Goyenda Sondorbho
Table of Contents
(In Memoriam)
Message fro M the s wisspuja p resident
Dear Esteemed Members of Swisspuja,
As we gather to celebrate the 21st year of Durga Puja, I extend my heartfelt greetings and warm wishes to each of you. This milestone is a testament to our collective commitment to preserving and promoting our rich cultural heritage, even while we are far from our homeland.
For over two decades, Swisspuja has been a beacon of unity, strength, and resilience within our community. The Goddess Durga symbolizes power, protection and benevolence and through her blessings, we have continuously fostered a sense of belonging, nurtured traditions and created lifelong memories. This year’s celebration holds special significance as we reflect on the journey we’ve undertaken and reaffirms the values we hold dear.
The success of the last 20 years stems from the efforts of every member, volunteer, sponsor, performer, and participant. Together, we have enriched Durga Puja by complementing its religious significance with vibrant sociocultural elements, making it a celebration that resonates with communities both in Switzerland and beyond. Your dedication and enthusiasm have allowed Swisspuja to flourish and become the cherished event it is today.
As we celebrate this year, let us renew our bonds, embrace new members to our community, and continue to uphold the spirit of inclusiveness and harmony. May the divine blessings of Maa Durga bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to all.
Wish you all a happy festive season.
Warm regards,
Srijani Bhattacharya President, Swisspuja Executive Committee 2024
Editorial
The year 2024 has been quite eventful for Swisspuja as we gloriously stepped into our 21st year! We started the year with Saraswati Puja celebrations where our little ones from Swiss Puja Community participated in a short and sweet cultural programme, followed by an immensely popular first-time ever vibrant and colourful ‘Dol’ celebrations, ‘Rong Jeno Mor Morme Laage’ in March. Next, we embarked on our tradition of ‘Prabhat Pheri’, singing Rabindra sangeet together along the banks of Lake Zurich. Of course, our main attraction was the mesmerizing concert by the renowned contemporary Rabindra Sangeet vocalist, Sahana Bajpayee and the brilliant musician Samantak Sinha at the Baisakhi Baithak Event. The professional artistes’ event was preceded by our very own talented local artistes: playing Rabindra Sangeet as a sarod recital and on the keyboard, dance performances, recitation, a storytelling and a children's dance drama conceptualised by their grandmothers. Finally, we had our Annual Picnic where fun, frolic and games prevailed!
The Patrika Team embarked on a relatively innovative journey of instilling a theme this year ‘Goyenda Sandhorbho’ explained as ‘Bangla Sahityo O Chalocchitre Goyenda’ and to our sheer joy the Swisspuja community truly came forward with their contributions, benevolently. We collected a bunch of interesting, truly imaginative and crisp reads in this segment, seamlessly amalgamated with personal travel experiences and memories. The theme-based articles were wonderfully complemented by some exceptional artwork and a series of candid interviews. The idea of a Cover Design contest was introduced for the first time, where we had several talented individuals sending in relevant design covers which tied-up the theme very eloquently. Finally, a fact trivia away from the art and writing world is the Patrika Team’s effort to on-board a new publisher this year after carrying out a procurement process and selecting the best service provider at a reasonable cost. This exercise proved to be quite beneficial for our Swisspuja fund, at the same time retaining the familiar Patrika look-and-feel intact.
Overall, we hope that our Swisspuja community comes together to read the Patrika 2024. Do let us know your feedback about the articles and varied contributions in our social media pages where one can find an e-version of the Patrika. This will highly encourage our authors, artists and contributors and truly keep the ebb and flow rolling!
Best wishes for Durga Puja and the festive season!
From The Swisspuja Patrika Team
Meet the p atrika t ea M
Srijani Bhattacharya
Madhubanti Sarkar Alakananda Banik
Srabani Dey
e xecutive c o MM ittee 2024
Mrs. Srijani Bhattacharya President
Mr. Anindya Mukherjee Secretary
Mr. Rajat Bhattacharya Treasurer
Mr. Anirban Chowdhury
Executive Member
Mr. Indranil Das Executive Member
Mrs. Madhubanti Sarkar Executive Member
Mr. Shaswata Das Executive Member
Mr. Shubhra Kanti Acharya
Executive Member
Mrs. Swati Bhunia
Executive Member a uditors
Mr. Dibyendu Debnath
Mr. Haradhan Das
s ub- c o MM ittees 2024
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Anindya Mukherjee, Anirban Chowdhury, Arindam Bhattacharya, Moutusi Chattopadhyay, Pinaki Banerjee, Rajat Bhattacharya, Shaswata Sundar Das, Shubhra Kanti Acharya
Puja
Srijani Bhattacharya, Swati Bhunia
Cultural
Kousik Bhattacharya, Madhubanti Sarkar, Shubhra Kanti Acharya, Soumita Mukherjee
Food
Aakash Bhattacharya, Anirban Chowdhury, Prasun Banerjee, Shaswata Sundar Das, Srijani Bhattacharya
Floor Management
Anirban Chowdhury, Indranil Das, Sayantan Bhar
Decoration
Aakash Bhattacharya, Indranil Das, Prasun Banerjee, Souymyajit Das, Swati Bhunia
Cover Artist
Amrita Roy Choudhury
I have always been drawn to vibrant colors, and painting brings me joy. I am a self-taught artist, and I find inspiration in motifs around me and in our travel photographs. I enjoy experimenting with different mediums. Though I mostly do not paint based on a theme, creating this cover page was an intriguing challenge that made me think. I really enjoyed painting it!
Layout (AKHORKOTHA)
Taglines by Kousik Bhattacharya and Aniruddha Ghosh
jibanananda das (17 February 1899 – 22 October 1954)
Swisspuja pays tribute to Jibanananda Das on his 125th Birth Anniversary.
kazi nazrul islaM
(24 May 1899 - 29 August 1976)
Swisspuja pays tribute to Kazi Nazrul Islam on his 125th Birth Anniversary.
( g oyenda s ondorbho)
Artist: Sayan Mitra
s haradindu b andyopadhyay (30 March, 1899 – 22 September, 1970)
Swisspuja pays tribute to Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay on his Quasquicentennial Birth Anniversary.
Sherlock Holmes . Adrija Mukhopadhyay . 9 year
NO POLICE!!! – এিো red herring. এবং সেই জন্য underlined. এিো puzzle-এর পোিও নে। [Cminuseinsring]-িো একি েমে েো�য়েো।
্োরপর বুঝেোম actually (C-1) ring অথোৎ Bring. [(gegensPASS)+U] – Pass এর উয়লিো অথোৎ
Fail + u ফমফেয়ে হয়েো সিেু। [FRONT]! – Front সক সকয়ি স্ওেো হয়েয়ে অথোৎ Back.
First part of the puzzle হয়্ে “Bring Felu Back. ্োই স্ো?”
্্ক্য়ন স�ৌরব রোে হোেয়ে।
Only {not a gun, neither a pun, not a bun, definitely not a run, neither a sun nor a nun, and for sure not dun, hun, jun, lun, mun, tun}!
একি search কয়র স্খেোম
Only Fun. এ্্ূর
“Bring Felu Back. Only fun.”
পোি িো সবশ সেোজো। We are – bring comfort in this weather
+ s. – স্খেোম সয এই weather এ একমোত্ fan ই comfort ফ্য়্
হে “We are fans”.
[ANIMALS and BIRDs and REPTILES are there] অথোৎ Zoo.
[for sure, not poor] – অথোৎ Rich সযো�িয়ে
হে Zoorich –> Zurich.
[After horse-carts & wagons I came] – ফক
[HIGH+BUS] – অথোৎ high নে bus নে - ্োর
ফক low আর car? সযো�িয়ে low+car অথোৎ locker.
[Between Chicago and St. Louis] – এিো
InterState Route 55.
নো। Mix of intelligence and fun with no malicious intention. All fans should be like that. আর
সস্টশয়নর Locker no. 55 এ। ্োই স্ো? Mr. Bose
will be very special!
patternless একিো puzzle crack কয়র সিেো… unbelievable!
Shriya Pal . 11 year
Srabani Dey
Masters in Economics. Hailing from Cooch Behar, North Bengal. Trained Kathak, Bharat Natyam & Rabindra Nritya Dancer. Passionate Landscape Photographer & Traveller. Loves Writing. Lives in Bern.
A scene from Badshahi Angti . Vivaan Chakraborty . 11 year
Qualification: Higher Secondary।”
The Detective . Archisha Ray . 10 year
Srabani Dey
Masters in Economics. Hailing from Cooch Behar, North Bengal. Trained Kathak, Bharat Natyam & Rabindra Nritya Dancer. Passionate Landscape Photographer & Traveller. Loves Writing. Lives in Bern.
Magajastra
Aniruddha Ghosh
A Zürich based IT Consultant who loves theatre and oratory. An avid fan of detective stories since childhood, his mind is always solving mysteries with his quirky charm, creative flair and a knack for cracking the code.
It was a dark and stormy night, well, not really, but it sounds more dramatic that way. I sat at my desk, staring at a blank piece of paper, trying to come up with a story for Swisspuja magazine. But try as I might, the words just wouldn't come. I needed a drink.
After a few pints at the local pub, I felt a surge of creativity. I stumbled back to my desk and sat down, ready to write the next great masterpiece. But as I stared at the blank page, I realised that the only thing I had gained from those pints was a headache.
I needed to find my creativity. But where does one look for such a thing? I searched high and low, in the back of the fridge, under the couch cushions, even in the garden shed. But alas, my creativity was nowhere to be found.
In a last-ditch effort, I decided to hire a detective. And not just any detective, but the famous Feluda from Satyajit Ray's novels.
Phone rings. Feluda picks up. “Prodosh Mittir speaking”
“Hello, Mr. Mittir. I have a case for you. I’ve lost my creativity, and I need your help to find it.”
He immediately put down the receiver as he screamed “Scam artist! Find
someone else to fool!”
I dialled him again,” Mr. Mittir, please hear me out. I’m not trying to scam you.”
Feluda sounded amused “You must be quite creative to keep trying this. How could you lose your creativity when you’re trying to scam me, so creatively?”
“How can I be scamming you without even asking for any bank details or a Nigerian prince’s inheritance?”
“Alright, you have a point. Go on.”
“My creativity is my “Mogojastra” – my weapon of the mind. Without it, I’m lost. It’s most likely stolen. You have to come and solve the mystery”
Feluda chuckled, “Mogojastra, you say? OK, that’s a topic close to my heart. I shall be at your place in an hour.”
I was googling for Byomkesh Bakshi’s number in case Feluda were to ditch this case. However, the doorbell rang exactly at the 59th minute. Enter Feluda, with his trusty sidekick Topse in tow. They stood in my cluttered living room. I could see Feluda's piercing gaze scanning the room as if he could see right through the walls.
"Tell me, where were you when you last felt your creativity slipping away?"
Feluda's voice was calm and measured, a stark contrast to the chaos swirling in my mind.
I wracked my brain, trying to recall the moment when my creativity had deserted me. "I think it was during one of my late-night writing sessions in this very room," I admitted sheepishly. "But I can't remember the exact moment it vanished."
Feluda nodded thoughtfully, his mind already working on the case. "Topse, search the room for any clues that may lead us to the whereabouts of his missing creativity."
Topse eagerly began rummaging through the piles of books and papers scattered around the room, his sharp eyes scanning every nook and cranny for any sign of my elusive inspiration.
As Topse searched, Feluda turned his attention back to me. "Have you had any recent distractions or disturbances that may have caused your creativity to flee?" he inquired, his brow furrowed in concentration.
I recounted the various distractions that had plagued me in recent weeks – the noisy neighbours, the constant stream of emails, the never-ending pile of laundry that seemed to taunt me from the corner of the room. Feluda listened intently, piecing together the puzzle of my missing creativity.
Suddenly, Topse's voice rang out from across the room. "Feluda, I think I've found something!" he exclaimed, holding up a crumpled piece of paper covered in scribbles and doodles.
“Shabash Topse”, Feluda exclaimed as he took the paper from Topse, his eyes scanning the chaotic mess of words and images. "This, my dear friend, is a clue," he declared, a triumphant smile playing on
his lips. "Your creativity did not abandon you. It simply got lost in the chaos of your own mind."
So he proposed that he has to visit the crime scene, meaning the intricate alleys of my brain. But how on earth would that be possible? He let out an all-conquering smile and said “ This needs the work of a genius. He should be here any moment…” Ding Dong!! What timing !!
Completely confused by the developments, I opened the door to find Professor Shanku at my doorstep.
“Magajastra Magajastra’’ he exclaimed as he started to quickly fix some gadgets on the chairs in the study. Within no time, his masterpiece was ready and I sat on the chair, put on the special VR Headset and closed my eyes.
With a leap of faith, Feluda and Topse wore their headsets and were instantly whisked away into the depths of my mind. What they found inside was a whirlwind of chaos and hilarity.
I wasn’t sure what was happening but within a few moments I could see Feluda and Topse walking inside my brain. They paced up and down scratching their brains and literally mine too in the process.
To my surprise, they weren’t the only sleuths on the prowl inside my mind.
"In every puzzle, there lies a clue waiting to be discovered. Our friend's creativity is the missing piece we seek”, commented Byomkesh Bakshi as he strolled out from an alley.
“Has he appointed you too?”, asked Topse.
“I usually appoint myself whenever it is required to seek the truth”, declared the
famous Satyaneshi.
“ My writer friend Ajit has also faced the same theft and it looks like we have a serial creativity thief on loose”.
Feluda, Topse, and Byomkesh delved deeper into the labyrinth of my mind, a sense of unity and purpose washed over them. Byomkesh Bakshi, with his unwavering focus on detail, led the way towards a section of my brain where inspiration lay dormant.
But the journey wasn’t without its own share of challenges. As they navigated through the corridors of my brain, they stumbled upon shelves overflowing with half-baked plot ideas and tangled webs of unfinished sentences. Topse nearly tripped over a pile of misplaced metaphors, while Feluda narrowly avoided a collision with a rogue apostrophe floating in the air. A strong pair of hands pulled him away from harm’s way in the nick of time.
All of them were surprised to see a 6 and half feet tall man with a grin on his face.
Kiriti Roy, renowned for his sharp wit and deductive skills declared, “A mystery unsolved, a story untold!! Dear friends, I have joined the quest to unlock the secrets within."
With a renewed vigour, the detectives worked in harmony to unravel the complexities of my mind. They pieced together the fragments of weird humour and tangled thoughts, slowly unravelling the mystery of my missing creativity. But something still didn’t add up. “Hisheb milche na Topse”, resigned Feluda!!
“Gentlemen!! maybe you are looking in the wrong place”, a voice rang out.
The detectives turned around to see Mitin Mashi, walking in with an aura of fearlessness and a sense of purpose.
“You have been obsessed with the glamour and romance of the Left, err..I mean the Left brain. Maybe you should focus on the right for some madness and discover the method in it.”
As they delved deeper into the inner workings of the right hemisphere of my brain, they stumbled upon a bustling marketplace of memories, where forgotten characters and lost storylines mingled with snippets of dialogue and flashes of inspiration. Quirky characters representing my writing quirks - the personification of writer's block, the mischievous muse, and the scatterbrained grammar gremlin - added a touch of chaos to the already cluttered landscape.
Amidst the confusion, Feluda's sharp eye caught a glimmer of something amiss beneath the clutter. With a triumphant cry, he unearthed a clue - a misplaced comma that had been causing havoc in my thoughts.
“This is the most important clue”, said Byomkesh. “Look for layers of self-doubt”. “And procrastination,” added Kiriti.
And that’s when Mitin Mashi found it hidden under a pile of sceptical thoughts.
The detectives beamed with exuberance and signalled professor Shanku to bring them out from inside. As they emerged from my mind, I was surprised to see that none of them were holding it in their hands. Looking at my surprise, Kiriti quipped “ Are you expecting us to hand it over to you on
a platter?” They laughed in unison after which Byomkesh explained “ Its place is inside your mind. As I seek the truth, you must also dig deep and find it every time you need it. You see, when it comes to creativity, the journey is the destination”. As we bid farewell to Professor Shanku and the eclectic cast of detectives, I felt a
renewed sense of hope and determination. Armed with my newfound inspiration and the wisdom of the detectives who had guided me on this whimsical journey, I set out to conquer the literary world once more.
[You are not alone if you are wondering — what was I (drink) thinking.]
Satyajit Ray . Samanvay Ray . 11 year
Nostalgic mysteries lurking amidst the clouds
Madhubanti Sarkar
A proud Calcuttan, a trained scientist, a working professional, Indian classical music enthusiast, a typical anxious Bengali mom, I live with my family in Basel.
Thefoggy, mesmerizing and a bit dreamy scenery drifting behind the clouds floating around, make it a perfect backdrop to spin mystery stories… and, this is what many of our detective novelists from Bengal rightly did.
When I got off the train this year in the monsoons in Ghoom Darjeeling, the numerous mystery stories and the daring detectives seemed to already beckon me. An exciting premonition kept churning in my head. Perhaps I would soon come face to face with a young and relatively naïve Feluda, strolling around the MALL and enquiring about Tibetan Thangka art in the antique shops with his teenage nephew, Topshe. Feluda, of course, already had his bold and confident strides, but had just started navigating the area of crime then.
As a child, for me, Feluda had a solitary influence over any other fictional detectives I read, including Pandob Goenda, Kakababu and others. So much so, that it trickled over to me forming detective clubs at school and also in my neighborhood! Our detective club in school had self-made badges which we wore around during recess, and felt really privileged and cool to flaunt them. Neighborhood afternoon rampages
searching for ‘dida's’ cat, spying on our next door neighbor ‘kaka’, fishing for reasons why he comes home late every Thursday (he of course had theater practice which we were ignorant of!), were times that were very well spent away from the rigor of studies. Searching for mysteries, where there were none, huddling together to share some clues with friends are fond memories from those times.
Steering back to Feluda, he did revisit Darjeeling much later as a full fledged professional detective as documented in the anecdotes of ‘Darjeeling Jamjamat’ and this time accompanied by Jatayu. Here, his growth arc as a detective was very interestingly seen from his onset in ‘Feludar Goendagiri’. Moreover, the change in importance he gave to Topshe later on was evident, which progressed from “Topse baaje bokish na” to “Topshe, ki mone hoe bolto?” In ‘Darjeeling Jamjamat’, Feluda investigates a murder on a film-set in Darjeeling in Birupakhya Majumdar’s heritage cottage. Walking around the roads of Darjeeling, I do remember with a shudder how Feluda was pushed off the cliff in an attempt on his life. I look over my shoulder quite subconsciously sometimes.
Byomkesh series as far as I can recall (disclaimer, this is the impression I have), were not set in Darjeeling, but there was ‘Chitrachor’ set in Giridi. However the brilliant director Anjan Dutta added a spin to this in his film ‘Chitrachor’ , and had set it in the backdrop of the Gorumara forests in the enchanting Dooars. The flowing undulating greenery and how the determined Byomkesh sets forth in this adventure is intertwined once again with the mystic hills and forests of Dooars. The background music is highly influenced by Western Classicals and Byomkesh dressed in a sleek coat and hat for the last encounter does draw parallel with Holmes lurking around in the Moors in the Hound of Baskervilles.
As a kid I grew up in quite an inventive and scientific environment where my father used to be heavily engaged in electronics as a hobby in his ‘Chilekotha’ hobby room. I was his official assistant helping out regularly in soldering wires and creating circuit boards. While electronics and detective mystery stories have no direct connection, both of them require an analytical mind and I think my interest in science and research blended well with the general stress on logic and facts that Feluda and Byomkesh both fostered.
It would be really interesting to see a piece of fictional work or perhaps a film where there is cross talk happening between Feluda and Byomkesh. Perhaps an intelligent Satyabati also supports Feluda in one of his cases, as Ray’s Feluda series clearly lacks that essential
female influence and a more humane and inclusive backdrop in which Saradindu’s Byomkesh is set. An Avenger equivalent with all our favorite Bengali detectives in action would be simply mind blowing. The logical mind and nerves of steel of Feluda, the balanced family man Byomkesh solving murderous crimes, the man of action, Shabar, and the wisdom, patience and experience of Kakababu will create a truly fantastical and invincible world, which I am sure many of us, the Bengali detective story fans, would love to dwell in!
Feluda and Topshe in Darjeeling . Ahir Mitra . 12 year
Bengali Thrillers in Egypt (
Moushree Dey
I am Moushree Dey, living in Zurich since 2008. I live here with my husband and our 11 year old son. I also co-own Asteria Klg, a Zurich based company, dealing with Indian Ethnic fashion. I was born and raised in Kolkata.
Asa Bengali, growing up in Kolkata, detective stories have always been my absolute favorite. In this respect I must admit that twists and turns of Satyajit Ray's Feluda stories have made me an avid reader of ‘Goenda Golpo’. As most of you will agree with me, who have grown up reading Bengali crime fiction, Ray’s Feluda not only intrigued our mind with crimes but taught us enormously. Often his stories were mini travelogues. From the forts of Rajasthan, to the Monasteries of Gangtok, to the caves of Aurangabad, one can visualize all that is to be seen. His accurate historic account reads in Badshahi Angti and Gorosthan e Sabdhan reflected his academic knowledge in an era that was devoid of the internet. We often learned the meaning of new words like Telepathy and sometimes pronunciation of names like Job Charnock in Gorosthane Sabdhan. In Joy Baba Felunath, Feluda had asked his satellite, "Topsay tor Africa bolte prothom e ki mone pore re?..” He had promptly replied, “Jongol”. To many of us who are fans of Feluda, in a similar note, Egypt resonates with Seyal Debota or Anubis. Much as the mighty pyramids, it was Anubis that inspired me to travel to the land of the great river Nile. Last spring
finally, I had the opportunity to travel to Egypt.
Research on Anubis
The ancient Egyptians were heavily affected by the dogma of life after death. They truly believed once the soul of the deceased went through the process of judgment, it would come back to reclaim the body. Hence the body must be mummified. Anubis played an important part in the process of judgement. Anubis is an ancient Egyptian God of funerary practices, represented by a jackal or the figure of a man with the head of a jackal.
The process of judgement begins with Anubis guiding the soul to the underworld, their final resting place. They then waited for their turn to be judged. Once their turn arrived, they were taken to Osiris, the God of the underworld, who documented everything in the presence of Maa't the Goddess of Balance and Harmony. They were surrounded by 42 judges who consulted with Egyptian Gods to determine the fate of the soul.
As dead bodies were mummified in ancient Egypt, all internal organs were removed and dried. They were then placed in canopy jars for preservation except the heart. The heart played a major role in the
process of judgement and hence it was placed back into its original position in the body, before it was ready to be placed in the sarcophagus. The weighing of the heart decided the final fate of the soul. Osiris began the judgement by placing the heart, which was the resting place of the soul, on a golden scale and balanced it against the feather of Maa't deemed as truth. Guilt free heart that endorsed truth weighed lighter than the feather. Hence the soul could travel towards heaven and reclaim after life. On the other hand, a heavy heart riddled with guilt and lies, was soon eaten by the monster God Ammit and hence the soul is doomed of after life.
Another Egyptian Mystery (আর
But while Ray's Prodosh Chandra Mitra solved his mystery at home, Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Kakababu had travelled to the land of ancient Pyramids himself. Standing before these ‘wonders of the world’ in Cairo, I couldn’t help but think about Kakababu's and Shantu’s adventure, amidst a mass movement that wasn't
restricted to the pages of Bengali fiction. Though Kakababu's Mishawr Rahashaya began in Kolkata where he was requested to decipher a Hieroglyphic note, he ended up inside the Pyramids of Giza to solve a tough case. In reality, the pyramids of Giza, though open to tourists, have nothing inside. Contrary to popular belief, there are neither hieroglyphic texts, treasures or mummies in any of the three pyramids of Giza, believed to be built for king Khufu, his sons and his grandsons, nor in
the smaller ones built for their queens and mothers. Symbolically placed on Western bank of the Nile, the direction in which the sun sets, the only thing that they resonate with is death that is inevitable, even for the mightiest or wealthiest who have ruled the world once.
Utera ki Kanta beche khaye??
(Do camels extract thorns??... weird translation but trust me it is a hilarious dialogue and to understand this pun you need to be a maach e bhaat e Bangali)
Travelling further east, we reached Hurghada, a resort town on the Red Sea. On the west of Hurghada is the Eastern Arabian Desert which is a part of Sahara Desert on the East of River Nile. A camel ride there took us back to another very famous adventure of Feluda, in the background of the Thar desert in Rajasthan. In Ray's masterpiece Sonar Kella, Feluda along with Topsey and Jatayu is crossing the desert to catch a train to nab the legendary villain Mondar Bose. And who could forget the scene
leading to Feluda trying to stop a train amidst the wilderness of the desert and uttering one word on failing to do so… “Sabash”.
Conclusion (সমরাদতি):
As I came to the end of my journey, I realized how rich Bengali fiction is, and the effect it had on my understanding of the world around me. The Bengali detective stories have not only made us more analytical and observant but left us with the lust of travel. Thanks to a treasure trove of “Goenda Golpo”, I have fathomed the histories and mysteries left to us by the ancient Egyptians and trust me it was worth the visit. I do not imagine my readers have not read the stories I have mentioned in this article or seen their cinematic representation, but if you have not… grab a copy of the Sheyal Debota Rohoshyo and Mishwr Rahashya. I am sure, you will end up booking tickets to Cairo there after.
Meeting a Goenda in Zurich
Rejina Sadhu
Rejina Sadhu is a Malayali who discovered more and more of the Bengali world after marrying into a Bengali family. The written word is one of her most favorite sources of joy. Based in Basel along with her family she continues to enjoy and nurture the Indianness in her outside India.
Asa PhD student in Zurich, I used to frequent many libraries. As I navigated through the tomes shedding light on the workings of our nervous system at the Zentral Bibliothek in Zurich, the literary works beckoned me. That is a call that I could never resist.
Raised on a staple of Indian and Western literary classics, one day a familiar name from back home drew my attention to the row of books in one of the aisles. Satyajit Ray is a name that I associated with my childhood Sunday afternoon regional feature films. Seeing the name there felt like a waft of home had come through, and nostalgia gripped me. My reverent fingers trailed on the spines and started taking the books out: The Complete adventures of Feluda in two volumes. I slowly opened the first volume and the table of contents bewitched me on the spot: Danger in Darjeeling, The Emperor’s Ring, Kailash Chowdhury’s Jewel, The Anubis Mystery, Trouble in Gangtok, The Golden Fortress, Incident on the Kalka Mail, A Killer in Kailash, The Key, The Royal Bengal Mystery, The Locked Chest, The Mystery of the Elephant God, The bandits of Bombay, The Secret of the Cemetery, and The Curse of the Goddess. I grabbed the book and checked it out from the library. The conundrum of what factors could be
silenced for a reconnection between the central and peripheral nervous system lay forgotten when the allure of the mysteries in the adventures of Feluda turned irresistible. The Goenda (Bengali word for a detective) had waved his magic wand, and I was bewitched.
In a state of anticipation, I rushed to catch my train from Zurich to Basel. Amidst a throng of passengers heading home, I reverentially picked up the book and dived into the enthralling world of hair-raising mysteries with Pradosh C. Mitter (nickname Feluda) as the main Goenda, his sidekick Tapesh (nickname: Topshe) and the whimsical writer Lalmohan Ganguly (Pen name: Jatayu). The sounds of the world disappeared, and I found myself in the thrilling streets of Darjeeling. As I cruised through Darjeeling in my mind’s eye, the Basel bound train sped to its destination. The announcement ‘Prochain arrêt’ (Next stop) followed by the hurtling of the passengers towards the exit brought me back in time and space. The journey today was too short.
I rushed home to share my find with my husband. He was equally thrilled and proudly revealed the more onomatopoeic and alliterative story titles. I loved the titles: Feludar Goendagiri, Badshahi
Angti, Kailash Chowdhury’r Pathar, Sheyal Debota Rahashya, Gangtokey
Gondogol, Sonar Kella, Baksho Rahashya, Kailashey Kelenkari, Samaddarer Chabi, Royal Bengal Rahashya, Ghurghutiyar
Ghatona, Joi Baba Felunath, Bombaiyer
Bombete, Gorosthaney Sabdhaan, and Chhinamastar Abhishap. The Bengali titles had a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ (inexplicable) quality that can only be felt when you hear it in a Bengali tongue. I was smitten. I bemoaned the fact that I was not at a level where I could read the original Bengali books with the mellifluous yet gripping word mastery of Satyajit Ray in Bengali. Gopa Majumdar and Chitrita Banerji’s English translations brought these amazing tales to the nonBengalis. What a blessing!
Volume one was just a starter. I devoured the words down as if I were possessed and went to the Zentral Bibliothek looking for more. I found more! Amongst Satyajit Ray’s creations, I found another flavor of detective stories wherein the sci-fi world hobnobbed with the investigative process with Professor Trilokeshwar Shonku (Professor Shonkhu) as a genius scientist who used his scientific process to unravel mysteries. The adventures of Professor Shonku contained an incredible set of stories featuring various geographical locations including Byomjatrir Diary (The Diary of a Space Traveller) - Professor Shonku’s space travel adventures; Professor Shonku o Egypshio Atonko (Professor Shonku and the Egyptian Terror) - Involving an Egyptian mummy; Professor Shonku o Har (Professor Shonku and the Bones) - Featuring a Tyrannosaurus skeleton
and magical powers; Professor Shonku o Macaw (Professor Shonku and the Macaw) — About an invisibility formula and a talking bird, and Professor Shonku o Aschorjo Putul (Professor Shonku and the Curious Statuettes) — Involving suspicious humanoid sculptures. The realms of investigation along with techniques were different but the thrill continued to be enchanting. Feluda and Prof. Shonku gave me so many hours of happiness and enjoyment as I read the books.
The discovery does not end here. I borrowed the other Goenda works which were translated in English. I also found another classic which I had already enjoyed in the televised form – Byomkesh Bakshi. Byomkesh refers to himself as a “Satyanweshi,” which means “truthseeker”. He is renowned for his sharp observation skills, logical reasoning, and use of forensic science to solve complex cases, primarily set in Kolkata. Reading Byomkesh’s quests for truth gave me many hours of happiness.
As my children learned to read Bengali, I slowly discovered the poetic and hyperbolic beauty of Bangla in many ways. The Feluda movie series introduced my children to the detective world in Bengali. These days a hot favorite at our home is Eken babu. The seemingly bumbling and quirky baldheaded detective who elicits a smile due to his funny habits, hides a cunning mind and sharp intellect. Ekendranath Sen aka Eken Babu is the main protagonist of Sujan Dasgupta’s books.
I am glad that I met a Goenda in Zurich.
Atreyi Roy Choudhury . 7th grader
Zwei fremde Leichen: Eine Kriminalgeschichte
Basanta Palit
Basanta Palit promovierte zum Dr.-Ing. Nach Industriepraxis habilitierte er sich und hielt Vorlesungen an der ETHZ als Privatdozent. Die Romane des Autors sind: "Ein Inder In Dresden", "Der Weg zum Glück", "Mordkette" und "Rache".
Konrad
Pfeiffer und seine Frau Monika verbrachten ihren Sommerurlaub auf der Insel Kreta in Griechenland. Sie waren zufrieden mit ihrem Hotel und mit dem griechischen Essen. Sie hatten die Urlaubszeit nicht nur mit dem Baden im Meer verbracht. Sie hatten auch eine kleine historische Rundreise um Athen unternommen. Diese Rundreise war lehrreich und unterhaltsam Konrad Pfeiffer, ein Universitätsprofessor von fünfundvierzig Jahren war ein gepflegter Mann. Als Professor konnte er sich einen längeren Sommerurlaub leisten. Darum blieb er in Griechenland während vier Wochen. Er war sehr interessiert an der griechischen Mythologie. Er kannte die Geschichte und die Mythologien von der Insel Kreta und vom Gesamtgriechenland. Er schrieb über seinen Urlaub mit Zitaten über die griechischen Mythologien und veröffentlichte seine Erlebnisse in den lokalen Zeitungen. Braun gebrannt und gut erholt waren sie nach Hause zurückgekehrt. Zu Hause angekommen, wollten sie zuerst alle Fenster des Hauses, die man vor der Urlaubsreise geschlossen hatte, wieder öffnen und die Zimmer und das gesamte Haus lüften. Als sie ins Schlafzimmer
kamen, um die Fenster zu öffnen, erlebten sie einen schrecklichen Schock. In Angst und grosser Aufregung flohen sie in den Garten, als sie hätten einen Geist in ihrem Schlafzimmer gesehen. Was hatten sie eigentlich im Schlafzimmer gesehen?
In Wirklichkeit sahen sie einen fremden Mann auf ihrem Bett liegen. Es schien, dass er fest schlief. Der Fremde war festlich angekleidet mit einer roten Krawatte, einem weissen Hemd und einem dunklen Anzug. Bei näherer Betrachtung stellten sie fest, dass der Man nicht atmete und keinen Puls hatte. Er war tot. In anderen Worten, eine fremde Leiche lag auf dem Ehebett der Pfeiffers. Konrad Pfeiffer rief die Polizei an und erzählte von der Leiche eines unbekannten Mannes in seinem Schlafzimmer. Der Polizist Oskar Vogt kam zum Haus von Konrad Pfeiffer mit dem Kriminalkommissar Friedrich Seidel und dem jungen Assistenten des Kommissars, Clemens Stein. Der Kommissar, Mitte vierzig, war ein erfahrener Ermittler in Kriminalfällen. Er betrachtete die Leiche genau und war sehr nachdenklich.
Die Leiche wurde nachher vom Forensik-Labor für gerichtsmedizinische Untersuchungen abgeholt. Der
Kommissar hatte viele Fragen und er stellte sie Herrn Pfeiffer. Der Kommissar fragte Konrad Pfeiffer:
‘‘Kennen Sie den verstorbenen Mann?’’
‘‘Nein, ich kenne diesen Mann nicht.’’
‘‘Haben Sie Feinde?’’
‘‘Es ist mir nicht bewusst, dass ich Feinde habe.’’
‘‘Okay. Es ist schön zu hören, dass Sie keinen Feind haben. Ich muss aber weitermachen. ich gehe jetzt zum, Forensik-Labor um die Untersuchungserbnisse zu erfahren. Aber ich komme wieder zu Ihnen mit neuen Fragen.’’
‘‘Ich stehe Ihnen zur Verfügung.’’
Im Forensik-Labor traf der Kommissar Frau Dr. Muriel Bergmann, die Chefin des Labors. Sie berichtete dem Kommissar über die Ergebnisse der gerichtmedizinischen Untersuchungen, wonach der untersuchte Mann vergiftet und nachher erdrosselt wurde. Ausserdem wurde die DNA von Handspuren auf der Kleidung der Leiche gesichert.
Nach einer Woche geschah Ähnliches in der gleichen Stadt. Eine Leiche wurde im Wohnzimmer der Familie Peter Neumann, Direktor einer Bank, gefunden. In diesem Fall sah man, dass die Leiche auf einem Stuhl sass. Peter Neumann und seine Frau Lara waren für zwei Tage nicht anwesend zu Hause, da sie zu einem Hochzeitsfest mit Übernachtung eingeladen waren. Als sie von der
Hochzeitsfeier zurückkamen, entdeckten sie die Leiche eines unbekannten Mannes in ihrem Wohnzimmer. Sie waren konsterniert. Wie konnte eine unbekannte Leiche in Ihr Wohnzimmer gelangen?
Die Leiche war festlich angekleidet wie die Leiche im Haus des Professors. Vielleicht waren beide Männer vorher zu einem Abendessen eingeladen.
Der Kommissar kam mit seinem Assistenten zum Haus von Peter Neumann, um die Leiche und die Umgebung der Leiche kritisch anzuschauen. Er musste jetzt in beiden Fällen ermitteln. In anderen Worten, er musste die Antworten zu den folgenden Fragen suchen:
1. Wie hiessen die beiden Toten?
2. Gab es einen oder zwei Mörder?
3. Wie hiess der Mörder oder die Mörder?
4. Wo wurden die beiden Männer getötet?
5. Warum wurden die Männer getötet?
6. Wer trug die Leichen zu den Häusern von Herren Pfeiffer und Neumann?
7. Warum wurden gerade diese Familien mit einer Leiche schikaniert?
8. Kannte der Mörder die Herren Pfeiffer und Peter Neumann?
10. Gab es eine Dreieckbeziehung zwischen Konrad Pfeiffer, Peter Neumann und dem Mörder?
11. Wie wusste der Leichentransporter, dass die Familien Konrad Pfeiffer und Peter Neumann nicht zu Hause waren?
Scoring oneness for a score and a one
Dr. Santanu Mukhopadhyay
Dr Santanu Mukhopadhyay is a medical doctor by profession and works in pharmaceuticals industry in drug discovery. He is a travel and photography enthusiast along side fan of detective literature and movies.
• Favourite detective character in Bengali literature:
Kiriti Roy, created by Nihar Ranjan Gupta, is a popular Bengali detective who has carved a niche for himself. Tall, handsome, and an expert in martial arts, Kiriti Roy is a blend of intellect and physical strength. Unlike Feluda and Byomkesh, who are more understated, Kiriti exudes a certain flamboyance. He is often seen with his signature Panama hat and smoking a cigarette, adding to his charismatic persona. Kiriti’s cases are more actionpacked and often involve international criminals, bringing a different flavor to Bengali detective fiction.
• Which Bengali detective character on films/screen seems to be a near accurate representation of the characters from the novels?
Ekenbabu, created by Sujan Dasgupta, is a popular Bengali detective known for
his quirky, unassuming nature. Unlike the traditional suave and sharp detectives like Feluda or Byomkesh Bakshi, Ekenbabu (real name: Ekendra Sen) is often portrayed as a somewhat eccentric and absent-minded man. This outwardly ordinary persona, however, conceals a sharp intellect and a keen eye for detail, which he uses to solve complex cases.
In the original literary works, Ekenbabu is depicted as a modest, middle-aged Bengali man who often surprises both his clients and adversaries with his unexpected insights. His cases typically revolve around mysterious occurrences in ordinary settings, blending humor with suspense. The stories are rich in local flavor, with Ekenbabu often dealing with cases involving cultural and social contexts specific to Bengal. The narrative style is light-hearted, focusing as much on Ekenbabu’s idiosyncrasies as on the mysteries themselves.
The adaptation of Ekenbabu into a web
series and movies has further popularized the character, bringing him to a broader audience. The visual portrayal remains faithful to the character’s roots but often emphasizes his comic elements more strongly. Anirban Chakrabarti, who plays Ekenbabu in the Hoichoi web series, captures the detective’s quirks with a mix of humor and intelligence, making him endearing to viewers. The cases in the series are typically faster-paced, with a blend of suspense and light comedy, which caters well to the visual medium.
While the books offer a deeper dive into the character’s thoughts and the cultural setting of his cases, the screen adaptations focus more on visual storytelling and comic timing, making Ekenbabu a distinctive and beloved figure in both literature and film.
• How many Bengali detective characters can you remember?
Feluda, Byomkesh Bakshi, Kiriti Roy, Gogol, Arjun, Ekenbabu, Shabor Dasgupta, Jatayu (not to be confused with Feluda’s friend, this is a detective character), Kakababu, Subarna Sen, Jayanta-Manik, Colonel Niladri Sarkar
• What is the extent of influence of female detectives in Bengali literature?
While male detectives have dominated Bengali literature, female detectives have also made significant contributions, albeit with less fanfare. These characters challenge the traditional gender roles and bring a fresh perspective to the genre. Mitin Mashi, created by Suchitra
Bhattacharya, is perhaps the most wellknown female detective in Bengali fiction. Pragyaparamita Mukherjee, affectionately known as Mitin Mashi, is a middleaged housewife who solves crimes with her sharp intellect and keen observation skills. Unlike the male detectives who often operate in a world of high-stakes crime, Mitin Mashi’s cases are more grounded in everyday reality, making her stories relatable to a wide audience. Mitin Mashi’s character is a refreshing departure from the traditional portrayal of detectives, bringing a sense of realism and warmth to the genre.
Debarati Mukhopadhyay’s creation, Rashmoni, is another noteworthy female detective. Rashmoni, a widow in colonial Bengal, breaks societal norms to solve mysteries, often involving supernatural elements. Her stories are set against the backdrop of rural Bengal, blending folklore with detective fiction. Rashmoni’s character is a powerful statement on the strength and resilience of women, making her a significant figure in Bengali literature.
Damayanti, created by Buddhadeb Guha, is another female detective who operates in the modern world. A professor of anthropology, Damayanti is an intelligent and independent woman who solves crimes with her scientific knowledge and logical reasoning. Her character is an embodiment of the modern Bengali woman, balancing her professional life with her passion for solving mysteries.
• Which detective bears a stronger resemblance to Sherlock Holmes— Feluda na Byomkesh?
Definitely Byomkesh. Byomkesh shares Holmes’ deductive powers, analytical approach, intellectual depth, and a strong moral compass. However, Kiriti Roy parallels Holmes in his stylish demeanor, sharp intellect, and psychological insight.
Indradip Paul
I like Travelling, Sports and Music. My reading preferences include Science, Psychology, Historiography and Politics.
• Favourite detective character in Bengali literature: Feluda
From a story point of view, it is very easy to absorb these and left no place for interpretation. Hence, everyone from kids to adults liked the stories of Feluda. Many of us form our opinion based on the cinemas like Sonar Kella and Jai Baba Felunath. We may not have read the book at all. The combination of the direction by Satyajit Ray and the acting of Soumitra those days made quite an impact on our minds. Also, many of the roles played were by stage actors like Lalmohan Ganguly (Jatayu), Utpal Dutta and Kamu Mukherjee left no space for criticism. Later on, the role of Feluda was played by other stage artists like Sabyasachi and Abir Chatterjee who did great on their part.
• Which Bengali detective character on films/screen seems to be a near accurate
representation of the characters from the novels?
In the modern times, Shabor portrayed mainly by Saswata Chatterjee appears to “jeno boiyer pata theke beriye eshheche”.
One of the reasons for the same may be the modern cinematography and quality of the photography, not to let down the fact that Saswata is a great actor and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay is a great writer.
• How many Bengali detective characters can you remember?
Feluda, Byomkesh, Shabor, Tenida
• What is the extent of influence of female detectives in Bengali literature? Influence is very less. I have heard of Mitin Mashi but have not read or watched any movie
• Which detective bears a stronger resemblance to Sherlock Holmes
Feluda na Byomkesh?
Sherlock Holmes created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stands apart in any context. Breath taking till the last sentence of the stories, it will not be correct to compare Sherlock Holmes with Feluda or Byomkesh.
Artist: Anjana Rakshit
Artist: Santanu Mukhopadhyay
From a Well Wisher
Pursuit of happiness
Aakash Bhattacharya
Cooking, eating, traveling and sports are my passion, motto is compassion and I believe that every problem has a solution. My world revolves around my family, two kids and wife, this is the summary of my life.
Thefeeling of being loved and needed is something that keeps us going. The balance between the need and love determines the purpose. The need keeps you occupied, and the love nurtures your emotional balance.
In our current world we are all driven mostly by the feeling of being needed which creates a burden of responsibilities.
We are somehow programmed to perform a set of duties towards family, friends and colleagues with the purpose of making everyone happy. However, happiness is something that is relative and not tangible.
We are never ever going to fulfill the purpose we are up to.
The realization sinks in when we look into the mirror and see all the gray hair mocking at us. We start realizing the voidness of love in our life. Time slows down and we ponder on something which we kept ignoring; what is the real purpose of our life? The real purpose is a mirage of our subconscious mind. Some resort to spirituality, while most of us are still indecisive.
This sudden feeling of enlightenment gives us new ideas. However, the strong centrifuge of our daily responsibilities does not always let us do the unimaginable. Some can break free however not necessarily
they are able to find the mirage they were after. The new life and purpose may give a momentary spark of happiness however with time they are drawn back to asking the same question, however now with feeble eyesight and wrinkles on their face.
If you are brave to break the centrifuge of your duties and responsibilities and lead a life which you wanted for yourself then you will be termed a self-obsessed person whilst if you perform your duties towards others, they will praise you as a selfless person. Right or wrong is simply a binary state we are stuck with, however at the end we need to be happy, and not regret our decision to pursue a void mirage or being sucked into the vortex of our responsibilities.
At some point of time, we need to convince ourselves that we are needed because we are loved and not the other way around. The more we try to segregate these two primary drivers of life, it brings discontent and unhappiness.
Eventually every path we choose always makes us question the purpose, so the question itself does not have any purpose apart from making us unhappy. We cannot do anything to change our past however learn from our doings and embrace whatever comes to us for a better future.
Women in Community Chirasree Chatterjee
I am just another fellow Bengali mom who is juggling both the worlds of work and pleasure (well family is mostly pleasure).
As you could probably make out,I am a Netflix binger. Apart from that also a fitness enthusiast, interested volunteer in any Indian cultural galas and an active social media aspirant .
Theregoes a famous saying ‘Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus’.
We may have different priorities, interests, aspirations in life and no one is right or wrong here. This brings us to the topic of diversity as we discuss it more and more in all spears of life and I tend to question, what can we do to imbibe it within our community?
Diversity is not only about inclusion. We have LGBTQ for that and the list is never ending. For the purpose of this article, it’s not about basic rights. We all have that hopefully or this can be taken to different forums. It’s more about women supporting women.
The more we encounter strong women with ethics, principles, who are pioneers in their field, we feel the upliftment of women by other women is something we can do better.
Indian men or specifically NRI men are doing their bit mostly, though sometimes they are silent listeners. So our focus is on the ‘better half’s’ referred fondly as the ‘Babu’, Queen or many such nick names whose nature is subject to change as the relationship progresses.
It’s true that ‘Men are known by the company they keep’ . Similarly I will quote a friend in saying ‘Women are known by the number of close girlfriends they have earned’ . All my fellow friends will agree,
breakup with a girlfriend is harder than parting ways with even someone in the close family circle. Yes such a breakup is as hard for a woman who has crossed 35 as a breakup is for a man in his 20’s.
We all have had strong influences of valued women in our lives – our mother’s, aunts, and role models are best examples who didn’t hesitate a moment to look out for our best interests. So women don’t need to bring other women down. Social upliftment will only happen when small circles come together.
Maybe it was just a recent experience talking, but connecting to other powerful women of substance who takes time to listen and provides a safe space for reliable exchange makes daily stress disappear, well at least for a few hours.
The basic purpose of a community is to feel included, have a sense of belonging in a home away from home. We are blessed to have a community of engaging and powerful women amongst us. They understand women are more than eye candies, gossip queens and are not living on the surface only. They know women are capable and pass on life skills, learnings and other hidden talents to the lot.
So let's call out all those amazing ‘di’s, look up to them as mentors, learn and grow together with an open heart to build stronger bonds we cheerfully call self-made.
Marble mosaics of our Garden in Bolpur
Dagmar Dasgupta
I am straddling, not one, not two, but three chairs: Born and brought up in Germany, I have lived in Switzerland for more than 50 years, but my heart beats for India, India is my muse. When I am there, my creativity knows no limits. When I am here, I want to do something which is connected to India. Then my ideas bloom. Be it painting, writing or laying mosaic.
Wehad already moved in our house in Bolpur/Shantiniketan, when we could buy the neighbouring plot and use it for our garden. So the first was, to divide that huge area into two parts, by a curved rivulet, covered with marble mosaics of fishes etc. A waterfall should supply the water, which would flow in another fall inside a lotus pond.
Our bounder walls had to be broken, and it was decided to use the foundation walls as a footpath. Later there came marble mosaics on top. Different designs for every side: First flowers, and fruits in the north, then birds in the west and finally a mixture of flowers and insects in the south. The rivulet, terrace and also the south path we made in the direct technique, the more filigree work of the others in the indirect method.
How to make a marble mosaic
Step 1: Preparations
To start with, I take a marble plate of 2 cm thickness and cut it with a marble cutter in distances of 5 mm. Like this I am getting marble stripes of 5 mm thickness and 2 cm largeness. These I have to put above a chisel, which sticks in the ground. With a special sharp hammer I can cut
the marble stripes into small pieces with different shapes like trapezium, triangle, rhombus and square. The trapezium and triangle are good for curves, rhombus and square for straight lines.
Step 2: How to lay my mosaic
After finishing my motive, I can start with the background. I start with one or two lines of background colour around my whole motive, so that it stands out. After this I lay the background design according to wish.
Step 3: The direct method
With a coal pencil I am drawing my motive direct on the chosen site. With a small spatula I put cement on the backside of my marble chip and place
it on the chosen area. Like this I finish piece by piece, taking care that they will be all on the same level. If it is all done, I can start to fill the joints. After hardening the cement, I can grind my mosaic to full glaze.
Step 4: The indirect method
I cover my drawing with a transparent piece of plastic and on this a fibre glass net. This net will be carrying my mosaic. For this purpose I stick the front side of my marble chips with an adhesive, which
dissolves with water. Is the finished mosaic big and heavy, I will have to cut
it into several pieces, fix it inside cement and put the whole mosaic again together like a puzzle. A smaller mosaic may be placed inside an iron frame, the fibre glass net down. Now I fill the frame with cement, and as long as the cement is still soft, I will have to lift the frame carefully, so that there will be no damage. After hardening of the cement, I can turn the mosaic, remove the net and grind to glaze.
Das Rätsel des Universums… und Gott?
Abhiraj Roy Choudhury
Hey, I'm Abhiraj. I'm an ordinary 19-year-old student of Kantonsschule Wettingen, but first and foremost, I'm a student of life, just like everyone else. I'm one of many grains in the vast collection of humans who happen to exist, each with our own unique experiences and stories.
Gottwürfelt nicht! — So lauten die Worte von Einstein während der grossen Debatte zwischen den prominentesten Physikern an der Solvay-Konferenz im Jahre 1930. In der meist prägendsten Diskussion um die komplexen und absurden Eigenschaften der Physik wird der Name von Gott angespielt. Ist dies nicht widersprüchlich? In der heutigen Zeit, wo die technologischen und naturwissenschaftlichen Fortschritte vorherrschen, hat sich die Religion eingeschränkt. Sobald man im Alltag anfängt Gott und seine Taten zu erwähnen, wird man mit einem herablassenden Blick begrüsst; zumindest aus meiner Erfahrung. Bei der heutigen Generation hat die Religion einen eher primitiven Ruf. Ihre Ansicht ist, dass die Religion entstand, da man nicht die kognitiven Fähigkeiten hatte, um die Naturprozesse zu verstehen und dachten, eine imaginäre Person, die allmächtig und überlegen ist, die Welt mit einem Fingerschnippen erschaffen hat und das Schicksal bestimmt. Aber hatten die Menschen damals damit unrecht? Würde überhaupt jemand wissen, wieso das alles passiert, was sich momentan in der Welt alles abspielt? Wieso verstehst du, was ich hier geschrieben habe? Du
befindest dich vor einem rechteckigen Gebilde mit irgendwelchen Konturen und gelegentlich einigen Chemikalien. Schon verstehst du, was ich dir für eine Nachricht oder Information vermitteln will? Ignorieren wir vielleicht kurz, was ich dir vermitteln will. Wer bin ich und wer bist du denn eigentlich? Ein Mensch? Ein Lebewesen? Eine Ansammlung von Zellen? Molekülen? Atomen? Elementaren Partikeln? Fundamentale Bausteine, die zufällig so arrangiert sind und so interagieren, dass sie ein Netzwerk bilden, welches scheint, als wäre es seiner und der Umwelt Existenz bewusst, das sogenannte Bewusstsein. Wieso hat das Universum diese Ansammlung von elementaren Partikeln, den Homo Sapiens. Ist das nicht überwältigend, wenn man es auf diese Weise hinterfragt? Es hatte unendlich viele Möglichkeiten gehabt, wie das Universum hätte sein können, aber ausgerechnet wir entstanden daraus? Ich, du, die Menschheit, die Tiere, die Natur und ihre Phänomene? Wieso wir? Was ist so spektakulär an uns, dass wir entstanden sind? Was war an uns so besonders? Müsste da nicht vielleicht jemand dahinter gesteckt haben, um diese Entscheidung zu treffen, damit genau wir inmitten dieser unendlichen
Möglichkeiten entstehen? Wer ist dieser geheimnisvolle Kosmosdesigner? Ist er ein Mathematiker?
Unser heutiges Verständnis über den Anfang des Universums wird von der Urknalltheorie beschrieben, laut welcher das Universum am Anfang der Zeit, vor etwa 13.8 Milliarden Jahren, aus einem äusserst heissen und dichten Zustand entstand. In einem explosiven Ereignis expandierte und kühlte sich das Universum schnell aus, wodurch Raum, Zeit und Materie entstand. Diese Theorie stimmt auch mit unseren Beobachtungen überein. Die Hintergrundstrahlung im Mikrowellenbereich, die Häufigkeit von leichten Elementen und die Rotverschiebung deuten alle auf den Urknall hin. Jedoch ist der Urknall keine Begründung, was die Entstehung des Universums verursacht hat. Es handelt sich eher um Ereignisse, welche im frühen Universum geschehen sein müssen, damit unsere heutige Welt entstehen kann. Was davor entstanden ist, bleibt unbeantwortet.
Die String-Theorie ist ein Kandidat für die Theorie von allen und ist auch bekannt unter dem Namen Gottgleichung. Sie wirft eine radikale Perspektive auf und ermöglicht die Existenz eines Multiversums. In einem unendlich großen Raum könnten unzählige Universen existieren, jeder mit seinem eigenen Urknall. Es ist ein Schaumbad aus Universen. Nun kommt aber die Frage, wer dieses aussergewöhnliches exotisches Bad angestellt hat. Nimmt Gott grad ein Bad? Amüsiert er sich in einem Whirlpool bestehend aus warm blubbernden Universen?
«Dinge bewegen sich, weil sie
geschoben werden – das heißt, etwas setzt sie in Bewegung. Aber was ist der erste Akteur einer Bewegung oder die erste Ursache, die das Universum in Bewegung setzte? « Das muss Gott sein.» Das ist einer der fünf logischen Argumente, die vom Theologen Thomas Aquinas im 13. Jahrhundert verfasst wurden, um die Existenz Gottes beweisen zu können; auch bekannt als Quinque viae. Eine Eigenschaft irgendeiner physikal ischen Theorie ist die Symmetrie. Woher stammt die Symmetrie? Aus der Mathematik. Und woher kommt die Mathematik? Hier hört die Physik auf und die Metaphysik fängt an. Es ist interessant, dass diese Fragen, die vor 800 Jahren gestellt wurden, immer noch eine essentielle Wichtigkeit ist, trotz der bis heute erzielten technologischen Fortschritte.
Ein weiteres Argument, aufgestellt vom Heiligen Thomas Aquinas, ist der teleologische Beweis, welcher folgendermassen lautet: «Überall um uns herum sehen wir Objekte von großer Komplexität und Raffinesse. Aber jedes Design erfordert irgendwann einen Designer. Der erste Designer war Gott.» Einer der kompliziertesten Rätsel, die wir noch heute kennen und dennoch erst am Anfang eines langen Weges der Erkundung sind, sitzt direkt über unseren Schultern: Unser Gehirn. Nehmen wir mal an, dass Gott existiert und der ultimative Designer des Universums er das ist. Seine Werkzeuge, mit welchen er arbeitet, sind elementare Partikel und sie befolgen seine Spielregeln, die in einer oder mehreren mathematischen Gleichungen formuliert werden können. Wenn diese Elektronen, Quards und
Photonen das Einzige sind, was existiert und nach den gleichen Regeln spielen, kommt die Frage auf: Wie kann aus diesen geist- und gedankenlosen Partikeln ein Hirn erschaffen werden, welches ein Selbstbewusstsein vorweist? Dieses Problem ist auch bekannt als «Das harte Problem des Bewusstseins». So etwas hochkomplexes, hochinteressantes muss doch auch einen Schöpfer haben oder nicht? Was mich noch mehr interessiert ist: Als Gott uns erschaffen hat, gab er uns einen freien Willen? Oder war das Schicksal seit dem Moment des Urknalls schon festgelegt? Ist Selbstbewusstsein nur eine Illusion? Hat mich Gott dazu gezwungen, diesen Aufsatz zu schreiben?
Ausserdem spielt das Bewusstsein eine Rolle in der Quantenmechanik. Die QM ist basierend auf Wahrscheinlichkeiten von unendlich Optionen. Ereignisse auf dem Quantenlevel sind in einem gemischten Zustand. Nur die «Beobachtung» von diesem Zustand löscht alle Realitäten weg, ausser eine vom Zufall bestimmte, welche als von uns wahrgenommen wird. Das Bewusstsein spielt eine Rolle, um die Realität zu bestimmen? Ist also das Bewusstsein separat von der Physik? Etwas höhergestellteres im Universum? War das Gottes Plan?
Die Unsicherheit, ob es den Schöpfer gibt, herrscht dennoch. Es ist schwierig,
die Existenz etwas Unantastbaren zu beweisen oder widerlegen. Dafür müsste man nach Beweisen suchen. Doch wann endet denn diese Suche genau? Müsste man nicht den ganzen Raum aufsuchen? Den ganzen Whirlpool der Universen? Wie gross ist das Bad? Unendlich gross? Vielleicht gibt es in diesem Raum VIP Zonen; nur reserviert für Gott? Vielleicht befindet er sich in einer höheren Dimension als wir und deshalb wird niemand diese Zone betreten können. Wie Fische in einem Teich, die nie erraten können, dass ihre Besitzer oberhalb auf dem Land stehen und sie friedlich beobachten. Wahrscheinlich werden wir Menschen die ganz grossen Fragen niemals beantworten können, da wir selber ein Produkt dieses Universums sind und um diese Fragen beantworten zu können kein Teil dieses Mysteriums sein dürfen. Vielleicht kann es aber sein, dass das Besitzen eines Selbstbewusstseins vielleicht eine höhere Bedeutung hat und separat von der physikalischen Welt oder vielleicht teilweise unabhängig ist. Wer weiss, werden wir es jemals erfahren? Vielleicht nach dem Tod? Auf jeden Fall, was ich sagen kann, ist, dass in einer Welt, in der Wissenschaft und Spiritualität scheinbar gegensätzlich sind, könnte es.
Scoring
Hidden — verborgene Orte in der Schweiz.
Urs (Usha) Maurer Palit
Artist, Fotografin, Autorin, Lehrerin. Member of Swiss Mountain Painters, Studium Geschichte und Wirtschaft, Moderne Malerei und Abendländische Baustile. Ausstellungen seit 1986, letzte 2024 in Äschi, Thuner See. Dauerausstellung, 12 Werke seit 2020 im Aargau und 3 am Halwiler See. Dauerausstellung im Allgäu, 10 Werke. Eigenes Atelier und Malschule seit 1986. Über 10 Jahre Dozentin für Aquarellmalerei der VHS Karlsruhe.
In der Schweiz gibt es wunderschöne
Orte, die jedes Jahr viele Besucher aus aller Welt anziehen. Aufregend fand ich die Werbung für eine Ausstellung des Museums Würth mit dem Thema «Hidden Places» in der Schweiz. Versteckte Orte, die man nicht kennt, nicht von jedem aufgesucht werden und andere, die nicht freiwillig gezeigt werden. Natürlich war die Ausstellung geheimnisvoll und aufregend. Orte wurden gezeigt, zu denen nicht jeder hingehen möchte, mit Kindern schon gar nicht. Dann waren Orte dabei, die man gerne mit Kindern aufsuchen möchte, zum Studium der Geographie oder zur aufregenden Beschäftigung in den Ferien oder in der Freizeit.
Diese Orte hat die Kunst-Historikerin Catherine Iselin entdeckt. Sie ist auch Herausgeberin des Buches «Hidden — verborgene Orte in der Schweiz». Die meisterhaften Fotografien machte Kostas Maros, ein Fotograf mit hohen Auszeichnungen. Er hat an 25 Orten fotografiert und die Abzüge in übergrossen Bildern im Museum Würth, Arlesheim ausgestellt. Jederzeit würde ich die ausgezeichneten Fotografien gerne wiedersehen, wenn auch vielleicht zusätzlich an anderen
Orten. Die geheimnisvollen Orte findet man zwischen den Gipfeln der Walliser Alpen, bis zu den berüchtigten Stätten in den grösseren Städten. Diese wären der Darkroom eines Swingerclubs, über das Verabschiedungszimmer der Dignitas bis zur Beruhigungszelle in einem grossen Schweizer Gefängnis. Über diese Zelle könnte ich gerade noch berichten. Ich habe für meinen Bericht 5 Orte ausgesucht.
1). Die Satelliten-Schüsseln, versteckt zwischen den Schweizer Bergen, am Signalhorn, Wallis. Parabolantennen zum Mithören beim Austausch von Geheimnissen. Ursprünglich waren es ca. 20 Einrichtungen, erbaut für das Schweizer Militär, inzwischen sind es
Parabolantennen im Wallis
über 60 und sind vermietet an eine Firma aus den USA. Zu welchem Zweck wird nicht genannt. Wollen Touristen drumherumgehen, heisst es gleich «Jolo, Jolo», «gehen Sie weiter». Quelle: Internet: Parabolantennen im Wallis. Eigenes Foto.
2) Die genannte Beruhigungszelle in einem Schweizer Gefängnis, Gefängnis in Burgdorf. Die Zelle ist rosa angestrichen und soll aufgeregte Gefangene beruhigen, allein durch die Farbe. Vielleicht bei Bedarf, auch noch durch weitere Beruhigungsmittel. Foto in der Ausstellung.
Beruhigungszelle
3). Der Prothesen-Bau, PräzisionsInstrumente aus der Schweiz für behinderte Menschen, auch für Kriegsversehrte. Bei der Ausstellung wurde eine der verschiedenen Firmen vorgestellt, hier Fa. Hueskes. Foto in der Ausstellung.
Fertigstellung von Prothesen
4). Hier musste ich überlegen, berichte ich lieber über das Avatarion in Zürich, eine Ausstellung über Avatare oder über eine Sammlung von Tierpräparaten, im Besitz eines Zauberkünstlers. Besprechen muss ich hier nichts. Ich zeige die Fotos von beiden.
Ausstellung «Avatare»
5). Gold-Digger, auf der Suche nach Gold, das in Schweizer Flüssen zu finden ist. Jetzt kommt die versprochene Expedition, die auch für Kinder als Ferienspass geeignet ist. Wertvoll sind gute, gepolsterte Gummistiefel.
Man steht im Wasser. Oder am Ufer. Man braucht einen Eimer. Eine kleine Schaufel, ein Sieb. Eine Bratpfanne. Ein Schraubenglas, für das Aufbewahren der Goldstücke (oder Goldgriess). Einen Hammer. Eine Folie, für das Ausschütten des Siebes, sonst liegt das Gold im Gras. Am Wichtigsten sind die richtigen Stellen. Lasst Euch nicht in die Irre führen. Es gibt viele Touristik-Orte. Da habt ihr sicher viel Spass. Nach meinen Recherchen findet man am meisten
Goldgriess, keine Nuggets im Rhein. Und da wieder in der Gegend von St. Gallen, an den kleinen Zuflüssen. Kleine Sandanhäufungen am Ufer, die sind gerade richtig. Wo Sand liegen bleibt, bleibt auch Gold liegen. Gold-Nuggets, die findet man in den Bergwerken, in der Nähe von Genf. Gold findet man immer nur als Goldadern. Nie grosse Brocken. Bei der Entstehung kam dieses Metall als letztes in die Erdkruste und musste sich die feinen Risse suchen, um darin zu lagern. Weisse und gelbliche Kieselsteine kann man aufklopfen, oft findet man auch darin kleine Goldadern.
Der Sand aus den kleinen Flüsschen und Bächen zu sieben ist also angesagt. Bitte mit grosser Vorsicht und nie in grossen, reissenden Flüssen. Da gibt es einige in der Schweiz, ob Rhein oder Rhone, ob Aare oder Reuss. Und bei Hochwasser, z.B. in den Osterferien, schon gar nicht auf die Goldsuche gehen. Zu gefährlich!
Sammlung präparierter Tiere
Goldsucher und ihre Werkzeuge. Eigene Fotos
Richtige Orte im/am Fluss. Eigene Fotos
Ragamala: Pictures for All Senses
A Multi-Sensory Journey at the Museum Rietberg, Zürich
Sonika Soni
Sonika Soni is working as a Guest Curator and researcher of Indian paintings at the Museum Rietberg and is currently working on the Ragamala paintings painted between 16th and 19th centuries.
(Scan the QR code and enjoy curated music for these raga-based paintings) Exhibition is on for public viewing till the 20th of January 2025
TheMuseum Rietberg presents ‘Ragamala: Pictures for All Senses’, a unique exhibition that brings together the three classical art forms of music, poetry, and miniature painting. For the show, the museum has drawn upon its vast permanent collection of around 300 raga-themed works created between 1605
and 1980 CE across the princely courts of India. Of these, 39 exquisite paintings are being displayed in their full artistic splendour. While ‘Ragamala’ paintings have been featured in various exhibitions worldwide, this is the first time that they are being presented as a unique immersive and multi-sensorial experience.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Raga that flows into the ‘Ragamala’
To truly appreciate the essence of the exhibition, one must understand the complex world of the raga. Derived from the Sanskrit root word, ranj’, which means ‘that which colours the mind’, raga has truly added many shades and hues to the Indian musical landscape. In fact, it forms the very foundation of Hindustani classical music, one of the two major musical traditions in India— the other being Carnatic music from southern India. This repertoire of music, performed by masters and appreciated by connoisseurs across the globe, is known for its emotional depth, spiritual resonance, and improvisational qualities. Raga refers to the melodic structure designed to evoke specific emotions in the listener. Composed of 12 notes, including seven pure notes (shuddha) and five microtones (shruti), ragas continue to be created and performed by musicians even in contemporary times. In this vast ocean of music, nearly 200 Ragas are wellknown and performed regularly.
With its legacy spanning centuries, raga-based music is intrinsically connected with our very lives as different ragas pertain to specific times of the day and seasons. This musical genre has not just influenced a wide range of forms— from classical concerts and folk traditions to ritualistic performances and even Indian film scores—but also a myriad style of artistic expressions such as poetry and painting.
Together with verse and visual arts, raga-based music has given rise to the unique tradition of ‘Ragamala’ painting, which literally translates as a ‘garland
of ragas’. The powerful emotions that the ragas, and the underlying lyrics, carry, are expressed in a visual form, thus transforming the intangible into the tangible. And it is this musical and visual artistic legacy that lies at the heart of the ‘Ragamala’ exhibition at Museum Rietberg.
Since the 8th century CE, poets and scholars have composed shlokas and kavitas (verses and poems) to celebrate the emotions embedded in ragas. They are personified in human form as heroes or heroines, engaged in heightened states of love, as conveyed in the poems and music. Originally intended as aids for meditation, these verses were later illustrated by courtly painters between the 15th and 19th centuries, resulting in the celebrated ‘Ragamala’ series of Fig. 3
paintings. The encouragement stemmed from royal patronage as royal lieges in northern, central, and Deccan India generously supported the creation of these paintings. Today, remnants of these artworks can still be found in the frescoes and wall paintings of old palaces in northern India.
Painting the ragas
Early categorization of ragas led to the development of a ‘family’ system as part of which the dominant or major ragas were personified as male figures, and raginis as their "wives." In some instances, some raga-based combinations were gendered as sons (ragaputra) or daughters (ragaputri). Ragamala verses and paintings were often based on these familial structures, with each member representing a spectrum of emotions, ranging from joy, sadness, and romance to yearning and devotion.
For example, in the Malashri Ragaputri (Fig. no. 3) from the ‘Kota Narayana Ragamala’ series, a heroine, or a nayika, is depicted in a state of solitude during dusk. She can be seen gesturing to flamingos perched on a tree, as if asking them to carry a message to her lover. In contrast, the Gajadhar Ragaputra (Fig. no. 4), that portrays a warrior prince, holding a long spear used in an attack stance while mounting an elephant, and his mahout are embarking on an adventure that will include elephant ride on a summer afternoon. The warmth of the season is evoked through his diaphanous muslin garment and the presence of a gaggle of birds seeking relief in nearby water bodies.
Fig. 4
Iconography and elements of flora and fauna play a vital role in ‘Ragamala’ paintings. A rooster heralds the end of a passionate night; jasmine creepers entwined around trees suggest intimacy; new banana leaves signal the arrival of spring, and more. Peacocks croon "pia pia" to soothe the aching hearts of lovers, while a solitary rocky mountain with a single tree against a barren landscape illustrates the desolation of a battlefield. These visual clues offer viewers a chance to decipher the emotions depicted in each composition.
A Multi-Sensory Experience
The exhibition's layout mirrors the flow of a typical day, moving from the gentle strains of early-morning melodies to the intense symphonies of late-night passion.
This rhythm is also reflected in the accompanying catalogue, which follows the cycle of the ashta prahar, or the eight time zones of the day. Although the sheer number of paintings on display (42) might seem overwhelming, each piece holds a treasure trove of details. To assist visitors, the galleries feature deconstructed "music-verse-image" sections, along with blueprints of each painting that reveal both literal and metaphorical insights.
To further enhance the experience, each painting is accompanied by specially curated and recorded music pieces by renowned Indian musicians. Accessible via headphones and QR codes, the music serves as an immersive companion, conveying the atmospherics and nuances of each work. Additionally,
olfactory experiences have been created in collaboration with perfume researchers from India and the United States, adding another layer to the exhibition's sensorial richness. Two commissioned works by contemporary Indian and Pakistani artists further explore the diversity and relevance of these art forms across time and genres.
‘Ragamala: Pictures for All Senses’ celebrates the collaborative spirit underlying this tradition, showcasing a rich interplay of ideas from musicians, perfumers, scholars, painters, filmmakers, animators, curators, and producers. Through this multi-sensory approach, the exhibition offers a deeply engaging exploration of ‘Ragamala’, inviting visitors to experience the profound connection between music, poetry, and visual art.
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Images Captions:
All images from the collection of Museum
Rietberg, Zurich
Fig. 1
Not-yet-identified Deccan workshop
Champaka Raga
Folio from the ‘Earlier Ragamala’ series
Deccan (possibly Aurangabad), c. 1660 CE
Pigment painting on paper
Folio: 35 x 23.8 cm, Image: 28.2 x 18.7 cm
Museum Rietberg, RVI 1689
Purchased with funds from the City of Zurich
Fig. 2
Master of the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler
Gambhira Raga
Folio from the ‘Second Guler Ragamala’ series
Pahari region (possibly Guler), c. 1790 CE
Pigment painting on paper
Folio: 24.7 x 17.4 cm, Image: 21.1 x 14.2 cm
Museum Rietberg, 2013.248
Purchased with funds from Catharina Dohrn
Fig. 3
Not-yet-identified Kota master
Malashri Ragaputri
Folio from the ‘Kota Narayana Ragamala’ series
Kota, c. 1770 CE
Pigment painting on paper
Folio: 34 x 23.6 cm, Image: 19.3 x 12.3 cm
Museum Rietberg, RVI 2015
Gift of Horst Metzger
Fig. 4
Not-yet-identified Kota master
Gajadhar Ragaputra
Folio from the ‘Kota Narayana Ragamala’ series
Kota, c. 1770 CE
Pigment painting on paper
Folio: 34.2 x 24 cm, Image: 18.1 x 12.1 cm
Museum Rietberg, RVI 2016
Gift of Horst Metzger
Fig. 5
Kishan
Todi Ragini
Folio from a Ragamala series
Hyderabad, 1775-1800 CE
Pigment painting on paper
Folio: 29 x 20 cm, Image: 23.5 x 15 cm
Museum Rietberg, RVI 1059
Legacy of Alice Boner
Fig. 6
Not-yet-identified Mewar Master at Udaipur
Patamanjari Ragini
Folio from the ‘GK Kanoria Mewar Ragamala’ series
Udaipur, 1690-1700 CE
Pigment painting on paper
Folio: 26.8 x 20,1 cm, Image: 21.6 x 15 cm
Museum Rietberg, RVI 1937
Gift of Horst Metzger
Birpurush Dance Drama . Adhira Ghosh . 8.5 year
Footballer . Arshika Sanyal . 5 year
Birpurush . Adhira Ghosh . 8.5 year
Aradhona . Trisha Pal . 9 year
Poojarini . Meghantika Bhaumick . 11 year
The trip to Puri
Adrita Sanyal
I am Adrita Sanyal, a 10 year old happy soul . I love to tap my feet with any rhythm, flute is my favourite instrument. I love to play tennis as well. I really like Swiss puja as I enjoyed Durgapuja to Rabindrajayanti, picnic and Saraswati Puja a lot .
During the summer vacation, me and my family were in Puri. This was a place in Odisha state in India. My parents along with my sister and I, first came to India to see our grandparents, cousins and some friends who lived in India. We have been living in Switzerland and used to visit India during our school summer vacation. This time we were there for one month. During the first week, we were in Kolkata and in the next week we went to Puri. We went by Vande Bharat Express, which was a super fast train, recently introduced. It took us a little more than six hours to reach Puri. The train was at 6:10 AM, so we had to wake up very early. The train arrived at Puri at half past 12 at noon and it was already lunch time. We took our lunch in the hotel and after taking some rest in our rooms, we went to the seaside. It was a beautiful view, where large waves were continuously hitting the shore with a roaring sound. My mother and I got all wet because we went close to the sea. The seaside was a very nice place. Then it was getting dark and we went back to the hotel. My parents quickly went to a market and after that they were back, we had dinner and went to bed. The next day we went to Lord Jagannath temple. Lord Jaganath temple was a very sacred
and nice place and it was a totally new experience for me. When we were inside the temple to have a darshan, there was a big crowd pushing each other to have a look of the deities. The deities were far away from the place up to where we were allowed to enter. Still, it was super cool. The next day we went to visit Konark Sun temple. On the way we saw some monkeys, cows, and dogs.
At Konark Sun temple everything was made out of stones and there was a nat mandir also. A nat mandir is a place
where various dancers were used to perform to please the god. On the way back, we again saw some animals. In the evening, we rode on camels and horses and that was really cool. We had to get on the camel with a wobbly ladder and also come down with it. That was a bit scary but it was fun too. My father and I rode the camel and then I rode on the horse with my sister. These rides were really funny. The next day we went to see Sakshi Gopal Mandir, and Lord Shiva’s temple at Bhubaneswar. This temple is called ‘LingaRaj Mandir’. There were lots of temples other than Lord Shiva temple inside this complex. Then we went to Pipili, a place renowned for its embroidery works. On our journey, we saw lots and lots of people of all ages who were going to Puri on foot,
carrying water in earthen pots to pour it on the Lord Shiva for pleasing him and getting his blessings. They had to walk continuously for 4 to 6 days for this. The next day, it was time to leave Puri. We travelled again by Vande Bharat Express and reached home at around 10:30 PM. That was our trip to Puri, which was loved by all in my family.
AN EXPERIENCE FOR THE SOUL
Jhilam Mukherjee
A wannabe traveler, nomad and dreamer, in real life an IT professional working in Zurich for the past 14 years, dappling in dancing, acting, writing. With this small travelogue I hope to take people with me through a typical short vacation to the princess of the hills of West Bengal.
My mother can be a very insistent person. She has been at me for quite a few years now to go on a vacation in India. While we do Europe vacations every year together, she wanted me to taste the flavors of India all over again. After all, it had been almost 10 years since we traveled inside India. I, being very lazy, was putting it off to avoid the trouble of repacking after a long flight to Kolkata from Zurich. When I finally agreed, the choices were Darjeeling, Kalimpong or Mandarmoni. After a lot of research and debate Kalimpong won due to its perfect combination of close proximity and exoticness. She had planned it very well; keeping in mind travel time, convenience and my appetite for car rides (which is fairly low).
On D-day we had an early dinner at home to avoid the hassle of eating on the train. A mundane Uber ride took us to Sealdah station. I was visiting this huge station after about 15 years and my first instinct on getting out of the car was to latch on quickly to my son's hand. Being brought up in Zurich means he is not used to holding our hands when out in public and has no inkling of the horror of getting lost in such a multitude. The double job of dragging a suitcase and a child and keeping track of my parents was quite a task and I started thinking this
holiday is already a chore. Having gotten inside safely, we realized we were way too early for the train; the result of being overcautious. This gave us some extra time to admire the efforts of the West Bengal government towards beautification of the station. The station walls now have tribal murals instead of betel leaf spit and the ceilings are covered with chandeliers. The facilities are also better, I was told, as I had never really commuted much from Sealdah, I did not really remember what it looked like earlier. What has not changed, it seems, is the public, wagon carts, peddlers and beggars. The whole station looked like a roaring, belching, cackling, shrieking sea of people to me; a fast moving one though, as everyone seemed very clear and focused on where they wanted to go with not a minute to spare.
Finally our platform was announced; we were amazed to find out that a security check had become the norm for every long distance train. Checking our names on the passengers' list was no different from 20 years before. First, one had to check it on the board and then on the body of the train bogie. This brought back memories from long ago when I used to travel with my parents as a young child and my father used to check our names amongst a lot of jostles.
The moment we found our berths, my son announced that he loved "his room". Once the train started and we settled down along with our co-passengers, I hoped for a good night's sleep to prepare myself for the next day, but alas that was not to be. The circus was yet to begin. From what I gathered, having a hearty dinner on the moving train at nearly midnight was quite enjoyable for all my co-passengers. When I say hearty, I mean spicy oily heavy meals accompanied with long conversations, noisy jokes and laughter followed by banter even while lying down on their bunks. Sprinkle on some snoring in all possible frequencies. This circus was at the same time amusing and annoying. Not only did I not get my good night's sleep, my son grumbled all night about the cramped bunks. How unfit and spoilt I had become for India.
Mornings bring about the best in people, they say, same goes for mornings on trains, people get friendly, start healthy conversations with total strangers, offer food to others and in general enjoy the view and the ride. Our morning on the train did not last long though, as our station arrived quite on time.
Having booked a cab to Kalimpong Morgan house, we commenced the second leg of our journey, a 3 hour ride from NJP station to Kalimpong. The driver happily agreed to be our guide as well, showing us all important landmarks throughout the ride. Not to mention, stopping from time to time to give us a chance to capture these places through our lenses.
Arrival at the famous Morgan house was the best part of this journey. It felt like the homecoming of a rich person in
the 1920's, coming to a lovely old stone house sitting in the midst of a sprawling lawn cum garden sprinkled with servants to help you at every step. One carried our luggage to our rooms, another brought tea, a third one informed us that our preordered lunch was ready when we were.
Room 101, the master bedroom and once the room of the owners was ours for the next two days; my mother had very lovingly booked this for us. It was the biggest room I had ever stayed in; aweinspiring and homely both at the same time. Massive windows poured in ample light into the room welcoming guests with open arms. Wooden floor boards, a massive wooden bed with milk white sheets and dark blue comforters, an old brick fireplace and a smattering of antique wooden furniture completed the room. But this was not all; it also had an attached bathroom the size of a small bedroom. On a sunny day, the windows boasted a direct view of the Kanchenjunga, but alas we were not lucky enough to experience it in this trip, due to thick fog.
Once we had changed and freshened up, we sat down to a homely lunch in a dining hall for 20 on the ground floor. There were around 5 dining tables in the arched and wood paneled dining room. Having only
Morgan House-Kalimpong
6 bedrooms meant the property would never have a need for more.
Though tired after the long train journey and car ride, we still itched to explore the property. So, after lunch, we ventured out to play ball in the lawn.
While playing and losing the ball in the bushes, we caught sight of some cottages further downhill. Curiosity took us around the entire property, to several cottages down below and another property for guests.
After a detailed self-tour of the property and some tea in the room, we set forth to explore the nearby attractions. A short but uphill walk would take us to the Durpin monastery, the locals had told us. The walk took us to a beautifully decorated part of the town, monitored by the army. This 6 road intersection had life sized murals depicting Ramayana scenes, wellmanicured gardens and surprisingly clean roads. After a short walk, we discovered the secret to clean roads: local ladies with brooms cleaning the roads became a common sight from the intersection to the monastery.
We also came across a golf course for the military; spread across acres of undulating lands and stunning views of the mountains. My father, being a tad older and having ankle pain, decided to forego the monastery visit and sit at a children's playground on the way. We walked the rest of the way up, quite a herculean task especially after having taken a train journey the night before. It was like any other monastery with drums all around the building; huge figures from the Buddhist scriptures inside and lots of chanting ongoing. It surely pleased us, but
as I can safely say - failed to impress.
On the way back, we stopped at a tiny military canteen for tea and biscuits. It brought back memories of when I used to travel with my parents as a teenager to various hill stations in India which were often military bases.
After returning to our hotel, we had to decide on the dinner menu. Apart from breakfast, every other meal had to be preordered, since the sourcing of ingredients from the markets down the valley was a time consuming task for the hotel staff and needed planning. Evenings in hill stations are mostly boring, especially in winter. Having nothing to do and being quite far from the main town, we spent most of the evening playing cards or watching TV till our dinner was announced. We retired quite early that night with great anxiety and anticipation for the night.
Here I come to the main attraction of our hotel and our trip. Our property, Morgan House, apart from being an old manor house with great views and lawns, is also listed in the top 100 haunted houses of India. The lady of the manor, Mrs. Morgan was rumored to haunt the place at night, perfecting the housekeeping of the property and keeping misplaced items in their correctly designated places, her favorite haunt being her own bedroom, the one which we now occupied. Though known to be a friendly spirit who had never hurt anyone, she was not without suspicion and my mom had carried a small photo of the Goddess Kali for our room. I, on the other hand, had kept my earring on the night stand instead of the dressing table, to tempt the spirit, if there was any. However, I was quite irritated with the hotel staff for
keeping the glaring tube lights on all night. After all, spirits are only known to appear in the dark. The night passed without incident though, apart from me dreaming of an invisible force pulling me off the bed, but this could just be a dream and cannot surely be attributed to a real spirit's action, considering how fertile my imagination is.
Next morning, after a leisurely breakfast of luchi, alur-torkari, bread omelet, we set forth for a day trip to Kalimpong attractions. The fresh and filling breakfast kept us going for a long.
Our driver first took us into a forest overlooking the hills, which also happened to be a spot for military operations and we met some officers with a drone waiting to give a demonstration to a senior.
Our next stop was a cactus nursery, which my son took a lot of interest in. It boasted of cacti of all shapes, sizes and colors, some even looking like small monsters.
After a brief drive we went to Gouripur house, an old dilapidated building once owned and inhabited by RabindraNath Tagore; also the place from where he had recited one of his poems for All India Radio. Its current condition meant few people knew about this place, however the West Bengal government plans to make it a museum, considering its historical and cultural significance.
Having ticked off the nearby attractions, we set forth to Deolo Hill. Because of its high elevation, it boasts a panoramic view of Kalimpong. The government, having realized this, had made a hotel surrounded by beautiful parks and cute little walks all around it.
It had small tourist attractions like horse riding for kids, knick knack shops and a restaurant as well.
Cactus Nursery
Gouripur House
We however , having planned to try local delicacies, had our lunch at a small shack outside the Deolo Hill area. On the way back to our hotel, my mom instructed our driver to take us to the local market for some shopping. This market had a vast difference to our part of Kalimpong, teeming with people and cars and hardly any space to walk, it was like any other market place in India. Our window shopping finally took us to a curio shop where I shopped to my heart's content; the tiny place being packed with choicest antique stuff and allowing me to bargain like I had not done in years.The driver would not let us go before we visited the MangalDham temple, a huge shrine to many of our gods and goddesses built with love, dedication and devotion. After all, no vacation in India can be complete without a salute to our gods.
Nothing gives pleasure like a warm bath after a successful day trip followed by hot tea. Dinner that day was roast chicken and veggies, the most popular item on Morgan House menu, the chef having mastered it to perfection over the years. Second night in a row, Mrs.
Morgan ignored me, or maybe, found the room neat enough for her liking, I would like to think.
The next day being our last day in Kalimpong, we decided to relax on the property instead of venturing further away. Again a leisurely breakfast followed by a game of football with my son on the vast lawn got us ready for the travel ahead. Our return journey was by flight, so the car took us this time on a very different route to Bagdogra airport. After a brief waiting time followed by an even briefer flight journey, we reached Kolkata. Right from the vast and clean expanse of open skies, mountains and rivers to groaning, roaring sooty plains.
This vacation had all the flavors of a typical vacation in India, undertaken by millions of Indians, but rarely revisited by multitudes of expats like me who have forgotten the immense joy of traveling in India with family. This vacation we recouped, rejuvenated and made memories for many years to come, perhaps exactly what my mom wanted for me and herself and us as a family.
LIONHEART
The Asiatic lion, a success story. From near extinction to a safe haven.
Chandana Mittra Sen
A mother, dreamer & traveller.
Asiatic lions — fearsome, stately, majestic. A bit smaller than their African cousins but when you see them upfront, they are still fearsome, stately and majestic.
Except the cubs, who are curious and playful.
The scariest thing about them— unlike tigers, they love making eye contact! And you suddenly find yourself shrinking into your open top safari jeep!
There was a time when Asiatic Lions roamed fearlessly from Bangladesh to Gujarat. With the advent of firearms in the 1800s, bringing a lion down became easy. Indian Maharajas and British officers,
both indulged their thirst for the blood of lions in an unequal match, almost wiping them out.
1880s: Only about 12 Asiatics lions in Gujarat
In 1879, Mahabat Khan, the sixth Nawab of Junagadh (in Gujarat), stepped in to save them from extinction. This was exceptional at a time when wild animals were being slaughtered in thousands.
Slaughtered between 1875 and 1925, in India :
Tigers: 80,000
Leopards: 150,000
Wolves: 200,000
After Independence, the then Maharaja of Junagadh (the great grandson of Mahabat Khan) left for Pakistan and once again lions were being slaughtered and in danger.
Slaughtered between 1963 and 1968
Lions in Gir: 119 (down from 285 to 166).
The Indian Forest Department finally started a wildlife conservation programme from 1965, which has been a huge sucess.
Number of Asiatic lions in Gujarat now: 674, spread over 1412 sq kms.
Gujarat has everything any tourist could want – temples, history, archaeology,
natural beauty, forests, wildlife.
Earlier this year, we visited Saurashtra (southern Gujarat) which features temples (Dwarka, Somnath), Beyt Dwarka (the lost headqurters of Shri Krishna, now under water) but our main interest was the Gir forest for the Asiatic lions.
Local villagers, usually tribals, are trained to work in all aspects of managing the forest and tourism, leading to job
To see a video of our lion sighting experience in Gir, please point your mobile phone camera at this QR code and click on the link.
Sightings of wild animals in their natural habitat is exciting and a challenge, for we are the intruders. Tourism raises money for locals and awareness about the animals in the forests.
During my visits to 4 forests in the last few years (Corbett, Tadoba, Bandavghar, Gir), I found that only about 20% of the forest is available for jeep safaris ensuring that the shyer animals are not stressed.
creation and pride in their work.
Technology is used discreetly e.g. through the use of tracking devices attached on safari jeeps to make sure safari drivers are not tempted by the public to go off the designated areas and routes in the forest. In Gir safari jeeps cannot stop for more than 10 minutes at any one place so in case animals are sighted, they are not stressed by many safari jeeps surrounding them for a long time. There are no second chances. One transgression and both the guide and the driver lose their jobs.
These strictly enforced rules are perhaps some of the reasons for India’s success story with tigers and lions.
Having seen the two big cats (tigers and lions) in their natural habitat, I can not wait to visit more of the remaining 569 wildlife sanctuaries in India.
Some facts sourced from: https://www. peepultree.world/livehistoryindia/story/ people/how-the-gir-lions-were-saved
Photographs: Chandana, Saswati, Neel
Colours of Life by Brindarica Bose
Bisorjon by Brindarica Bose
Picturesque Fisherman’s Village in Volendam by Tanmoy Pal
Turquoise Delight at Lungernsee, Switzerland
by Moushree Dey
