Vote Pujo

The City of Joy voted today...
Yesss... we did!!
"Baro Mashey Tero Paarbon..." thats the good old Kolkata for you... and if thats not enough... add VOTE PUJO.... whenever it comes... people celebrate in style....!!!
And why not? its a bonus holiday after all...
Regular office goers take a break from their regular 9 to 5 schedule and rise late...
I have been voting in the South Kolkata ever since I turned 18 yrs....
And in this Part of the city.. its almost like a social occassion.
The whole family goes out together....
Most of them dress up as if they are going out for a pre- wedding lunch....!!! (for heaven's sake!!)
They catch up at the polling centre with friends & neighbours, whom they had not met for quite some time... (damn.. )
Discussion place: outside the building... under the trees... on the stairs while standing in que... and for people who are not afraid to show their party inclinations- the party office booths!!!
Topic of discussion: As varied as, " Votey ke Jeetbe mone hoy?" / "tomar sari ta bhari shundor..!!" / Anjali Jewellers ey gechile?" / "Recession time... chakrir bazaar khub kharaap..." / "KKR ja khelchey... amader parar chele gulo aro bhalo khele...SRK khub bhul korlo!!!!" / "Vodafone advt gulo dekhecis, ki cute!!!"
Some even venture out to play cricket... (in this heat.. can u believe it...!! There is no dirth of enthusiasm...)
OR, simply like us....
We waited for friends to meet... went to the polling centre.. caste our votes... & then one of my friend's said....
" Aaj bikele 7pm .. bhabchi maal khete jabo... ke ke jabi bol..."
So, We too celebrated VOTE PUJO..., with vodka & beer...
And by the time we left the restaurant... the place had filled up with like minded people (LOL!!!)
So there.... Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers!!! (HIC!!)

Flora & Fauna ~ Shantiniketan

Living in a mega city, makes you forget the touch of nature... unless you have a garden in your house..

Which is an immposibility, unless you are stinking rich..!!!
All the beautiful 'bagan-baris' with greenary all around are just vanishing....
Some due to the fact that people simply dont have the resourses to maintain such big properties...
Some due to the greed of the 'land sharks' who dangle the carrot of a huge amount of money infront of the owners...
The swiftly changing skyline of Kolkata is playing havoc to the environment...
As the hig-rises apire to meet the sky... the vast, green, fertile cultivable lands vanish...
The trees which provided shade to the weary travellers... home to the birds are felled...
We dont see birds... butterflies...
Our only glimpse of flowers is when we go to a flower shop to buy a bouquet....!!!!
Sad.... But true...

That is why... my trip to Shantiniketan was very rewarding... I lived in the lap of nature... away from the hustle-bustle of a city life.... far from the maddning, cacophonic, existence... I was quite overwhelmed at the profuse riot of colours that welcomed my advent...







Rudra Palash...
Being extremely partial to the colour RED... the bright crimson hue captured my senses...

Hibiscus...
The delicate frilly petals look lovely....

Wild Flowers...
The wild red profusion formed a lacey border

Purple Joy Dahlia...
The pinkish -purple gaint with the yellow centre

Bleeding Heart...
This small delicte concocsion is a perfect creation....

Found this cluster of beauties climbing a broken wall....

Butterfly & the bristles

Rose Bridal Pink...
Utterly girlishly romantic...

Marigold...

Duel toned Dahlia...
Reminded me of the story Snow-white & Rose-red

Dahlia Apricot...

Orange Flames...
I dont know wht flower this was but I liked the bright colour...

Karma Choc Dahlia...

A stripped butterfly...

Carolina Wagemans Dahlia...
Peaches n cream

Checkers Dahlia...
A white tipped Gaint

White & red flowers make a nice picture...

Bonfire Salvia..
Indeed a very firey colour..

Dandelion...

Tiny Blue flowers...

Red Gerbera...
Bold & beautiful

Crysanthimum...

Soft & romantic

Impatiens...
A glorious fusion

A spotted butterfly on cosmos

Pink Whorls...

White edged purple whorls..

Kenora Valentine Dahlia...

Peachish red Gaint

Carmine Gladiolus...

Orange beaked Gladiolus...

Yellow Gladiolus...

A Sweetheart...

Chitals @ deer Park, Ballavpur

Coleus Kong...
Sunlight on leaves

Coleus Kong...
These colours are synonimus with the Football Gaint, Mohan Bagan.

Coleus Kong...

The dotted outlines reminded me of a painting, by Rembrandt Van Rijn that I saw at Rex Museum years back....

Coleus Kong...
Colourful leaves.

Night Dream Dahlia...
A brilliant pink Gaint

Palash...

These delicate red flowers, herald the advent of Spring

A flower that looks like a corn ...

Sunlight filtering through the trees...

A barren tree trunk

Cosmos...
Orange butterfly on a cosmos

Daisy Rudbeckia/Black-Eyed Susan..
The flower, looks glorious even as its days end.

The VIBGYOR-ish hue of God's own creation... touching all the colours of the rainbow, made me feel happy & satisfied that I took this break... thanks to my dearest friend Pragy......

Shantiniketan on Retro Canvas

Sohor chere , ranga matir pothey
Ami choleychi oonek durey botey
Periye raasta, periye gram
Kau bolena tham-tham
Train er dolaye
Khola howaye
Sheyi nil aakasher dham…
Jekhaney shara bhuban jure,
Surjo tara shudhui ghore…
Gacher chayaye, mishti hawaye
Dulchey palash phul…

Trainer janalaye boshey
Khola aakash aar na-na shobuj-holud rongey mishrito kheth er
Eyi drishsho je ki bhalo lage dekhte...
Joto baar anubhab kora jaye,Kom porey.
Ekta chotto BAHUROOPI train er kamraye uthey,
aamar pashey aashey boshlo...
Gaye taar kalo jama..
Mathaye beni kora ekta porchula,
Tao beka bhabey lagano...
Mukhey laal rong laypa,
Naak diye shordi beye choleychy...
Haathey ekta almunium er patro...
Tatey ko ekta potato chips... Thotey ek phota haanshi nai…
Shoishob ta jano kothay hariye gachey...

Ekta chotto shada-kalo projapoti
udde beratchilo baganey…
ey phool theke shey phool
taar eyi shanghatik byastota amar nojor kaarlo…

Taal gacheyr char dik ghire banano eyi 'Taloddhoj'
Nipun bhabey mati laypa
Mathaye khorer chaat
Prokitir shonghey ek howar ek aporup, atuloniyo cheshta

Deklaam pother dui dhare
Brikkho lagano aachey
Kaat phata roddur theke
Jattri der bachabar jonno
Shitol chaya prodaan kore
Hawaye dola gacher pata
Jokhon chaya shurjor
Shathey lukochuri kheley
Bhari mishti laage dekhtey

Koto goru-baachur
Raastaar dharer maat guli tey
Aapon money chorey baraye…
Ghobuj ghasher gondhey
Tara khushi.

Kopai nodir opor diye
Banana eyi pool
Manush, jontu, gari nirbisheshy
Paarrapar korte shahajjo korey
Nadir parey duti goru
Moner shukhey chorey baratchillo
Borshaar shomoye eyi pool
nadir jal er tolaye choley jaye
Nadir dhare Matir bari
Dekhte khub bhalo lagey
Kintu borshaar shomoy
jokhon nadir jal baarey
Shob boshoti noshto hoye jaye…
Eyi bhanga –gorar modhey diye
koto mashush jibon katay

Kopai Nadir jal komey
Payer goralir kachey khala korchey
Rooder aaloye jal er shrot jiki-miki kore
Pathorer opor dariye
Taar shitol chonwa anubhob korte,
Besh baloi lagey…

Shari shari horin,
Nirbikaar chittey khabaar khatchey
bhoy-dor shob bhuley..
Payter kuda aagey…
Aranyar maajey pata chara duto gaach
jano money hoye ekey opor ke
phish-phish kore kitchu bolchey
Jolashoy er dhare raakha
bibhinno aakarer gacher guri

Kaalo-shaada dora kata projapoti
Pet ta shobjey-nil…
Taar bhalo lagey paata
Gaacher nichey prokritir maajhey
Chotoder pora-shuno kora,
Aamader itihaasher pataye pataye
Aalo-aandharey khela korey ‘Chaitya’

Deener shesh aaloey jokhon giye porlo
‘Chaityar’ opor,
Adbhut shundor ekta chobi gorey uthlo.

Surjer kiron jokhon
Upasana Mandir er
rongeen kaanch er opor porey,
ek rong-chonge drishsho
dekha jaye.

“Tini aamar praner aaram
Moner aanondo
Aantaar shanti”
~ Maharishi Debendranath Tagore .
Chatimtolatye lekha eyi bakko e,
Shantiniketan er mul aadahar.