Monday, November 26, 2012

The Voice That Always Returns



The first time I heard the voice was when my cousin accidentally shared it on a social networking site. I didn't understand much of what it sang the first few times, but there was something in the voice and the music that made me stop and listen again.

I had no clue what movie this was, I didn't know who the singer was, but I did listen to it back on loop mode. I didn't know it then, but the voice would be powerful enough to pull me all the way to Kolkata, just like that, just to experience this magic in person, to see if it would still be as magical and haunting as it sounded to my ears so many miles away.


READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE


- Debolina Raja Gupta

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Hand Rickshaw

image courtesy thehindu.com

For those of you living in Kolkata, this may be a regular, every day image. If you're a reader who doesn't live in Kolkata, does this image mean anything to you? To me, it instantly brings up words like An Evening In The Streets, A cosy day with books, nostalgia, many cups of ginger tea, old-world charm, crowded streets, footpaths, bargain, old age.....will add more words here as they come to mind.


 Isn't this just gorgeous? Though I completely condemn the practice, I found this hand-rickshaw parked outside my guest house when I was staying in Kolkata, India, a few months back.


- Debolina Raja Gupta

Friday, November 2, 2012

Beginning of Winter: The Aaloo Kopi Way!

Winter is slowly creeping in, and there's one very very special fragrance that I have always associated with winters, and I guess always will.

When I was living in Delhi, every time the winters would start drifting in, ma would cook a cabbage dish (as this was my absolute favourite) and this would be the season when the vegetable would be the freshest in the market. It was a really simple preparation, hardly any spices or masala, the only special touch being the extra-than-usual adding of peas, and the one ingredient that is almost a must in every bengali household - aaloo (potato).

I made this yesterday (you can see the cabbage, tomatoes, peas, potato and bay leaf) and my hubby and daughter loved it too. It wasn't as delicious as ma makes it, but it did bring back to me my memories of my years spent in ma's kitchen, and also the fragrance of the beginning of this year's winter.

- Debolina Raja Gupta
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