In the wonderland of washing powders

India is on a mission to clean up its dirt under the Swatchh Bharat scheme and political leaders take up the broom once in a while to sweep the dirt – not from under the carpet to clean the mess but to hide the mess.
Anyway, this is not about such cleaning. My story is about the cleaning of dirty clothes. Gone are the days of bar soaps and the women who struggled to bring the shine back to the clothes. They would use wooden mallet-like stuff to literally beat the dirt out. Those who lived in villages would thrash the dirt on stones positioned on the banks of the ponds.

But, the innovative nature of man relieved the stress from the mothers and a product called the washing powder entered the scene. Initially, there were a couple of brands and the market today is flooded with innumerable brands. The good old days of Lalitaji and her ad with the catch line of ‘Surf ki khariddari mein samajhdari hai …’ have made way for umpteen plus one variants. Some are meant for clothes, some others are exclusive for woolens. And, they contain varieties of blasters like dust blasters, stain blasters, mud blasters.
The advent of washing machines have made the washing powder a mandatory product in every home. And – apart from women, kids have been roped in to promote the products. Obviously, cleanliness has its advantages. If only people would stop spitting pan juice and tobacco juice, our surroundings would be as clean as our homes.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

In the wonderland of agarbattis

The agarbatti or joss stick or incense stick is an item that is found in every home. It is believed that the Gods love the scent, and the smoke that billows out from the burning agarbatti act like magic on those who are within its range. It is a product that used to fall into the category of a cottage industry, but has now been relegated to something much more. It is a product that must be sold, and an aggressive marketing technique is essential to exploit its export potentials.

In order to achieve this objective, the industry has roped in celebrities from the movie world to cricketers. There is an aging heroine who, with her daughters, beams at the priest and offers packets of agarbatti instead of flowers. The reason is simple – her daughter forgot to bring flowers and the mother offers the agaratties as an alternative. Wonder how agarbatties can substitute flowers during the anjali (floral offerings)!
Then there is an actor in his 70s who also is a fan of agarbatties. In fact, of late, he is seen to be endorsing any and every product that comes his way. His appearance in movies have reduced because the younger crowd has edged him out, but he probably wants to remain in focus to ensure that people do not forget him. As the saying goes – out of sight is out of mind.
And then there are the cricketers. They are also seen to endorse agarbatties. They have a reason – before the start of any major game, they invariably make a beeline to the temple for a meeting with the Gods to seek their blessings. All of them extoll the virtues of the incense stick. Wonder when the yoga guru will enter the field and who he will select to endorse his brand.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

He helped me to bring home my scooter

Here is the thirty second unforgettable character in my life …

It was in 1978 that I bought my scooter. It was a Vijay Super and grey in color. I had just learned how to ride a two wheeler and went to the outlet in the city at Shalimar point to buy one. The dealer asked me to come the next day to collect the vehicle. I was still with an ‘L’ license and would need someone to ride the scooter back to township, a distance of nearly 15-Km. The next day was Maha Ashtami and my friend and I left for our mission by an ST bus.

However, things were not as simple as I had expected. There were plenty of formalities involved in getting the two-wheeler on the road like installing the accessories, testing the engine, going for a test drive etcetera.
We had thought we could be back by late afternoon but by the time we were ready to take off, it was evening and the roads were crowded. I was pillion riding and my friend was negotiating though the traffic. When we reached the Adgaon naka near Tapovan, he stopped the scooter and got down.
‘Ghose,’ he said, ‘you must now drive.’
I was shocked. I was still a learner holding an ‘L’ license and township was nearly 10-Km away! I lacked the confidence to ride the scooter on the Mumbai-Delhi highway.
‘I am having trouble with insects getting into my eyes,’ my friend explained. ‘I have not brought my goggles. Don’t worry. I will guide you. Just go slowly.’
Well, that is what I did. And – it boosted my confidence to a new level. I remembered the management policy – nothing is impossible. Throw someone into the water and he will trash his hands and feet and learn to swim because of the survival instinct.
I meet him on and off even now on special occasions like the Durga puja and will always remain thankful to him.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

His contribution to Durga Puja will never be forgotten

Here is the thirty first unforgettable character in my life …

Durga Puja is the largest festival of Bengalis wherever they may be and our township was no exception. When it started, those who were involved in it devoted their energies to make it a success from the very first day and managed to create a festive mood for not just the four days but the taste lingered on long after the immersion of the idols in the River Godavari.
The period was in the late seventies and the man responsible was an ex-Navy officer. He possessed a never-say-die attitude that is unique to anyone who has seen service in the armed forces. When the Bengalis decided to hold the first ever Durga Puja in the township, he led from the front and ensured that the festivities left a lasting impression on not only on the Bengali community but also the locals.

The biggest challenge was to organize entertainment packages for the four days. Since necessary funds were raised from donations and subscriptions, the donors expected to get their money’s worth. And - he took a decision to arrange programs of artistes from Mumbai and Pune. The tentative program for the four days were – inauguration, entertainment package by artistes of Mumbai or Pune, a program to the Marathi population, and an evening meant exclusively for local talents.
It was that stage in our lives when television was in its infancy and cable TV was unheard of and people would crowd to venues of entertainment to spend an evening and watch celebrities and renowned singers.
He had managed to bring famous artistes from Mumbai like Hema Malini, Manna Dey, Babla’s orchestra, Tun Tun, Sachin Shankar’s ballet and others to entrain the gatherings.
The idol of Goddess Durga and her retinue would be brought directly from Kolkata by train as would be the dhaki and there would be community lunch consisting of khichudi on all the four days that would be open to everybody, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
However, all of a sudden, he passed away and others took off from where he left. Even today, he is remembered as the man who made things happen. The word ‘impossible’ was not in his dictionary.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

He was a boss who knew how to instill confidence in his subordinates

Here is the thirtieth unforgettable character in my life …

He was one of my bosses who made me realize the potential that I had in me. He was instrumental to get me transferred from a department where I had got bored stiff with routine work – I wanted a change and he allowed that to happen. He wanted me to set up a section and I was given a separate room and a team of four persons drawn from other departments. The day I took over charge, the first person to enter my section was the one who had been handling the work in the project group. He was beaming as he informed me that his transfer had materialized and he would be leaving for Bangalore in a couple of days. He also added that he was sending to me all the documents that he was holding. They came in a jeep followed by two steel Godrej almirahs and other furniture that he felt I would require.
I had never handled the procurement of engineering material, neither did I know the norms of provisioning, or the methods of following up with suppliers, and liaising with user departments to keep track of critical items. These were new areas to me and I was appalled at the volume of files and correspondences that he transferred gleefully to my section.

After I had settled down and was engrossed in trying to make sense out of the papers that I was in possession of, my boss phoned me and asked me to come over to his office. He offered me a cup of tea and, as we sipped the tea, he asked probing questions. Finally, he handed me a report and said that the report has to go to the Corporate office every month and would I check the correctness of the data?
I was shocked – as it is I was floundering and it would take me time to even think of vetting important information. My boss understood and asked bluntly – when can you vet this?
And I replied frankly – please give me at least six months.
Anything else? he asked.
I would like a personal computer, I replied.
Accordingly, he gave me a PC – it was one of the primitive models with two drives – you had to insert a floppy in one drive for booting and use the second drive for the floppy to store data and to generate reports.
True to his word, he gave me the six months – once I was confident, he gave the fresh report to me and I sat late into the night for vetting. It took me a couple of days since I had to get his clarifications on some discrepancies.
Finally, my version was ready. He signed it and sent it to Corporate office and told me – henceforth you will be responsible for this activity every month.
He was my Boss for the final period of my service and he taught me to be self-reliant. He would assign apparently impossible tasks to me and I would innovate to come up with solutions. It was a part of the growing up experience for me.
He has now retired as a Director at the Corporate level and, is an example of how delegation of work can build confidence in the subordinate as well as ease one’s own headaches.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

He was an out and out Bohemian

Here is the twenty ninth unforgettable character in my life …

There is hardly anyone who has not met at least one Bohemian in his lifetime. This Bohemian friend of mine was a freelancer – he had a small screen printing outfit and would go around collecting orders for visiting cards or marriage cards or labels. He was sincere to his profession but he had a drawback. He had never learnt cycling, therefore he could not ride any scooter and had to use his feet. When the distances were large, he would hire an auto rickshaw.

Since our city had an abundance of small scale industries, he was never short of orders. He faced problems when he bagged large orders – at that time he would recruit temporary hands, mostly girls. Their relationships were always master-servant types, nothing closer than that.
Our paths crossed when we decided to print Bengali books and magazines from Nashik through computers. He arranged for the Bengali fonts through his contact and also the facilities of data entry. We used to meet in his room – it was always in a mess. We would suggest that he get married and settle down to a regular life but he would laugh it all off.
He did have a try tried at writing stories but the results were not that great – he wanted to be a rebel and would insist on his special style of spelling. It was a style that no one accepted in those days but is gradually coming into vogue today!
Anyway, when circumstances forced our magazine, our paths parted – our meetings became less frequent and, one day, we came to know that he had finally got married. Only – she was a divorcee with a kid. She used to help him in his freelancing business and had trouble with her husband. They would fight and, finally, she took the extreme step of separation. My friend gladly accepted her.
We met after a long time during one of the Durga pujas – both he and his wife had come to the puja pandal. He had purchased a brand new car and had a driver – he has not yet learnt driving the car.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

He is a Bengali and translates Marathi literature

Here is the twenty eighth unforgettable character in my life …

There is hardly any Bengali who does not fancy himself as another poet worthy of recognition, he is no exception. A writer in his own right – he writes poetry as well as short stories and essays but has made a name for himself in translating works of Marathi authors. He has recently completed a work for the Sahitya Academy and, in his spare time, both in office and home, he writes and writes – it is a hobby for him. He subscribes to umpteen small magazines and has seen his name in print several hundred times. This passion of his brought us together – he was the architect of printing Bengali magazines from Nashik, first it was cyclostyled and later printed.

When we decided to print the magazine, we had to generate funds – getting ads was the best way because, once you were able to convince the opposite side, you got more than your money’s worth. I have written elsewhere about the way we would get the matter into computer language and get the magazines printed- I will not dwell on that again, but the struggle to get ads was something that took its toll – we forgot all about our domestic lives.
Throughout the whole week we would take it in turns to do the data entry and setting of the pages, and the Sundays were reserved for ad drives. The industrial area was a good twenty five kilometers away and, on Sunday mornings, we would leave the house after breakfast – his scooter was the means of propulsion. He would drive and together we would go from one company to another – we would meet with success but failures were more.
Still, thanks to his determination, we did manage to generate adequate funds for as many as eight quarterly issues. We would have tea and snacks on roadside eateries and never faced any ill effects. However, when he was detected as being a patient of diabetes, we had to control our outdoor activities. Gradually, we had to close the project.
He is now a retired man and lives with his writings, his racks are overcrowded with complimentary copies – he gets these in abundance rather than honorariums. He travels to various destinations to participate in annual get together of writers and of literary associations and societies. He has not received any great recognition but is happy to contribute his bit towards Bengali literature with his translations of Marathi literature.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

He loved a game of contract bridge

Here is the twenty seventh unforgettable character in my life …

In those days, there were young men who married by giving information that was not true – it was sad because, after the marriage, it broke many homes. I have seen it happen. Anyway, the person I will now write about did no such thing – he handled the electrical aspects of the fighter aircraft and he got married to a girl who had a wonderful voice. She could render Rabindasangeet like any well-known singer.

He was also a footballer and an acknowledged player of bridge – he and his partner had participated in many national bridge tournaments and rubbed shoulders with the likes of bridge maestro Jimmy Mehta.
The wife was a calm lady, busy in her household activities and came on stage whenever requested to do so to sing Rabindra sangeet – either solo or in a group. In order to assist his wife, my friend learnt how to play the tabla and would accompany his wife on stage. None of them believed in creating problems.
As per traditions of those who live in a place for a very long time, he purchased a plot of land with the intention of building his own house and living there after retirement. The fact that his younger brother also stayed in the city and had a small business of his own added to his desire of staying on here. But, events willed otherwise.
His small family was complete with the only child, a son – he had little or no interest in either games or music. He was a studious boy and moved from one class to the next with honors. He finally became a Doctor and is currently in Pune. There is no certainty of his returning to Nashik. Therefore, my friend has sold off the land and shifted over to Pune to be with his son.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

He was a great help in the Kolkata Book Fair

Here is the twenty sixth unforgettable character in my life …

When we attended the Calcutta Book Fair for the first time in 1992, we had innumerable first-time experiences. The most memorable was the setting up of the stall. We had requested for the smallest space and were accordingly allotted a ten feet by ten feet area with tarpaulin roof. That was the normal practice – whoever rented the stalls had to get the decorations done by themselves.

Immediately we arrived at the venue to identify our location and take over the stall, we were besieged by hordes of people. They were decorators who wanted to take our contract. They explained their ideas and we listened and asked for rough financial estimates. In between, we rested in the makeshift tea stalls and pondered over the pros and cons. Our budget was literally a shoestring one. We had scraped together the minimum finance necessary to book the stalls and had vague estimates but the estimates of the field decorators floored us. It was at this point of time that the cousin of one of my partners came to our rescue.
He assured us that he would get the stall set up and would see that the expenses were kept to the barest minimum. He was experienced in such work because he had a couple of friends who built the local Saraswati puja pandals. They were in the know of things and, since the fair was being held during the Saraswati pujas, we heaved a sigh of relief. He arranged to shift bamboos and plywood to the venue and he and his team stayed up three nights to erect the structure.
When the fair doors were thrown open, ours was one of the stalls that was complete in all respects. He was our savior in the two subsequent years 1993 and 1995 that we participated in the Calcutta Book fair.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

Here is the twenty fifth unforgettable character in my life …

I knew him in my school days – he was the in-charge of a Chinese laundry that had rented a space on the main road in the same building in which my family and I stayed on rent. It was in Shyambazar – the time was in the mid-fifties. There was a shooting by the police on agitators who were protesting the hike in the price of tram tickets by one paisa. One of the bullets lodged in the wooden frame of our flat and, the next day, police came to retrieve the bullet and checkup for other damages.

The Chinese laundry was huge – it catered to special clothes and garments especially woolen ones. The in-charge had regular customers and did a reasonably good business. The clothes ready for delivery would be hung in closets that were located overhead. When someone came to take delivery, the in-charge would see the number on the receipt and with a long wooden rod move the sliding closet door to search for the respective item.
Once he found it, he would use the same wooden rod to lower it – the rod had a hook at one end. Some of the clothes would be in glass cases behind the large table that separated the business area. The clothes meant for washing would be taken in a van to the central agency – the van was a modified version of the cycle rickshaw with the enclosed box positioned in front of the cyclist. The cyclist was a Muslim.
The dry cleaners were well known in the locality and, in order to attract more customers, the in-charge had a novel idea. He installed a huge aquarium in the front show case – there would be a flock of young and old watching the fish in the evenings when he would switch on the illumination. After some months, he added another attraction – a stuffed mongoose fighting with a snake. Even though he was much older than me, we were good friends and he was a helpful neighbor as well. We lost contact when my family shifted over to our own house. However, after the Chinese aggression, the cleaners closed down and I lost track of him.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


The teacher who taught me Bengali

He taught me to ride a scooter

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter

Adele calls a halt to her tour, London will be her final stop

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk set for release in India in July


Six Afghanistan policemen killed in Taliban attack

Cable car kills seven tourists in Gulmarg

More than 150 killed in explosion of oil tanker in Pakistan

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

Here is the twenty fourth unforgettable character in my life …

We have seen in Bollywood movies of how sincere and honest men are victimized by bad elements and punished for a crime he did not commit and I have seen it happen in real life.
The gentleman was a soft spoken man, an officer in our organization. He was jovial by nature and his only vice was drinks but, he remained within his limits and did not be a cause of anxiety for his family. His family consisted of a son and two daughters and the younger of the daughters was more of a tom-boy. At a time when girls were more accustomed to ride on the pillion rather than be in the driver’s seat, she would zoom around on a motor bike dressed in jeans and jacket, her hair flying in the wind.
The elder daughter was a docile creature and the son loved everything rough and tough.
Anyway, this friend of mine was sincere in his work and hardworking and was due for promotion but had many competitors. In those days, getting a promotion involved a bit of luck because the number of aspirants was invariably more than the number that could be accommodated.

But, in his case, what happened was downright evil and whoever dreamt up the plan must have felt sorry at the way things turned out in the end, he must have repented but that cannot wish away the sad events.
In those days, the entry and exit gate for officers was separate and the security never checked their bags. But, on this day, my friend was stopped at the gate and the security guards searched his bag. They discovered some material that belonged to the company- in other words, he was stealing company property.
Normally, the bags of officers are not searched but, in this case, it was. Obviously, it was a plant and the security was informed to check his bag. Out went his promotion and disciplinary action was initiated against him but, it was too much for him to digest. He suffered a heart stroke, was hospitalized and passed away. When I think about him, I wonder how people can stoop so low to victimize others for their own selfish needs.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


The teacher who taught me Bengali

He taught me to ride a scooter

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter

Adele calls a halt to her tour, London will be her final stop

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk set for release in India in July


Six Afghanistan policemen killed in Taliban attack

Cable car kills seven tourists in Gulmarg

More than 150 killed in explosion of oil tanker in Pakistan

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics

Here is the twenty third unforgettable character in my life …

When I joined in Nashik as a first line supervisor in the aircraft manufacturing factory, my first boss was a Bangalorean. He was the departmental head and had risen from the ranks and did not possess any degree but had loads of wisdom. I learnt some of the basics of management from him directly and some more by observing him, his actions and reactions.
He taught me to lead by example. He had an old Fiat car and would park it in the parking lot and walk down to the hangar. In winter, he would be dressed in his coat, muffler and gloves and, once in the hangar, he would climb up the stairs, go to his room, remove the coast, muffler and gloves stand on the balcony. Then he would start to roll up his sleeves and begin to climb down the stairs.

His message was clear – dress should not create any obstruction to do one’s work.
Another thing he taught me was to ask questions. There were nearly 300 staff under him and they included technicians. They worked in eight different sections and I was in charge of one section. My boss would come to my section and suddenly enquire about the whereabouts of one of my men. The first time he asked me, I shot off a standard reply – ‘he had gone to the toilet.’ He nodded and waited for the man to return. Then he asked him where he had been. The man replied that he had gone to the tool crib to get a drill bit. I was embarrassed but my boss looked at me, smiled and said – ‘always ask questions. Even if you know the answer, ask.’
Then there was his most important message of how to handle others. It was my first job and most of the men who worked under me were of my age. There were a few Bengalis and, during the tea break we would our sip our tea together and exchange pleasantries. We would even share a smoke. One day, my boss called me aside and said – ‘Ghose, people are a source of fire. If you go too close, you will get burnt. If you stay too far way, you will not enjoy the warmth. Therefore, you must know just how much distance you should maintain.’


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


The teacher who taught me Bengali

He taught me to ride a scooter

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter

Adele calls a halt to her tour, London will be her final stop

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk set for release in India in July


Six Afghanistan policemen killed in Taliban attack

Cable car kills seven tourists in Gulmarg

More than 150 killed in explosion of oil tanker in Pakistan

He laughed his way through life

Here is the twenty second unforgettable character in my life …

They made a typical pair – he was fair skinned, like a European, she was on the slim side. Both were Bengalis settled far away from Bengal – they were from the land of the Taj Mahal. Her father owned a Hotel and his father was in the Air force. And – he always had a ready smile on his face.

When we first met, their son was a toddler. Although my friend had a permanent job, his wife wanted to keep herself occupied and joined the local school as a teacher in the KG section. Within a short span of time, she made a name for herself and had a large following. She loved the attention and enjoyed it. In the meantime, their son joined the same school and, as he progressed from one class to the next, he kept on showing his brilliance. The parents basked in the glory of their son.
Normally, the son is identified as the prodigy of his parents, here it was just the opposite – the parents were known as the parents of so-and-so, the top scorer of the school. He was able to get admission to the medical branch with ease. There also, he continued to top score and, soon after completion of the course, he moved over to England for acquiring more qualifications and for gaining more knowledge and experience. His parents got him married off to a girl from Kolkata. Simultaneously, they purchased a plot of land in a good locality where their son could set up his hospital or nursing home.
That was a long time ago. The boy has now returned to India and stays in Kolkata – he is attached to one of the leading hospitals in the city. My friend and his wife have also shifted over to Kolkata and are enjoying a happy retired life.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


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He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


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He was the first critic of my Bengali stories

Here is the twenty second unforgettable character in my life …

As I have mentioned earlier, I began to write stories in Bengali. It was a tedious process and a story had to be written and rewritten a number of times to make it presentable to the Editor. I used up sheafs of papers in the process before the final product came out.
I stayed in Nashik and my editors were in Kolkata so I would send my story by post and wait for the complimentary copy to arrive by post. Once it arrived, I would read it, then my wife and then I would take it to my critic.

Criticism helps one to improve. This is true in all walks of life. He was a severe critic of my writings. On Sundays, I would go over to his quarter with my new writings and hand them to him; he would return the manuscripts that I had left with him on the previous occasion. Then, over a cup of tea, he would begin his criticism – I had to clear his doubts; in the bargain, I learnt about the deficiencies in my writings. Occasionally he would add his own thoughts, those were useful and I would weave them into the final piece.
He had two daughters. They were sweet little things bubbling with energy. The elder was a bit on the quiet side while the younger was always busy in her activities including NCC. The parents had high hopes for them. They had even purchased a bungalow knowing fully well that one day they would have to occupy it all by themselves because the daughters would leave them for their in-laws. However, they were not ready for the way things turned out.
The elder one had got a job of sorts after completing her course in computers – she decided to marry one of her colleagues. He was a Punjabi. This came as a shock to my friend and his wife – they were staunch Brahmins! But the girl was adamant –finally, she had her way. It was difficult for my friend to reconcile to this; still he accepted the situation bravely. His wife even went to the extent of dressing in Punjabi style and joining in the bhangra dance.
Then their second daughter decided to tie the knot with a boy from Andhra.
Both the daughters are happily settled in their respective places –the elder in Delhi, the younger one in Bangalore. They have children of their own and my friend visits them regularly in between going to Kolkata and coming back to Nashik. He is now in his late seventies and I met him and his wife recently – they still retain plenty of the old world charms!


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

The teacher who taught me Bengali

Here is the twenty first unforgettable character in my life …

This pertains to my schooldays in the period of the late 1950s – 1958 to 1959 to be more precise. I studied in a school run by the Christian Brothers. While most of the teachers were of the Christian Brothers fraternity in their long white uniforms running up to their feet, there were a few exceptions. There was a portly German lady who taught us music, there was another who was in-charge of games and PT, there were the office staff and then there was the induction of three gentlemen in the form of teachers of Bengali and Hindi.
The beauty was that the two Hindi teachers came to school dressed in sherwani and dhoti while the Bengali teacher came in kurta (punjabi) and dhoti unlike other teachers who dressed in European clothes.

The Bengali syllabus had started when we were in the last stages of school – we had the option of selecting either the lower or the higher levels. Attempting the higher level straightway was problematic and risky because we did not know even the basics. So, the Bengalis in the class opted for the easier lower level.
However, our teacher had other ideas. He had seen Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose first hand having been a part of his Indian National Army; hence he convinced us that being Bengalis, we should be loyal and patriotic enough to learn our mother tongue. Our parents were aghast – if, by chance we did not secure pass marks, it would ruin our future. The teacher convinced them as well. And – thus it came to pass that we toiled with him and within a short span of time our confidence grew – we were able to take dictation, compose complex sentences, write letters etcetera in Bengali to his satisfaction. One fine day, he invited us to his house. It was a single room affair behind Science College – he was a bachelor, cooked his own meals and loved to talk about his experiences with Netaji.
Needless to say that all of us Bengalis cleared the exams successfully – there were five or six of us in the class. Once out of school, I maintained contact with my teacher for some time but then, as normally happens, we lost touch. The best part is that, when I went to college, I decided to prove to myself that I could write in Bengali as well as others. And – my first Bengali story, a crime story, was published in 1967. Many others followed and I became a regular contributor to a number of magazines.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

He taught me to ride a scooter

Here is the twentieth unforgettable character in my life …

He and I lost our fathers at about the same time. It was a great loss to both of us and, somehow, that sad incident brought us together. It was in his house that I learnt the game of auction bridge – his brother-in-law initiated us into the game. We would spend the evenings learning the tricks of dropping the queen or of squeezing the opponent while our better halves shared the results of experimentations in the kitchen. It was, therefore, natural that on the occasion of next Mahalaya, my friend and I decided to do tarpan (remembering our ancestors) on the banks of the Godavari together.

We went on his scooter immediately after the end of the early morning radio program because we had to be back to attend our duties. I had never driven a scooter before and, on the way back, I expressed a desire to learn it since I wanted to own a two wheeler. He agreed and the following Sunday, he taught me the basics – how to kick start the engine, how to use the clutch-gear combination, how to accelerate, how to brake.
It so happened that he suddenly got a chance to shift jobs. He had always longed for a job in Kolkata because he had two daughters and wanted to bring them up in traditional Bengali style. He was in two minds while his wife was determined not to let the opportunity slip away. I sided with his wife because I knew that in his heart of hearts, he also wanted to go there. One fine day, we bid him adieu.
He settled in his new environment, got his daughters admitted to prestigious schools and later to reputable colleges. He even constructed his house and found the work suitable to his style and temperament. He got promotions regularly and, when I went to Kolkata, I visited him. He was happy. It was fate that snatched away his elder daughter. She was knocked down by a bus as she was crossing the road with her college friends.
My friend did not allow the incident to pull him down. It is not easy to come to terms with the loss of a grown up daughter. He overcame the loss, superannuated and has taken up consultancy work that keeps him busy. His younger daughter is married and my friend and his wife have started a new life. Whenever we go to Kolkata, we visit him and talk about the good old days. His wife is a great cook and loves to dish out delicious preparations.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met

Here is the nineteenth unforgettable character in my life …

He was extremely careful of how he spent each paisa because, to him, each paisa saved added to your confidence to tackle the world. Before shifting over to the township, he stayed in rented accommodation outside. When he received the allotment of the quarter, he transferred his belongings by using the shift buses – one evening he brought the two plastic chairs, next day, the mattresses, followed by the bedroll, suitcases of clothes and on the last day, the steel cot.
It was a long drawn out process spread over the whole week but he completed the exercise without spending any money on transportation charges.

At that time he was newly married – subsequently, his parents came over to stay with him because he was their only son. He, in turn fathered two sons. He had the gift of the gab, wit came to him spontaneously and he had a wonderful bank of knowledge pertaining to Hindu customs, Gods and Goddesses. He was the heart of any party because he could make people break into peals of laughter by his play upon words. In addition, being a Brahmin, he was an indispensable part of all Bengali religious rituals and enjoyed the attention. The family was an exceptional one.
I remember an occasion when he borrowed Rs 20 from me in the hospital. Both of us had retired and would go to the hospital for our monthly medical checkup and medicines. That month he was in need of the money because the girl at the medicine billing counter did not have the necessary change. So, my friend borrowed the money from me to pay her and when we met next month, the first thing he did was to return the money to me.
Both his sons were good students and, in due course, completed their Engineering degrees. He married off his elder son who was employed in Mumbai – therefore, the son and daughter-in-law shifted over to Mumbai. Every alternate weekend he would come over to visit his parents. However, one Friday he did not turn up. He had met with a fatal accident on the railway tracks on his way home.
The younger son specialized in Metallurgy, got married and is now settled in Hyderabad. But, my friend lost his life to a cardiac arrest. He used to be the life of any gathering and we miss his company and his ability to crack jokes at the drop of a hat. It is a gift that very few people have.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

‘Blasting News’ – where freelancers are welcome

Those who are freelance journalists will love Blasting News because it accepts freelancers. I came to know about it through a friend of mine and have been associated with it for several months. The experience has been beautiful. They offer a wide range of categories from politics to world affairs, entertainment, sports, food, technology and lifestyle. Only condition is that the story should be current and relevant to the United States.

They are strict about plagiarism and have an inbuilt system to scan the report before acceptance. Once the system accepts it, the story goes to the editorial team who scrutinizes it for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, accuracy of information etcetera before publishing it – and the acceptance or otherwise is sent by mail immediately.
If the story is interesting, it is selected for the homepage and I have been lucky enough to get several of my stories on the homepage.
Yes – there is a minimum word limit and a unique format for submitting the story. There is a photo gallery which throws up images pertaining to the story for inclusion in the story and one can add images from one’s own sources also. As to payments, it is regular and once the story is accepted, payment is assured. Obviously, Blasting News is a blessing for freelancers.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

She sang Rabindrasangeet and organized dance recitals

Here is the eighteenth unforgettable character in my life …

She is a lady who has lived life the hard way. It could have been very much better but things did not work out as she would have liked. She was certainly not at fault but when the dice is stacked against you, you have to accept the consequences.
When I first met her, she and her husband used to organize majority of cultural programs in our township. Some of these were under the banner of the Bengalis, others under the banners of Officers Club or other such agencies. She was like an elder sister and was the ‘didi’ of all Bengali women. A great singer, she had the aptitude of training others to sing like her. Practically no cultural program was complete without her direct involvement. Her husband did the coordinating work and she concentrated on the actual rehearsals – the duo was always in demand and in the limelight.

However, suddenly, her husband fell sick. It was a peculiar skin disease and could not be controlled by any type of medication. There used to be blisters on the exposed portions of the body. The Doctors diagnosed it as an allergy. The illness had disastrous results because he gradually became an invalid and would struggle to walk down to the office. He opted for voluntary retirement and shifted to a rented a flat in the neighborhood. Most of his savings had gone towards his own treatment. Hence, he was in financial difficulties. Ultimately, he passed away and his wife moved over to Bangalore to be with her son and daughter-in-law.
The son had completed his Degree in Engineering and got a job in Bangalore where he met a local girl and married her. But, the mother who spent most of her life making others happy now finds herself at the end of a dark tunnel with only memories for company.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

He was a doctor who could remain afloat in the swimming pool

Here is the seventeenth unforgettable character in my life …

Doctors are supposed to practice what they preach and should lead by example. In those days the ill effects of smoking was not highlighted to the extent that it is done today. There were no bans and tobacco companies used to be the greatest advertisers and sponsors of major events with catch lines like ‘made for each other’, ‘good to the last puff’, and ‘live life king-size’. There was not so much restriction on smoking and this Doctor used to be a chain smoker. Even while he was on duty in the in-door ward of the hospital, he was never without his cigarette.

I have seen him in the swimming pool – he had the ability to remain afloat for a long time. This was an achievement because he had a bulky body. He was a specialist on heart diseases and, when I asked him about this smoking habit of his, he replied that he did what he thought best and there was no need to imitate him. Then he added with a smile – I can remain afloat for two hours. Can you do that?
The Doctor’s wife was a teacher in the school and they did not have any children. Therefore, they decided to go in for adoption. They adopted a sweet little girl and, no outsider ever knew that the kid was not theirs.
The Doctor’s father was an avid writer of letters. Every morning, he would walk down to the post office with an umbrella for company – a distance of around two kilometers up and another two kilometers down. He would usually be the first person at the counter of the post office which would open at 9am. He would drop the letters he had written the previous night into the letter box and purchase envelopes and stamps for continuing the letter writing the next day. He spoke little and kept to himself.
This Doctor friend was suddenly transferred to another unit of our organization. That disturbed his regular routine and affected not just him but other members of his family as well. Still, the transfer had to be accepted so off he went – into a sort of exile. His family followed him after a lapse of time. But, it was not easy for him to reconcile to the change. He suffered a stroke and passed away.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

My good old grocer still waits

Here is the sixteenth unforgettable character in my life …

He used to be my local grocer and a very special one. When our township was set up way back in the seventies, the number of shops was extremely limited. Permission to set up shops was issued to only those who had considerable influence. This gentleman was one of the lucky ones. As is the usual practice in these situations, the person who sets up shop must have enough financial strength to extend credit facilities to the residents – he had that. That was why people flocked to his shop. They maintained ‘books’ in which the balance would be struck – and payments made in installments that suited the customer. My good friend, the shopkeeper, would provide add-ons to ensure that no one left his net – these included incentives like home delivery, accepting orders over the phone etcetera.

His shop would always be crowded and since he enjoyed monopoly for several years, he still survives. He does not stock a huge variety of items that he used to do earlier because competitors have entered the scene but the advantage is not lost. He was well known for quality goods, he has maintained that. The oldest member of his family is no more, those of the next age group are too old to move around freely, his son is a Chartered Accountant and has a life of his own.
Therefore, it would not be long when he would decide that he also is losing steam. Till that happens, I hope to continue to meet him at least once a month – whenever I go to the township to withdraw money from my bank or to post office to send my medical bill to Bangalore by Speedpost for reimbursement.
Till recently, I used to buy selected range of groceries from his shop. No, I do not have any credit system with him; rather, we have a relationship that goes beyond that of a customer and a grocer. He stills opens his shop as a matter of routine and knows that in the age of shopping malls and credit cards, his concept of doing business has ceased to exist.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead