Cricket & My Childhood

Growing up, I witnessed my father and my elder brother whenever they were at home, engrossed in front of the television, never willing to part with the remote, when there was India’s matches especially if it was a World Cup. Back then, I couldn’t comprehend the immense excitement and hype surrounding the game. However, everything changed in the year 2011 when I fell head over heels in love with the game.

Cricket World Cup 2011

Especially on the night of the final which took place on April 2nd 2011, remains etched in my memory. I can vividly recall the exhilarating commentary of Ravi Shastri. The atmosphere was electric, the tension palpable. It was the pinnacle of the cricketing world- the 2011’ World Cup final.

“Dhoni finishes off in style. A magnificent strike into the crowd! India lifts the World Cup after 28 years!” Ravi Shastri’s words echoed across the country, etching the moment into our hearts. MS Dhoni’s  innings will forever be etched in our hearts. And the memory of that triumphant World Cup final will remain a source of inspiration and joy for cricket fans like me for years to come. MS Dhoni’s innings remains a topic of endless admiration and discussions. However, it’s essential to acknowledge the pivotal role played by Gautam Gambhir in that unforgettable final. With a well- built innings of 97 runs, Gambhir laid the foundation for India’s pursuit of glory.

Cricket & Bengalis

Cricket by far is the most popular sport in India, and the ICC Cricket World Cup holds immense emotional support in India and its cricket-crazy population. Undoubtedly, cricket is more than a sport in India, and the cricket World Cup is the most anticipated events in the country.

The emotions of World Cup are magnified when it comes to Eden Gardens. No doubt, the World Cup is the pinnacle of cricketing events! And for Bengalis, it becomes a time for intense passion, national pride and communal celebration.  In the bustling city of Kolkata, the iconic Eden Gardens stands tall, eagerly awaiting the return of the ICC World Cup after an arduous 11- year hiatus.

Eden Gardens is not just a place but a metaphorical realm that holds a special place in the heart of Bengal. For those who may not be aware, Eden Gardens is a famous cricket stadium located in Kolkata. It’s one of the most iconic and revered cricket grounds in the world. With the capacity to hold around 68,000 enthusiastic spectators, it’s the 2nd largest stadium in India.

Eden Gardens stadium

For us, Bengalis, Eden Gardens evoke a wide range of emotions and sentiments deeply intertwined with our love for cricket. Cricket is not just a sport here; it’s a passion that unites people across different ages, backgrounds and social strata. The whole city comes alive and emotions range from nervous anticipation to sheer jubilation whenever a match is being played here.

We take immense pride in our cricketing heritage. A World Cup hosted at Eden Gardens offers an opportunity to showcase this pride on a global stage. The spirit of camaraderie during the World Cup is heartwarming. We gather in homes and public places to watch matches together supporting our favorite teams and players.

At times, a world cup match at Eden Gardens can also evoke a sense of nostalgia and reflection. The crowds and the stadium has witnessed some of the most memorable cricketing moments, both joyful and heartbreaking. Whether it’s the chant of “Dada” echoing in the stands or the euphoria of witnessing our favorite players take the field, every moment here is etched in our memories.

Also Read: Interesting Facts About Kolkata – Our City Of Joy

World Cup 2023

In the end, beyond the boundaries and stumps, it’s the emotions that will be etched into the history of the World Cup 2023. This momentous occasion calls for unity and support of our nation. As fans it’s our collective responsibility to cheer for our team with unwavering enthusiasm and belief. The World Cup will not only be a celebration of cricket but also celebration of emotions that bind us with our beloved sport.

Sneha Chakraborty

Sneha Chakraborty, budding teacher who is currently pursuing her master’s degree in English. Her journey through academia has ignited profound love for the language. For the first time, she ventured into the world of content writing for this website, i.e., Kolkata Fusion to enhance her skills in this genre, and also with many more endeavours planned in the upcoming days.
We aspire for this content to resonate not only with cricket enthusiasts but also with those who may not be deeply passionate about the sport but still enjoy watching matches.

The post Embracing the Cricket Fever appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Our primary aim behind this webinar was to provide a grooming platform for would-be content writers, a podium for aspiring writers to hone their writing skills while writing with us and be industry-ready.

Like it takes a village to bring up a child, it takes an army to maintain a website. Until now, we used to accept guest blogs. However, subsequently, we will also mentor willing content writers. We’ll provide topics, keywords, image ideas, and word limits and help you research if you’re stuck. We’ll also do the editing for you. So, that when your articles are finally published, they are catchy, informative, and engaging. Though we aren’t providing any monetary benefits right now, we’ll promote your article and help you reach a wider audience. Interested candidates can drop their email id in the comment box or reach out to us at parnaneha@gmail.com or contact-us@kolkatafusion.com.

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“The plants around us not only give oxygen to our lungs but also to our souls”

Anonymous

Continued from Part 1

Our neighbourhood 

Let us look at our green neighbour – the plants around us. These species of organisms scattered on the earth’s surface spend their entire lives confined in one single place. They are, by nature, immobile. They cannot change their geographical location at their whims. They stay still and static in the same place throughout their life. And they keep displaying their vitality and exuberance by growing green leaves, branches, blooming flowers, fruits and seeds. They go on writing the tales of life by spreading their roots underground – out of the reach of human sight.

That’s why in the philosophy of plant life immobility does not always mean an absence of vivacity. Though the aquatic plants float with the current of water and do not settle down or anchor their roots anywhere. They neither entangle themselves to a particular place nor develop any bonding with any point of location. Their positions always keep on changing.           

Human beings and plants         

Human beings perceive vitality as synonymous with variation and dynamism; change is perceived as the mark of life. But variability does not mean change of place or location or movability only. A life confined to a certain location is devoid of change and stagnant is not an acceptable proposition. This is the wisdom that comes from the life of plants of land that are immobile, static.

Each of them is the initiator of such a fundamental and major change in the form of a transformation process called photosynthesis which is directly or indirectly indispensable for the survival of all animal species of this planet. These green, self-fed species embody various kinds of change and transformation to supply provisions for subsistence to other organisms, including human beings. They have been imparting all ingredients of life – from oxygen to food – unconditionally since the very dawn of this creation.

It is a ubiquitous sight that the wanderers pick up and collect flowers, fruits, branches and leaves from the trees on roads or open fields indiscriminately without any hesitation or sense of guilt. Why should they not do that either?! Where would they go to seek permission? Even if they would desire for a nod, the plants are not capable of giving the same.

However lively and self-dependent for producing their own food they might be, the plants do not possess a mind after all. If they do not have a mind, then how can they have memory? Is it at all possible to find out any trace of historical awareness in plants? As per human logic and understanding, it is obviously not possible.

However, though plants do not have the kind of mind humans possess, they can have a mind of their own kind. And why should we assume that the history of human evolution and civilization is not inscribed on the walls of the vegetable mind? Who can say that the narratives of the different parallel episodes of the timelines of human history are not recorded in the annual rings of a tree?

Let’s learn from the plants around us

Truly speaking, our green neighbor sends out the signals of self-reliance of an entity and the height of freedom enjoyed by it. Many realizations derived from the experiences of human life seem unrealistic then. The reality of plant life can show a completely different direction to human philosophy of life. The secret password of feeling vigorous despite being denied any locational movement can be learnt from this set of silent green organisms with whom we have been co-living for so long. Despite being static, one can feel free of bondage – this insight also comes from plant life.

On the other hand, the floating aquatic plants teach us that flowing and moving do not always come out to be rootless. The wealth, greatness and shortcoming of human life are defined according to specific criteria constructed by the human mind only. Thus they are not eternal or fixed once and for all. The motionless state is not necessarily stagnancy; novelty can be sought, and creativity can be cultivated even by remaining still at one singular place. Therefore, stagnancy is not a shortcoming or failure at all as it is often perceived in the human context.

At the same time, we can have a variant outlook towards life if we realize that being in a floating state is not always being rootless or uprooted. Then it would seem feasible to float with the stream of life while carrying our own roots. This insight helps us to overcome the peril of refugee sentiment. Both stability and variability ambivalently attract the human mind, and this probably creates various existential and psychological crises and tensions for us. The plant wisdom can throw some light to get rid of them.           

There is no motivation to prove oneself as benevolent; there is no expectation of getting recognition or honor as a generous soul. These self-reliant, self-contained species spend their entire lifespan by unconditionally giving away their surplus, by providing shelter to others in their own body, by silently tolerating plunder of the goons, by not complaining about their fate of immobility. Perhaps the self-dependence of survival has given such insight, a rich philosophy of life to this species that can enrich the life of the self-proclaimed greatest species of earth. This makes the life and living of plants appealing on various grounds. Each and every nook and corner of human life is filled with the presence of plants – from birth to death – in each moment. The co-living and co-dying with green corpses are mingled with the different layers of human life.

সহমরণ

আকাশে পঞ্চমীর চাঁদ, নিচে আগুনের লেলিহান শিখা

গাছেদের মৃতদেহ পুড়ে পুড়ে সেই শিখা ঊর্ধ্বমুখী হলে

দূরের পাহাড়ে কান্নার ঢেউ

আছড়ে পড়ে কাঁদায়!

গাছেদের নির্বাক বেঁচে থাকা শেষ হলে

একদিন তারা চলে যায় সহমরণের পথ ধরে

মানুষের সঙ্গে চিতায়।  

(As a half moon rises up in the sky, the fire dances below;

The mountains open up the floodgates of their tears,

The trees die when they had lived up silently

burning with the pyre of a man.)

The post Pandemic thoughts (Part 2): Life with the plants around us appeared first on KolkataFusion.

-Guest Blog

Is another lockdown dawning upon us? Or is it just a grapevine? Do we have any role in it? Our first-time guest blogger Suhail Shaikh, puts forth facts and figures together for us.

March 2020, a month of mayhem. A sudden but essential lockdown. Crippling fear residing in our minds, rent-free. Scared faces to use the lift. Crowded marketplaces were now scarcely set. A mandatory 6 feet distance for the virus that spread through touch. Makes me wonder how we took handshakes, hugs, seeing others smile for granted. All of those are hidden behind a mask now. You can’t meet people without being anxious about it. We’re under constant surveillance like we’re fugitives. Countless lives lost. Countless business submerged.

The first 4 months, life was at a standstill. Nothing to do. Just boredom. Then came a ray of hope and Zoom, Google meets, Hangouts became a household name. People started cooking, reading, and communicating. We were able to find a silver lining. Slowly and gradually, things began to look up. The number of cases was on a decline. Beds started becoming empty. COVID centres were being shut. Life was getting back to normal.

It’s 2021

A year later, cases are once again increasing. More than 12 lakh cases have been “registered” in our country. What’s different this time? This second wave has brought stupidity, ignorance and a death wish with it. Masks are not where they’re supposed to be, sometimes they’re not even present.

The government is begging. It’s repeatedly pleading and warning the citizens that if our behaviour is not kept in check, they’ll impose another lockdown. And frankly, we cannot blame them.

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Want to know why another lockdown?

People meet in restaurants. Remove their masks and eat. Now one would argue that it’s necessary for one to remove the mask and eat, but is it necessary for two people staying in completely different localities to risk it in a crowded outlet?

Illiterate behaviour of smokers and Tobacco consumers screams of ignorance.

People remove their masks to sneeze, cough, yawn and then put them back again, thereby completely losing the essence of wearing them.

Community transport

It’s the largest and quickest agent for virus spread. There is no social distancing whatsoever. Moreover, even if it’s crowded some enlightened individuals don’t wear a mask. I am baffled by my failed attempts of correcting them. I’ve talked on calls loudly, calling them stupid. I have personally nudged them to wear a mask properly but they say, “nothing happens”.

Wedding receptions, birthday parties, vacationing, everything is happening with social distancing taking a backseat. We’re in a hurry of creating our future but not securing it.

Moreover, this complacency shown is not just by commoners. The personnel in charge of the public is sometimes themselves seen floundering the norms.

Owing to these factors, we lose our right to blame the government. Neither are we keen on vaccination nor do we follow the norms. In such cases, one shouldn’t have a problem with contracting the virus and should be compliant towards the government’s decision.

We’re angry about shutting the religious places down. Hoteliers and shop owners are furious regarding the night curfew. The passengers are threatened every time public transport is remotely addressed for a shutdown. Every organization/association expects the government to devise stricter norms but none promise following the rules that already exist.

Let me briefly take you through the problems you’ll encounter once you or someone you love contracts the virus.

Remembering the basics of contacting COVID-19

1) Apart from all the physical symptoms and the untouchability, the financial, mental and emotional burden accompanying it is gruesome.

2) You won’t only have to pay for the test or the vaccine which are incredibly cheaper thanks to the robust efforts of our governments, but if your case complicates, you’ll have to pay for the ICU, the bed, the ventilator, the oxygen, the PPE kits, the gloves, the N95 masks which the government has no part to play in. So you pay whatever the hospital charges. You have to skip work meaning there’s no income but a lot of expenditure. A ledger your accountant wouldn’t be pleased to inform you about.

Mentally, you lose your will power and peace. The amount of misinformation spread by the likes of COVIDIOTS, gives one constant anxiety that hovers like the dark, grey clouds of the southwest monsoon. The constant doubt of making it alive, will wear you and your loved ones out. God forbid, if the soul departs from the earthly abode, you won’t be allowed to pay them respect. They’ll be buried or thrown with other corpses because they’re still positive for the virus. And you won’t be given a chance to see your loved ones leaving you regretful.

Is such an end accepted by you?

You also burden the healthcare system.

Our country is not exactly known for a top notch healthcare system. Our doctors, nurses are overworking. They’re locked in those aghast PPE kits, sweating, fatigued, hungry while you sit mask less with your friends in an AC restaurant.

Can our economy bear the brunt of another lockdown?

Some numbers for you.

• Our country has a doctor to population ratio of 1:1445 meaning for every 1445 Indians, there’s ONE doctor. WHO recommends the ratio of 1:1000

• Out of 167 countries, India ranks 155th in terms of bed availability. For every 10000 Indians, we have 5 beds.

• A year ago, for a population of 1.3 bn, we only had 40000 ventilators. Of course, we bought more, but do you think our country has a never ending fiscal supply?

• Currently, India ranks third for the number of diagnosed COVID cases.

• Out of 98 countries, India ranks 86th in terms of responding to the virus. ( Based on a research conducted by The Lowy Institute in 2021.)

Lastly, let me inform you that as a healthcare professional, I know the comfort a vaccine instills in you. But it’s only effective after both the doses. The first dose reduces your chances of hospital admission but you’re still susceptible to the virus. Hence, follow the norms, even if you’re vaccinated. Remember, it’s not just about you, you could transmit it to others.

My dear COVIDIOTS. Act responsibly. If there’s another lockdown, rest assured, know that YOU will be the reason.

About Suhail Shaikh

Suhail Shaikh physiotherapist by profession has inculcated a passion for writing even before he graduated high school. He loves to read and write and do everything that falls under “performing arts”. Sometimes, his writing has no filter. He loves honesty and that reflects in his work. His favorite genre is thriller and he loves humor.

Disclaimer:
*The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of www.kolkatafusion.com. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.
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The post Another Lockdown And COVID-19: Are We Responsible? appeared first on KolkataFusion.

It was around 1:30 pm; the son is usually back from his playground latest by 1:10 pm. But, for a change, he wasn’t. In fact, his granny’s radar was unable to find him in the play area for nearly 30 minutes then. However, stuck with work and brimming with over-confidence with their parenting style, the mother has been shrugging off his disappearance.

The granny suddenly yelled at the poor grandfather, engrossed with his mobile, “The child is untraceable for such a long time; how can you be so nonchalant?” The mother thought to herself and smiled, “For such a long time… it was just half an hour.” She realized it was the traditional style of parenting in India that evoked that action in her mother. And she also knew the scoff was more aimed at the parents than the grandpa. So, she reluctantly requested her hubby to go downstairs for the child hunt. Ten more minutes passed by, the child was still missing; grandpa and father both were cluelessly hunting for him.

The ladies finally took charge of the situation – the mother, too, shoved off her contemporary Indian parenting style, and became a Bengali mother and started making calls (Facebook call, as she didn’t have any phone numbers), and the granny went downstairs to howl out the child’s name from the park, hoping he would hear her. The overtly reluctant father of a son came up and said, “I have my office, need to log in. After all, He can’t move out of society. So, stop panicking! And if you have to panic, go downstairs.”

So… the mother went downstairs. By then, her fear had started taking weird shapes – what if the child has landed in a kid less house, what if some pervert man or woman has lured him! What if… what if…. mind started playing its game! It was around 2:10 pm. 

In the meantime, the other mothers, whom the mommy had called, had started freaking out, too. And they helped more than they could. More calls were made, security and facility guys were involved, security cameras started getting monitored, and time was ticking by. Still, they couldn’t find the child anywhere – not even at the known friends’ houses.

After a frantic hunt of nearly an hour, the four adults were still clueless and were on the verge of losing their manners when one of the mothers called and gave the direction of the hero of the story!

As the protagonist’s mother was on the way, a small kid came running up to escort her. In those few seconds of a walk, her anger and fear created a lump of laughter in her throat. But she held her gravity up and walked with a hung face. She saw the kid sitting in the lobby on a high stool, shaking his feet.

While the others took charge of him, the mother thought of dropping his friend at his home, to which he confidently responded, “Aunty, I know my way up. I go to play all alone.” The mother smiled and said, “Yes! Darling, you do! But, when you perform such silly, unknowingly innocent activities, as your friend did today, we parents tend to freak out. So please allow me to at least stand in the lobby until you reach your home.” The little kid looked up and gave the nod of acknowledgment.

On the other side… When the grandparents asked the protagonist to say sorry to the security guys and the other well-wishers, he burst out crying. While granny was scolding him with overwhelmed warmth, the mother reached and denied speaking to him. The men were relieved – more because the ladies of the house were relieved. As they walked back home, the elders thanked everyone. And the more they thanked, the more the kid sobbed. However, they finally reached home.

Holding the crying child’s hand, the mother dragged her to a room, closed the door, and looked at him with frowning eyes. As a habitual style of Parenting in India, she had been planning to scold and talk to him. But now, as she sat in front of her 6-years-old, an unknown curiosity fought up a smirk on her lips. While she controlled her feelings (trying to understand them), the child kept looking at her, with teary eyes. Eventually, she burst out laughing and called his son close to him.

The kid was furious as if he was hunting his absconding mother and finally on finding the old lady he was crying, and the oldy was enjoying.

The post What Happens When The Child Goes Missing? appeared first on KolkataFusion.

‘Hiraeth’ is a Welsh word that refers to a home that never belonged to you but makes you feel that it’s your own. The Datta Household of Kailashchak-Mathmalaypur is the same for me. My friends Sebak and Indrani invited us to this fantastic house to attend their annual ancestral Durga Puja once, and then in the next year, we self-invited ourselves.

Recommended Read: The Durga Puja in the Datta Household.

The structure is made of mud with the exterior painted black and the interior kept the natural mud colour. This two-storeyed house is a marvel in itself and bears the testimony of the erstwhile rural architecture of Bengal’s Villages. The main entrance’s wooden door opens to a courtyard adorned with a Tulsi Mancha and a Hay house or Marai (storage) containing the year’s paddy produce well protected.

There are rooms on one side and the other side houses the kitchen, household’s storeroom (bhanrar ghor) and washrooms. The kitchen room exudes warmth with the mud hearth and the neat alignment of the traditional cooking utensils. You can almost soak in the earthy smell that comes out from the delectable dishes cooked in this kitchen.

As you tour around the premises, you can also catch the remnants of a cowshed and some bullock cart roofs lofted up on the bamboo pillars of the asbestos roof. A rural Bengal heritage on its own right! A brown meandering road takes you to this Hiraeth. The green paddy fields sway their heads to the windy concerts and greet you in the village. As you look up, you can see the blue sky embracing you. Is it not the home you yearn for?

The post A household among Bengal’s villages – My hiraeth in Kailashchak – Mathmalaypur appeared first on KolkataFusion.

The next morning, I found myself reluctantly sitting inside a hired autorickshaw. Actually, I did not want to join the picnic party, instead, I wanted to stay back alone, reminiscing the old times when Maa made the rice flour dumplings and coconut stuffed crepes to celebrate Makarsankranti. Nevertheless, because of his colleagues’ pleading and continuous requests, I decided otherwise.

The day started…

With the loud noise of the vehicle. The chatters of the picnic crowd continued till we reached the location and was overpowered by the rumbles of the nearby cascading streams. We nudged our way through different selfie crazy picnic groups to the source of the sound. The first thing I noticed was a fat brown mass of rock through a veil of brown rippling ribbons of water gushing down below to join the Usri falls in the Girdih district of Jharkhand. Not a very impressive show for a waterfall, I thought, in the true sense of the term. What fascinated me, instead, was the humble beauty of the surroundings. A few boulders stood up, unarranged, from the chest of the muddy river. On looking up, there was a green horizon, soothing the tired eyes.

As we reached Usri Falls

While the other members of our group, joined the selfie gang too, Avik and I, sat upon a rock and looked on. The fidgety stream was flowing by incessantly. The ripples did not stop even once, they broke, they gathered and flowed. As I concentrated on their movements, it occurred to me that our lives, too, are like the ripples.  We break, we gather and move on. Life is all about moving on while the inevitable death would sweep us away, like the river here, sweeping away the ripples with it.

My stream of contemplations broke when someone called for lunch. There were soft paranthas, dum aloo, and kadhai paneer. Mahender Ji, a caretaker of the guesthouse, which belonged to Avik’s workplace, managed to cook and pack them early in the morning. Though Mahender Ji was not an excellent cook, I loved the lunch. It seemed to me that I had never tasted such soft paranthas, dum aloo, and paneer ever in my life. Maybe I was very hungry, unknowingly, or, maybe, the natural setting influenced me to find joy in humble things around me. 

After having the food, we decided to stroll around the rocky banks of the river. The banks were quite slippery, as water rode over them, at times. While treading on forward, even, I, who boast of completing a few treks in my life, couldn’t help but slipped. We took a few more steps ahead and saw small sand dunes, probably formed due to erosional as well as depositional work of Usri. It was fun to step on those dunes, watch them crumble down by bits. For a few moments, we became children again. Our shoes went up in our hands, our feet bare. As we walked slowly on the sand, we felt our feet immersing down. And then we looked back to see the footprints we left there. Though deep in our minds, we knew, the next rains will wash them off, that moment was ours.

Good time too ends

The sun dimmed. It was time to go back home. Our autorickshaw driver started the engine. The noise brought us back to the present. Yes, we need to go back to our chores. I returned too, to my grief as well as the daily chores of life. The brief outing taught me a lot without saying anything. I realized that very little can be achieved by brooding about the loss I am undergoing through and I needed to live each moment of my life, as my father had always advised. I couldn’t change the scenario by bringing back my father to his previous self but I gathered more strength to face the present, from this short trip to Usri Falls, Jharkhand.

The post A Picnic By The Usri Falls, Jharkhand appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Continued From

While growing interest and addiction towards the TV at the age of 6-8 years gained me some popularity, it also became a matter of grave concern to my parents. They nicknamed me, ‘Okal Pokko’, which means premature ripening, which felt more abusive than any slang in this world to me. But my fascination towards the world of cinema was way beyond anyone’s control.  

My mother took it on herself to tame me and bring me back to reality. She used words, love, cane and everything possible to keep me away from it. She made people ask me my scores whenever they asked me to dance. Her expression changed whenever I was close to the TV switch and her eyes went big if she saw me playing ‘antakshari’ with my friends, but nothing could dampen my spirits. It was more like a secret affair than a rebellion. It wasn’t a choice; it was my life! 

Soon the world had a makeover, from black and white to colour TV and thanks to ESPN, Cable TV entered our life. By now, I was old enough to keep my dancing skills running and under wraps. I would participate in singing competitions and dance functions at school, but my mother only got to know about the debate competitions I won.

She often told me that the world is way bigger than the four walls of my house. She would want me to study hard and have a career worth being proud of. She often referred to movies as a form of entertainment, which is made for working adults to relax, not for children whose every moment is priceless.

Out of this brilliant thing which she said, I selectively picked up what I had to, that I need to grow up fast and start working so that no one can come between my cinema and me. Hence, I completed my studies with the same vigour and joined an MNC at Kolkata, just to know that I was free to choose my time, my way.

Alas! I was tricked. Earlier I had studies, Ma and Cinema, and now I have all the three and a JOB. Out of the 24 hours, I used to spend 9 and half hours working, 2 hours in traffic, 7 hours in sleeping and the remaining 5 and a half hours in cooking, bathing, praying, shopping, etc.  So, no time for TV. But, as I said before, it wasn’t a choice; it was my life.

Thanks to fancy employee engagement schemes, various MNCs organize multiple competitions, which are nothing less than the grand college fests. I started participating in and winning every year. Yes, I had to redefine the conventional ways of lifestyle and my 24 hours now were, 9 and half hours of office work, 2 hours of traffic, 3 hours of dancing, 5 hours of sleeping and the remaining 4 and a half hours of cooking, bathing, and bla bla bla…. 

Nevertheless, I was happy, my secret affair was out in the open and my love for cinema was no more under the radar. Soon my mother reframed her idea of life as she often told me and came up with the general idea that haunts every woman in the 20s – Marriage. She wanted me to get married and have a family, worth coming back home to. She often referred movies as a form of time pass, which is made for adults to keep them away from boredom, not for working women whose every moment is priceless. Out of this brilliant thing which she said, I again selectively picked up what I had to, that I need to look for someone before she does, who will understand my passion for movies and not let anyone come between my cinema and me.

I got married three years ago, and sorry to say that I was tricked again. This time, apart from Job and a Husband, I have Ma, Shashurima (MIL) and Cinema. But, as I have always said, it wasn’t a choice, it was my life. Soon the world had another makeover, from cable to internet. Thanks to smartphones, OTT platforms came into our life.

Now, apart from regular life, I have a YouTube channel where I review the latest movies and web series. I also post dance covers whenever I have time and my mother is my 1st subscriber and the biggest critic till now.

About Sudipta Ghosh

Sudipta is an HR by profession and a Youtuber by passion. She believes in the philosophy that “Life is too short to settle for basics” Writing for her is being able to help readers visualize what she sees. She believes stories are fascinating when they are relatable. Being a people’s person, she switched to Human Resources after completing her Masters in Economics. Her short attention span and love for exploring new things in life made her a dancer, Zumba fitness instructor, a beauty pageant winner and a part-time model all at the same time. Her Youtube Channel, Somewhat Filmy! is sure to grab your attention!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of KolkataFusion. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.

The post Ma and Cinema Part 2 – Love For Dance appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Born in the late ’80s in the beautiful city of Guwahati (Assam), I was quick to learn as well as identify people and objects that would matter to me in the long run in my big joint family. They were Ma, Baba, and Cinema. No brownie points for guessing that I was labelled a TV bug soon after, and my ability to figure out the show timings way before I could even read or write brought me more disgrace than honour. However, that is a different story for a different time which can be titled as ‘Criticism begins at home.’

Coming back to this story, as a child, I had a very clear concept of the nature of the tele shows.  The afternoons belonged to the struggling ladies telling stories of their depressing households like ‘Shanti’ aunty. The nights belonged to the strict people who spoke for an hour in Hindi and English with a customary smile, just before they say ‘Goodnight’. Baba called it the bulletin. An hour or two before dinner, few folks who looked more colourful and appeared lively, either doing something funny in ‘Idhar-Udhar’ or extremely serious in ‘Humlog’, based on the day of the telecast. The rest of the time, the moon went round and round with a BGM of ‘Sare jahan se achha’ (sad version) only to turn in to the iconic Doordarshan logo.

During weekends the Gods visited us. Even they had their own stories. Somebody’s mother sent him to 14 years of exile and the other had to fight his uncle and deal with his life between real and foster parents on the banks of Yamuna. There was a big joint family as well, were five brothers and their cousins kept hating each other until they fought a war for property rights.

Even as I child, who was fully aware of all the shows and content available throughout the week, there were only two names that could see my eyes glow and longing for more, the two musical shows featuring the latest Hindi movie songs (we can give a backlink to Santu’s site here), ‘Chitrahaar’ and ‘Rangoli’. Both the shows ran for half an hour and a mandatory retro song at the end. The shows that introduced me to Sadhna’s lost Jhumka in Bareli and Madhuri’s lover, for whom she would either wait while counting ‘Ek, Do Teen’ or celebrate his homecoming, singing ‘Mera piya ghar aya’. I was fascinated and glued to the TV Set every time these songs aired, never caring who was on the screen. All I cared for was the way they moved. Unknowingly I started imitating them and probably I did it so well that people in my extended family and neighbourhood made me dance on almost all the family occasions.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of KolkataFusion. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.

To Be Continued…

Recommended Read: The Dragon Went to the Toilet

About Sudipta Ghosh

Sudipta is an HR by profession and a Youtuber by passion. She believes in the philosophy that “Life is too short to settle for basics” Writing for her is being able to help readers visualize what she sees. She believes stories are fascinating when they are relatable. Being a people’s person, she switched to Human Resources after completing her Masters in Economics. Her short attention span and love for exploring new things in life made her a dancer, Zumba fitness instructor, a beauty pageant winner and a part-time model all at the same time. Her Youtube Channel, Somewhat Filmy! is sure to grab your attention!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of KolkataFusion. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.

The post Ma and Cinema Part 1 – Doordarshan Makes A Slow Entry appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Politics, on the other hand, was moving at its own pace. Central Government declared Janata curfew on March 22, Sunday. And from Tuesday midnight, a nationwide lockdown was imposed for 21 days. In the absence of prior intimation and sufficient window period, mayhem broke in every household!

And our lives….

Work-life balance or work-life amalgamation

As a work from home mother of a nuclear family, Neha was expertized to balance her work, kid, love, and “me-time.” However, the sudden closure of schools and daycare hit her hard on the head. And the cherry on the top has been – no househelps!

On the other hand, Parna has been quite in a soup with no nanny for her toddler and no househelp. She has calmly decided to reduce her freelancing projects, even if it means curtailing the few hours of what she enjoyed the most – writing, to manage the increased chore load with her family members. And even if that meant compromising with her BI career.

Payment cuts have started, clients’ complaints are increasing, mom-guilt is on a new journey, taste buds are at peak. And the married life – that’s also not taking any back seat. But, a day still had 24 hours only!  

Makeup and masking

Being pathetic with makeup, Neha’s friends have always chided her. But none could impact her the way COVID-19 has – she is dying to put on makeup. Mask suffocates her and sanitizers give her sneezes! She badly wants to show off her lipsticks!

Parna is having her best run now. She always enjoyed being socially reclusive, abhorred dolling up and the COVID-19 era has helped her in more ways than one.

COVID-19 Shopping or hoarding

Once again, our educated minds said not to hoard, but Neha couldn’t stop herself from panic buying! On 23^rd of March, she bought grocery supplies for another month and stacked her fridge with sufficient eggs, meat, fishes to last for 15 days. For the first time, her 350 ltr refrigerator started being optimally utilized.

On the other hand, Parna guided by her mother, started planning meals in a foolproof way so that the stocked supplies last them for longer days. The wise managerial skills of her mother had saved them from the initial crisis.

Rekindling the old hobbies

While Neha has found new love in TV, Parna has rekindled her old love for books.

Neha was fortunate enough to receive the Fire TV Stick before the nationwide lockdown started. And it has been her family’s companion since then.  With popcorns and french fries, every weekend is a movie weekend, and she’s catching up on all the missed out web series and movies!

Parna used to be a bookworm during her student days. The present situation gave her chance to read books, both e-versions and physicals, that remained stored in her laptop and almirah.

Virtual world – new way of socializing

“We are from a different generation and we are not comfortable with video calling” – something Neha used to often say proudly before lockdown. And now, her parents babysit their son virtually, schools are held online, her son and his friends play hide and seek in a video call – the new normal!

While Neha’s still learning to be comfortable with this new method of socializing through video calling, Parna thoroughly enjoys it.

Though Parna’s cynical about screen times, but at this present condition without the nanny to look after her kid when she does the chores, there’s no other way to make her sit for some time. Her take – “monitored and quality screen time can be beneficial. So, we need to be positive.” On the other hand, for Neha – the tug-of-war between screen time and no screen time has become her life’s integral part.

Yet…..

They are trying to stay focused – to stay ALIVE as the virus spreads like wildfire. Neha’s TV which wasn’t used for a year or so goes abuzz with COVID-19 headlines every hour. Whereas, Parna has shunned social media altogether as well as TV News Updates. And with COVID-19 as their ringmaster, they are walking on the tightrope. 

Four months have gone by; how many more to come; we don’t know! But, COVID-19 teaches us the importance of independence, discipline and integral values of humanity. No boss, or client hovering over our head, no hurry to rush to school, no help to do our household chore – and we are still surviving and we will continue. With each day, we’ll be more resistant and we will learn to live our lives in a better way.

So, how are you all coping with this current pandemic phase? How are you welcoming the new normal? Please share your experiences with us in the comment section below.

The post COVID-19 Era: Our journey towards the New Normal appeared first on KolkataFusion.