Kat Raha Tha Samay

Na Hum They Yahan
Na Hum Honge Yahan -
Beech Mein Sirf Thaa Khilona.

Beech Mein Thaa Woh Gali -
Jaha Pein
Na Thaa Rooh
Na Thaa Haqiqat.
Na Thi Fateh,
Na Thi Shikast.

Kat Raha Tha Samay
Dwidha Me.
Ghutan Ho Raha Thaa Kahi ,
Aur Kahi Ho Raha Tha Pralay.

Na Hum Hai Abhi.
Na Hum Honge Kabhi.

Yet another (infamous) London connection - discovering a new identity for Calcutta

They say you learn something everyday. 
 
While mentioning that I am from Calcutta, one of my colleagues (who happens to be from Sudan) in my London office exclaimed: Oh! Calcutta-Bilaad-Al-Naamis" (!!)

When I asked what that meant, he told me that since the ancient Arab days, this has been a popular statement among people in Arab (just like our comments like "Mecca-of-cricket" or "Chicken-A-La-Kiev", etc.). He even agreed to write it down:

"Calcutta-Bilaad-Al-Naamis"

So what does it mean? Apparently it means "Calcutta the house of mosquitoes" (!!).

Now I do know that Kiev and Chicken are not related. Nor is Mecca with cricket. But I can't deny that Calcutta and its little friends are not related. 


At last now I know of something other than the Rosogolla that has been making our city famous (since the last 1000 years!)

Across The Tick

Could it really be that wind
Looking out for that illusive knock?
Even though the night might have thinned
'One-O-One!', gonged the clock. 

Now when the mystery deepened,
'One-O-One!', also said the rock;
Shoveling all the way,
Eager to chip away, block by block.

Purity and peace returns to life;
One-O-One shouldn't also the people meet?
On the spot and on the time
Never letting go of a tweet.
And do not forget the nose, so sublime. Oh!

Lentissimo

Okay, I admit. This blog is primarily a travelogue. But hey, didn't you know that the fastest and farthest traveler is none but the mind? So there's no harm in accommodating that little brainwave in the journey.  Brainworm, you may call, if you must.
 

Why did my world stop 
At twelve-twenty-six? 
Or why did it start 
At nineteen seventy six? 

Why did my pirouette halt 
At the twirl of the hair? 
And why did Cleo the Leo smile
Along with the fragrance in the air? 

Why does the light lighten up 
With a mere text or a tweet? 
Or why does it not go off when 
The light is not so sweet?  

Random

Random pictures with Debashish. 

At the Bedfont Lakes office. Not the nicest offices to be in :(

Selfie moment

Chinatown probably

Not shot in iPhone 6 though

Quick one in London

This time, it was with Debashish (DRC). I had forgotten the Bedfont Lakes office as it is not the best of offices I'd like to visit :) Nobody gives a shit about Bedfont really. So depressing. Nobody makes it feel better than Southbank actually (when am I going to be there, next?).

Anyway, this trip would be memorable due to the two very valuable (at least historically) assets I picked up during a casual stroll along Southbank. 

Printing was absolute pain in the arse those days. Lithography - was used as a process. This one in particular was printed out of a hand-made steel engraving and then hand-coloured.

Now, can you imagine building such a detailed 'template' being hand-engraved in steel. Closer look in the 2nd picture. 

Perfect details on 'human settlements' along the banks of the Hoogly. The Fort William (originally designed to resemble a lotus flower) was huge. Of course, it moved to its modern position today and no longer stands now. It has been replaced by the GPO in that position.

Now this is one is a treasure for me. A 1756 (!) original print based on the Great Exodus in The Bible. You can see Moses and team on the right having crossed over to the neighboring land. The Pharaoh and his men is being engulfed by the Red Sea. I was also interested in the manner in which the Pharaoh and his men has been depicted. That is, not the traditional mummified-version of the Pharaohs that we come across in museums. But that's the originality isn't it? I just realised that our version of the Pharaoh-depictions (head band and all that) is according to the discoveries of the Egyptian civilization (=tombs & mummies). But this was early 18th century and people had no idea how Egyptians looked like. 

Oh boy am I glad today? 

This was developed under a copper-template by the way. Same process. Same pain. And hand-color-painted. There was a series of these paintings in the anique-shop but I didn't think I could afford any more. 

Sawasdee Bangkok !

Not many are aware, that Thailand is the second largest economy in the South-East (after Indonesia - and not Singapore). One glance at the infrastructure explosion around tells the story behind the numbers. Tons of flyovers make traffic smooth flowing and mostly you end up viewing the city from a 50-feet level. Our limited glance at the various corners revealed a humble-struggling Bangkok behind the rich-n-shiny one. I guess that's a characteristic behind every major city in the world.


Bangkok's Ocean World is an aquatic park right below a shopping mall. Part of a world-wide franchise run by the Australi-based Sea Life group, this is a heaven for any growing-up kid. Complete with Octopuses, giant crabs, Penguins, Stingrays and Sharks, this is a must-visit place for tourists. I was quite amazed to see the collection of aquatic life captured here - including micro-shaped tadpoles and sea-horses. Bangkok also offers great viewing of its animal life collection through the Safari World.

But one must appreciate the money-making ability of these folks. Once you are out from a ride (elephant/dolphin/bird/whatever) - you'd be swarmed by folks who'd have clicked your photographs while you were enjoying the show and once the show is over, you could have that framed picture with that alligator at a price! As one European visitor observed - "these people would extract the last juice from your wallet" !

However, my biggest accomplishment from the tour has been the visit to the Bridge on the River Kwai. Immortalized by the 1957 movie, the bridge is located in Kanchanaburi - at the Myanmar border. Why is it significant? Of course the movie. But also because of the fact that this railway (also known as Death Railway) was planned to be the chief transporter for carrying cargo till the India-border, which would be used by the Japanese to attack British India. The Allied forces bombed and destroyed this bridge in 1944/45. The remnants of the original bridge lies in the War Museum alongside.


There is a nice little walk-way alongside the meter-gauge railway track. Only two trains travel during the day - and most enthusiasts catch the morning one from Bangkok. During our walk, we were lucky to catch the train arrive. A nice little piece of antique, the train was, I felt, as it chugged along and arrived at Kanchanaburi.

I have started to like this little place. I think I will visit this place again :)