Ananda
Mandir
269 Cedar Grove Lane Somerset, NJ 08873
Ananda Sangbad
A Quarterly Publication of Ananda Mandir, New Jersey April 2025
KOLKATA’S BOI MELA: A LITERARY KALEIDOSCOPE
Growing up in Kolkata, I heard stories of newly arrived foreign tourists extolling the vibrancy of the city’s intellectual life.
‘This is perhaps the only city in the world where taxi drivers in threadbare attire maneuvering jalopies discuss Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Buddhadeb Basu, and the latest novels by Russian authors –all in the same breath.’
Granted, such a generalized statement is exaggeration, at one time, there was certainly a kernel of truth in it. In the early 1970s, I happened to hop in a minibus whose driver diverted his route to drop me at a convenient location because he
By Shamita Das Dasgupta (New Jersey)
COVID, 2021, the ritual of the Fair continues intact. It is the third largest Book Fair in the world after Frankfurt and London. It also has the rare distinction of not being a trade fair, that is, a place for wholesale book transactions and publishers’ deal-making. Rather, Kolkata’s International Book Fair, Antorjatik Boi Mela, allows individual readers to browse books and gather intellectual sustenance for the rest of the year. It is the largest book fair in Asia and by footfall, the largest in the world.
had read a few of my poems published in Little Magazines and recognized me as the writer (to my embarrassment and the ire of fellow passengers, I must confess). I had also met a mechanic, an aspiring author, who annually closed his shop during the Kolkata Book Fair. Ah, such is the magic of erudite Kolkata, the home of Boi-para (College Street) and Boi Mela, the Mecca of book lovers!
Each year at the end of January, the Calcuttan adoration of books and reading culminates in Boi Mela, the famous book fair that lasts between ten days and two weeks. The Fair has undoubtedly become a pilgrimage for Kolkata’s readership and a fun spot for all. Except for the year of isolation during
The Boi Mela has a long and august history. In 1918, the National Council of Education (NCE) organized a book exhibition in Kolkata as part of the Swadeshi Movement. Literary giants such as Rabindranath Tagore, Gurudas Banerjee, Aurobindo Ghosh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Benoy Kumar Sarkar, and Bipin Chan-
dra Pal supported and attended the event. However, social and political upheavals worldwide and in India halted the fair’s continuation. Even after India’s independence, the fair took over 25 years to start afresh.
In the 1960s, the Hungry Generation of poets led by Shakti Chattopadhyay, Malay Roy Choudhury, Samir Roychoudhury, and Debi Roy, were smashing the traditional mold of literature. They were joined by avantgarde prosaists like Sunil Gangopadhyay, Basudeb Dasgupta, Tridib Mitra, and Sandipan Chattopadhyay, all anti-establishment in their leanings. In 1975, some of these writers and their publishers met at the famous ‘Coffee House’ of College Street to discuss the possibility of establishing a local book fair in the fashion of the Frankfurt Fair to celebrate and stimulate the flourishing intellectual life of the city. In 1976, the first Boi Mela of Kolkata emerged. The fair consisted of thirty-four publishers and fifty-six kiosks of book sellers and was held near Kolkata’s most prominent landmark – the Victoria Memorial. As the Fair grew steadily in popularity, a larger venue was necessary to accommodate the increasing numbers of book stalls and customers. Thus, in 1983, the Boi Mela was moved to the main grounds of Maidan,
where it remained for another twenty-six years. The same year, the Fair received international recognition with a visit from the Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair. Over the years, the Boi Mela has grown in complexity and size, keeping pace with Kolkata’s evolving publishing industry and readership.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the Boi Mela was not only a place for reading, but also a space for voicing – poems, writings, political dissensions, and whatever took the fancy of the patrons. Somewhere on the grounds, an open forum, Mukta Mancha, was set up for anyone who dared to speak up in front of an audience that did not take prisoners. I have attended a few Mukta Mancha sessions where I heard readings by poets and novelists I admired and cringed at the audience hooting at writers it rejected. Unfortunately, the vibrant tradition of Mukta Mancha was eliminated this year, perhaps indicating the current administration’s intolerance of criticism.
The Boi Mela prospered during the tenure of former CPI(M) Information and Cultural Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (later the Chief Minister). A voracious reader and bibliophile, Bhattacharjee encouraged the expansion of the fair. When a freak fire in 1997 destroyed most of the stalls and nearly 100,000 books in the Mela, he took personal responsibility for rebuilding and the Fair was up
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Ananda Mandir
Calendar of Events (Dates are subject to Change) Please check our website frequently www.anandamandir.org Tel: 732-873-9821
NOTE: For Puja time please contact temple or visit our website: anandamandir.org
PUJA CALENDAR
APRIL 2025
Basanti Puja-Soshti
Thursday, April 3
Basanti Puja – Saptami
Friday, April 4
Basanti Puja – Ashtami
Saturday, April 5
Basanti Puja – Ram Nabami
Sunday, April 6
Satyanarayan Puja
Sunday, April 6
Basanti Puja – Dashami
Monday, April 7
Satyanarayan Puja
Tuesday, April 15 (Shuvo Naboborsho) Shyama Puja
Sunday, April 27
Akshyatritia & Ram Thakur Smoronutsav Kirtan
Wednesday, April 30
Satyanarayan Puja
Wednesday, April 30
MAY 2025
Phaloharini Kalika Puja
Monday, May26
JUNE 2025
Dashahara Ganga Puja
Thursday, June5
Satyanarayan Puja
Sunday, June 8
SnanJatra
Wednesday, June 11
Shyama Puja
Tuesday, June 24
JULY 2025
RathaJatra, Punar Jatra & Ultorath Jatra
Saturday, July 5
Satyanarayan Puja
Saturday, July 5
Shyama Puja
Thursday, July 24
(*) See www.anandamandir.org or Call Mandir for details
Special Religious Services: Upon request, the priest of Ananda Mandir offers services such as in-house Shraddhas, Rituals associated with Cremations (Antyesti Kriya), Shraddha Anniversaries, Pre-wedding rituals (Naandimukh, Ashirwad, etc.), Upanayan (Paitey), Annaprasan, Wedding Ceremonies & Wedding Anniversaries, Griha Prabesh (Bhumi Puja), Consecrations of new cars (New Car Pujas) and others. If you have needs for any of the above or more, please feel free to contact Biswabhai @ 732-873-9821
Ananda Sangbad
A Periodical Newsletter Published By ANANDA MANDIR
(A Tax-Exempt, Non-Profit Organization)
269 Cedar Grove Lane Somerset, NJ 08873
Phone: 732-873-9821
Website: www.anandamandir.0rg
Debajyoti Chatterji Executive Editor (Acting)
All queries, articles, news reports and letters should be directed to debsmees572@gmail.com Phone: 908-507-9640
For general information, please contact the following executives of Ananda Mandir:
Anjan Lahiri President
Jai Prakash Biswas Vice President
Debajyoti Chatterji Vice President
Ashok Rakhit Vice President
Arun Bhowmik General Secretary
Sanchoy Das Treasurer
Pradip Majumdar Assistant Treasurer
“BANI BANDANA”: ANNUAL CULTURAL PROGRAM BY CHILDREN
The annual Bani Bandana program was successfully staged in Tagore Hall on February 9, 2025. More than 50 participants performed in groups or as soloists. The program was opened by Adrija singing a Saraswati Bandana in Raag Bageshree. Vocal presentations were done by Swagata Goswami’s music Academy and students of Shreya Bhanja Choudhury. Adwaita’s captivating voice
By Sudipta Bhanja Choudhury (New Jersey)
group of community children to perform a Rabindra Sangeet and a Rajani Kanta song while accompanied on tabla by Rik Mukherjee, the eight-years old elementary school student. Amulya, the high school student played Tabla lehra accompanied by Ojas on the harmonium. Ojas also sang a Ganapati
always stuns the audience. As his first presentation on the stage, Ahon, a five-year old child, showed outstanding confidence in singing. Shoma Mookherjee led a
Odissi pieces- a Ganesh and a Saraswati Vandana followed by Bageshree Pallavi The delicacy of Odissi dance was properly manifested by these dancers.
There were a few solo instrumentalists. On the keyboard, Anay played two pieces from the western music whereas Sharanya played
bhajan. A number of dancers showcased their art in different dance forms- Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Bengali folk. The students of Mitra Purkayastha presented three
OBITUARY
Samir Bannerji (1937 – 2024)
BECOME A MEMBER OF ANANDA MANDIR AND PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES TO ENRICH YOUR FAMILY
A long-term resident of New Jersey and a much loved and admired member of Ananda Mandir since its formation, Samir Bannerji passed away on November 20, 2024 because of complications from emphysema. His son, Rajat, and daughter-in-law, Rachna, were at his bedside when he left this world.
Born in Nagpur, India, Samir Bannerji attended Jabalpur Engineering College and worked for a while at Bhilai Steel Plant. He then attended a post-graduate course in electrical engineering at theUniversity of Sheffield in the UK wherehe also played cricket as the only Indian student on the team. He married his wife, Mona, in 1963 while working at the Durgapur Steel Plant. The couple moved to the US in 1971 and settled in Morristown, NJ. In 1972, he joined AIRCO and remained at the company under its successors BOC and Linde until he retiredat age 70. Tragically, his dear wife, Mona, passed away in 1986, at age 41, leaving a huge void in Samir’s life.Undeterred by this personal loss, he doubled down on his professional life. We wish eternal peace for Samir’s departed soul. Om Shanti.
Another variation to the program was the drama enacted by six children and it was directed by Arpita Gupta. The hilarious drama Petuk, written by Sukumar Roy, perfectly entertained the audience,
Just like any other years, the community Youth Band took the audience through a nostalgic journey by playing modern Bengali and Hindi songs on the saxophone (Sayan Shuvra), violin (Soumyanil), Keyboard (Indrayan) and drum (Bihan). The direction was given by Shreya.
two very popular Hindi songs, on the violin, Anooshka played a piece composed by Adolf Huber. The four-years old Sanvi, sang two songs accompanied by her father on the guitar. Besides singing, dancing and music, recitation from different Bengali poets were recited by the children. Two elementary students Shourik and Soumili recited Sukumar Roy’s poem, Ak jey Raja, from Abol Tabol. Jogindranath Sarkar’s poem Kajer Chheley was recited by Soujatyo, Ayush presented Kaji Nazrul Islam’s Kuli Majur and Shubho Dasgupta’s poem, Ami Subhash Bolchhi,was recited by Shankha.
OBITUARY
Evergreen Club Members Mourn the Passing of
Sheuli (Shanti) Gupta (1934 – 2025)
When theEvergreen Club members heard the news about Shanti-di’s passing on January 3, they all had the same thought: “Our meetings will never be the same without our dear Shanti-di!”
Shanti-di was the universally loved member who always brought joy, laughter and music to Evergreen Club meetings. Whenever she attended the sessions, she sang several songs to set the mood. And she tried to attend as many meetings as she physically could, even when her mobility was somewhat restricted.
Shanti-di was born in Sylhet (now in Bangladesh) in a large family known for its artistic and entrepreneurial spirit. The family had to abandon their home in Sylhet and escape to Kolkata when India went through the tragic “partition”. Nevertheless, the family reestablished themselves, and Shanti-di finished her high school education in Silchar. Her college education was then interrupted because of her marriage to Dhruba Pada Gupta, a highly
educated banker who subsequently became a diplomat with the United Nations. As a result, Shanti-di lived in many countries and adapted to new cultures and societies and enriched her own knowledge and interests. At the age of 60, she enrolled in a French language course at the University of Geneva, enabling her to work with differently-abled adults in Switzerland through the Swiss Red Cross.
A vibrant and larger-than-life personality in her prime, Sheuli was renowned for uplifting community spirit through her passion for producing and acting in plays, poetry recitals, writing, and singing. May her soul rest in eternal peace. Om Shanti.
THE JUDGE WHO SAID, “NOT GUILTY!”
By Asok Baral (New Jersey)
“…I would hold that each and every one of the accused must be found not guilty of each and every one of the charges in the indictment and should be acquitted of each and every one of the charges in the indictment and should be acquitted of all of these charges…As a judicial tribunal we cannot behave in any manner which may justify the feeling that the setting up of the tribunal was only for the attainment of an objective which was essentially political though cloaked by a juridical appearance.”
ly known as known as Tokyo Trial. The trial lasted for 945 days, till 4 November 1948. There were 818 court sessions in which 419 witnesses appeared, and an additional 779 affidavits and depositions were presented.
The Tribunal was conceived along the same line as Nuremberg trial, but there were many important differences. The Panel consisted of 11 judges representing the countries that had signed Japan’s instrument of surren-
With these words, Honorable Justice Radhabinod Pal became the sole dissenter in the trial of the 28 Japanese who had been indicted for war crimes after the World War II. The accused were 9 civilians and 19 military professionals including former Prime Ministers Hideki Tojo, who had started the war, and continued till its bitter end, and had failed in his suicide attempt after being captured.
Conspicuously absent was Emperor Hirohito. President Truman wanted to put him on trial, but General Douglas MacArthur advised against it since in Japan, the Emperor was considered “Divine”, and MacArthur had reportedly told Truman that “putting the emperor on trial would be like putting Jesus on trial”. Also, MacArthur had correctly understood that having the emperor around but subservient to him would facilitate the reconstruction of post-war Japan.
The Tribunal was established by MacArthur on 19 January 1946. It was called International Military Tribunal for the Far East but wide-
and the executive branches of the government. “It took its law from the creator and did not act as a free and independent tribunal to adjudge the rights of petitioners under international law”.
The Indian judge, Radhabinod Pal, was appointed by the British government who ruled India at that time. Radhabinod was born in 1886 in a poor kumor family in Kusthia, currently in Bangladesh. He was the only son of his parents and had two sisters. They were never well off and the situation became worse when the father renounced the world and deserted the family when Radhabinod was only three years old. His mother worked as a housemaid in a relative’s house. This growing up in abject poverty and upbringing by a single parent left an indelible impression on Radhabinod. He developed a close relationship with his mother who was a source of inspiration and a guide for moral rectitude all his life.
care of his financial needs for studies. Soon the family became fond of him and provided him food as part of their daily feeding of the poor.
Radhabinod passed the entrance examination from Dubalhati Raja Haranath High School in 1903 and went to college at Rajshahi with a scholarship. Again, a number of father-like figures came forward to take care of this bright young man, first at Rajshahi and then at Presidency College where he joined in mathematics honors course. Thanks to the generosity of these father-like figures, Radhabinod could sent most of his scholarship money to his mother in the village.
his loan burden. Radhabinod’s doctoral dissertation was on Hindu Law based on a study of ancient Sanskrit texts. Later, he was invited by Calcutta University to deliver the Tagore Lectures on the same subject. His doctoral dissertation and the Tagore Lectures became comprehensive two volumes in Hindu Law – one on its philosophy and the other on its history.
der (although USSR had declared war against Japan only after the Nagasaki bombing and was officially at war only for 7 days). The judges were from America, the UK, the USSR, Holland, Australia, Republic of China (before Communist China), Canada, New Zealand, and India and Philippines, although they were not sovereign nations at the time of the war.
Not all the judges had a legal background. The Chinese judge was a politician, the Australian judge was a war crimes commissioner, the Filipino judge was a victim of Bataan Death March, and the Russian judge was a military officer. Obviously, there were clear conflicts of interest, but the defense attorneys’ objections were summarily overruled. The first American judge appointed to the Tribunal soon resigned. He was disgusted with the whole proceedings, according to Richard Minear, international law professor and author of “Victor’s Justice”. The replacement judge William Douglas described the trial as an instrument of the military
Fortunately for Radhabinod, he was helped by several father-like figures in his early life. He started his education in the village school that his grandfather had established. He did well in lower primary examination and won a scholarship of two rupees per month and moved to an aunt’s place in another village. Her family took care of Radhabinod, but he had to help in the grocery store of an uncle in another village. The uncles themselves were not well off, and they were pressuring Radhabinod to give up studies and take a job in the grocery store at four rupees a month. At this point, according to one of Radhabinod’s daughter, his mother advised Radhabinod to flee from home to continue his education.
But he did not have to run away. At the insistence of his mother, Radhabinod had written to several schools for an opportunity, and one kindhearted teacher in Kumdi responded. But going there meant leaving his mother and moving to a strange place. Both mother and son accepted the challenge and the difficulties. Radhabinod passed his minor examination in flying colors, and joined a high school in Kusthia, where a generous landlord gave him a place to stay. From Kusthia, he went to Dubalhati where the princeling’s family took
Radhabinod passed the bachelor’s degree with honors in 1907, and the following year, got a master’s degree in mathematics, again doing very well. Then he joined the Accountant General’s office in Allahabad, and while working there, he continued his studies and got his first degree in law. Soon afterwards, he got a job as mathematics teacher in Anandamohan College in Mymensingh, at a somewhat respectable salary of 150 rupees per month. With that money, Radhabinod paid off the debts he had owed.
Radhabinod still continued his studies and got master’s degree in law in 1920, again performing brilliantly. He began teaching law at Calcutta University and continued for thirteen years. He was finally settled into a comfortable life. While in Presidency College, he had married Nalinibala, and over the years, they had five sons and four daughters. But once again, Radhabinod’s mother pushed him to reach greater heights. He had a dream that one day, his son will become like Sir Gurudas Banerjee, a prominent judge in Calcutta High Court at that time. She lived to see her dreams fulfilled when the son became a Calcutta High Court judge in 1941.
In 1924, Radhabinod received his doctorate in law, a rare honor in those days. But he did not have enough money to print his dissertation and had to borrow a considerable sum of money. At the prompting of the then Vice-Chancellor, Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay, the university purchased all the copies of the dissertation to lessen
According to Ashis Nandy, “He probably acquired much of his command of international law after being appointed in the Tokyo trial case…. The emotional and moral background of Pal’s judgement at Tokyo Trial was provided not by the culture of modern international law but by his long exposure to the traditional laws of India”. He was later recognized as an expert in international law and served in several world bodies including the United Nations International Law in 1952.
The Tokyo trial listed fifty-five crimes which could be put into three categories: conspiracy to commit aggression, aggression, and the conventional war crimes. Of these, “conspiracy” did not exist in international law as a crime, a point strongly made by Radhabinod in his argument. As for “aggression”, United States, France and Great Britain did not consider it a crime in international law until 1944. The reason maybe that the Western powers were benefiting greatly from their own “aggression” and indiscriminate exploitation of their colonies. So, according to Radhabinod, the Japanese could only be tried for conventional war crimes, “as recognized by international law at the date of the Declaration (26th July 1945) … as it now stands, a victor nation or a union of victor nations would have no authority to legislate or promulgate a new law of war crimes”. According to Pal, the tribunal provided nothing “other than the opportunity of the victors to retaliate”. And the prosecution’s case was truly hypocritical in that the Allied powers did not bring charges of acts of criminality of their own people. Examples were indiscriminate firebombing in Tokyo in which more than 100,000 civilians died in a single night. And the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where hundreds of
Radhabinod Pal
Remembering Ritwik Ghatak on His Centennial
By Amitabha Bagchi (California)
There are times in a nation’s history when multiple talents appear on the scene near simultaneously. Think of the Lake Poets of England (Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southee), or Hayden and Mozart composing music contemporaneously in Vienna. Such periods are marked by astonishing creativity and cultural efflorescence,
A similar situation arose in the world of Bengali cinema in the second half of the twentieth century. Four extraordinary movie directors – Satyajit Ray (1921-1992), Mrinal Sen (1923-2018), Tapan Sinha (1924-2009), and Ritwik Ghatak (1925-1976) – burst on the scene with exceptional movies in the 1950s. That was the start of a remarkably fecund period of Bengali cinema.
Ritwik Ghatak, the youngest of the directorial quartet, was the first out of the gate with a feature film. His movie, Nagarik (The Citizen), was completed in 1952 – full three years before the release of Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali (Ballad of the Road). Unfortunately for Ghatak, his movie did not find a distributor until 1977, a year after his death, when it was finally screened for the public. Critics have described Nagarik as perhaps the first Bengali art film, but it missed out on receiving its richly deserved early accolade because of its very delayed release.
became friends with the scions of a wealthy Bengali coal-mineowning family, and that friendship helped in financing his first two feature films – Ajantrik (The Pathetic Fallacy) and Bari Theke Paliye (The Runaway). The latter film had small roles for Alolika Mukherjee and the mother of Bhaswati Bhadra – both long-term residents of New Jersey.
Ritwik Kumar Ghatak was born on November 4, 1925, in the Rajshahi township of what is now Bangladesh. He was the youngest of nine children – one of twins – of Suresh Chandra and Indubala Ghatak. His father was a prominent and well-regarded administrator (District Magistrate) of British India. According to family lore, Ritwik was a free spirit who, as a young boy, once tried to run away from home. When he was brought back, his father impressed upon him the importance of education, and he shaped up, became studious, and went on to receive a master’s degree in English from Calcutta University. The experience of his escapade arguably colored his 1959 movie, Bari Theke Paliye (The Runaway).
Bengal was in a state of both political turmoil and intellectual ferment when Ghatak graduated from college. The province witnessed ugly communal riots and had to be partitioned on the basis of religion at the time of India’s independence in 1947. The intellectual scene on the Bengali Hindu side was dominated by leftist (read Communist) ideology, and the young Ritwik was swept up by the powerful tide. He joined the Communist Party of India (CPI), wrote and performed in plays (mainly street theatre), and became a prominent figure in the party’s cultural wing -- known as the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA). But his free spirit came into conflict with the party’s rigid ideology, and he was expelled from the CPI in 1955. The break-up of IPTA is at the core of his tender and yet unsparing movie, Komal Gandhar (EFlat), which was released in 1961.
During his IPTA period and for some years thereafter, Ritwik had on many occasions visited one of her elder sisters and her family in what is now Chhattisgarh. There he
In all, Ritwik Ghatak made eight fulllength movies. The first one to be released –Ajantrik (The Pathetic Fallacy) in 1958—was a tender love story featuring a jalopy as a central protagonist. Next came Bari Theke Paliye (The Runaway) in 1959—a children’s movie of freedom from stifling rules and straitjacket—which, however, had a free-spirited adult as a guide. This was followed by Ritwik’s best works— a trilogy of films on Bengal’s partition and its aftermath – namely, Meghe Dhaka Tara (The Cloud-Capped Star) in 1960, Komal Gandhar (E-Flat) in 1961, and Subarnarekha (Golden Line) in 1965. Titas Ekti Nadir Naam (A River Called Titas) in 1973. Nagarik (The Citizen) released in 1977, and Jukti, Takko Aar Gappo (Reason, Debate and a Story) – also released in 1977 —complete the director’s oeuvre.
The last two feature films of Ritwik Ghatak are of special interest. Ghatak was deeply troubled by the 1947 partition of Bengal and had a hard time accepting it. So when, after the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, he was invited to make a movie set in Bengal’s eastern part, he accepted the offer with alacrity. The resulting film, Titas (based on a book by Adwaita Mallabarman) portrays the life and struggle of poor Bangladeshi fishermen living next to a dying river. It was widely acclaimed in Bangladesh and garnered awards. His final movie, Jukti, Takko Aar Gappo describes his life’s quest for meaning through a complex mix of reality, melodrama and metaphor. It came out to mixed reviews but won the National Film Awards’ Rajat Kamal Award for Best Story in 1974.
Here are some lesser-known aspects of Ritwik Ghatak. Aside from being a movie director, he was also a playwright, actor, essayist and critic. He wrote scripts and screenplays for both Bengali and Hindi films. While his movies were not box-office hits, his biggest commercial success came from his screenplay for the Hindi movie Madhumati. The highest award he received was Padma Shri, conferred by the Indian Government in 1970.
Among Ghatak’s many legacies is the fine crop of outstanding filmmakers who were his students and whom he inspired during his brief stint in 1966 as a professor and vice principal at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. The group includes notables such as Mani Kaul, Kumar Shahani, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Saeed Akhtar Mirza and John Abraham. It was they who carried on Ghatak’s ideas and theories, eventually influencing other directors – both in India and abroad. The appreciation and accolades may have arrived late, but nobody denies that Ritwik Ghatak is one of the best Indian directors of the 20th century.
The Judge Who Said, “Not Guilty!”
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thousands of civilians were killed demonstrated clear “acts of subversions” of the Geneva Conventions and these acts should have been brought under the purview of the Tokyo Tribunal.
Questions were raised whether Radhabinod’s nationalist leanings and admiration of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose influenced his decision. But these questions are quashed by the author Herbert Bix in his book “Hirohito and Making of Modern Japan”, where he describes Justice Pal “as the most politically independent of the judges”, and “refusing to let political concerns and purposes of the Allied Powers influence his judgement in any way”.
According to the rules of the Tribunal, the decision did not need to be unanimous, a clear diversion from the Nuremberg trial. The judgements ran into more than 1200 pages. Before the final verdict, two defendants had died, and one was declared mentally unfit. Of the remaining twenty-five defendants, Radhabinod acquitted
not die in the interim period were released within eight years from the end of the trial.
But Radhabinod has been held as a hero in postwar Japan by many nationalist leaders and thinkers. In 1966, he was awarded “First Class of the Order of the Sacred Treasure” by the emperor of Japan. And in 2005, a monument was dedicated in his name in Yasukuni near Tokyo. It is a place where Japanese war heroes are honored, but the place remains controversial among Japan’s war victims.
Then in 2006, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his speech to the National Diet (Japanese Parliament) referred to Radhabinod’s “principled judgement” and the great respect he commanded in Japan.
And in 2007, during a visit to India, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in his speech to Indian Parliament, paid tribute to Justice Pal. He later visited Radhabinod’s octogenarian son, Prasanta Pal, where he showed a picture of his father with Abe’s grandfather, also a former
Monument dedicated to Radhabinod Pal near Tokyo, Japan
them all, but other ten judges convicted each of them on one or more of the charges. Death sentences were given to seven of them, sixteen were given life imprisonment, and the other two were sentenced for seven and twenty years.
In 1950, General MacArthur ordered reduction of all the sentences, and life imprisonments were reduced to fifteen years. In 1954, US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles reduced the terms of parole, and by 1957, all the prisoners received parole. So, in the end, those who did
Prime Minister, and a designated war criminal, but never put on trial. After decades, the lives of two descendants met.
References: Dissent Judgement of Justice Pal (https://www.sdh-fact. com/CL02_1/65_S4.pdf
Ashis Nandy: The Strange Case of Radhabinod Pal’s Judgement on Culpability Dr. Monika Chansoria: The Life and Times of the Tokyo Trial Jurist (6 parts) And others
BEWARE OF TV COMMERCIALS!
If it sounds too good, it probably is a scam!
By Debajyoti Chatterji (New Jersey)
For news addicts like me, the last couple of years have been exceptionally exciting, boring and infuriating, all at the same time. All the news channels were full of juicy political commentary and analysis. I watched television quite often but also ignored it some of the time and threw curses at my TV set occasionally. Why would I get mad at the poor television set, you ask? Because of the numerous misleading, even false, commercials blaring out from these sets frequently, trying to lure unsuspecting customers into buying their shoddy, over-hyped or non-existent products or services. These types of commercials appear on news channels more often than on entertainment channels because cost of advertisement is lower for news channels.
After watching some of these misleading commercials over and over and getting frustratingly mad at them repeatedly, I decided to write this article to give you this advice: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is a scam, so be aware! Do some research of our own before you buy the advertised product or service!
Before going further, let me explain why I am focusing primarily on TV advertisements. Unlike print advertisements, TV commercials do not allow consumers to look into the details ofthe “terms and conditions” of the deal or reveal where and how the buyer might file a complaint or lodge a dispute. The sellers promote “impulse buying” and urge buyers to call a phone number or a website and just place an order. The quicker, the better!
To illustrate my point about misleading TV commercials, here are a few examples:
ClearCaptions Phone:
This commercial shows an elderly couple talking with their grandson through a special telephone system. This phone converts the grandson’s voice into written words that are displayed on a small screen. The grandfather has hearing loss, but he can “read” his grandson’s voice through the digital display. The advertisement claims that this phone is available to everyone, free of cost, under a government program. All you have to do is call a phone number and order your free phone!
Unfortunately, the story is not so simple. The phone is NOT freely available to all. If you visit their website and look under “Eligibility Criteria”, you will see the following statement: “To qualify, you must certify that have a degree of hearing loss that requires captions to use the phone. During the setup, you simply self-certify your hearing
loss to verify that you are a qualified user of the service.” So, if you don’t have significant hearing loss but want a free phone, you will have to lie to get it!
Also, the phone supplied by Clear Captions must be installed by their technician within a fixed time period (like four weeks). If this installation is not completed on time, you will be charged a steep fee (like a couple of hundred dollars). However, many customers have complained that they could not get timely appointments with company technicians or the technicians never showed up. You will see numerous customer complaints lodged with the Better Business Bureau (visit this link: https://www.bbb.org/us/antioch/ profile/hearing-assistance-devices/clearcaptions:1156-90036712/ complaints?page=2 )
Car Shield, Ox Car Care and Endurance—Vehicle “Protection Plans”
These companies claim that if your vehicle needs any kind of repair, no matter how old your car is or how expensive the repair is, they will take care of the repair cost, and you won’t have to spend a dollar. They say that you can get your car towed to your dealer or to your own mechanic, and they will take over the entire repair and payment process. They also claim to throw in free road assistance and other perks, free of cost. They never announce that you will have to pay a hefty premium for this “protection plan”! They also do not mention that they are neither providing “insurance” nor “warranty” of any kind (because those involve legally regulated agreements).
If you search the Internet for “Customer Reviews” for each of these companies, you will see hundreds of complaints from dissatisfied customers, and many customers call these companies “frauds” and “scams”. Basically, these companies do not accept your repair shop’s diagnosis of the problem with the vehicle, and ask them to take apart the non-working part or parts – and send photos to the company for repair approval. Guess what? The company does not approve the repair, and you end up paying the mechanic for all the labor involved in taking the parts and putting them back together!
Better Business Bureau has logged “3044 complaints in the last three years” against Car Shield. A Google search for “Ox Car Care Customer Complaints” produced this result: “Common complaints against Ox Car Care include difficulties with getting claims approved, unclear contract terms,
poor customer service, denial of coverage for repairs that should be covered under the policy, and issues with receiving refunds when cancelling a policy within the designated timeframe; with many customers alleging that they are not receiving services as contractually agreed upon.”You will see similar comments for Endurance.
Hope you got the picture about how these companies operate!
HomeAGlow House Cleaning Service
Get your home completely clean for only $19! That includes doing your laundry, even washing the windows!
If you are about to call the number shown on the television screen to make an appointment right away, STOP! HomeAGlow is an excellent example of “bait-and-switch” advertisement. Visit their webpage, http:// www.homeaglow.com, and dig into the details. You will find that the $19 charge is only for the first cleaning. Thereafter, the fee jumps manifold and depends on the size of your home (how many square feet) and the number of hours needed to clean the whole house. And there is a $49 monthly “membership fee”! If you cancel the service before six months, there is a cancellation fee of $300. Of course, none of these “conditions” are mentioned in their TV advertisement.
Let me share what a customer posted on Reddit.com:
“HomAGlow is a house cleaning service that gives you a great deal on your first clean… BUT beware - first of all, the first cleaner they sent was a VERY cracked out tweaker. Then I had a cleaner come and she did a good job but apparently HomeAGlow signs you up for a membership that is $50 a month and if you cancel your membership before 6 months you are charged a $300 termination fee. I’m furious. Such a huge scam and a crappy company with no hiring standards.”
HomeAGlow not only has dissatisfied customers but also unhappy workers! In fact, a large number of cleaners in California have filed several class action lawsuits against the company, complaining that “HomeAGlow’s compensation policies violate their rights under the California Labor Code. The lawsuits ask for compensation for unpaid wages and reimbursement for cleaning supplies and other expenses.”
Timeshare Exit Services
Buying timeshare properties is very easy but getting out of them is almost impossible. When you signed the purchase contract, you probably didn’t realize that you were not only obligated to pay monthly maintenance fees (and occasional “special assessments” that can amount to thousands of dollars for major re-
pairs, renovations, storm damages, etc.) during your lifetime but also obligated your children and grandchildren to pay these fees and assessments during their lifetimes!
When you realize that you are stuck with a “forever” clause and rapidly increasing fees, you want to cancel the contract. But the timeshare company has no desire to let you off the hook. So, what do you do? You come across radio or TV advertisements from “nationally recognized timeshare exitservices” who promise to get you out of your timeshare contract. Do not call any of them!
Here is the “AI Overview” answer for my Google search on “timeshare exit services customer reviews and complaints”:
“Customer reviews and complaints regarding timeshare exit services are often negative, with many users reporting that companies failed to deliver on their promises to get them out of their timeshare contracts, charged exorbitant fees for little to no results, and left customers feeling scammed, with numerous complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) against many exit companies; it’s crucial to thoroughly research any timeshare exit company before engaging their services to avoid potential issues.”
Your easiest and low-cost option is to see a local attorney and pay him to send a letter on your behalf to the timeshare company, requesting cancellation of the contract because of financial hardship or some such strong reason. If you are willing to hand over the title to the property back to the timeshare company, that may work. If you go for a timeshare exit company, do a lot of research on the Internet about the company before signing up. When you search the Internet, DO NOT consider any “Sponsored” item! They are simply marketing comments from the sponsoring company, and you will only find positive remarks because they are paid by that company!
(Debt Reduction Services in general, and IRS Debt Reduction Services in particular, also require a lot of research to assure yourself that they will not just extract fees from you and will do nothing. You should try to work directly with your bank, credit card company or the IRS to see if you get into a structured “debt management program”.)
Products Based on False or Dubious Scientific Claims
Prevagen, Neuriva: Memory enhancement supplements made of “all natural” ingredients.
Copper Fit Clothing & Fitness Items: Pain management and fatigue reduction through use of “copperinfused” items like socks, braces and gym clothes.
DNA-based Weight Reduction
KEEPING YOUR MIND SHARP
By Pradip R. Das (New Jersey)
This article is not an attempt to provide the reader with an all-inclusive guide to dementia, memory loss or cognitive decline with age. Rather, it is an attempt to highlight and point to some lifestyles and simple activities one can choose to follow to mitigate the risks thereof.
A conscious effort has been made to keep the presentation qualitative in nature, although references have been cited for those interested readers who wish to delve into details of the scientific studies mentioned. Dementia cases are increasing rapidly around the world, and progress towards a cure is sluggish. The brain is a highly complex organ, and our understanding of how dementia is caused and controlled changes as more research progresses in this field.
One day a complete and well documented pathway for its cure will be found, but in the meantime, why can’t we practice some simple habits or activities which keep our minds sharp and slow the cognitive decline associated with memory loss?
Exercise and eating healthy
The primary mantra is:Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will reduce the risk of dementia. Diet control and exercise are the bedrock of a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, NIH research studies have clearly demonstrated that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain. Studies have shown that problems to the vascular system, the heart and the blood vessels to the brain can contribute to the development of dementia (JAMA Neurology, August, 2017). Risk factors include aging, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking are all associated with the increased risk of dementia. Other risk factors include strokes, brain tumors, Alzheimer’s and late-stage Parkinson’s disease.
Although there is no specific directive on what is the best diet (Mediterranean by some studies), there is no disagreement on exercise ... do it regularly to keep both your heart and brain healthy and reduce your risk of dementia.
Getting a good night’s sleep
It has been long established (Dementia UK, February 1, 2023) that disturbances in sleep patterns go hand in hand with incidences of dementia, and the association of sleep duration during middle and old age to incidence of dementia (Nature Communications April 20, 2021). It reported higher dementia risk with sleep of less than six hours at ages 50,
60 as compared to seven hours of sleep. These studies showed that short sleep duration in middle life is associated with increased risk of late-onset dementia. More data is forthcoming on this important observation. Getting a good night’s sleep is in everyone’s interest (readers may refer to an article on the risks of sleep deprivation, page 6, Ananda Sangbad, January, 2025). The body’s ability to get rid of dementia-causing plaques in the brain is associated with this.
Reducing exposure to air pollution
This is hardly a general guideline since 90% of the world’s population breathes air that exceeds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target on particulate matter (BMJ, March 15, 2023). Unsurprisingly, scientists have found a correlation between how much polluted air one is exposed to and the risk of developing dementia later in life. Another systematic review and analysis on ambient air pollution and clinical dementia (BMJ, April 5, 2023) showed thata measure of the particulate matter in air (PM 2.5 micrometers) is a risk factor for dementia as well as nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide (the latter two with limited data).
Long term ambient air pollution has been acknowledged as a potentially modifiable risk factor on the basis of long-standing evidence that points to a relation between exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular disease, stroke and more recently to cognitive impairment.
(For context, London’s (PM 2.5 micrometers) figure for 2023 was 8.4 micrograms/cu meter, Coraopolis in PA, the most polluted city in the US in 2023, was 19.3, and Delhi, the capital of India, was 100).
Regular socialization
Loneliness, and in particular, being persistently lonely, can be problematic on the long term.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, this kind of social isolation can substantially increase a person’s chance of dementia. According to studies by Eileen Graham, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences at Northwestern University, Illinois, the understanding of what loneliness is doing to the brain is still “an open question”, except for the general acknowledgement that loneliness is doing harm to the brain. It can be safely concluded that company is vital for everyone, especially as you age. So, go out there and surround yourself
with others, whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Keep on learning
The effect of education on health is multifaceted and complex. Several studies have shown that the more time one spends on self-education, the lower is the dementia risk (University of Cambridge study, July 23, 2010). Examining the brains of 872 patients who had been part of aging studies and who had completed questionnaires about their education, the researchers found that more education makes people better able to cope with changes in the brain associated with dementia. That said, the volume of research in education’s favor is convincing.
Vision and eye movement
Vision is thought to be our most important sense and hence is closely related to our cognitive health and better eyesight may be related to maintaining better brain function as we age. Research backs this up as a recent study published (Scientific Reports, February 29, 2024) found that visual sensitivity can predict dementia up to twelve years before it is formally diagnosed. So, can vision be used as a preventative tool? Perhaps, so. Although research in this area is nascent and mixed, some positive data has come relatively recently. Observational studies have also reported an association between visual impairment and the increased risk of future dementia (Davies-Kershaw et al. J. Am. Geriatric Soc. 66, 2, 2018).
On the other side, Eef Hogervorst and her team published (Int. J of Environ Res Pub Health, August 4, 2021) data that showed people who watch more TV or read more have better memory and significantly lower dementia risk. She reasoned that, at least in part, this could be eye movements indicative of both activities. So, while treatments based on eye movements are nonexistent currently, it’s clear that it can’t hurt to keep one’s eyes moving and engaged and by doing so will likely have some benefits as one gets older.
Hearing loss and dementia
Hearing loss is not a modifiable health condition. However,many elderly members of our society suffer from modest to severe hearing loss with advancing age.
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BEWARE OF TV
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Treatment: A NJ-based company advertises that they can devise a weight-reduction diet plan based on the analysis of your DNA.
LED Caps and Masks: Claimed to enhance hair growth andimprove skin tone to remove wrinkles. These are just a few of the numerous “dubious products and services” currently being pedaled through heavy advertisement. In all cases, their claims are not scientifically proven yet marketed with false claims like “developed by a doctor”, “clinically tested”, “scientifically proven”, etc. Some of these products and services have been sued or placed on notice by regulatory authorities, yet they continue to actively market these items. Be aware of what you buy in health-related fields!
Marketing Trick Behind Sale of Show Tickets
Let me end this article with a personal experience that opened my eyes to a marketing trick that is often played by sellers of Broadway and other stage show tickets.
A few years ago, I was interested in buying tickets to a dance program being presented at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark. I went to the NJPAC website and checked on seat availability on several dates that were convenient for me. For every day that I picked, I was surprised to see that only a handful of seats (like 20) were available in a hall that had 1000+ seats. Wow, this must be a hugely popular show, I thought. Since I was going with three other people, my choices were even more limited. Finally, I bought four seats together, located in a row way back in the hall, but paying exorbitant price.
Imagine my surprise when on the day of the show, my friends and I entered the hall to find that almost 70% of the hall was empty! In fact, after the first performance, everybody from the back seats moved forward to the priciest seats near the stage, and the ushers did not make any objections at all! Clearly, something was fishy.
Soon I figured out that the ticket seller had played a game of “now you see it, now you don’t” with me (and hundreds of other customers). The company intentionally showed only a few available seats at any given time to tempt me to buy tickets right way – before those few seats got booked. Of course, I did not know that the next day the seller would show another handful of seats available, completely different from the ones just shown to me, always making the buyer believe that very few seats are available.
Later I realized that the same marketing gimmick is being played daily on thousands of unsuspecting customers for Broadway shows and many sports events all around the country. But what can you do? Nothing, really. You have to grit your teeth and buy the tickets if you want to enjoy the event. At least, the events are genuine unlike all the shoddy or dubious products being hawked through loud TV advertisements that border on scam or fraud.
The Bottom Line
Be careful when you see a very attractive deal being advertised on television. Do some research online but please ignore any comments or reviews under “Sponsored” headings. The vast majority of them are untrustworthy. Look for comments published on independent platforms like Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Trust Pilot, etc., and focus more on the negative reviews to find out why the customers complained. Good luck as you battle with the scammers and fraudsters hiding behind many catchy and glitzy TV commercials!
The first three months of the new year were unusually cold and wet, but at Ananda Mandir, the puja schedule was observed as announced. Most of our regular devotees attended the pujas regardless of weather.
On 1st January, the Temple was open for longer hours -- from 9 in the morning to 8 in the evening – for the convenience of our members. We also had Satyanarayan Puja in the evening. After the puja, we had
PUJA ACTIVITIES
During January-March, 2025
Reported by Mita Sinha, Chair,
Shyama Puja. A lot of families came to the Mandir on both of these days. As always,Biswabhai performed a beautiful puja.
Puja Committee
Hate khori is an auspicious religious ritual which is performed to signify starting of education for a Hindu child. Little children of three or four
Arati, Pushpanjali, and all of us had a nice dinner. The New Year started on a good note.
On January 12, we had Satyanarayan Puja. This was a busy day.
On January 27, we had Ratanti Kali Puja in the evening. This Puja is observed annually in the Bengali month of Magh, on Mouni Amavasya. A lot of our members visited the temple on this day. This is a special puja for our community. After the puja we had Aarati, Anjali and a good dinner. The next day we had our monthly
This year we had our Saraswati Puja on February 3. In India, this puja marks the arrival of spring and is dedicated to the goddess Saraswati. She is the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music and performing arts. Saraswati Puja is mostly celebrated in the North Eastern part of India. In other parts of India, people celebrate Basant Panchami on this day.
At Ananda Mandir the Saraswati Puja started at 8:00 am in the morning. After the puja we had Aarati and Anjali and then we had Hate Khori.
Shivaratri by fasting for the whole day and staying awake all night. This is one of the most important festivals for the Hindu community. Shiva and Shakti are two forms of one energy. People pray and meditate all day. Milk is offered to the Shivlinga, and devotees prayed for blessings for a peaceful life. At night we witnessed the celebration of Hima Chandan Aarati, and after that Rajbesh was put on the deity.
The next day we had our monthly
years old followed a ritual of writing alphabets and numbers on a slate, thus signifying the beginning of their formal education. A number of kids came to the temple for this ceremony, and they had fun interacting with other kids. They also received bags of gifts from Ananda Mandir. This is a fun ritual, and both kids and parents enjoy it every year. Yellow is the preferred color for this day. Ladies mostly wore yellow sarees and some men wore yellow kurtas. Yellow marigold flowers were offered to Ma Sarswati for the Puja. Some students brought their books with them to be blessed by the goddess Saraswati. All of us had prasad and lunch after the puja and Arati.
Bani Bandana was observed on February 9 at the Temple. We celebrate this on a weekend so that families who missed Saraswati Puja get another opportunity to come and participate. We had Hate Khori on this day again, and there were several kids came in for this ritual. In the afternoon we had cultural activities such as dance, music, drama performed by kids at Tagore Hall. We have a number of talented kids in our community, and some of them participated in the cultural function.
On February 26, we performed Maha Shivaratri Puja at Ananda Mandir. The Mandir remained open for the entire day. We worshipped Lord Shiva on this day. People celebrate
Shyama Puja. All of us enjoyed this puja.
The month of March started with Dol Purnima/Holi. Dol Purnima is a one of the most popular festivals in India among the Hindus. We celebrated this on March 14 at Ananda Mandir. This festival is dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna. It is known as festival of color. At Ananda Mandir, we all participated in the festivities. After the puja we rubbed colored powder on each other’s face. This was a fun day, and all of us enjoyed the evening.
On March 28 we had our monthly Shyama Puja. As always, this puja was well attended by our devotees
Ananda Mandir is a non-profit organization. It is one of the prominent Bengali temples in New Jersey. Everyone is welcome to come and pray with us at our Mandir. People at the Mandir are friendly and courteous. This is one of the few temples dedicated to Ma Kali, in New Jersey. The Mandir stays open in the morning from 9 am to 11:30 am and in the evening from 5:30 to 8:00 pm seven days a week. You can sponsor online puja if you cannot come to the temple. For all of our detail programs please go to the website at www. anandamandir.org
Come and join us and be a member of this great organization. We provide Bengali language classes and dance lessons on the premise.
Saraswati Puja
Lord Shiva in Rajbesh on Shivaratri Shri Radha & Shri Krishna
Happy Holi!
FALLING IN LOVE WITH TRAMS
By Rahul Ray (Massachusetts)
Ifell in love with trams at a pretty young age. The large double-decker buses roaming the wide streets of Kolkata often resembled angry tigers ready to jump onto hapless citizenry. In sharp contrast, trams lazily grazed the shiny metal lines on the ground like a young girl walking timidly through the humdrum of the city.
I was born and grew up in Grove Lane in South Kolkata. Despite its Anglo name, it was a narrow, serpentine, and nondescript thoroughfare. During the monsoon season, the street was often flooded with knee-deep water. My two sisters and I gleefully floated hand-made paper boats on that makebelieve tributary. On one side of the street close to its merger with Hazrah Road stood tall mansions of Ramakrishna Mission Hospital, as they do today. Somewhere in the middle of the serpentine curve was a narrow path leading to Lawkhaar Maath, formally known as Nandalal Jiu Road, the home of women who made a living by selling their bodies. Beyond that was Manohar Pukur Road leading to Lansdowne Road or Sarat Bose Road on the left, and on the right was Satish Mukherji Road leading to Kalighat Park. The Kalighat tram depot was located on the other side of the park on Shyama Prasad Mukherji Road.
In my college days, I was deeply involved in left-wing politics, and a tea stall at Satish Mukherji Road was the haunt for us – party cadres. I remember painting a portrait of Comrade Ho Chi Minh on an adjacent wall. I frequented that area and often observed a tramcar or two exiting lazily through the large open doors of Kalighat Tram Depot like a python and sounding like a rattlesnake. Soon it turned right towards Basusree Cinema; and then came the corner of Hazrah Road and Jatin Das Park. At that juncture, the tramcar took a sharp left smoothly like a swan’s neck turning and hitting the water for a catch.
I was in high school then. In my free time, I wandered around the city on foot exploring her beauty and secrets. There was a long break after the Higher Secondary Examination and
before the college entrance. During this long lull, my good friend and classmate at Mitra School, Prateep, son of the famed film director, Hrishikesh Mukherji, and I would start walking down Hazrah Road all the way to Chowronghi via the Maidan. During our very long walk, we would find trams lazily passing through the green grassy fields of Maidan with a smooth velvety sound that was drowned elsewhere by the noise in the city.
On Sundays in the winter, I would go to Deshpriya Park, near my home. In those days the park boundaries were not tightly surrounded by innumerable stores vending commodities of various kinds. There was a top-rated tennis court on the side abutting Lansdowne Road. On many evenings I watched tennis matches played on those courts under high-powered flood light. On the other side of the park was a huge grassy field where cricket games of the Cricket Association of Bengal were played regularly. I enjoyed many games there and acquainted myself with many players with names and fame and others with promises.
At the end of the park, Lansdowne Road intersects Rashbehari Avenue. At this very juncture Jibanananada Das, the famous poet was trampled under a tram car, an incident that led to his untimely death. A sprawling paan-shop in one corner of this junction still runs a nifty business. On warm summer evenings flower vendors hawk long-stem Rajanigandha (tube rose) and highly fragrant garlands of Jui (jasmine) and Beli (Arabian jasmine). The fragrance of flowers mingles with the highly aromatic scent of paanmasala. The bookstore on the other corner is no longer there, replaced by a Bhel-puri shop. Rumor has it that on the other side of the junction Shyamal Mitra, the famous Bengali crooner was hit by an automobile and was seriously injured. This mishap led to his famous song ‘Tomader bhalobasa moroner paar theke firaye enechhe moray’. Countless people pass through this four-corner intersection daily oblivious to these happenings from the past. Trams still run along Rashbehari
Avenue. Today the cars are painted blue instead of that highly recognizable ochre and white of yesteryears.
Some days with very little money in my pocket, I would hop into the second class of a tram at Kalighat Depot. The passengers here were somewhat different from the firstclass riders – their clothes were untidy, and their hair was often disheveled. One day I found a guy as my copassenger. He was clad with a dirty and torn shirt, and equally dirty dhuti, and was completely unshaven with white and gray facial hair and a head full of gray hair
and other activists faced the same fate. A sudden emotion would choke me whenever I passed through this area, and tears would well up in my eyes.
Soon the tram would reach the quiet and scenic beauty of the New Alipore enclave. But that would change dramatically as it neared the dock area of Khiddirpur with din and bustle, people and stray dogs running everywhere. This scene also would change quickly as the tram car runs by the Victoria Memorial, the mammoth white marble relic of the British Empire, and the Calcutta racecourse on the
Fearing mortal danger, he fled the city to Mumbai for a year.
En route, soon came the sprawling grounds of Fort Williams on the left. This Fort was at the center of the military might of the East India Company, and later, the British Empire. Fort Williams also housed the famous Fort William College. This college once had the likes of Mritunjay Tarkalankar, Iswrachandra Vidyasagar, William Kerry, Joshua Marshman as faculty. Many of these people are credited with bringing the Bengali Language and its literature to the modern era.
moving everywhere like serpents. Before long he started singing in his crude, and undexterous voice – ‘Dosh karo noi go maa’. He was going to the Mother Kali Temple at Kalighat. At the Temple, the son was to meet with his mother – love and earnestness oozed from his voice, almost literally. I am not religious, but his devotion touched my heart so deeply that it made a permanent imprint in my mind.
On this route from Kalighat Tram Depot, the tram takes a left turn at Hazrah Morh towards New Alipore. The tramcar crosses a narrow waterway, known as Kalighater Ganga, and leaves the Kalighat Temple on the left. Then comes the Alipore court and most passengers get off here. Before the court, on the right stand tall and mighty walls of Alipore Central Jail clad with razor wire lest anyone try to escape. Many revolutionaries of the yesteryears fighting to rid the British rule in India were imprisoned, tortured, and even killed here. Several years later, many left-wing Naxalites
opposite side. Soon the tram is engulfed on both sides with the green meadows of the Maidan, and the wide thoroughfare, the Red Road. People are seen exercising on the Maidan and rickety horses of the Tangawalas bend their long necks to feed on green grass. Maidan is dotted with clubhouses of prominent local clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Mohamedan, and others. There is an encircled area where Maharaja Nandakumar was hanged for opposing the British rulers, an almost forgotten incident from the past.
In the 1970s, on the other side of the Maidan, adjacent to Asutosh Mukherji Road, Saroj Dutta, the prominent Naxalite leader was executed by police. That is a rumor. However, much later, Supriya Chaudhuri, the famous actress on the Bengali silver screen, described in her autobiography in the pages of Desh magazine how her consort and the legendary actor Uttam Kumar unwittingly became a witness to the execution while carrying on his daily early morning exercise.
After Fort Williams, comes the Eden Gardens with its famous pagoda and the adjacent Stadium where many cricket matches are held today to capacity crowds. Then the tram car veers right, keeping the palatial building of the Akashbani Bhaban, the broadcast hub of the city on the left. Soon the tram slows down, sounding sometimes like a train, or a rattler comes to a complete sojourn at the Chowronghee Tram Depot, finishing its journey.
The news has it that trams have stopped running in the city recently. With its elimination, a significant part of the history of my beloved city will be lost, along with the memory of my young adult years. Goodbye, perhaps we will meet again.
Well, it appears that not all may have been lost. At urging, and protest by people, the government has agreed to bring the tramcars back, initially in a handful of routes and perhaps in a much larger way in the future. Therefore, I can hope that my love for Kolkata trams will not be lost forever.
Nitric Oxide Gas Keeps Heart Beating Strong
Biologists have discovered that both human and animal bodies are composed of organs and organelles, which consist of both solid and liquid components. In 1980, Nitric Oxide was identified as the first gas component in the body that functions as a neurotransmitter. The story behind the discovery of this gas within the body is described below.
Alfred Nobel’s Physical Weakness and Treatment
The story started with Alfred Nobel (1833-1896). He suffered from physical weakness since boyhood, which required him to visit health spas frequently. However, he disliked the treatments provided there. In his middle age, he began experiencing chest pain, which was later diagnosed as Angina Pectoris -- an intense and unbearable pain in the chest. This condition persisted until the end of his life. The reason behind his decision not to pursue family life remains unknown, despite his ardent desire for one. He interacted with many women but never established a lasting relationship. The depth of his longing for companionship is evident from a newspaper advertisement he once placed.
Alfred’s Relationship with Bertha and Their Debates on War and Peace
By the age of 43, Alfred had gained wisdom and success. He placed an advertisement stating, “Wealthy, highly educated elderly gentleman seeks a mature lady, proficient in languages, for the role of secretary and household supervisor.” Many responded, and Alfred interviewed several candidates. Eventually, he selected an Austrian woman named Bertha Kinski. Although Alfred and Bertha spent a considerable amount of time together, their relationship remained strictly professional. They often engaged in heated debates about war and peace—Bertha advocating for pacifism, while Alfred, as a scientist and industrialist, contributed to the development of powerful explosives. Eventually, Bertha left Alfred and married Arthur Vonsatner. However, their friendship endured for many years, and they continued exchanging letters discussing their opposing
By Alok Bandyopadhyay (Pennsylvania)
views on war and peace.
In one of his letters to Bertha, Alfred wrote with a sense of irony: “Perhaps my factories will put an end to war sooner than your congresses. The day two army corps can annihilate each other in an instant, all civilized nations will surely recoil in horror and disband their troops.”
A Near-Fatal Experiment with Nitroglycerin
A widely told story suggests that one day, following a disagreement with Bertha, Alfred experienced intense chest pain. Overcome with distress, he considered ending his life. That evening, he withdrew to his bedroom, drew back the curtains to let the moonlight in, and made a drastic decision. He opened a bottle of nitroglycerin (N/G 1), believing that drinking it would cause an internal explosion and obliterate his body.
He took a sip and waited—five minutes, then an hour, yet nothing happened. Eventually, he drifted into sleep, still expecting an explosive end. However, the next morning, he woke to the warm rays of the sun. To his astonishment, he was alive and breathing normally. Not only was he unharmed, but his chest pain had disappeared completely.
Perplexed by this outcome, he consulted doctors, who then began prescribing nitroglycerin as a treatment for his heart condition. Reflecting on this irony, Alfred remarked: “My heart trouble will keep me here in Paris for at least a few more days, until my doctors fully agree on my treatment. Isn’t it ironic that I have been prescribed N/G 1 to be taken internally? They call it Trinitrin, so as not to alarm the chemist and the public.”
precise mechanism behind its effects remained a mystery. Scientists continued their research to uncover how nitroglycerin functioned within the body, leading to groundbreaking discoveries that reshaped our understanding of heart and blood biology.
Nitric Oxide Gas: An Important Component of Blood Biology
While studying the effects of various drugs on blood vessels, Robert Francis Fuchgott, Chairperson of the Department of Pharmacology at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Medicine, found a new unknown component designated as “factor” that related to contracting and relaxing blood vessels in 1980. The discovery of such a factor sparked a wave of research aimed at identifying its chemical nature.
Italian pharmacologist Louis Ignarroat the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine made a groundbreaking discovery in 1986 that the factor found by Fuchgott was in fact Nitric Oxide (NO), a simple gas. Ignarro demonstrated that Nitric Oxide was naturally produced in blood vessels and acted as a key signaling molecule, instructing blood vessels to expand and contract. He also discovered that Nitric Oxide was responsible for triggering penile erection, highlighting its broad physiological role.
In 1977, Fred Murad, then at the University of Virginia, showed that nitroglycerin induces the formation of Nitric Oxide gas that increases the diameter of blood vessels in the body. Moreover, he speculated that endogenous factors, such as hormones, might regulate cellular processes through Nitric Oxide signaling.
heart. Their research demonstrated how Nitric Oxide works better between cells of the heart and lungs, a concept previously unheard of in biology. This discovery opened new avenues in heart medicine, leading to innovative therapies for conditions like hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, and erectile dysfunction.
For their revolutionary discoveries, Fuchgott, Ignarro, and Murad were awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Their discoveries not only solved the mystery of nitroglycerin’s effects in the body but also paved the way for future research into the vital role of Nitric Oxide in human health.
Scientific Recognition and the Impact of Nitric Oxide Research
In the year 2000, while testifying before US Congress, pharmacologist Louis J. Ignarro stated, “Only in America can the son of an uneducated carpenter win the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine”. His words highlight the opportunities available in America, where individuals from modest backgrounds can make significant contributions to scientific and medical advancements because of their talent, innovation and determination.
The Role of Nitric Oxide in Heart and Lung Medicine
Nitric Oxide in Heart Health: Nitric Oxide plays a crucial role in heart medicine, primarily due to its ability to relax blood vessels and improve circulation. This essential molecule has led to significant advancements in treating heart disease, hypertension, and stroke prevention.
Managing Hypertension and Heart Disease: Individuals suffering from high blood pressure (hyperten-
Scientific Research and the Impact of Nitroglycerin
At the time of Alfred Nobel, it was well known that nitroglycerin could dilate blood vessels and provide relief from chest pain. However, the
A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Medicine
The combined work of Fuchgott, Ignarro, and Murad fundamentally changed medical knowledge about
Robert Fuchgott
sion) often produce insufficient levels of Nitric Oxide, leading to stiff and narrowed blood vessels. Medications like nitroglycerin and isosorbide mononitrate function by releasing Nitric Oxide, relaxing blood vessels,
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Louis Ignarro Fred Murad
Nitric Oxide Gas Keeps Heart Beating Strong
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improving blood flow, and reducing heart strain. These treatments have been lifesaving for patients with angina (chest pain) and coronary artery disease, helping to prevent heart attacks and improve overall cardiac health.
Preventing Stroke and Heart Attacks: Nitric Oxide also plays a vital role in preventing strokes and heart attacks by reducing blood clot formation and preventing fatty acid deposits in blood vessels. Studies have shown that increasing Nitric Oxide levels enhances vascular function, improving long-term heart health and reducing the risk of life-threatening cardiovascular events.
Nitric Oxide in Lung Medicine: Nitric Oxide has also emerged as a key therapeutic agent in respiratory medicine, particularly in treating lung-related conditions.
Pulmonary Hypertension and Neonatal Care: Inhaled Nitric Oxide (INO) is widely used in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to treat a serious lung condition in newborns, a condition that restricts blood flow to the lungs, leading to dangerously low oxygen levels. Doctors administer small amounts of inhaled Nitric Oxide, which can relax pulmonary arteries and improve oxygenation significantly increasing survival rates in newborns.
Nitric Oxide and Lung Infections (Including COVID-19): Recent studies have explored Nitric Oxide’s potential in treating severe respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Nitric Oxide’s antiviral properties and its ability to reduce inflammation and improve oxygenation make it a promising candidate for managing severe lung infections and respiratory distress syndrome.
Conclusion
Alfred Nobel’s risky self-experimentation with nitroglycerin inadvertently contributed to the eventual discovery of Nitric Oxide as a crucial biological molecule. Originally recognized for its explosive properties, nitroglycerin led scientists down a different path—one that unveiled Nitric Oxide’s remarkable role in heart function, immune response, and neurological messaging.
Beyond cardiovascular and respiratory applications, Nitric Oxide plays a crucial role in brain function, immune response and wound healing. It has shown promise in neurological treatments, immune defense mechanisms, and even advanced wound care. Researchers are now developing Nitric Oxide releasing dressings to accelerate wound healing, particularly in diabetic ulcers and burn injuries, highlighting the molecule’s broad therapeutic potential.
As research continues, Nitric Oxide remains one of the most powerful molecules in modern medicine, offering new hope for patients suffering from cardiovascular, respiratory, and inflammatory conditions. With ongoing research, this powerful molecule will continue to shape the future of medicine, bringing hope to countless patients worldwide in the 21st century.
Acknowledgement
Thanks are due to Debajyoti(da) [ Debajyoti Chatterji, Ananda Sangbad] for his suggestions in the preparation of this article. I am grateful for his review.
The Phone Thief
(An Experience to Remember!)
By Ranjana Sanyal (New Jersey)
Saturday, March 23rd at 12:31AM: ‘Hey! Sorry to bother you so late at this time but I was trying to contact you in that we found your moms phone and we could potentially get it back to you guys sooner or later.’
Saturday March 23rd at 1:51 AM:‘So update—we still have the phone and we’re trying to reach out and contact if possible so let me know whenever is a good time to call.’
These late-night text messages popped up a week after I lost my phone in NYC. It happened at the end of a lovely day in the City. My nephew, Norbu, was visiting us on his Spring Break from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign and wanted to see New York City.
Runi, Norbu and I had taken the train to the City that morning determined to hit all the touristy spots. We spent the morning going up to the top of the Empire State Building and strolling around Times Square and the Rockefeller Plaza area After a leisurely lunch in Korea town, we decided to take an Uber to the financial district to see the Bull. That is where this story begins.
As soon as we exited the Uber, I realized that I had left my phone in the car. With a sinking heart we watched the car speed down the road. I startedpraying fervently that the next customer would notice a phone on the seat and give it to the driver. Alas,no such thing happened.
After waiting in the area for another hour, we headed back to Penn station took the train back to NJ. I launched into the process of reporting the lost phone-calling Verizon to deactivating the phoneand all the other unpleasant tasks that need to be done in a situation like this. I called Uber but could not provide them with any specific information as the app with the details of the ride were on the lost phone. After a few days of waiting, I got myself a new phone on a new line since my life would come to a standstill without one.
Then, a week later, we got those the late-night text messages from the “phone thief”Upon reading the messages and sharing it with my close circle of one hundred friends, the collective opinion was that this“phone thief” had sinister motives. This person probably had already stolen my identity and would, at the very least ask for a ransom. Moreover, since the person was able to send a text message to Runi, they had obviously had gotten into my phone. ‘Call the police and report him.’ ‘Do not answer his texts under any circumstances’, said my family and
friends.
The next afternoon, at a lunch party, when this topic was being robustly debated with public opinion strongly in the ‘do not engage with this person’ court, one lone voice of dissent rose. Rumi, my niece who was one of the invited guests, suggested that I should definitely contact this person. ‘I can text him on your behalf’,she said. ‘Don’t do it!’, said most of the guests.
I thought about it and told Rumi to go ahead. So, pretending to be me, she sent a text to the phone thief.‘Hey! Thanks for sending a message to my daughter. You have my phone. Can you give it back? Can we meet?’‘Yes’came the prompt reply. ‘Come to Harlem and take your phone’.
Harlem?? No, no said my friends. Do not go there – it is a dangerous place!
“Cannot come to Harlem” –Rumi texted back on my behalf. ‘Can you come to NY Penn station next weekend? We can meet at a designated spot.’The phone thief texted back promptly. ‘Penn Station is far for me. Come to Harlem and get your phone.’
We decided to plead and cajole. ‘Please! I really need the phone and I am not familiar with the city.’ It was a long shot and we were sure that the phone thief would not agree. But, to our surprise the person did. ‘OK, I can come and give you the phone at Penn Station’. I was elated. Runi and I were going to the City to attend a bridal shower the following Sunday. With a few more text exchanges with the phone thief, we agreed to meet at Penn Station at 9:30AM in front of the Dunkin Donuts store.
‘Send us a photo of yourself’, we requested. We got no answer to that request.‘Just come to the Dunkin at Penn Station at 9:30in the morning next Sunday’. The person showed no curiosity to learn my name or request for my photo.
My family and friends were convinced that either the person would not show up or this was some sort of a trap to demand ransom. ‘Don’t go! You are courting trouble’, they said.
But by now, my inner Agatha
Christie had woken up from deep slumber. I was determined to go ahead with the plan and uncover the mystery of my missing phone. I decided I must outmaneuver the phone thief with brain power since brawn power was not my forte.
The following Sunday Runi and I took the train to Penn Station and arrived well before the designated time. Using my now fully activated sleuthing brain cells, I instructed Runi to stay at least six feet away from me at all times, and keep an eye on our surroundings. At 9:15AM, I instructed my niece Rumi to text the phone thief that I had reached our designated spot and was waiting. ‘I am on the train. I will be there soon’, came the reply. I waited. Fifteen minutes passed. ‘Where are you?’ we texted the phone thief. ‘I am here at Penn station’, came the reply. ‘Where are you?’ After a few more texts back and forth and no sign of anyone approaching me with a phone, we asked the phone thief for a photo. ‘No. You send a photo of yourself’, texted the phone thief. Wait,should we? I panicked for a second. Then, I took a selfie of myself and sent it to Rumi. ‘Send it to the thief- neck down, with my head cut off’. A shot of headless me in a bright red jacket standing in front of Dunkin Donuts was duly sent to the phone thief.
‘I still don’t see you, but stay where you are and wait there’, said the next message. By now, Runi was convinced that the twenty plus homeless people milling around me in Penn Station were all part of some sort of gang and I was about to be taken down. ‘Let’s leave Mommy’, she texted, glaring and gesturing at me from a distance. No, I gestured moving my head vigorously from side to side. ‘They are not here for me. They are here for the trash bin, desperate for the scraps of food in the bags dumped by customers’, I texted Runi, hoping to reassure her.
Ten more minutes passed and Runi became even more frustrated. I walked up to Runi. ‘Please be patient for five more minutes. If this person does not show up, we will leave’, I told her By now it was 10:30 AM, almost an hour after our mutually agreed time for the phone hand off. I walked back to my spot in front of Dunkin eyeing every person coming towards me with a mixture of hope and trepidation. And then I saw him!I don’t know how I knew, but the minute I saw the tall youngster come towards me, I knew.
THE ARTIST CLOSEST TO MY HEART
By Basab Dasgupta (California)
Asan amateur artist I have often wondered who is the painter I like most and why. I did not want to base my conclusion on some quantitative measure such as volume of their work, value of their paintings at art auctions or number of visitors to their exhibits. I wanted to find the answer from the bottom of my heart.
I decided to first narrow the pool of all artists I know down to a list of ten most favorite ones, based on the joy and inspiration I feel by looking at their paintings as opposed to a critical artistic analysis of their painting styles. My goal was then to rule them out one by one from the list using various criteria until I am left with only one - the most favorite one.
Without further ado, here
is the top-ten list (not in any order): Vincent Van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, Sandro Botticelli, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Salvador Dali, Michelangelo Buonarotti, M. C. Escher, Leonardo da Vinci and Wassily Kandinsky. Although I like abstract art and graphic art, I am not a huge fan because of the lack of an emotional connection. So, it was easy to eliminate Kandinsky (known as the “father of abstract art”) and Escher (probably the best graphic artist of all time).
I am always intrigued by revolutionary new concepts: “cubism” by Pablo Picasso, “Surrealism” by Salvador Dali and “impressionism” by Claude Monet. Cubism and surrealism fascinate the physicist brain in my head but do not touch my heart. Monet showed how one can
evoke emotions in viewers from one’s paintings without drawing the details. He failed to progress higher in the present contest because he focused almost exclusively on painting landscapes.
Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time, did not do many paintings on a small scale. He made my top ten list because of two paintings in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican: “Creation of Adam” on the ceiling and “The Last Judgment” on the wall. They are huge and took him years to complete under the most unfavorable conditions; he defined the meaning of dedication to one’s work. Nonetheless, I eliminated him from consideration of the greatest painter because of his lack of versatility as a painter.
That leaves me with the four finalists: Van Goh, Klimt, Botticelli and Leonardo. Sandro Botticelli’s works stand out because of sharp and unique facial features in his paintings, especially the way he outlined eyes, lips and noses. One of the most memorable moments of my life was sitting on a bench in an exhibit hall of Uffizi gallery in Florence and looking at two mutually perpendicular walls, with Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” painting on one wall and “Primavera” on the other. It was like I had died and gone to heaven. What I miss in his paintings though is a magic that is essential to be the best. His images are a little too clinical.
Leonardo da Vinci was not just an artist he was also a scientist. This is reflected in many of his paintings such as “The Vitruvian Man”. Leonardo’s works certainly have that magic that mesmerizes the viewers. During my visit to the Louvre, I stood in front of “Mona Lisa” for a very long time to experience this captivating magic. Another one of my favorites is “Leda and the Swan”. I still eliminated him because of my feeling that technical considerations dictated his paintings and not his passion and emotions.
I cannot pay enough compliments about Vincent Van Gogh. He just loved to put coat after coat of paint straight out of a tube. His brushstrokes have been described as impulsive, expressive and passionate. The story goes that when he had very little money, he would
rather buy paint instead of food and go hungry. He spent his life in poverty and his mental illness got worse with aging. He produced most of his paintings in the last two years of his life. He committed suicide at age 37 and became famous only after his death, thanks to relentless promotion of his work by his brother Theo’s wife. With his passion for paint and eccentricity he could get literally crazy with paint. The whirlpool-like brushstrokes in “Starry Starry Night” made him immortal.
It is easy to designate him as the greatest of all time. What I find missing in his work is a softness – a feminine touch, literally. In fact, I am not aware of any Van Gogh painting which is focused on women whether it is their bodies or emotions or attire. I know that my most favorite artist must have women in his works. I identify with Auguste Rodin who reportedly once said (when asked why he loves to sculpt nude females), “what else is there?”
That leaves Gustav Klimt as the one. His paintings are like exotic perfumes to me and make me feel like I am entering a dreamy world of unimaginable pleasure, mystery, joy and wealth. His paintings move me like no others.
The distinguishing feature of his works is that they are full of hundreds of little irregular patches of different colors, often covered by tiny gold leaves, culminating in a dazzling display. Like Botticelli, faces of her female subjects have characteristic sharp ⁸⁸⁸⁶, probably common among German/ Austrian women of his time. Unlike Van Gogh, his works revolved around women. He excelled whether he painted the face of a woman, or a nude body or a woman wearing an ornate outfit.
His most famous work is “The Kiss”, which is also my favorite. He introduced his characteristic colorful pattern consisting of irregular rectangles in the attire of the man. Face and figure of the man were not even shown; emphasis was on the embrace and his passion. I was visiting Brussels about 16 years ago and walking through the shops near the “Grand Place”. I saw a tapestry of “The Kiss”, about 4 ft wide and 6 ft long, priced at around $1000. I in-
stantly bought it without any hesitation and hand-carried it all the way back to California. His “Tree of Life” pioneered a new genre of designs. Perhaps I like his work because some of them remind me of Indian designs. His painting, “Three stages of woman” is a haunting reminder about how transient a woman’s beauty is. Other noteworthy paintings include “Adele”, “Judith” (wearing a unique choker jewelry), “Danae”, “Pallas Athena” and “The Maiden”. Klimt left his signature mark of huge numbers of colored patches whether he painted a tree or a woman’s attire.
It is unfortunate that his early paintings commissioned for display on the ceiling of the great hall of the University of Vienna were deemed “pornographic”. I almost came to tears when I learned that an entire collection of Klimt paintings was destroyed during WWII.
The fact that Klimt was born In Vienna made it easier for me to make my choice. I love Vienna and admire all the geniuses born there. I will place Klimt on the same pedestal in my heart which also holds Schrodinger, Freud, Boltzmann, Mozart, Kafka, Johan Strauss II and Schubert.
Now I not only know who I like most but also why. I like Klimt’s paintings because they are dazzling in color, cover a wide array of subjects, focus on women in various circumstances and have a magical appeal that touches my heart.
Keeping Your Mind Sharp
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Studies have shown that the severity and duration of hearing loss are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia (“New study links hearing loss with dementia in older adults”, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, January 10, 2023). Findings from this study highlights potential benefits of hearing aid use. Early detection and treatment of hearing loss are very important to deal with this risk. It is advisable to consult with an ENT specialist as early as possible, if one (or a family member)notices any hearing loss.
COMMUNITY NEWS
GSCA Corner
Reported by Pradip R. Das (New Jersey)
Holiday Party
The annual December Holiday Party on December 14th at The Crowne Of India restaurant, Plainsboro, concluded GSCA’s events for 2024. Over 100 adults and children participated in this fun-filled gathering. The sumptuous buffet of North Indian delicacies was a savory treat for all. A member appropriately donned a Santa Claus costume to entertain the gleeful children and give them gifts. A choreographed dance routine by some GSCA ladies set the mood for the evening and the open dance floor brought out the enthusiasts, dancing to the beat of contemporary music. Some took advantage of the open mic too. Overall, a delightful evening of company amongst friends, good food and lively entertainment.
GSCA ended the year with a bang!
GSCA New Board
A new Board of Trustees composed of three new and four continuing members took office at the beginning of this year. Alok Mittra is the new Chairman of this board.
Saraswati Puja
On a cold Saturday February 8th., GSCA’s first community event for 2025 took place at the South Brunswick Community Center, Monmouth Junction. This event was open to non -members as well, which also witnessed the attendances of some new members who joined this year. GSCA welcomes them all.
Saraswati Puja is a cherished Bengali cultural heritage that celebrates knowledge, wisdom and creativity and provides an opportunity to seek the blessings of goddess Saraswati for academic success, intellectual growth and artistic inspiration.
GSCA has always attempted to highlight the significance of Saraswati Puja by focusing on
1. Importance of education which holds a special place in our culture and this Puja is an auspicious occasion to honor learning and wisdom.
2. Bringing communities and families together to celebrate tradition and values.
3. Artistic expression which
finds a wonderful platform at Saraswati Puja through music, dance and art.
Traditionally GSCA encourages children to participate in the festivities by joining in cultural programs and taking part in children’s activities. It’s an endearing way to instill love for knowledge, culture, and tradition in our younger generation.
Besides the traditional puja, pushpanjali and prasad, a delightful dinner was served. To entertain the attendees, a delightful cultural program by the youth of GSCA was presented. Both vocal and instrumental medleys were presented by youngsters (some below 10).
Everyone enjoyed this year’s first community event of GSCA.
GSCA Philanthropy Update
The organization continues serving its mission, with the generous help of its numerous donors and selfless work of its volunteers, in the main areas to
1. Provide support to needy and meritorious students both in India and the US for higher education.
2. Provide financial support for natural disaster relief both in the US and India.
Upcoming Event
GSCA will be hosting its Annual General Meeting on March 15th at the Crowne of India Plainsboro, NJ. Details will be reported in the July issue of Ananda Sangbad.
The Garden State Cultural Association, Inc. (GSCA), incorporated as a non-profit organization on January 31, 1992, adopts the following as objectives of GSCA:
a) to be non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian, and b) to be devoted to social, cultural, religious and philanthropic activities of the community.
To this end, GSCA organizes various events and programs related to its objectivesandGSCA also coordinates with and joins/supports local organizations with similar aims, if it deems necessary to have a broader effect/appeal on/to the community.
MAA Corner
Reported by Arundhati Sanyal (New Jersey)
Greetings from all members of Maitree Association of America!
We at Maitree have been quite busy in the winter months after Durga puja celebrations.
Maa Saraswati graced our organization on February 16 at Tagore Hall, Ananda Mandir, where we celebrated Saraswati Puja with grand success. About 275 attendees came to our “sold-out” event. Pujo, Haate-Khari and Anjali were performed with the usual fervor. Cultural Committee staged several impressive solo and group performances primarily by kids as well as some fine group performances by adults. A generous number of exhibitors also participated in the event. As usual, breakfast/ bhogprasad and dinner were served to all attendees.The Food Committee lived up to their usual high standard.
In addition, Member Engagement Committee organized an Art Contest for kids as well as an Exhi-
bition of the amazing and stellar art work by adults which was something new this time and a rocking success amongst visitors.
Youth Committee members put a table for selling snacks to raise funds for Maitree’s philanthropic initiatives that received significant support from the attendees.
The Next Gen Banga volunteers conducted an impressive workshop “ Amar Bhasha, Amar Utsab ” for the kids and youth in Maitree Saraswati Puja that was attended by a roomful of youngsters as participants.
While our own Pujo was hugely successful, our members did wonderfully as they represented Maitree in an Antakshari contest in SBA ‘s Saraswati Pujo that took place on January 25. They stood first and won the champion’s trophy. This is the second consecutive year that they have won this trophy.
And now, a note about our philanthropic activi-
ties. Maitree is sponsoring the education of several tribal girls through Bharat Sevashram Sangha at Ghatsila, India. On Thanksgiving Day, Maitree volunteers donated one hundred sandwiches at Elija’s Soup Kitchen at New Brunswick, New Jersey. During the holidays, Maitree members donated non-perishable food items (boxes and cans) at the food bank of South Brunswick Township.
For our upcoming activities, here are some of the things we are working on for the early spring and summer. Our Annual General meeting is scheduled for April 6 at King Place, Edison. We will celebrate spring in our Baisakhi event on June 7 at a location to be determined. Finally, our summer Picnic event will be held at Nockamixon State Park, Pennsylvania on August 2. We plan to take our members to the spot by bus.
We hope all of our readers have a fantastic spring and summer.
The Phone Thief
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The young man pulled out the phone out of his pocket and flashed it when he was about five feet away from me. ‘This is your phone, right?’, he asked with a wide smile. ‘Yes!’, I said, as he stood in front of me handing me the phone. I grabbed it, a million questions swirling in my head. I asked the first question that came to my mind. ‘How did you unlock my phone and how did you contact my daughter?’. He smiled and said, ‘Well, it was not hard since your password is 123456 and your daughter is saved in contacts as my most favorite daughter in the whole world!’ I laughed sheepishly. ‘Change your password’, he said laughing. ‘No! it’s a good password’, I said. ‘It helped me to get my phone back’
‘Where did you find my phone?’, I asked him. ‘My father is an Uber Driver. We are from Haiti on TPS status. I clean my father’s car every weekend and found your phone under the seat. I am in high school and we live in Harlem.’
I felt an enormous wave of goodwill and faith in humanity wash over me. This young man had spent an
hour plus on a Sunday morning to return the phone to a person he did not know and was not obligated to help.
‘Can I give you some money, please?’, I asked. ‘No, no’ he said vehemently. ‘I don’t want anything’. Despite his protestations, I gave him some cash. ‘It’s for your train fare and some snacks’ I said. OK, he said with that wide smile. We shook hands. ‘Wait!’, I said as he was about to leave. ‘Can we take a selfie?’, I asked. ‘Of course,’ he said. And we did.
With that, he walked away- the young Haitian man. A decent, compassionate hardworking new immigrant. In the past month, amidst the drumbeat of deportation and ICE, I have thought about the young man quite often. I pray that his family is indeed here legally. I pray that he gets to go to college and eventually become a citizen of the United States. He is the kind of citizen that this country needs- the kind who would walk the extra mile to help a stranger.
Note:TPS is a temporary immigration status that gives some Haitians protection from deportation and the ability to get a work permit. You can only receive TPS for up to 18 months at a time.
WHEN THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN
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formers came together and paraded around the ring, waving, clapping as we all stood up and noisily made way to the exit. It was really one colorful and fun-filled night that filled our tiny hearts with an awe and love of circus, an impression I held on to for many years to come.
I visited many circuses after that performed by many foreign companies too, most notably the Russian circus where the spectacles were of a whole different level and artistry. However, somehow the Empire circus as my first circus trip had left an indelible imprint on my mind that I sought in every circus experience. Then slowly over time that interest or charm faded as the circus gave way to other more sophisticated forms of entertainment. It was after many years, as a young adult, when I had visited the Empire circus again with my cousins, nephews and nieces. The place definitely seemed much more different, slapstick comedy, overused tricks minus the animals, older performers with louder makeup, tired clowns, passive spectators, the glamor and dazzle of the marquee somehow missing. At first, I thought it was just my adult mind trying to search for the idyllic show that had won my heart as a child, but then I noticed my
KOLKATA’S BOI MELA
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and running in just three days. Sadly, this was not the only calamity to befall the Boi Mela. In 1998, heavy rain damaged many kiosks and products again. The insurance companies took on the burden of compensating the sellers then. In the early 1990s, the Government of West Bengal initiated a competing book fair, Grontho Mela, to showcase government-sponsored publishers. However, the popularity of the Boi Mela proved too much for its survival and the two fairs merged in 1992.
In nearly fifty years of its existence, the Boi Mela has shifted its location only three times. In 2009, the venue was moved to Milan Mela Prangon on Eastern Bypass following a lawsuit by environmentalists claiming the Fair was destroying the lungs of the city, the Maidan. In 2018, the Fair was moved again to its current location in Salt Lake Karunamoyee.
days, lured by discounted books, delectable snacks, and the general ambience of festivity. The book sellers drummed up 250 million rupees in sales in two weeks.
nephews and nieces. They were all snickering, politely observing the acts without being engrossed, effortlessly tuning in and out of their hand-held devices to clap on cue.
The circus industry has indeed suffered major setbacks since my childhood years that has stolen its aura and glamor and replaced it with a shabby image of a marginal industry in society. Opposition from bureaucracy, animal rights activists, child labor laws and other forms of campaign and red tape have taken down even major circus companies like the Ringling Bros. Unable to keep up ticket sales with high cost of operation, many circus companies were forced to downsize or shut down totally. Needless to say, changing values of society and increased options for entertainment pinched the belly hard of a beast that was already suffering. Yet, the spirit of the circus lives on. It lives in the bedtime dreams and imaginations of little minds that seek daredevil acts and spectacular fantasies. It lives in those stories where jugglers on unicycles breathe fire, elephants dance on their heels and clowns perform clumsy stunts that make our sides hurt in delight. It lives in the hope that every child will one day wake up ready to be transported to a magical world. For such is the excitement when the circus comes to town!
Since 1991, the Boi Mela has highlighted a state or country, either national or international, as its theme. Special pandals or pavilions are erected where the assets and features of the nation in focus are exhibited along with its publishing history, writers, and books. In the first year, the theme was Assam; in 1994 it was Zimbabwe; in 1999 and 2000, Bangladesh and Brazil respectively; in 2003 and 2004 Cuba and Chile; and so on. This year, the theme was Germany. Since 2005, the newest pavilion in the Fair is bestowed the title, ‘Guest of Honor.’ From 1990 onward, a special area of the Fair is reserved for budding artists, painters, and poets to display and promote their wares. Borrowing its name from Montmartre in Paris, the area is known as ‘Montmartre.’ In addition, several pavilions are strewn all over the grounds to host discussions, debates, talks, and other cultural activities. From its inception, the organizers invited well-known practitioners of literature to inaugurate the Boi Mela At one time or another, the likes of Suniti Kumar Chatterji, Amartya Sen, Mulk Raj Anand, Nurul Hasan, Andre Lewin, Amlan Dutta, Jacques Derrida, Shamsur Rahman, Maria Fernando Santiago cut the ribbons to announce the opening of the Fair. However, since 2017, this tradition has been usurped by West Bengal’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, who has seemingly seized this honor permanently for herself.
The contemporary Boi Mela continues with the tradition of being a non-trade fair. The Publishers’ and Book Sellers’ Guild still organizes it. Specialized stores selling children’s books to cookbooks, fiction and poetry to religious scriptures, little magazines to craft-books are everywhere. Book launch, discussions, and book signings are ubiquitous. In 2025, 1,057 kiosks were erected to sell books directly to 2.7 million visitors who gathered over fourteen
The Boi Mela is no longer an abode only for in-country writers. Increasing numbers of non-resident Indians writing in Bangla and English are publishing in Kolkata seeking wider readership. One such writer was my husband, Sujan, whose collections of stories of ‘Ekenbabu,’ published by The Café Table, still are immensely admired. Many other prominent NRI writers have similarly launched their books; for instance, ‘Haoya Nishan’ by Aditi Ghosh Dastidar and ‘Dwapar Katha’ by Sudipta Bhawmik. In 2025, several immigrant writers’ books were published at the 48th Boi Mela. Moumon Mitra’s ‘De Pore De Amay Tora’ and Partha Banerjee’s anthology of translated stories, ‘Music Box and Moonshine,’ come to mind. Of course, the list will remain truncated without the mention of ‘One Immigrant, A Hundred Stories,’ a memoir by our very own Debajyoti Chatterji. The Antonym Collections published the book and launched it at the Boi Mela, unfortunately, without the presence of the writer. Such events are becoming more and more popular as local readers wake up to the talents of NRI writers. Here, I might shamelessly plug my book, ‘Jiyan Kathi’, published by The Café Table. Nonetheless, this year’s fair was not without controversies. A whitebearded elderly man touting his Little Magazine for a paltry sum, well-known to most regular Boi Mela visitors, was banned from approaching potential customers. It seems the man had been in all 49 fairs trying to keep his magazine going. The Mela patrons erupted in protest, and organizers quickly withdrew their objections. The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) was denied a space by the organizers to the chagrin of Kolkata’s intelligentsia. Bangladesh did not erect a pavilion, snubbing the long-standing practice of cultural and book exchange between the two Bengals. And a rally was called on the last day to protest the current US administration’s efforts to erase the transgender community from the map of humanity. Such vocal movements have reassured many of us who have grown up in the tradition of Bengal’s resistance to injustice.
Kolkata Boi Mela’s success and popularity have inspired many smaller book fairs around the state –Bolpur, New Town, Haltu, Naihati, Baranagar, Nabadwip, etc. However, none have achieved the status of the Kolkata International Book Fair. In a state that claims a literacy rate of 76% (the actual reading comprehension percentage is much lower), ultimately, the success of Boimala is a tribute to the insatiable intellectual curiosity of the city and its resilient spirit.
BOOK REVIEW
“MIXED RICE”
A Children’s Book Written and Illustrated by Sophie Dipti Sarkar
Reviewed by Debajyoti Chatterji (New Jersey)
Sophie Dipti Sarkar is known to many members of the Ananda Mandir community. Her father is an Indian immigrant, and her mother is of Japanese ancestry. Some of us have seen Sophie’s writings and photographic and art work in “Kisholoy”, Ananda Mandir’s youth magazine. It is a real pleasure to see that she has now entered the world of “book authors”and chosen to focus oncrafting simple yet sensitive stories that gently teach family, societal and cultural values to very young children. Her skills as an artist are very much in display in this book because she is the illustrator in addition to being the author. And good graphics are critical to making stories appealing to little boys and girls.
“Mixed Rice” is centered on an eight years old girl, Joya, born in a muti-cultural family (like Sophie herself). Everyone in her family wants his or her own favorite rice dish for dinner! But they do not know how to reach consensus through communication and compromise. The book shows how the kids can benefit from mindful communication and ancestral wisdom. The author has enhanced the book’s attractiveness to children (and their parents) by including three easy-to-use recipes for multicultural rice preparations.
I highly recommend this book to all families with very young children.
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