CARDS to CARE @ CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas cards colloquially known as 'holiday cards' are primarily greeting cards, exchanged during the preceding weeks of Christmas, by people not necessarily Christians.      
Now when you think of wishing someone "Merry Christmas!" through such cards and visit a card shop, no wonder you shed a big rupee note for buying it.   Asking about me, it turns out expensive and I come back, either without buying it or I decide not to visit my favourite, tennage memory-filled gift shop ever again to buy cards. Most of my friends would agree as they share similar experiences.
                                                                                                                                  
When today, cards are been commercially sold at such huge prices, here we have a bunch of few cards which costs almost one-fourth of their commercial counterparts.Cost that is even less than your daily auto or rickshaw fare.

       

A Kolkata based NGO once started a Card Project to cater the drop outs from corporation schools as they wanted to earn. The project trained them in designing, printing and packaging just to make them economically independent and now they in return train such techniques to children of other NGOs. The fund collected from the sale of these cards are used to enable the street children to reach their full potential through education, vocational training and extra curricular activities. Portion of fund is also spent for the all- round development of the marginalised families, especially children and youth, reaching about 1519 children from 10 districts of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh.   

 

BIBIDHA, a Kolkata based art shop, since 2005 have collaborated with the NGO to market these cards along with their own line of products.                                                                         

Christmas and charity goes hand in hand, but here I beg to say, that there is no "Charity" tag attached, if any of you think that buying these cards will earn you brownie points as you are engaging in charity you are heavily mistaken dear, as these artists are here to sell their art to you. Its our honour that we are able to get them @ such reasonable prices. 

                                                            I, on behalf of BIBIDHA request you to add these cards to this year's celebration. Don't you think it's the finest way to express your feelings while you enjoy with your dear ones?!আর এটা  তাকে দিলে, হাসি মুখ তো  তুমি তারই দেখবে না, যাকে  কার্ডটা  দিচ্ছো তার সাথে সাথে আরো একজন, তোমার থেকে অনেক অনেক দূরে, এই শীতের  দিনে কোনো এক গ্রামে, হাসি মুখে তোমার  জন্য দুয়া  করবে, করবেই করবে দেখো!!!!!!! আর এটাই হবে তোমার কাছে সবচেয়ে সুন্দর Christmas gift. Caring for them would cost you Rs. 12 and in return they'll give you love in plenty, which is invaluable.Come make this Christmas a special one, buy a card and earn happiness.So why wait? 

WHY DANCE????!!!!!!!

With the world getting smaller and smaller day by day, we are exposed to a lot of performing arts and I bet dance being one of the most popular among them.

Dance popular among all ages

  So before we take a step forward to put on our dancing shoes, let’s ask this candid question to ourselves-           Why dance? Why should we dance?

              A medical practitioner would stress more on a physical level connecting it to Health and Healing. Considering it as a great mind-body work out, it helps people of all ages to get and stay in shape, losing 150 calories with just 30 minutes of moderate dancing. Strengthening bones and muscles, toning the body, improving posture and balance, increasing stamina and flexibility, warding off diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and osteoporosis and sometimes even AIDS and Cancer-are all the physical benefits ‘’dance’’ can do to you. 

Dance improves posture and balance

What does a psychologist have to say about it? In one word dancing reduces stress and tension, two of our biggest enemies and keeps depression at a bay. It evokes joy, secreting ‘’happy’’ hormones, relaxes the body, integrates feelings and emotions, enhances body image, self-confidence and self-esteem, releases old patterns, habits and beliefs and facilitates spiritual awakening. 

Dance facilitates spiritual awakening

But keeping theories aside, why do we dance? To some dancing is magical and transforming, to some it breathes new life to a tired soul, to some it unites generations and cultures, to many societies it inspires new romances and rekindles old ones.  

To some it breathes new life to a tired soul  

Dance is not only an inherent quality to humans but also to the Nature and the Cosmos. From the very creation of the Earth, the little flowers bloomed, the butterflies fluttered, the Bumblebees sang, the Budgerigars swung and the birds flew in the backdrop of the blue Sky. So every child waves its hand gleefully when in joy and every adult jumps when excited, all ‘’dancing’’ in their own way.

Children wave hands gleefully imitating the blooming flowers

         We dance to know ourselves, our World, our Nature better so that we are connected to all.With life becoming more complicated with increasing responsibilities and commitments, just pamper yourself with DANCE. Don’t just step in to be a part of this very ‘’popular’’ medium, love it passionately before the music starts. 

  

PET CLUB!

"Pet Club!!! What is that?!"                                                                                                                         "A Pet Library!! A place from where you can bring a pet and keep it for a month. All you need to do is to observe, care and nurture it and after a month's end return it to the Club. Just like the way you return your books in a library, here, while returning you get another pet and continue doing the same for the coming month."                                                                                                                                                       "Wow!!!!" This was my reaction, when Mihirmama said this.                                                                         Tickled with the desire to be with the pets, I started trying hard to convince my parents, in this case Ma. 

"আমার  Barbie চাই  না!!!!" I said.                                                                                                           

 I was only nine then. 

It was on 5th of June 1988, World Environment Day, that one of our city"s most esteemed institutes BITM (Birla Industrial and Technological Museum) launched the First Pet Club of Asia. I along with my family was present at it's inception.                                                         

I believe, I hardly understood what Pet expert Samar Bagchi said in his introductory speech; but I was filled with twinkling dreams to share my space with a whole lots of friends- the Pets. 

But Ma, unlike other situations, went on turning a deaf ear to all the pestering....... "আমি হই  না ! আমি হবো ?!! কি?!!! আমি হবো  তো member??!!!"........                                                             

 It was actually Baba who showed interest and it was for him I stood in the waiting area along with others, longing to take back a pet home! 

Children gathered to take pets home!!!

But Alas!!!!! When my turn came to fetch a pet, I came to know that all the pets have had already been distributed! My desire to be with them, my dream of sharing my space with them, was shattered! But as many believe, 'If you want something badly, the world will conspire for you!!!!' It came to be true this time. How?! I seriously don't know!! May be my earnest desire and dream directed destiny in my favour.  

Just like a film, when a sad me, almost in a slow motion was about to return home, disheartened, my father came rushing, the forms had to be filled! And all of a sudden I became a member of Asia's First Pet Club. That day I happily returned home, with my all time favourite pet- a rabbit. 

Happily returning home with Pets

In the next three to four years, I came back home with good marks in my observation sheet along with immense appreciation for handling pets and caring them so meticulously. I was endowed with certificates, won prizes in competitions based on Nature, Environment and Pets. but I can never forget the day when a little me, came back home with the recognition of being the First Existing Pet Club Member of Asia by the Limca Book Of Records. 

Thank You Destiny to be with me, that time!!!! 

My scrap book tells that my 'adventure' with pets had begun with Pet Club, and truly it was not a petty one!!!!!

LAKSHMIR SORA,THE DYING ART OF BENGAL

Creativity is just limited in a circle,yes that's how the traditional art form of Bengal is defined when it comes to worship Goddess Lakshmi by means of an artistic medium -Sora.It is believed to have born out of the tradition of Panchakalyani Pata of Bengal.The typical motifs are paddy,colloquily known as dhaner sish,kalmi,lotus,the white owl again referred as lakshmi pycha along with other Gods and Goddesses like Durga,Krishna,Radha and their maidens known as tin putul,panch putul depending on the locale the sora is made.  

  Mound of clay is pressed in between two palms to form circular plates,naming the process to be Charakata.The mounds are then wrapped by wet cloth dipped in muddy water infested with millipedes.They are left to be dried and then baked.Kharimati is applied to these warm terracotta concave plates whose sizes vary from 25cms to 75cms in diameter.It is then that these soras are ready to be painted and varnished for the market. 

       Undivided Bengal,especially Dhaka,Barishal,Faridpur had seen this ritual where sora popularly called Lakshmir sora were made during Lakshmipujo.    

 Out of the various soras the most famous is Sureshswari of Sureshwar of Madaripur in Faridpur.At that time, it was known as Mahadevi sora.Sureshswari soras has in them Goddess Mahishasurmardini with Goddess Lakshmi beneath.In the soras of Faridpur,the Goddessess are inside a box where as Dhakai soras have a boat,known as nao beneath.The others are named as Acharjee,Ganaka,Tin Putul,Panch Putul.   

 But after partition scenario changed,the artisans took refuge mainly in Nadia,North 24 Paraganas and Kolkata suburbs.Soras are still made in Taherpur,Nabadwip in Nadia and in Duttafulia of North 24 Paraganas.Soras of Duttapukur are plate shaped with a glossy look but are comparatively cheaper to that of the soras made in Kolkata.Kalighat's Patuapara have artisans who have followed the tradition of painting soras heriditarilly.The soras of Patuapara are shallow in nature with a matte look are pretty expensive.  

         Whatever may be the case,whether the soras are glossy or cheap,the circular clay plaque bearing the painted Goddess Lakshmi is hardly the first choice of Bengali households anymore.You may find soras in Kalighat shops or in any dashakarma bhandar,a shop where puja ingredients are sold,but you will not to be pampered with options.Whether it is from Kumartuli or a sora from Madhyamgram,the number of pieces sold has not exceeded to 90 this year,which was 250 five years back.A statistics clearly stating that a centuries-old tradition of art and worship is becomimg poorer day by day.It is not only the mere stastic sheet that needs attention but the artisans of Kumartuli Mritsilpa Sanskriti Samity stated the tradition of drawing sora will be lost forever as the young artistes are'nt practising the art form and recent sora painters are the last generation of this devoted art.To some the dearth of clay plaques and to many the decreasing number of customers have led this decay so fast.Pathetically saying we customers always look for an easier alternative and lands up buying an Lakshmi idol home.How would I fix it?Shall I have to prop it?With what will I hang it?- are the frequently asked questions.Soras which was once considered customary to every Bengali household has now found its own tiny space in  few traditional age old pujas.     We Bengalees,especially those from 'East Bengal' still proudly claim ourselves as 'Bangal' but we sadly overlook beautiful traditions of peserving our art forms.How many of us ever think to drop and buy a Sora as a gift or for decorating our homes?Is it just due to ignorance or a sense of urbanisation which constantly fuels our individuality and makes us superior than other fellow beings.Next time you see a Sora ,just wait for a second to watch the intricacis and then judge whether it is to be left to be an extinct art.Hurry for you might not find it the next year.