Arbaaz Khan and Shura Khan at their wedding that took place on December 24
Guess what? People were searching for Shura Khan all over the web yesterday to get more info on the woman 56-year-old Arbaaz Khan is marrying. But each and every article on her just supplied three facts she is a make-up artist, she has worked with Raveena Tandon before and she met Arbaaz on the sets of their film Patna Shukla.
Going through all the newspaper articles and paparazzi pictures here are my realizations:
1. You get to know only why the Bollywood stars want you to know
It might apparently seem like the stars are far more exposed today on social media and with the paparazzi following them everywhere but that’s a complete myth.
The final power lies with the star and no news comes out until they wish for it to.
That’s why Arbaaz Khan could spring a surprise about his second wedding when the media was busy following around his ex-wife Malaika Arora and present boyfriend Arjun Kapoor and talking to his ex-girlfriend Giorgia Andriani.
2. Shura Khan aced Google searches yesterday
Shura Khan might be a well-known make-up artist in Bollywood but she quickly made her Instagram page private so that no one could get to know about her from her page.
According to Google Trends people searched for her age, family background, career details, personal details but nothing was available on the web.
3. Entertainment journalists will write only what works for them
In a PR-driven scenario where journalists have to depend on them for stories and interviews, entertainment journalists do not want to rub PRs the wrong way by asking too many questions or publishing things that doesn’t work for them.
Journalism has changed too. Even a decade back it was expected that the journalist belonging to a certain beat will cultivate such a network that information will land on their desk within minutes of them asking a few questions. Now either they don’t know or they don’t want to go the extra mile because editors don’t push either to get exclusives.
4. When the stars are serious about their relationships, they keep things hush-hush
Coming to relationships in Bollywood, there’s a new trend now. (Read: Katrina-Vicky affair) When they are dating seriously they want to keep it under wraps. Arbaaz was seen everywhere with ex-girlfriend actress Giorgia Andriani and they were written about. She has talked to the media about their break-up too.
But did anyone get a whiff of when the Shura-Arbaaz love affair took off or get serious? They very conveniently kept it under wraps!
Raveena Tandon with Shura Khan in an earlier photo from the Internet
5. A lady like Shura Khan can be an enigma even today!
This part I absolutely loved. Shura Khan got married in one of the most powerful families in Bollywood. She is established in her career with 15k followers on Instagram but she continues to be an enigma.
Nothing is known about her personal life or where she lives, who she parties with, what films she is working on …nothing!
After photos of their wedding were shared with the media the very next day Arbaaz Khan while driving his newly married wife, was spotted by the paps. But he ducked behind the wheels and hid his face.
So there you go. It’s their decision at the end of the day, how they want to present themselves to the media. So what do you think? Celebs are more powerful or the media?
Arbaaz Khan ducking behind the wheel to avoid being photographed a day after his wedding. (Photo: Viral Bhayani taken from the Net)
What are the best places to go on a family trip? This is a question that people ask me often. I have been travelling with my son since he was four and a half months old, but I must say I always preferred to plan well and take it slow when he was a baby and later on a toddler. Now that he is a teenager, I can do a more “running-around-ticking-my-itinerary-list” kind of holiday and he enjoys it as much as we do.
While looking for the best places to go on a family trip I always keep a few things in mind. Here are those:
1. There should be activities for all of us to do.
2. A comfortable hotel room where we can retire at the end of the day and have a good night’s sleep.
3. Availability of food that can have the flavour of simple home-cooked food so that your stomach doesn’t end up revolting on your holiday.
4. The availability of transportation in case of an emergency.
5. Medicine shops should be also available in the vicinity so that you can buy emergency medication.
Best places to go on a family trip
I am an Indian and I think my country has the best places to explore on a family trip. If you are in love with the mountains, the sea, heritage and history then you can find the best places for a family trip in India. I am listing five places we explored from Kolkata, the city I live in India, and for me these proved to be the best places for a family trip.
The misty roads of Observatory Hill, Darjeeling
1. Darjeeling
This was my third trip to Darjeeling but my husband and son’s first trip and they were very excited. We were travelling in the end of May and the rains come full-fledged in June. So our travel agent Dreamland Escapes advised us to stay in Darjeeling town and not venture too much into off-beat locations because in case of a landslide we would get stuck.
So we stayed in a wonderful hotel, Hermitage Resort Darjeeling, booked by them. It has the best views of the Himalayas and we had an absolute ball exploring Darjeeling. From witnessing the sun rising on the mountains right from our bed to walking down Observatory Hill in the mist, the old-world charm of Darjeeling was just amazing.
When you are going for a family trip the best thing to do is opt for dates that would allow the rush to move away. People usually visit Darjeeling in March-April but in May you will spot a lot of travellers in this quaint mountain abode but there is no mad rush.
Since our hotel was within walking distance of the Mall we lounged around that lovely place and then headed to Glenary’s for dinner. In fact, Glenary’s is a place that should we revisited for lunch and evening snacks as well. On the day we headed there for lunch the sun was peeping from behind the clouds after a shower and the valley below looked heavenly from the open deck, where we were sitting.
Darjeeling is the best place for a family trip because children have a lot to do. My son enjoyed the toy train ride thoroughly, he tried indoor wall climbing at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, loved the HMI museum and was super excited to spot the red panda at the Darjeeling Zoo.
Needless to say shopping for knick-knacks and small gifts for his friends, to take back home was exciting for him. He enjoyed the luscious momos that we had at a shack next to the Darjeeling Tea Gardens and liked the monasteries, especially the Ghoom Monastery.
If you are travelling with elderly people on your family trip then Darjeeling has a lot of hotels where guests can be dropped off at the gate so that there is no climbing required. Do check if the hotel you are booking has this facility.
What we loved most on our family trip to Darjeeling were the leisurely walks down Observatory Hill and the coffee shops around the Mall where you can enjoy your cuppa and watch tourists pass by.
Hans Coco Palms Puri is situated right on the beach
2. Puri-Gopalpur
Situated in the neighbouring state of Odisha, Puri and Gopalpur are just an overnight train journey from Kolkata. This was my seventh trip to Puri and while I visited this place often with my parents on our family trips, it was my turn now to take my son to the temple town and give him a taste of the waves as well.
I have been around the world and have been to several beaches but the sea at Puri is indescribable. Perhaps that’s why the number of tourists is swelling every year in Puri because the attraction of those giant waves will always be unparalleled.
This time we decided to do things a bit differently. We drove down to Puri and Gopalpur. Husband was at the wheel, I was the navigator and son – who had very enthusiastically bought a car mattress – played the DJ and a few hours later Rip Van Winkle. It took us 11 hours to reach Puri with lunch and tea breaks in between. The highways were amazing, although some diversions played with our patience. But the drive was scenic and totally worth it.
On my earlier sojourns in Puri we have gone on cycle rides and late-night walks on the beach but this time it was all about playing with the waves – my son loved the ride on the waves in an inflated tube along with a nulia (the local people who are adept in handling the treacherous waves) and loved to splash around in the pool. Hans Coco Palms, the hotel we stayed in has a sprawling pool, great food (they cooked a whole crab for us), lovely rooms and very courteous staff. It was wonderful to laze by the pool and enjoy the palm-dotted ambience.
We climbed to the top of the lighthouse that was right next to the hotel. It was a bit of a climb but the view at the end of it was strikingly beautiful.
A visit to Konark Sun Temple and Puri Temple should also be on the itinerary.
After three days we headed for Gopalpur in our car. The Bypass road in Puri is a boon for car trippers and thanks to yet another wonderful highway we were in Chilika in no time. The second largest coastal lagoon in the world is a beauty to behold. One can opt for a boat ride here but it was too hot in the afternoon, so we decided to give it a miss and proceeded to Gopalpur.
The beautiful beach at Mayfair Gopalpur
Mayfair Palm Beach Resort is the best place to stay on a family trip. While the property is beautiful with really large, well-maintained rooms, it was the private beach, the restaurant next to the beach and the crystal-clear sea that had our heart.
With ample activities for children this resort is very family friendly. My son wouldn’t get out of the pool and the sea, loved playing table tennis, tried his hand at pool, if he had been younger I would have surely spent more time at the children’s play area. Then the hotel staff organised housie and musical chairs and my son enjoyed these events too.
We spotted boats and fishes in the sea, took long walks in the manicured lawns and I just wished the hours wouldn’t pass as I sat on the lounger in the huge balcony with my Kindle. It was a truly relaxing family holiday.
The grand view of the valley in Ooty from La Montana by TGI
3. Ooty – Coonoor
Never knew Nilgiris could be so beautiful. Ooty used to be a Bollywood shooting hub at one point of time, but once I went there I realised why. The winding roads through the tea gardens, the stunning lakes, the pine forests, waterfalls, animal farms, wild animal spotting at Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and topping it all is the scenic toy train ride that remains etched in one’s memory forever.
After going through umpteen places to stay and weighing the pros and cons we zeroed in on La Montana by TGI solely because of the views it offered. Once we checked in we realised apart from the unbelievable views the hotel has huge rooms, excellent facilities and great food.
The best thing about this hotel is we could see the toy train passing from our balcony. And every time we heard the train’s whistle reverberating through the valley we would run like children to the balcony to see the train.
The walk to Avalanche Lake can be a long one but it is highly doable, and the views are worth every step. Elderly people might find the climb down to Pykara Forest and Pykara Falls a little steep but if they manage it, they would be amazed at the natural beauty our country has to offer.
One can spend hours staring at the Pykara Falls, the Emerald Lake or Ooty Lake. We fell in love with the colourful flowers at Sim’s Park in Coonoor.
Pykara Falls in Ooty
A chocolate factory in Ooty can be a truly exciting place for children. My son loved the variety of handmade chocolates that were being made right in front of him. Needless to say, he picked up a veritable collection. As adults, we found the tea factory rather fascinating and bought all kinds too.
From boating at the lakes to spotting a wild elephant at the national park to heritage tours, Ooty and Coonoor have activities and sightseeing opportunities that are perfect for a family trip. That’s why it’s one of the best places to visit with your family. In fact, many opt to stay in Coonoor and make day trips to Ooty. We did the opposite though.
Changu Lake in Sikkim
4. Sikkim
I have travelled the length and breadth of Sikkim in shared cars and without prior hotel bookings earlier but when you are travelling with your family, including children or elderly people, you can’t afford to do that. So once again my travel agent Dreamland Escapes made all the bookings and worked on our itinerary for our 8-day Sikkim trip. I always prefer to go through a reliable travel agent because it saves me a lot of time and booking hassle.
Since it was December and I was travelling with my son I decided to keep our itinerary restricted to Gangtok, Ravangla and Kaluk. North Sikkim gets freezing in winter so it might not be a great idea to travel with children.
We wanted to stay near the main artery of Gangtok the MG Marg. We opted for the Yangthang Heritage Hotel. The best thing is despite being right in the middle of the city the hotel is away from the noise and has unfettered views of the Kanchenjunga. The very second day we went berserk in excitement seeing the peak peeking out in the wee hours of the morning. The hotel has huge rooms and bathrooms, courteous staff and delicious food. Our stay there was amazing. From Gangtok we did the usual rounds of Changu Lake, Nathula Pass, Banjhakri Falls, Rumtek Monastery and Bakthang Falls.
Just walking around MG Marg and shopping is a joy in Gangtok. We found ourselves at Baker’s Café every day devouring cappuccinos, pastries and churros.
At Ravangla we visited the Buddha Park which is green and beautiful and, inside, the murals depicting the life of Buddha are a visual treat. On our Sikkim trip not a day passed without having momos but here at a small café at Buddha Park we had the tastiest vegetable momos. From Ravangla we also visited the magnificent Ralang Monastery.
Ralang Monastery in Ravangla
In Ravangla we stayed at Buddha Retreat. Hotel Zumthang, where we stayed earlier, is also another great option with a scenic location that offers great views.
Our trip ended in Kaluk where we stayed in the Ghonday Village Resort. The resort is so beautiful, with fabulous views of the mountains that we just wanted to sit at the balcony or in the garden and enjoy the ambience. Our only activity was taking short walks on the mountain roads and interacting with the locals. We always returned to the giant chessboard in the hotel, the evening bonfire, the delicious local food that the hotel served and generally enjoyed the stay at the resort.
A typical road in Santiniketan
5. Santiniketan
As Kolkatans Santiniketan is our favourite place for quick weekend trips but now that Santiniketan has made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List the interest of the international travelling community has peaked. Rabindranath Tagore set up Santiniketan in 1901 establishing an open-air school and the Visva Bharati University because he wanted to re-invent learning. International students have been coming to study literature and arts in Santiniketan for a long time and it has become a place where art and music thrive.
Santiniketan has moved with the times but it has not shed off its old-world charm. On my recent visit to Tagore’s university town it was rather comforting to see the greenery untouched, the trademark red soil dazzling in the winter sun and the quaint bungalows looking pretty in the tranquil ambience and Santhal drums beating somewhere in a remote tribal village.
We stayed in the beautiful Rangabitan Tourist Complex that’s run by West Bengal Tourism Corporation. It’s a huge property and some of the bungalows face the forest. You wake up to the chirping of birds. The rooms are all renovated, have smart TVs and the food has a home-made touch.
Rangabitan Tourist Complex in Santiniketan
This time we went to the Rabindra Bhavan where apart from photos and prizes, Tagore’s pens, clothes and the gifts he got from different countries are on display. It is a fascinating exhibit. The Uttarayan Complex is where Tagore had his five beautiful homes. Since the University campus is closed to visitors now, we could not visit the places inside it. My son found Tagore’s homes and the museum particularly fascinating because he is studying about the Bard in his school curriculum, and it was a moment of discovery for him.
This time we made it to Prakriti Bhavan, the nature art museum where stones and tree barks are placed as installations with interpretations. The imagination is unique and nature is shown as raw and beautiful.
The Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary is another virgin zone where a family of deer roam around and we spotted cranes, orioles and kingfishers.
The Sonajhuri Haat located next to the Khoai River is a major attraction in Santiniketan that not only attracts people looking for beautiful handicrafts but with an opportunity to dance with tribal dancers and sing with baul singers, this place gives a holistic experience of the culture and craft of the place.
We were lucky to catch a Lokoshilpa Mela where local dancers were performing, and local food was being made and sold and a bohurupee (polymorphous character) posed as a native ghost and was turning out to be quite a scare fest.
All in all, these holiday spots traverse mountains, oceans and a heritage site and have accommodations to fit every budget. In India a family trip often means travelling with elderly parents and children. The places we went to are ideal for everyone.
Photos: Vivaan Sengupta, Jaydip Sengupta and Amrita Mukherjee
Through the Lens, Brightly: Women in Cinema, Womenat Work is National Award- winning writer Shoma A. Chatterji’s latest offering on women behind the lens. The contents page of the book can be a wee bit misleading because at first glance you might feel the writer has picked up films that we have already watched and re-watched, by women directors we are largely familiar with. But when it’s a book by Chatterji, you can expect the unexpected. What could have been a run-of-the-mill discourse has turned out to be an eye opener. It’s a highly entertaining and inspiring read. Peppered with interesting anecdotes, unknown facts and the author’s personal views, the book very intelligently steers clear from becoming an academic read. At the same time, it is a gem in the hands of students and researchers doing women’s studies, aspiring filmmakers, film scholars and students of film studies.
At the beginning of the book, Chatterji points out that women were mostly part of the film industry the world over because they brought the glamour quotient to the screen and having the acting chops wasn’t a necessity. Post WWI Hollywood saw the emergence of Dorothy Arzner, the first woman who wore the director’s cap. At almost the same time, India was also witnessing a similar change.
Cover of Through the Lens, Brightly: Women in Cinema, Women at Work by Shoma A. Chatterji
The first women directors in India
The book takes off from the fascinating perspective of how the first few Indian women took up their place behind the camera, making an unusual career choice in a male-dominated profession and making their presence felt.
As Chatterji writes, the history of Indian women directing films dates back to the silent era. Way back in 1926, it was Fatma Begum who started her own company Fatma Films and made six films; some of the popular ones being Bulbul-E-Paristan, which first treaded the world of fantasy, Heer Ranjha and Shakuntala. She belonged to Urdu theatre and had worked with noted filmmakers Ardeshir Irani and Nanubhai Desai. Her daughter actress Zubeida was the heroine of the first talkie Alam Ara.
If Fatma paved the way for women to step behind the camera, superstar Nargis’ mom Jaddanbai was another ambitious lady who started the Sangeet Film Company in 1936 and directed films like Hridaya Manthan and Madam Fashion. In fact, at the age of six, Nargis made her acting debut in the film Talash-e- Haq where Jaddanbai was the heroine. Chatterji has added details about the fascinating life of Jaddanbai, the social scenario in the film industry at that time as it evolved into a respectable profession for women and how Jaddanbai, the grandmother of Sanjay Dutt, understood the opportunities the film industry in Bombay offered even in its nascent state and built on it using her prowess in acting, music and directing.
Jaddanbai, the grandmother of Sanjay Dutt, understood the opportunities the film industry in Bombay offered even in its nascent state and built on it using her prowess in acting, music and directing.
Jaddanbai and daughter Nargis
Shobhna Samarth started her career as an actress in Marathi films but she went into direction and production and eventually launched daughter Nutan as the lead in her directorial Hamari Beti and Tanuja in Chhabili.
In Bengal, noted actress Arundhati Devi received the Certificate of Merit at the National Awards in 1967 for her film Chhuti where, apart from direction, she had done the script and music. She also directed the children’s film Padi Pishir Bormi Baksha and produced Bicharak in 1959 that has stunning performances by her and Uttam Kumar.
Actress Manju De made her directorial debut with the comedy Swargo Hotey Biday in 1954 and then she directed the hugely popular Byomkesh story Sajarur Kanta (1974) which was a runaway hit.
South Indian actresses Bhanumathi, Lakshmi, Kommareddy Savitri also tried their hands at direction and succeeded.
Shobhna Samarth with daughter Tanuja (left) and granddaughter Kajol (right)
The change in the narrative
Ray focused on a working woman in Mahanagar
These early women directors had undertaken an uphill task in a male-dominated industry where the storytelling, distribution, pumping in the moolah into films, were all perceived from a man’s perspective. That’s why the heroine on screen had to be either the victim or the good girl, or the vamp placed solely for voyeuristic pleasure, bestowed with all vices. Films were made in formulas that worked again and again so the trap was inescapable.
It was men like Satyajit Ray with his focus on a working woman in Mahanagar, Vijay Anand with Rosie’s atypical character of wife, lover, dancer in Guide or Guru Dutt through Chhoti Bahu’s character in Sahib,Biwi Aur Ghulam, challenged stereotypes. But interestingly, when women started directing films in India, it wasn’t with a hunger to challenge stereotypes but the perspective that they brought to the silver screen was fresh and different. From delving into fantasy to children’s films to detective stories to social drama, they told their stories in a different way and almost always, the objectification of women, that was so far the norm, was totally missing.
It was men like Satyajit Ray with his focus on a working woman in Mahanagar, Vijay Anand with Rosie’s atypical character of wife, lover, dancer in Guide or Guru Dutt through Chhoti Bahu’s character in Sahib,Biwi Aur Ghulam, challenged stereotypes.
Women directors of the 80s
If we are talking of emergence of women directors in the 80s, as Chatterjee rightly points out, we cannot help but take off with Aparna Sen and her path-breaking film 36 Chowringhee Lane. The actress, by stepping behind the camera and by staying behind it for four decades, has been an inspiration to many women.
While later in the book Chatterji takes a nuanced look at Aparna Sen’s debut film that was initially a dud at the box office and later attained cult status, redefining storytelling in Indian cinema, in the initial part the author talks about women directors who made their presence felt in the 80s.
She touches upon Kalpana Lajmi, the niece of Guru Dutt and cousin of Shyam Benegal, who started directing her own films after working with her cousin for 10 years. Other noted directors she talks about are Vijaya Mehta, who was a well-known theatre personality and Sai Paranjpayee who became a household name with her film Chashme Baddoor. Chatterji has detailed their work, their successes, failures and the direction they gave to Indian cinema.
Aparna Sen directing Jennifer Kapoor and Dhritiman Chatterjee in 36 Chowringhee Lane
Women moving forward behind the lens
Chatterji mentions that the only thing that was common among the women directors of the 80s was the fact that they bonded through strong storylines, were versatile and had a fresh voice and their films had beautiful music.
As the writer shares interesting anecdotes about each lady director, about their ambitions and struggles, we move into the 90s when we have women who are more focused and sorted. She mentions Odiya director Bijoya Jena whose directorial debut Tara (1992) got the National Award for the Best Odiya Film. Some other noteworthy names are Gopi Desai, Prema Karanth, Satarupa Sanyal, Sumitra Bhave and Aruna Raje whose latest film Firebrand was produced by Priyanka Chopra for OTT.
And then there were the “others” like Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta, Gurinder Chadha and Pamela Rooks. They are considered the “outsiders” because they did not supposedly belong to Indian film industry and their crew comprised technicians from East and West, but the author points out that they are as much part of this milieu because they have gone ahead and challenged stereotypes and told very strong Indian stories. Mehta’s Fire, Nair’s Namesake, Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham haveattained cult status.
Coming to the present
Among the present crop of women directors, the author mentions Reema Kagti who made her debut with the refreshing Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, Meghna Gulzar’s films Raazi and Talvar, Leena Yadav’s Parched, and Zoya Akhtar and Farah Khan, both of whom have stuck to mainstream films and neither makes feminist films nor off-beat ones. Nandita Das’ Manto, Konkona Sen Sharma’s Death in the Gunj and Kiran Rao’s Dhobi Ghat are a few films that the author mentions as commendable productions.
In a very interesting section “Ladies Behind the Scenes”, Chatterji elucidates that a study in Hollywood has shown that women in crew positions only formed 22.6 % of people behind the camera. The story in India is no different, although it’s changing gradually.
Way back in 2002, Revathi’s film Mitr, My Friend had an all-women crew and it clinched a number of awards at the National Awards. Anu Menon’s 2015 film Waiting also had an all-women crew as did Priya Beliappa’s Kannada film Ring Road in 2014. The author has given more instances in the book saying it’s rare, but it’s happening.
Way back in 2002, Revathi’s film Mitr, My Friend had an all-women crew
Revathi directing her film. (Right) Shobana in a still from Mitr, My Friend
The films in focus
In this book, Chatterji has mainly focused on how working women have been depicted in films made by women. In Aparna Sen’s 36 Chowringhee Lane, Violet Stoneham is a teacher, in Kalpana Lajmi’s Rudaali, the protagonist tries to be a part of a fading profession of lamenting women, in Leena Yadav’s Parched, the characters are crafts women and there is a travelling dancer who moonlights as a sex worker, Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish focuses on the entrepreneur, Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance has the actress as a working woman, Reema Kagti’s Talaash is about a sex worker, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s Nil Battey Sannata has a multi-tasking domestic maid, Alankrita Shrivastava’s Lipstick Under My Burkha covers roles like a landlady, a beauty salon worker and a nude model and Meghna Gulzar’s Raazi looks at the working woman as a secret agent.
Chatterji, through her research, has delved into the life of the working women, their images represented by the directors on celluloid and the changes their occupation brought to their lives.
Till date, there has been very little work on representation of working women in Indian cinema and one must say as one goes through the pages of the book one is amazed at the kind of research the author has done not only on each film but also on each director. The details about a director’s background, their struggles and how they wanted to get their POV across make for a truly enthralling read.
Personal stories
As the author unravels the layers in each film by going into the details of every character, storytelling style, music and script, she also fills us in with facts like when Aparna Sen started toying with the idea of directing a film, she had no clue about direction but as she says: “I saw vivid pictures in my mind and I was unafraid to ask questions. I was already dissatisfied with the roles I was playing.”
Although Kalpana Lajmi assisted Shyam Benegal for a long time it was her live-in relationship with the much older Bhupen Hazarika that led to the downfall in her career as a director, but she didn’t quit the relationship.
When Zoya Akhtar made her first film Luck By Chance, no one wanted to step into the role of a struggling actor till her brother Farhan Akhtar bailed her out. She even wove in this experience in the film script.
Gauri Shinde wrote and directed English Vinglish for her mother Vaishali Shinde who perpetually struggled with English. The author says that Gauri had actually confessed that the film was meant to be an apology to her mother who ran a pickle business from home.
Alankrita Srivastava started her career as trainee assistant director on Prakash Jha’s Gangaajal earning Rs 5,000 a month and she lived in a redeveloped slum because she had moved to Mumbai from Delhi.
The author says that Gauri had actually confessed that the film was meant to be an apology to her mother who ran a pickle business from home.
What I loved
As the author moves between the depiction of working women’s roles in films and the working styles, family background, inspiration and failures of the women behind the camera, what emerges is a narrative that’s rich, researched and real-life. The author has incorporated so many “Oh-really?” moments in the book by packing it with facts, figures and anecdotes that the interest in the book does not wane till the last page.
What is most thought-provoking is the conclusion that Soma A. Chatterji draws at the end of the book. I am not elaborating that here because the book should be read to understand her perspective.
Book:Through the Lens, Brightly: Women in Cinema, Women at Work
Don’t miss the pet-friendly Durga Puja this year organised by Bidhan Sarani Atlas Club. (Photograph from the internet for illustrative purpose only)
Durga Puja is Kolkata’s pride. Period! No matter how much we crib about the traffic, the crowds and the madness but when those four days come something happens to the city – to all of us – and we cannot help but get washed away by the excitement.
Apart from being the largest open-air art exhibition that has been recently included in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, what makes the Puja special is its inclusivity. People enjoy the festivities irrespective of religion, caste and creed. In many localities in Kolkata people of all religions are included in the Puja Committee, there are a few places where Christians organise Durga Puja and different associations come forward to take children from economically backward families, elderly people from old-age homes and street children, pandal hopping in specially chartered buses. Durga Puja is about kindness, emotions, love and respect.
Pet-Friendly Puja
Last year Bidhan Sarani Atlas Club took this spirit of inclusivity a step ahead by organising a pet friendly Durga Puja that became an instant hit. Pet owners were so happy that they could take their pets pandal hopping to a place where they were welcome with open arms.
The Idea Behind it
During the lockdown the organisers were distributing food among the people living on the streets and among stray dogs too. That’s when they realised how cruel people could be to animals. They felt they should do something to build awareness about kindness and care for animals and that’s when they started the Pet Friendly Durga Puja in 2022.
A reel from last year’s pet friendly Durga Puja
What To Expect
This year pets will be served a special Priti Bhoj from Tritiya to Dashami. The bhoj will comprise dog healthy food. In the absence of a dog park in the city, it’s going to be a great opportunity for pets to mingle and dog owners to interact and network.
Atlas Club has tied up with Hope India Charitable Trust. The members of the trust are running an awareness campaign on cruelty to animals and how to tackle it. Pet owners or aspiring owners could also take counselling from the members of the NGO on how to maintain a healthy pet, the simple steps they could take to ensure the right food and exercise for their dogs.
The NGO will be selling accessories for pets like special bows and ties and the money collected will go to the stray dog feeding campaign that they have embarked on.
Don’t be surprised if this year you find a pet queue at the Atlas Club Puja because the Puja is already gaining popularity by word-of-mouth publicity.
Writobroto Mukherjee of Hope India Charitable Trust with his dog Riley at the Durga Puja Celebrations
Vedatman with his mom Gargi Majumder, his pillar of strength
The issue of dyslexia was first touched upon in Aamir Khan’s film Taare Zameen Par and then there are famous people like Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, Richard Branson and Whoopi Goldberg who have talked about their struggles with dyslexia. Watching it in a movie or hearing celebs speak about it is one thing but dealing with the issue every single day is another thing. This is the story of Gargi Majumder, who is the regional head of Max Life Insurance in Kolkata, her businessman husband Subir Chakraborty and how they dealt with their son Vedatman’s dyslexia and came out triumphant.
“What you see in Taare Zameen Par is exactly what Vedatman faced. But the only difference is that unlike Ishaan in the film, Vedatman has supportive parents, who from the very beginning were willing to acknowledge and address the issue and never judged him for his incapability. We never expected him to do well in his exams, we always just wanted him to pass but by coming out with flying colours in his CBSE class X Board exams he has surpassed all our expectations,” said Gargi.
The road to this high score was an unimaginable uphill climb. The walk in this rocky terrain started when Vedatman was in Lower KG. As a 4-year-old he was always a lively child, curious and talking nineteen to a dozen. His battle started when he was taught to read and write in class.
The Mayo Clinic describes dyslexia as a learning disorder that involves difficulty in reading due to problems in identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Also called a reading disability, dyslexia is a result of individual differences in areas of the brain that process language.
In an interview to my blog Gargi Majumder shares her struggles with her child, years of hopelessness and humiliation that she had to face and how her child proved that with a little bit of support anything is possible.
When did you first realise Vedatman has a learning problem?
He joined a renowned school in East Kolkata Township in nursery. When he was in Lower KG he was unable to finish any classwork, was very slow and the school would keep calling me and telling me that he was unable to cope. When he was promoted to Class I, I had to sign a bond saying that if he did not fare well he would be demoted to Upper KG.
That’s when I consulted a psychiatrist who suggested that I should change his school. I had already paid Rs 88,000 as session fees so financially it was not a feasible proposal. But one day just before the summer vacation the teachers called me to school and humiliated me regarding his slow learning. That’s when I decided I would change his school.
But one day just before the summer vacation the teachers called me to school and humiliated me regarding his slow learning. That’s when I decided I would change his school.
Where did you put him?
Indus Valley World School had just started then and I approached them. The Principal made my son very comfortable and asked him a few questions. He could answer a few and he agreed to take him in the middle of school session.
But my son’s apathy towards studies continued. When the Special Educator Wing in the school was established they started giving him special attention. This made a slight change in his progress but he still could not follow class work or read the black board. That’s when we went to Apollo Medical Centre, Gariahat and tests were conducted and it was confirmed that he had dyslexia.
But as the years progressed, the worst thing I started noticing was he did not want to interact with his friends anymore and was withdrawing into a cocoon because he was thinking he was lesser than others.
Did you take any steps then?
Indus Valley World School had 3-4 children like him and they continued to be extremely supportive. They suggested we take him to Monochetna a wing of Monovikas Kendra that provides special classes to children from mainstream schools.
In this regard I would say that many of us are borderline dyslexic and we do not even know it. For instance I was very good in studies but terrible in Maths and could never cope with it. When we were children no one was familiar with this term and many slow students in class were harassed and humiliated because they were considered dumb. But someone who is dyslexic can do other things well. Like my son is very passionate about cricket and he plays well . He would give anything not to miss practise. He is also extremely good at painting and is very tech savvy. He is very gentle and caring towards his pet German Shepherd named Whiskey and they spend a lot of time together.
But someone who is dyslexic can do other things well. Like my son is very passionate about cricket and he plays well and he would give anything not to miss practise.
At Monochetana they again ran some tests and found out that Vedatman’s dyslexia gave him serious learning disability so much so that he could barely read and write long sentences. Although the facilities there were good Vedatman somehow did not want to continue there and we didn’t want to push him against his will.
Vedatman loves to attend cricket coaching classes and excels in the game
As a mother how difficult was it for you?
As a mother the most difficult part was to accept in the first place that he has a learning disorder. But I knew if he had to go ahead in life acknowledging and addressing were the only solutions. I had to attend three to four parent- teacher meetings every month to discuss his progress with his teachers. Being a working mother it was difficult for me to take time out from work and go to his school so frequently. Before his pre-boards I took leave for 19 days and before the boards for 11 days because I wanted to be with him. It was year-ending then and being a team leader it was very hard for me to be away from work. But senior management and HR of Max Life Insurance were very supportive. I also got unstinted support from my colleagues.
Any other company might have judged me for prioritising my son but they never did so. They were always supportive, acknowledged my hard work and time-management capabilities which reflected in the appraisals.
As a mother the most difficult part was to accept in the first place that he has a learning disorder. But I knew if he had to go ahead in life acknowledging and addressing were the only solutions.
What according to you was the turning point in Ved’s story?
The school sent us to the organisation Breaking Through Dyslexia (BTD) where he took a number of tests and the results showed that he also has ADHD. They wrote that the tests suggested he had difficulties in reading fluency and comprehension and difficulty in Math calculation and written expression. So they suggested instead of Maths and Science he should take Home Science and Information Technology. He should also get extra time to write his exams.
This was sent to the CBSE Board. This was actually the turning point. When Maths and Science were taken out from his curriculum Ved was slightly relieved. At this point his confidence had gone to the depths and to avoid Math he had started hiding in the school bathroom.
He also realised that his parents, school teachers, tutors and even the CBSE Board was backing him to do better. He was taught how to memorise the keywords and attempt only the short answers. Just a month before the exams a transformation happened. He told me for a month he won’t go to cricket practice – something I never discouraged even days before exams – and concentrate in his studies.
Subir and Gargi never let the unsolicited opinions and criticisms about Vedatman get to them
So finally the battle’s won…
It was truly a long battle that we fought for more than a decade. The worst thing in this battle was people’s unsolicited opinions and advice. One day when my son came from school he was very upset. He told me one of his friend’s moms had said, “Ved’s mom badgers the teachers that’s why he passes every year otherwise he would have been staying back in each grade.”
A comment like this perforates a child’s heart and we had to deal with it every day. But now that he has come out with flying colours it has given him a huge confidence boost. He is now eagerly looking forward to a future. He was never sure of himself earlier but now he is. He wants to study graphic designing and is telling me to start him off on online courses.
What is your advice to parents who are dealing with children with similar issues?
Acknowledging the issue is the first step. Not letting other people’s words demotivate you is the other. People will keep comparing your child to others but you have to keep in mind that your child is unique and he will be good at some things and not good at others. Focus on his passions and interests.
People will keep comparing your child to others but you have to keep in mind that your child is unique and he will be good at some things and not good at others
Like I experienced, not all schools will be supportive then you will have to find a school that realises the child’s problems and is open to discussions and decisions. From his school few children appeared in the boards with PWD admit cards. Lastly help is available. I never knew before that CBSE has so many provisions for people with disabilities. A parent has to learn, gain knowledge and work towards a goal all the while keeping the child’s mental well-being in mind. Chasing marks should not be the goal but helping him to overcome the challenges should be the focus. Then things will automatically fall in place. Nothing is impossible.
Apart from the fact that Saheli Mitra is a journalist, writer, entrepreneur, nature lover and a beautiful soul, what I have always liked about her is that she is someone with a mind of her own. She is someone, who doesn’t think twice before challenging social perceptions and norms.
Over the years I have keenly followed Saheli’s writings in newspapers, websites and social media and I have always appreciated her for her in-your-face, bold views and an intrinsic urge to spearhead social change. So when Saheli floated the idea of a book like Mater it came as no surprise to me because this is something that only she can think of.
As Mater, published by Virasat Publications, heads for its grand launch on Sunday, January 15, 2023 at ICCR, I decided to ask Saheli a few questions around the book and she answers me in her inimitable style.
Why did you decide to bring out a book like Mater?
I was toying with the idea for long, since days when I would be often called on the podium at various events to talk on women empowerment. I somewhere felt the general rhetoric about Beti Bachao concept going round in India is somewhere robbing the sons off their rightful place too.
Also I felt if we cannot educate our sons and by education I mean proper upbringing by their mothers, then no daughter, woman, wife, mother can be saved. Women empowerment cannot be forced through, it has to be felt, respected equally by the men as well. It cannot aim at creating a divide between man and woman where a man will even feel frightened to touch a woman affectionately, in the fear that she might complain or raise a hue and cry.
Similarly a man should have enough respect since childhood and learn that both man and woman ultimately are human beings. There is absolutely no divide between them other than their sexuality.
Any particular reason for making the book in a letter format?
We have forgotten how to write letters; be it love letters, or any other. In this tech age we convey our emotions just through emails, WA chats and virtual connect. Hence letters are very important to me. I still love writing a letter or receiving a card. Letters are tools to connect.
A letter written by a mother can even be read years later by the son when the mother is no more. That’s the power a hand-written letter has. Hence I thought of bringing out this letter anthology.
A letter written by a mother can even be read years later by the son when the mother is no more. That’s the power a hand-written letter has.
– Saheli Mitra
The cover of Mater has been designed by Rhiti Chatterjee Bose and the book is conceived and edited by Saheli Mitra
What made you choose these writers to be a part of this anthology?
I floated the idea of this anthology first on my social media handles, as the founder and content head of my Content & Creative company Tales Talks & Walks (TTW). Many responded. Many, who I didn’t know personally, and I also sent the anthology idea to those who I know as well.
We got many letters, but we chose a few, maintaining the variety of letters and not making them similar. For example there is a mother who is fighting Cancer, one who writes to her adopted son, one who writes to her dear son who is no more, one who writes to Godsons and so on.
You end your preface by saying: Let our sons break the shackles of that patriarchy and not just daughters. Please elaborate.
I have already said why I chose sons. To elaborate I would like to take names of men like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Rammohan Roy and many many more who broke those shackles centuries back for the women to survive better. If these men were not there, who would have saved the women of India from Sati, child marriage and so on? Women did not save women, men did. Hence I thought of celebrating men and teaching sons how to be such compassionate, caring, loving souls; a teaching that only a mother can impart.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Rammohan Roy and many many more broke those shackles centuries back for the women to survive better. If these men were not there, who would have saved the women of India from Sati, child marriage and so on?
Do you think these letters will make a difference in the discourse around patriarchy in India?
We have already sold 100 books in the first one week, even before the launch. I am sure and confident such out-of-the-box ideas can create wonders in their own ways rather than socialites discussing women empowerment from jazzy podiums. And as we all know, words will always survive, even years later, so these letters written from the heart by various mothers will definitely create an impact.
Do you feel modern women are successful in bringing up gender sensitive boys/men?
Not really. Rather I believe women across ages and generations and centuries have raised many of their sons much better than the confused modern woman can. Else stalwarts of yesteryears would not have been born.
In your opinion, what steps can a mother take to ensure her child is strong, sensitive and respectful to the opposite gender?
Breaking the pattern. Teaching a son, he is a human being first and not a ‘son.’
Sometimes working women are turning out to be supermoms while juggling home, work and homework. Do you feel this might lead to unrealistic expectations on the part of a boy who is brought up by a supermom?
Absolutely. Not just the son, the whole family takes advantage of that ‘super woman’ tag. I believe, as I myself had a 21-year full-time journalist job and now a 24-hour daily job of an entrepreneur, running a company like TTW, that a working woman should never be burdened with any expectation. We never burden a father with such expectations, then why a mother?
How did artist Rhiti Chatterjee Bose get involved with this book?
I have admired Rhiti’s work for a long time. Also I wanted a woman to do the cover design. Despite knowing many well-known artistes of Kolkata, I thought of approaching her for the cover and she instantly agreed, sending one of the best paintings possible. I was so so touched.
Do you plan to bring out any other anthology in future?
Everything happens to me suddenly. Nothing is planned. My life is an example of that. If I ever feel the tug to do something, I just do it. Frankly I have no idea, or no commercial purpose to bring out anthologies by taking payment, fees etc. As you know we did not take anything for this book. And thanks to the wonderful Virasat Publications who did the book on a traditional publishing format, quite rare these days. Partha da, Amit Shankar and Rituparna of Virasat are doing a great job in this direction.
Anshuman giving Bon Phonta to elder sister Enakshi.
Among all the photos of Bhai Phonta that were on FB, these photos caught my attention. Nayana Hajra, my college mate had captioned her photos Bhai-Bon Phonta. A small change, a simple change in the concept, but it could make a big difference.
Bhai Phonta is a predominantly Hindu ritual where the sister prays for a brother’s long life. With time it has become a day when the sisters give a grand feast for the brothers and they give them gifts, it’s a day of showering love and sharing bonhomie. It’s a beautiful ritual.
Nayana, who is the proud mother of two lovely children, daughter Enakshi (Tiya) who is in Class X and son Anshuman (Dabloo), who is in Class IV, decided to tweak the ritual a bit and make it relevant for both her children. So in her house there is Bhai-Bon Phonta, brother-sister give each other phonta.
As I got talking to Nayana she told me, “I don’t know when I started this but as far I remember it’s always been like this in my house. It was always on my mind that why sisters don’t have their share of rituals or primarily the attention. Why not equal love like equal rights?”
I don’t know when I started this but as far I remember it’s always been like this in my house. It was always on my mind that why sisters don’t have their share of rituals or primarily the attention. Why not equal love like equal rights?”
– Nayana Hajra
Nayana just went ahead and changed the line to: Didir kapale dilam phonta, Jom duare porlo kata, Jom deye Jamunake Phonta, Ami diyi amar Didike Phonta
It is said change begins at home. You create the world you want your children to grow up in, first at home then outside it.
Wonderful thought Nayana! Kudos!
Enakshi giving Bhai Phonta to her brother Anshuman. For Nayana Hajra (right), Bhai-Bon Phonta is a ritual that preaches equality in love.
I must admit I entered the world of Ruskin Bond rather late. I was well into my 30s when I first picked up a book by him and it was The Blue Umbrella. Since then I have gifted this book to at least a dozen people. After my first introduction to his writing I have devoured Bond’s works but there is no harm in admitting that only a few days back I finally got around to reading Bond’s debut novel The Room on the Roof.
The novel was written when he was 17 and was finally published when he was 21, because it took him that long to find a publisher. The semi-autobiographical novel is refreshingly simple, there are times you feel that it comes from the pen of a young man but the maturity with which he handles the storyline tells you that this young man was heading for big things right then.
Since his debut, Bond has written innumerable novels, ghost stories, short stories and children’s books and as he turns 88 today, on May 19, 2022, the best thing is he is still writing with gusto.
Here are 10 reasons why Ruskin Bond is one of the most read and loved authors of our times.
His writing is simple but the moment you start reading you are sucked into the story and there is no escape till you read the last line.
Bond writes about nature. He describes trees, takes you to the hills, takes you on a walk down winding roads, through quaint towns, through flower beds and water tanks, in a way that no programme on Discovery can do.
What he writes comes directly from his heart and pierces yours as you move from one page to another, basking in a warm feeling.
His keen observation of the people of the hills and the innocence and beauty of a child’s heart comes out again and again in his writing. My favourite character is Binya in The Blue Umbrella.
Bond is living every author’s dream. He writes full-time and lives near nature in a simple house named Ivy Cottage in Landour, Mussoorie.
It’s not uncommon to spot fans standing next to the lamp post opposite his house just to catch a glimpse of him. Some even turn up unannounced to see their favourite author. Very few authors in India have this kind of popularity.
Ruskin Bond is a delight at Lit fests and events. His star pull is such that people in the age range of 9-90 turn up to hear their favourite author speak or take his autograph. He continues to fascinate readers across generations.
Although he still answers a landline at home, he is a regular on Insta, has 129k followers and keeps them engaged in his inimitable style.
He’s had a flourishing writing career for 67 years and is still going strong. (Whew!)
His consistency is something that makes him who he is. He used the lockdowns to pen 10000 words.
And no he didn’t let the squirrels or the parrots, visiting his window, meddle with his concentration. He fed his furry friend nuts and went back to writing.
Bond is living every author’s dream. He writes full-time and lives near nature in a simple house named Ivy Cottage in Landour, Mussoorie.
Saswati Mukherjee with a dish she has prepared for her channel
On the last day of this difficult year I wanted to focus on a positive story. Saswati Mukherjee is an inspiration. Not only because at 70 she started her YouTube channel Ruchi Bodolwhere she shares her recipes, but she is a lady who could rise like the Phoenix and turn her grief into a creative endeavour.
Families who have lost a loved one to cancer will know how hard it is to see someone suffering from so much pain. Saswati Mukherjee went through all the travails of caring for a cancer patient. But when she lost her husband to cancer she didn’t allow grief to take over her life and wallow in self-pity.
Instead she started learning a new medium, taking videos of her recipes and launched her YouTube Channel. Her channel has been a source of new ideas to many people couped up at home in the pandemic this year.
It gives me great happiness to share Saswati Mukherjee’s interview on my blog and end this year on a positive note. Her words are so inspiring, her journey so wonderful.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Born in a conservative Hooghly family, I somehow grew up to be the rebel among six siblings. I had what they call an untamed soul — I climbed trees, ran track and dared boys to beat me in swimming. As a teen, I wanted to be a gymnast and began taking lessons behind my mother’s back. All was well till I broke my nose during a particularly difficult vault and my mother came to know. Oh, furious she was! As my sporty dream took a tumble, I steered all my energy into studying to become a teacher. Then, love happened. I married the most amazing man there was. And although I finished my BEd in Calcutta and received job offers, I decided to raise a family with this man instead of pursuing a career. At 70 today, I look back in joy and pride; no regrets at all.
How did cooking become your passion?
To be honest, cooking was never really a passion. In fact, when at 22 I tied the knot with my childhood sweetheart, I didn’t know how to make dim bhaja (that is what my husband liked to call an omelette).
But, I decided to learn the ropes after an attempt at bhindi paratha (a recipe he borrowed from a Gujarati family during a work trip to Ahmedabad) which turned into a slimy kitchen disaster.
– Saswati Mukherjee
An aunt who was an excellent cook took me under her wing and I have never had to look back since.
Did the pandemic prompt you to start your YouTube channel on cooking?
No, a personal tragedy did. I lost my soulmate to cancer earlier this year and was on the verge of depression when our daughter came up with the idea. She suggested I rustle up recipes that her father made or loved, but for viewers on YouTube. Given the number of winters I have seen, I am understandably not tech-savvy and was reluctant at first. She convinced me that she would take care of filming/editing. While I miss my husband every waking minute, I must admit cooking for our channel #RuchiBodol is the best therapy I could ask for. It helps me connect with him at a whole new level.
How do you experiment with your recipes?
Besides our shared love for sports (both of us ran track), my husband and I were travel enthusiasts. Exploring new places almost always meant trying out local food.
On our trips across India, Asia, Europe and Latin America, we not just savoured local delicacies, but brought home recipes of sauces and table condiments, which I currently mix ‘n’ match to make fusion food. My daughter too comes up with ideas to keep me going.
Saswati Mukherjee with her late husband Gopal Chandra Mukherjee in Rome (2009)
What makes you the happiest when you are shooting for your channel?
The thought that he’s smiling at me from the happy isles. He loved my style of cooking and would have been thrilled to see me pursue it for an audience.
– Saswati Mukherjee
At your age not many people can start something new like this…how hard or how easy has it been for you?
It has been anything but easy. Not just because of age, but for what we’ve been through and are still going through. My husband survived a brain stem stroke in 2013 and I was his primary caregiver until he was detected with squamous cell carcinoma in November 2019. Lost him this January. Can anything be harder than losing your partner of nearly 50 years? But, I must admit that my family — my doting son-in-law in particular — has been my rock.
Would you say that you have turned the difficult times in your favour?
I would, wouldn’t you? We, as a family, have found the best possible way to cope with a tragedy. My personal irreparable loss dwarfs the pandemic for me.
Your recipes are very experimental and international, has your cooking always been like this?
Like I mentioned before, my recipes are rooted in our travels. Hence, the international flavour. The main objective is to prepare something offbeat and delicious — just the way my husband liked it.
What is the greatest satisfaction of having your own recipe channel?
My daughter says every new subscriber, every thumbs up, every comment brings a smile on my face. She is not wrong. Being acknowledged for these recipes, which for me are trips down the memory lane, does bring a sense of accomplishment. And, I can feel him putting his hands together for me.
Do you have any favourite YouTubers you look up to?
Well, I have always loved watching cooking shows on television. Nowadays, I follow the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Rachael Ray, Sanjeev Kapoor, Varun Inamdar and Ranveer Brar on YouTube.
You are an inspiration for the next generation. What is your message to them?
Dale Carnegie, whom my husband often quoted, once wrote “the most important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all”. If I can be a YouTuber in my seventies, nothing should stop GeNext from following their dreams. Remember, you are always stronger than you think.
If you liked this beautiful interview from an inspiring lady go ahead and subscribe to her channel Ruchi Bodol. It’s a great way to start the year, isn’t it?
It was 10pm. We had finished dinner, but we were expecting a visitor. My parents had stopped watching the news and my late brother was pacing up and down the sitting room. I was with my books at the dining table pretending to concentrate. I should have known this would happen. My table tennis buddies at the swimming club, who had recommended his name had also warned me about this, his late night appearances and his generally wayward sense of timing.
“But he is a brilliant teacher. He will make you love math. But it could also happen that he would disappear for days and then reappear suddenly, that too at midnight,” they had said.
“At midnight!” I had gulped.
I was lucky though. Since I was a girl, he had chosen a more ‘respectable’ 10pm.
So here I was waiting for my teacher Prodosh Sen, whom I called Gobuda, who was a career medical representative, part-time math tutor and passionate swimming director at Indian Life Saving Society, better known as Anderson Club, which I frequented.
He finally rang the bell at almost 10.30pm. I could see the throbbing vein on my father’s stiffened temples and that unsure look on my mom’s face about the choice of a tutor.
“Can I have some tea and toast with butter and sugar on it?” he asked while taking off his shoes.
Instantly the tense atmosphere in my home dissipated. He had asked for his evening staple. As if that convinced us it was only 7 pm.
My mother headed to the kitchen, father to the bedroom and brother to his room. Gobuda joined me at the dining table.
The class went on till midnight. When he got up to leave, my brother escorted him downstairs to open the lock of the collapsible gate.
He came up the stairs laughing.
“Gobuda started walking down the road shadow practising badminton. And the dogs followed him barking,” he said.
But there was no surprise there. Walking that 2km stretch in the dark of the night, working on his badminton moves was life to my tutor. He was usually walking back from a night show of a Hindi movie, if not from a student’s home or from a friend’s place after late-night adda.
My first day with my tutor
On the first day he came to teach me, I was already solving my Class X test papers. So I wanted him to solve five sums that weren’t coming easily to me.
Gobuda went from one sum to another, downed cups of tea, scratched out numbers on the blank sheet, mumbled a lot and then a solid one hour later he told me the sums weren’t coming easily to him either.
I could have been aghast at the shortcoming of the highly-recommended, star tutor. Or I could have quickly jumped to the conclusion that my own math standards were already so exalted that a seasoned tutor was struggling. But I just smiled.
He pushed back his disheveled hair and threw up his arms in a gesture of surrender.
“I couldn’t do a single sum, so you decide if you want to employ me,” was his candid confession.
“You are just nervous,” I said instead.
He looked at me sheepishly. I was 15 he was 33. The student-teacher tables had turned.
“Come back tomorrow. If you still can’t do the sums. We will see,” I said smugly.
That was exactly 30 years back. But that was probably the best decision I had taken in my life.
Gobuda’s teaching style was as unconventional as his maverick lifestyle. If he got engrossed in math, he could sit there for four hours at a stretch, with his feet pulled up on the chair, not thinking once if the time devoted was proportionate to his pay.
He flashed a winning smile every time he solved a math problem or my mother got him tea and butter-toast with sugar liberally sprinkled on it.
I got 88 in my math paper in my Class X board exams. If the 100 per cent scoring young brigade is already laughing, then let me tell you, 30 years back that was really high marks. And to someone like me who had not scored beyond 50 all her life, it was really a big deal made possible by Gobuda’s passion for math and his capability to make me love it too.
But my association with my eccentric teacher did not end there. In plus 2 he taught me Economics. I did well in that too.
When I took up Sociology in graduation, I would make him sit and tell him what I had learned just to get an idea if I had prepared well. The same system continued in my masters. He never agreed to take a pay to listen to my passionate talk on Michel Foucault and Erving Goffman, but as long there was tea and toast he was all concentration.
Influence of teachers in our life
There’s no denying the fact that Gobuda was one of a kind, but in this article I want to focus on the influence of teachers on our life and how long-lasting that influence could be.
At South Point School, where I studied – which incidentally was the school where Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee also went – teachers were held in the highest esteem. They could slap, shout, rebuke, love, teach with passion, solve your personal problems, lend an ear to a complaining parent- they were like multi-tasking juggernauts who only had the welfare of the students in mind (without a question.)
And like Gobuda, they had their eccentricities as well. In fact, these eccentricities of some of our teachers became like legends that were handed down from generation to generation as classroom gossip.
But despite all eccentricity and oddity, their passion for teaching or their allegiance to their students was never in doubt.
We grew up respecting and loving our teachers with all our hearts and in all the years we went to school, not for once did it cross our mind that it was with our parents’ money that paid their salaries, an attitude that is pervasive among students in many elite schools today.
Our parents also never disregarded what the teachers said. They treated a guardian call with as much seriousness as we treated it with fear.
This Teacher’s Day is different from all the previous ones solely because teaching has shifted from the classroom to the virtual realm the world over.
As people struggle with the fear of a pandemic, job loss, forced lockdowns and suffer from mental health disorders, teachers are busy planning lessons, creating PPTs to make classes interesting and not for a moment do they forget to bring their appreciation and humour to their virtual class.
Some insensitive people have charged at them with the brickbats too, but unfazed by criticism they continue to do what they do best – teach.
amritaspeaks 