Friday, December 08, 2006

IN SEARCH OF A NEW PATH

I thought of getting associated with Heritage structures of Bengal when I would become free from my professional life.

Now that my contract with DCIPS will not be extended , I shall have time before I settle down to a new routine.

Three weeks ago, when I came to Kala Mandir with Ruby to attend to the function of physically-challenged boys and girls organised by Syoumen's wife, I noticed the small signpost of West Bengal Heritage Commission in a building opposite to Kala Mandir.

I went there on 6/12/06 to explore the set-up , found out an office-room and couple of chambers housed on the first-floor of the State Archive building and met the two officials available . I expressed my interest in this area and was advised to come on any Thursday afternoon to meet their Chairman to discuss any possibility. Chairman of WBHC is an eminent person.... Dr Pratap Chandra Chunder . He is an old man , but , his background does invite respect. LF government of WB , reportedly, is the first State government in India to enact an Act for Heritage and chose a non-Left person as the Chairman.

The meeting went off fine , with the prospect of getting assignments in two areas from WBHC.First is the documentation of an identified building, when one will take photographs, find out old building plan or prepare a new plan by taking fresh measurements and write a submission stating why that particular building will be tagged a 'heritage building'.

Second area is monitoring the progress and quality of wok of restoration , which is normally done by panchayats.

I believe that I can be of use in other areas too. I can prepare POWERPOINT presentations to be made to Industrialists for fund and contact IIT-Alumnis for help.

I shall be truly happy if things progress in the right direction .It will be the plan Ruby and I are drafting for her paintings and boutique.

Monday, November 27, 2006

REVISITING MY WISHLIST



When I was young.... just a college pass-out ..... I would think about my future .... just like any other friend of mine. I shall now revisit some of the scenarios I built as a young man.Strangely, the packages around the fulfilled wishes look less appealing.

I shall take two innocuous wishes of my younger days. Not any of the heavier ones.

One of the scenarios was that I would stay close to my place of work, a few kilometers from my residence . This will be a small town ....... I would drive home for lunch. Daily travel would be around 10 Km and we would stay away from a crowded town and a marketplace.

Well, I did enjoy this situation for quite a few years in my life. For ten years in the seventies , whenI was posted in several construction sites. I also enjoyed similar situation once more when I was with ABL , Durgapur during 1996-2003.

Neither of these two situations gave me the satifaction I dreamt of. The reasons were professional as well as situational.Construction sites offered quite a rough working environment but not stimulating enough. I lost interest in the details of the professional side of my work after a few years and looked for an opportunity to move out to a city-based Head Office as soon as my bond with my Employer would end. This wa sbefore Babai was born.

The second time, when I was staying quite close to my place of work , the situation matched my 'dream' of my younger days to a tee . On the other side , there were many 'ifs and buts'.

I did enjoy the bungalow and its garden alloted to me and several perks the job brought . The colony was well-maintained and we lived in a pollution-free and peaceful atmosphere.Nature offered us abundant flowers and fruits and a living condition that we shall never get in my life once more.

But , Durgapur was the back-water of WB , life was dull and the advantage of the proximity to the place of work could not compensate all that we missed. The children left for Pune while we stayed back at Durgapur , going through the routine and looking forward to the days when I would be out of Durgapur after retirement. On the whole , the Company and business were going through a downturn. The spirit was , thus, always low.

And ... an office location at Park Street ! Any Calcuttan would look forward to such a situation. I thought it would be great to be functioning out of Park Street. WOW - PARK STREET !!


DCIPS office , where I have spent nearly 3 years till date , is at 119 Park Street. Did I enjoy the location?' Rarely ' is the right answer. I am left with little spare cash , after paying the installment for our new car. So shopping is out. And the location is the most unintereting corner of Park Sreet. 5 minutes walk this side or that side are equally dull !!

So... what does these show .


  • You look forward to a situation , reach it and are not happy. The mental framework has changed.
  • The situation ,when viewed among the clutterings surrounding it, is not what it could have been or was expected to be.

Reminds us of a famous line of Tagore ... but I shall not quote it here , because there is a fine difference what the poet said and what I have tried to convey.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Who visits our Blog sites?

Not many persons whom we do not know!

So , it is like a diary of ours. Our thoughts, joys and sorrows. An electronc diary, it is unlikely that that we shall lose the diary.

Over the years, the diary takes shape ,provided we have the tenacity and discipline to come back regularly.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

A RING and A LOSS

I LOST MY FAVOURITE RING YESTERDAY!!

It had an 'S' inscribed on it. At least 8gms in weight costing at least Rs 8000/- if purchased now. I lost it , God knows where.

Insurance would have paid Rs5000/-, but the requirement is a 'constructed' FIR. Eventualy , I decided against the idea.

My younger son would have loved to wear it. But, I turned down his request a few days ago. It was loose in the 4th finger of my left hand. It was quite loose on his 3rd finger .

Now I am in league with Sujash ( mobile phone lost during his Canada trip ) and Surath ( silver bracelet+ watch + mobile phone) .

Next question : how and when I get another similar ring?

Saturday, July 29, 2006

SHE WALKED PAST

I was waiting for her,
She knew that I would be waiting.
I waited ... hours past the time agreed.
I waited ...my heels dug in the hot sands of tomorrow.

The only crane of the lake across came and asked me:
Would I care for a couple of fishes.
May be he was moved by my patience and yearn.

I smiled. But, I declined.

The only sparrow around sat on my shoulder.
He found it steadier than a branch of a tree.
He asked me : why I have not moved an inch in hours .

I smiled .But, I did not reply.

And..... then she walked past me.
She was in a hurry.
Is anyone waiting for her at the end of this road?
Someone who waited for longer than I have?
Or she wanted to meet God before He melts away .

The only ant around crept to my side ,
He told me :I have wasted my time;
Now I should go away.

I wiped a tear.
A loser's tear.
And ... then I started my walk back .
Into the shadow of the eastern sky.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

The poem I wanted to post on 23/06/2006

I came across a few lines on forgetfulness in an issue of ' DESH' quite a few weeks ago. This isue was not available among the copies I have at Parnasree . Fortunately, with Suman's help , I could get those few lines . The poet , Utpal Kumar Basu , has captured the relationship between age and forgetfulness without any negative expression. Please read on :


from SUKHER DUKHER SATHEE,Utpal Kumar Basu

I have translated these lines -- what can be termed as ' bhabanubad' :

Cannot recollect which song you sang, what was the tune.
Now Forgetfulness , like a dear housekeeper keeps my household clean

My clothes are stacked in the cupboard
With a little help from her, surroundings get filled up with sunset (colours).*

The alternatives of the lastline catches the meaning as well : Twilight fills up all four sides OR Sunset colours all four sides.


Wednesday, June 07, 2006

What a Task !! - to add a photo of mine

Adding a photo was a task that I could not complete in one session. I tried to come through the
Yahoo!-->photos route. But , two attempts failed.Finally , I uploaded another photo in this blog and continued as advised in the "HELP' page.

This photo is a part of the photos an outsider took when we went to Nainital in 2003, hence carry a fond memory of the sunlit days of the last holiday package of last three-four years.

Well ... one should understand the first principles of "html' if he wants to jazz up his blog. And ... one should go for more vacations.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Death of Arjun Chakrabarty

Arjun was dead quite a few months before before he actually passed away.


Arjun joined DCIPS , Calcutta -- my current employer-- thanks to his brother Bidhan's clout in the company. He did not work hard. Was not good at work. Drank a lot when he was at Ramagundam site ( when I was transferred in June ,04 to head the team Palash Majumder left behind ) . When back home , he continued to have the problem of addiction. His bloated physique invited aversion. He progressed towards death slowly and surely. But , the recognition of the harsh reality was not there.


I do not know how his family faced this downhill journey of Arjun. I feel sad for them. His only son was in classX when he was admitted to hospital for failed liver. His studies and the tug-of-war with death continued through this crucial year of this boy's academic life. More than a Lakh was spent by the family and the Company to bring him out of danger. His liver was in a very bad condition and and could be partly 'repaired' with a 'shunt'. He came back to office for a few days.He was so weak that he used go around with a 'chadar' over his shoulder to combat the airconditioning of our Office.


His immediate family will now have to struggle for survival. It will be an uphill task for the widow and the teen-age boy. With Bidhan around, some help will probably be organised. But , nothing can fill up the void left behind by Arjun .


And the plight of the mother who is still alive!! The worst curse in a person's life to survive his or her child -- whatever be the age.


I pray for Arjun's family. And hope others with deadly habit of alcoholism will avert the grim end through good sense --- for their own and families' sake.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Another gyan from Robin Sharma

"The place where your greatest fears live is also the place where your greatest growth lies."
-- Robin Sharma

Success is Predictable
It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking successful businesses and world-class people started out that way. So easy to be seduced into thinking that those who achieve the extras got there through lucky breaks and superior talents. Not true. Every dream starts off small. Sam Walton started with a single store (Wal-Mart is now the world's largest company). U2 started with its first gig. Picasso started with his first painting. And then each and every day they took small, focused steps into the direction of the mountaintop. Success is no accident. Instead, it's a choice - and one you can make today. By reaching higher. By being bolder and by investing in yourself. Because as you learn more, you can be more.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

A QUOTE FROM ROBIN SHARMA 's PAGE

It takes great courage to be true to your values, hopes and dreams. Being authentic isn't just about speaking your truth - it's also about becoming the person you were meant to be and doing the dreams that reside within your heart.

So many people would rather be a part of the crowd than step out and live their greatness. Too many amongst us would rather be seduced by the illusion of security than take some risks to get to their personal mountaintops. And so their lives stay small.You are meant to shine. And you are meant to be your best you. Comfortable in your own skin. Authentic.

I had dinner the other night with one of my best friends. He shared that he's never been happier in his life. His secret? "I've always been my own man."Nothing worse than getting to the end of your life and realizing you lived your neighbor's life. Live your values. Enjoy your passions. Live life on your own terms. Live your truth (and the gigantic potential that resides within you). Doesn't matter if others laugh. You'll be you.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

ORDEAL DURING LAST WEEK-END

I was to return from Gandhinagar to Calcutta.after 3-days long meetings with customer.

Saturday morning brings the news that the direct flight that evening has been cancelled! 'Will you please wait till Sunday evening' !! What an option offered ! A direct phonecall to IA ( now Indian ), however, brought some comfort - I was offered a seat by 9.10pm flight to Mumbai , a free hotel bed in Bombay and early morning flight to Cal.

But, life would not be that simple!!The flight to Bombay was late by an hour. Reached Bombay at 11.00pm Hotel at mid-night. A bath was a must . When I went to bed after a brush ,a shave and a shower, it was 00.57am !!

Next morning was eventless. Normal boarding. No delay . Poor AC, crowded cabin on a sunday moring , that too in an Indian flight, .... nothing much to report.

Drama was waiting for me at arrival. I got up from my seat a little late . Exit through front only. A hand-bag on the locker above my head .... collected the same.Bag containing my laptop, notebooks and credit card case was on the locker on the opposite side,4-5' from line of sight. AND .. it was not there.My heart kept on beating .. it should have missed a few!

Reported to the Air hostesses, the Security person on the turmac below the ladder, another Sp in the lounge and finally to the the Duty officer of the Airport Authority.The chain , fortunately, ended there. Another security guard was sent to the plane .. with me in the tow. I was not allowed to leave the lounge ... I waited in the lounge. I was sure that the the bag was taken away by a person by mistake. I insisted for an anouncement when I reported the case the Duty officer of the AAI.

But , the actual event was different.

The security person returned with my bag and I identified it and the issue was closed with relief/smiles/thanks. The bag was reportedly in the cabin.When it was discovered,I wonder, why the Air hostess did not report it to the appropriate person in the arrival lounge. She knew I was looking for the same........ Very likely , the bag was left somewhere in the cabin ,or, probably handed over to the Air hostess by a passenger while taking out his baggage from the overhead locker.....HOW CAN A PERSON BE SO FORGETFUL !

Monday, May 15, 2006

Rijeka - where Anurag stays


This is what I get from Internet :

" Rijeka
Rijeka (rēe'kä) [key]or Fiume (fēOO'mē, Ital. fyOO'mā) [key], city (1991 pop. 167,964), W Croatia, on the Adriatic Sea and the Gulf of Quarnero. Croatia's largest seaport, the city's industries include shipbuilding, oil refining, paper milling, and engine building.

Dating from Roman times, Rijeka was later held by the Franks. From the 9th to the 14th cent., Croatian dukes ruled the city. It passed to Austria in 1466. Rijeka, which became a free port in 1723, was united with Croatia in 1776, but three years later Austria transferred it to Hungary. It flourished as a major Hungarian port. The French held it briefly during the Napoleonic Wars, but in 1814 it was restored to Austria, which transferred it to Hungary in 1822. After World War I, Rijeka became an object of dispute between Italy and Yugoslavia. The secret Treaty of London (1915) promised it to Yugoslavia, but at the Paris Peace Conference Italy claimed it on the grounds that Italian-speaking inhabitants formed a majority of the population. While negotiations continued, the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio at the head of an Italian free corps seized the city in Sept., 1919. By the Treaty of Rapallo (1920), Italy and Yugoslavia agreed to establish Rijeka as a free state. In 1922, however, a Fascist coup overthrew the local government, and Italian troops occupied Rijeka. The Treaty of Rome (1924) eased tensions by leaving Rijeka in Italian hands but awarding its eastern suburb, Susak (Ital. Porto Barros), to Yugoslavia. Susak was developed into a leading Yugoslav seaport. In 1945 Rijeka passed under Yugoslav administration, and in 1947 the Allied peace treaty with Italy formally transferred it to Yugoslavia, which reunited it with Susak as a single city."

My 1st post - addressed to Anurag of Croatia

Hi Anurag,

I have created this address for reaching out to you and others .

I find it great that I can reach you and others who are thousands of kilometers away within a few minutes.

Best wishes to you .