, which started in 1950s passed away on 15 November. In her
novels and short stories, Bhandari portrayed women under a new light, as
independent and intellectual individuals. She highlighted the struggles and
difficulties women constantly encountered. Female characters in her
stories are portrayed as strong, independent individuals, breaking old habits
and emerging and creating an image of 'a new woman'.
Bhandari's first novel, Ek Inch Muskaan,
was published in 1961. It was co-authored with her husband, the writer and
editor Rajendra Yadav.
Besides short stories and novels, she wrote
several plays and screen plays and also fiction for children. Many of her
novels and short stories have been made into successful plays and feature
films. Rajnigandha and Swami
directed by Basu Chatterjee, were based on her story Yahi Sach Hai and
novel titled Swami. Her second novel Aap
Ka Bunty was made into a film titled Samay ki Dhara by Sisir Mishra. Bhandari subsequently sued the
filmmakers, Kala Vikas Pictures Pvt Ltd, on the grounds that the adaptation
distorted her novel and violated Section 57 of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957.
The judgment in this case, was
a landmark decision in Indian copyright law that clarified the scope
of an author's moral rights under Indian copyright law. The Court held in favour
of Bhandari, but she and the producers ultimately settled out of court.
I recently translated one of her short stories
titled Mukti (liberation) that
portrays the life of a housewife who relentlessly serves her husband.
Happy Winter!
Now
comes the time, when we have to take that important decision of life every
morning: should I take a bath or not.
(Courtesy:
Social Media)
+++
Journalist turned
media academician Mrinal Chatterjee lives in Dhenkanal, Odisha. He also writes
fiction and plays.
mrinalchatterjeeiimc@gmail.com
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