Tigers

By
Kabir Jain

I love tigers. Tigers have stripes that are black. Do you like them? Tigers also have claws. They also have stripes on their head. They have yellow eyes. They have stripes everywhere on them even on their tails. Tigers are orange. Tigers, also, have white fur on them. They live in zoos or in the jungles. Tigers hunt deers and other animals. India has lot of tigers. They are in danger because people kill of them to sell their skin. In many countries, people are protecting tigers. They put up laws of tigers to not kill them. They say they want to help nature. They help tigers survive and not become extinct. Nature is good to protect. Do you protect nature?

My trip to Brunswick Zone

By
Krishi Jain

On my first day of Brunswick zone, I invited my friends to come there. The names of my friends are Ria, Aarav, Arjun, and Akshara. I had a good time and I had 150 points and I bought a ring. My big brother, Kabir's prize was a car that goes very fast. If you press the car's front wheels, then it will start to move. And I went on a rollercoaster and played bumper cars. I went on a spaceship ride that takes you high and spins. I also played bowling. It was so awesome. I knocked all the pins down with a bowling ball. And in the Arcade, I played all the motorcycle games. I was so fast, I hit someone down. I had a great time at the bowling zone. Read my story for more information.

Carnivale!

By Kabir Jain
(Inspired by the movie Rio)

When I was in the car, I was thinking about my favorite trip to Carnivale. As long as I live, I will never forget my trip to Carnivale. I liked Carnivale because of all the dancing, singing, and the music. I was the dancer. I stood on the beautiful float that was dressed like a bird and had pink feathers. There was a man below the float that told the dance moves I have to do. If I do the moves that would make the crowd impressed.

The first float was dressed like a beautiful red bird flying. The second float was just like a chicken. The actors stood on the boat and were dressed like chickens. There was also an egg boy. The egg boy was dressed like a chicken egg. The egg boy danced some egg moves.

 Behind all the floats, were some people standing on sticks. The sticks were just like trees that were pretending to be walking. Behind the trees were some people dressed like crocodiles. They could stand and two feet and four feet. And there was one float that had pink sprinkles on the middle of it.The middle was dressed like a cone. On the top were some white and on the bottom were some wheels to move it around. The person on the float put some fruits together to make a fruit hat like a cone too. The person put the fruit hat on. The person did some moves and even jumped up in the air and put his two hands up. There was also an airport there. There was a plane that was so cool it had two wings and two rows of them. When the plane wanted to take off, it put both of its wings together and started its flying engine.

My family was there. I wish you were here. It was an amazing trip!

(Image source: openpathsolutions.net; blogs.sacbee.com)

Christmas vacation in East II- Missing the Misti makes me Misty about Kolkata

Ganguram, Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy, Sen Mahasay, K.C. Das, Jadab Chandra Das, Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick, Gupta Brothers and Hindusthan Sweets these are certain names which can make you drool literally anytime despite the fact that majority of these BHADRALOK have gone to OPARLOK already but perfectly so as they are stalwarts of Kolkata HALWAIS carrying the Flag or say can of Bengali sweets high all across the world.

Established in 1885 Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick is a sweet shop Founded by Ganesh Chandra Mullick who began by making korapak sondesh, norompak sondesh and nolen gurer (jaggery) sondesh {if he comes in his own a true blooded Bengali can name more than twenty Sondesh and take up cudgels against uncouth Bangal(East Bengali) for calling his Malpua as Sondesh while a true blooded Dhakiaa(Dhaka resident) will never miss a chance to have his Pranhara(Life savior) as Sondesh is called locally in end we are all so much similar I remember having a dish quite different in taste but equally tasty as being called Madurai Jigar Thanda(cooler) in Coimbatore }.The legacy of Ganesh Chandra Mullick was carried forward by his brothers Shree Balaram Mullick and his son Radharaman Mullick. has become a throbbing venture of five generations.

The legendary sweets like sorrabri, sor bhaja, kachagolla, abarkhabo sandesh, mihidana, sitabhog, patisapta, lal misti doi, rossomalai , chanar payesh( I can always make a tongue twister out of these words for the kids but than by the time these touch tongue they melt…Ha! Ha!) are still prepared the same way it was used to be prepared a century ago Trademark Bengali utensils like lohar petano kadai and kather taroo are used to make sandesh. Using charcoal wherever required is used to make some rare delicacies to give that subtle flavour.(See the citiataion given to them)

Christmas Trip to East- Legend of Bon-Bibi in Sunderbans

large no of tributries meander towards Bay of Bengal

A fisherman Couple fishing, small boats are more ecofreindly (photo: taken from steamer boat)



I first came to know about Bon Bibi while reading Amitava Ghosh's ‘Hungry Tide’ these days my favorite author. In fact, Sunderbans unfolded before me because I read that book and strong urge took me to Kolkat and than Sunderbans this annual Christmas vacation with Seema and kids

Banbibi, Bandevi, Bandurga and Byaghradevi is a guardian deity of the forests worshipped by both the Hindu and the Muslim residents of the Sundarbans She is worshipped by the Maules(honey-collectors) and the Baules( woodcutters)

Thick mangroves(Photo: Taken at cement Jetty)

According to the legend, there was a Sufi fakir who lived in Medina. he had two children, Bon Bibi and a son Shah Jongoli. When they grew up, Achangel Gabriel, asked them to go on a divine mission to Sunderbans, in India. There they came across a demon, Raja Dokkhin Rai, who had this fondness for human flesh.



Temples dedicated to Bon bibi are sacttered throughout the land, Bonbibi although muslim character is always a form of Durga, Dokken rai is Tiger form.This photograph was tyaken at Forest checkpoints let me add here that government actively promotes the legend and all Forest resthouses have temples dedicated to Bon bibi



Once there were Moule Dhona who planned to go for an expedition with a fleet of seven boats to collect honey in a dense forest and he takes along a poor shepherd boy Dukhe, When the fleet reaches kingdom of Dakkhin Rai, Dhona forgot to give an offering to Dakkhin Rai. As a result, he is not able to collect any honey of wax for three days. On the third night, Dakkhin Ray appeared in dreams of Dhona and asked for the human sacrifice. After some arguments with Dakkhin Rai, greedy Dhona agreed to sacrifice Dukhe in exchange of honey and wax. So, after collecting enough wax and honey, he left Dukhe there and returned back to village. When Dukhe was about to be killed by Dakkhin Ray in the disguise of a tiger, he started chanting prayers invoking Banbibi. On hearing his chant, Banbibi came along with her brother Shah Jangali. and defeated Dakkhin Rai.

Sunset near Bangladesh border (Photo: As taken from our steamer)

Bon Bibi divided the forest into areas where people will live and where the tiger would live.the wild parts of the forest are the domain of Dokkhin Rai So powerful is this prohibition that villagers will not urinate, defecate or spit while collecting honey or firewood.



The Bon Bibi (lady of the forest) legend uses the power of folklore to draw a connection between human beings and the world of nature ,The story serves as a melting pot for different cultures Local 'jatra'-s travel from village to village enacting the story, all the year round.

JATRA in progress at resort where we stayed

Recommended reading-Raag Darbari

Raag Darbari is the first satirical novel of its kind in Hindi spanning post-Independence rural Awadh. It is authored by Shrilal Shukla and it needs to be read to really enjoy wit and sarcasm flowing through it, author got the Sahitya Academy Award, the highest Indian literary award, in 1970 for this novel.This was made in TV serial as well.




Novel is commentary on deteriorating values in the cities and villages of post-Independence Indian society. It exposes the helplessness of intellectuals in the face of a strong and corrupt nexus between criminals, businessmen, police and politicians. Though a lot has changed since the book was first written, but almost everything can be seen even today.



I found it interesting just by amount of humour and language skills which brings forth that humour, it’s a class apart in its genre and brought me back to Hindi reading after a long-2 time, I recommend it fully, I assure it would not disappoint and you would like to finish it in one go.

Teaser as prepared by me for our annual offsite(This time i did it fully)- Go Goa

Go...Go...Ahhhhhhhhh!! { Annual dog and the pony Charitable* show }

*Charitable as this is a lean season and we do help by filling up empty rooms of hotels

Dear Colleagues,

The time of the year when we pack the bag..to show six pack ab..in the pool! the time of the year when we groove showing our best move…very very cool!

We welcome you all…the beach capital of world( well Russian Mafia, Isreali cartels, American flower children and Bangaldeshi Maids does qualify it)

(I)
We promise no Poor Jokes :
What do you call a witch who lives on the beach? A sandwitch!
Why do fish swim in salt water? Because pepper makes them sneeze!


But for sure dip for jokers like me who cannot swim
We will bathe you certainly even if not the Indian personal hygiene kind but for sure of below type

(II)

A singing we will do like Goans dude but within confines of hotel rooms:
(III)
We promise no off repeated Pirate themes..sorry Jack sparrow

But for sure the treasure hunt on roads of Panjim which are bit narrow









(IV)We will have certain International visitors(Below in not exact replica of visitors) …..so be at best of your behavior**! Bring out your Guccis, Versace also taste Champagne with caviar!

**Best of behavior defined
- If you play ‘Ghost-2’ at 3 am in morning and ring the guests bell……please do say ‘Sorry’ later on
- If Room door gets locked automatically and you are left outside..breaking door not acceptable, please bring a saw along and carefully cut out a portion and open the latch.
- While in corridor be silent..to learn more about it read ‘My experiments with silence ‘ by Piyush Mehrotra, the author’s ‘Silence of lambs: an operations journey’ is recently made into Hollywood blocbuster.
- If you to drown after drinking binge..do not do it in sea, we can be sued by environmentalist for intoxicating fishes.

(V)
We promise no Came Ride! a scooter we will drive along the beach which are wide!

(No animal was hurt during this photoshoot)
(V)
We promise no policing
But Mind you..big brother is watching!!!!!

( An attractive gift by Punjab police for identifying above imposter)



Come enjoy with us !!!!!!...20th -22nd September TAJ GOA

For Team Goa

Dinesh