Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu

Though there is still confusion galore as to when exactly the Devipaksha begins (some say it's on 28th Sept while some others say 29th Sept is the day), I take this opportunity to wish you all Subho Mahalaya.

The auspicious occasion of Mahalaya, observed seven days before the Durga Puja, marks the advent of Devi Durga. It also heralds the initial stages of the biggest festival of Bengal and the Bengalis (often called Bongs now-a-days). The pre-dawn hours of Mahalaya when almost every Bengali house keeps the radio in full volume and the chants of mantras, shlokas and songs "Jago Tumi Jago, Jago Durga" fills the air, Mahalaya becomes synonymous with the invocation of the supreme power, mother goddess Durga, to descend on earth and make our lives better.

However, it won't be until the wee hours of 29th Sept when AIR airs the enchanting and legendary voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra, ushering the Devipaksha along with the devotional songs and chanting of mantras.

Artist Ray, the forgotten genius.

Come May the 2nd, and all the Bengalis are reminded of the cine-genius Satyajit Ray, the ray of hope for the Bengali cinema in the international arena.
In fact, any genius generally becomes famous for his most prominent trait like Rabindranath Tagore for his poems, Arthur Conan Doyle for Sherlock Holmes, etc. Likewise, Satyajit Ray also became famous for his film making and Feluda, the Bengali Sherlock Holmes.
Generally, normal people do not bear more than a single characteristic trait. So, it is quite normal for them to handle a single trait of the genius, the most famous one. How many of us know that Arthur Conan Doyle was a professional Rugby player or Rabindranath Tagore was an excellent administrator? And similarly how many of us are aware of the other geniuses of Satyajit Ray?
Did you know (before reading this post, of course) that the great film maker, whose birthday we are celebrating today, was a great ad-designer, and that he designed advertisements for immensely popular brands such as Paludrine?He worked in an Ad agency for 65/- a month in the year 1943 and designed ads for brands like Jabakusum, CK Sen, etc.
Well, the charms do not end here. Satyajit Ray was obsessed with arts, and when he stopped working in the ad-agency, the obsession did not leave him. He designed each and every poster for his films. Along with it, he drew for Sandesh, his favorite magazine. He created headpieces and tailpieces with inline graphics for all important stories in the magazine. And he drew it with great care and perfection. All the pictures were different in moods and aptly complemented the storyline.

Ray did not limit himself with this either!
He developed fonts, his own prototype fonts. Not one, not two- four of it in total!!! Ray Roman, Ray Bizzare, Daphnis and Holiday Script, each unique in its own style.






What more could you ask from a person? Does watching a few films on the DVD do proper justice to the genius? Or reading a few Feluda novels? I think it's time to reinvent the character of Ray and do a proper on the multifaceted personality. Or else, overbanging on the film making and literary side will make the artist Ray sink without a trace.

Chaitra Sale e life ta hell

As the month of Chaitra (the last month of the Bengali calendar) draws to a close, all the shops and shopping malls are offering discounts and special offers by the dozens to woo people. Poor souls like me are often caught in traffic jams, thanks to people who spill out on the roads from the already jam-packed shops, busy buying things with such a mad enthusiasm as if there's no tomorrow. So, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Chaitra Sale e life ta hell.

On a positive note, as the Bengali new year (Poila Baisakh is on 14th April) is about to begin, I hope that it would bring in new joy, hope and opportunity in everyone's life. So, here's wishing everyone Subho Nababarsho (in advance though).