Over generations, Bihar’s bane has been its utter lack of urbanisation. But now, even Bihar is urbanising. Or let’s say, rurbanising. Two decades under Nitish Kumar have created a new elite in its cities.
Indian govt officials last month skipped Turkish National Day celebrations in Delhi, in a message to Ankara following its support for Islamabad, particularly during Operation Sindoor.
Bihar is blessed with a land more fertile for revolutions than any in India. Why has it fallen so far behind then? Constant obsession with politics is at the root of its destruction.
A strange column. The Durga Puja procession sounds like nothing more than the Ganesh Visarjan processions held in Mumbai and Pune. It is very odd to make a statement like Park Street Christmas festival is biggest in Asia. What is the source sir? Are you saying its bigger than Philippines where the ENTIRE COUNTRY is Christian? No doubt there were many great Bengali intellectuals recognized by the West, interestingly the author has left out the scientist JC Bose – but that is simply because Bengal was colonised first and hence had access to Western style education leading to Western awards such as Nobels and Oscars.
Your reply is full of logical errors. Even a person with basic intelligence will understand that the Phillippines being a Catholic country is automatically excluded from the comparison. Other areas of India were also colonised. They didn’t produce anything on the scale of Bengal. Lastly, to reduce the contribution of Bengalis to the awards from the West shows your cynicism. J. C. Bose is only one. Heard of Saha? Their contribution to science goes beyond awards.
And BTW, I’m not from Bengal.
Instead and of roaming around in Calcutta and its suburbs, the author should have travelled to the districts of West Bengal that border Bangladesh. He would have understood the demographic change that has taken place in those places and how the religious composition has changed in the last 40 years. He should have travelled to those schools where decades old Saraswati Pujas have been stopped. He should have read some history on the killings in Calcutta in 1946. From his surname, the author seems to be an Armenian. He should understand that Hindus have suffered more in India than the Armenians did at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Remember the Armenian Genocide of 1915? Hindus have already suffered the more since 8th century CE and would want to go through it again.
Calcutta belongs as much to SE Asia as to Delhi. Bengal will start growing economically once there is a free flow of people and ideas from Bengal to SE Asia, much as it has been over the last thousand years or so. Until it regains this positive dichotomy, it will economically languish.
Fine column, brings to life many memories of college years in Calcutta. The last thing Bengal needs is religious polarisation. Those who wish it well should be working to bring more investment into the state. One cannot live on love and fresh air alone.
Excellent summing up of cosmopolitan Bengal. This particular corner of India is rich in history harking back to days when Tamralipti (noow Tamluk) was an entrepôt in 3rd century BCE, and remained the eastern gateway to South East Asia and Sri Lanka for more than a millennium. In more recent times Bengal Renaissance led by people like Vidyasagar and Ram Mohan Roy brought new sensibilities to our culture and reformation in Hinduism. Unfortunately today’s politicians are unable to appreciate this rich legacy; instead what they have unleashed is crassness and vulgarity that is antithetical to Bengali heritage. It is well beyond power-hungry people like Modi or Shah to understand the rich subtleties of Bengal; no wonder they wish to thrust an unitary version of Hinduism as a conquering force.
Today’s results are a tight slap on your face.
A strange column. The Durga Puja procession sounds like nothing more than the Ganesh Visarjan processions held in Mumbai and Pune. It is very odd to make a statement like Park Street Christmas festival is biggest in Asia. What is the source sir? Are you saying its bigger than Philippines where the ENTIRE COUNTRY is Christian? No doubt there were many great Bengali intellectuals recognized by the West, interestingly the author has left out the scientist JC Bose – but that is simply because Bengal was colonised first and hence had access to Western style education leading to Western awards such as Nobels and Oscars.
Your reply is full of logical errors. Even a person with basic intelligence will understand that the Phillippines being a Catholic country is automatically excluded from the comparison. Other areas of India were also colonised. They didn’t produce anything on the scale of Bengal. Lastly, to reduce the contribution of Bengalis to the awards from the West shows your cynicism. J. C. Bose is only one. Heard of Saha? Their contribution to science goes beyond awards.
And BTW, I’m not from Bengal.
Instead and of roaming around in Calcutta and its suburbs, the author should have travelled to the districts of West Bengal that border Bangladesh. He would have understood the demographic change that has taken place in those places and how the religious composition has changed in the last 40 years. He should have travelled to those schools where decades old Saraswati Pujas have been stopped. He should have read some history on the killings in Calcutta in 1946. From his surname, the author seems to be an Armenian. He should understand that Hindus have suffered more in India than the Armenians did at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Remember the Armenian Genocide of 1915? Hindus have already suffered the more since 8th century CE and would want to go through it again.
Calcutta belongs as much to SE Asia as to Delhi. Bengal will start growing economically once there is a free flow of people and ideas from Bengal to SE Asia, much as it has been over the last thousand years or so. Until it regains this positive dichotomy, it will economically languish.
Our son, 34 today, was born at Belle Vue Clinic, Calcutta.
Fine column, brings to life many memories of college years in Calcutta. The last thing Bengal needs is religious polarisation. Those who wish it well should be working to bring more investment into the state. One cannot live on love and fresh air alone.
Very well written. Who knows if the second Indian renaissance will also start from Bengal?
Excellent summing up of cosmopolitan Bengal. This particular corner of India is rich in history harking back to days when Tamralipti (noow Tamluk) was an entrepôt in 3rd century BCE, and remained the eastern gateway to South East Asia and Sri Lanka for more than a millennium. In more recent times Bengal Renaissance led by people like Vidyasagar and Ram Mohan Roy brought new sensibilities to our culture and reformation in Hinduism. Unfortunately today’s politicians are unable to appreciate this rich legacy; instead what they have unleashed is crassness and vulgarity that is antithetical to Bengali heritage. It is well beyond power-hungry people like Modi or Shah to understand the rich subtleties of Bengal; no wonder they wish to thrust an unitary version of Hinduism as a conquering force.