ONLINE EDUCATION AND ITS ROLE IN SCHOOLS

Chinmayee Sahu

In today’s time, technology has become a part and parcel of our lives, as without technical knowledge one would be way behind the real world. Computers have been an aid to the teaching and learning process in the recent times. Teachers take help of audio-visual techniques in making their teaching more appealing and simpler for the students to learn. Similarly, students use the internet for useful information for their assignments, projects and other activities. To summarize, technology has been effectively used as an important tool to make the traditional mode of education more vibrant. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected various aspects of normal life, school and college life have felt the ripple too. The year 2020 has been a year of transition for schools as they looked for ways to adapt and looked for options to substitute in-person classes. The good news is that educational institutions could swiftly switch over to an alternative mode of coaching with the help of digital technologies. Hence, in my over 20 years of teaching experience in various institutions of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the year 2020 is particularly remarkable for giving me an opportunity to bring technology to the forefront and work on the prospect of integrating education wholly with the digital world. The entire integration process I must say has been both formidable and fascinating! 

This breakthrough in the face of many technical odds and achieved with the help of a large community of teachers and administrators, has facilitated a digital connection with the students to form a virtual classroom. Students seemingly enjoyed the novel experience to sign into this new portal via the Zoom app, and perch comfortably in front of their devices from the comfort of their home. I could discern a different vibe from my students, a sense of relaxation on their faces. At the same time, I felt as if I am a TV personality and being watched by my students exuberantly!! 

However, there were ups and down in the intensity of this vibrancy and their spirit. Every now and then to retain their attention, I as a teacher would try to figure out the gaps and bounce back with ideas such as online quizzes and impromptu discussions. It is a constant endeavor to keep the forum of online classes as stimulating as possible in the path of erudition. 

On the other hand, the huge challenge of online classes for every teacher is to maintain the decorum of the class, particularly keeping a watch on every child and encouraging them to be active participants. Since the students must keep their microphones muted to avoid noise and many of them even switch off their videos with excuse of network problem, it is a real struggle on teacher’s part to know how alert each child is! Yet another major problem of online classes is, the inability to keep a track of students’ homework as virtual correction of notebooks is something next to impossible!! 

Both traditional and online classes offer effective education and method of imparting knowledge. Ultimately, its effectiveness depends upon the student’s personal motivation, attitude to learning and self-discipline in the process. There is no denying the fact that, this mode may not be very convenient for every child and that traditional learning in a physical setting is still ranked the best way to interact. But online classes have proven to provide more convenience than ever for students - they don’t have to commute long hours to & from school; they can take classes in the privacy of their own homes and this renders more freedom for self-pacing and greater number of hours for scholarship. 

Finally, I want to state that there are several students who have adapted themselves to the new system very efficiently and have demonstrated their sincerity and inquisitiveness whereas, a handful of students want to shy away from active participation and benefits that the virtual classrooms have to offer. The constraint on the part of the teacher is her inability to foster and nurture the drive for learning as the access is limited and over a screen. In such a scenario to impede any restlessness and lack of focus, the traditional face-to-face setting would work the best! We all know that there are many impediments and hurdles in the process of change, but the good part is with this change we now have more opportunities to grow and refine the culture of schooling.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 17 - Minakshi Mishra

My Durga Puja memories from childhood are feeble unlike those nostalgic ones from Ganesh or Saraswati Puja which were hosted by Ushalok club at Master Canteen. All I  recollect is telling my Ma that I'd someday like to go with her to Cuttack to see Durga Puja there since I had only seen the beautiful silvery/ glittery "medhas" in passing glances while accompanying my best friend Sucha to and from her Aai’s home by car.

In Bhubaneswar those days, if any puja pandal was somewhat far away, meaning not in the neighborhood, it was deemed out of bounds for some reason. Of course, my own Aima made sure that pujas at home had such elaborate preparation and pithas that everyone around felt tremendous enthusiasm for them.  The very memory of the colors and costumes and the general happiness that pervaded the streets during this time is bittersweet now – happy it happened, but now unable to reach back in time and experience it once more.  

I experienced Durga Puja fervor in essence when we went pandal-hopping in Bombay during the 90s. In a typical big-city approach, the pandals are glitzier, larger, yet better organized.  And, very famous and attract huge crowds. I remember going with a large group of friends from the office – in an assortment of vehicles. We lived in Borivali but met with the group at a Durga Puja in Vile Parle/ Juhu; the size of the crowd was awe-inspiring, and Bollywood celebrities were scheduled to visit including Usha Uthup!  They offered us jhal-moodhi and cha in earthen cups, a true Bengali tradition. Traffic on Mumbai roads are legendary, more so on such special occasions, but we were intrepid enough to then go for the Powai pandal near Hiranandani gardens, which is renowned for innovative themes, for the evening aarti. Then we hopped over to the nearby Chembur Durga Puja which was also the local haunt for all our HPCL colony residents.  This one is particularly famous for the variety of food available, though the crush of devotees can evoke fear at times. My memory goes hazy after this. 

What I do miss, as much as the food and the gaiety, is the feeling of closure at the end of each puja.  During the Visarjan, everyone would get emotional because of the feeling of the Deity going away, leaving empty pandals and heavy hearts. Here in South Florida, that is not the case. Durga Maa goes to her storage location and reappears year after year looking exactly the same.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 16 - Sipra Pati

Durga Puja in my childhood was synonymous with the week-long visit to my Jeje Bapa and JejeMaa’s house in Cuttack. Only we called it Dussehra. There are so many memories... that it is quite the task to lean in and pick out one to share because that one memory is like a loose piece of wool from a sweater. Tug on it and it just unravels... memory upon memory. There were the games my cousins and I played, improvising the rules, the games we invented, reading those old Penguin publications and sepia-toned Reader’s Digests collections of my Dad and kakei, sitting on the verandah and watching the crowd as they headed towards the Kathajodi to the Naee Jatra, the food, the moms cooking, the sneaking onto the terrace in the middle of the night, walking in my JejeMaa’s baadi with her exotic plant collection, going to watch a movie with the whole clan. One Dussehra, when I was in Class VII, I remember 22 of the Patis walking to Durga Talkies to see Sree Jaganath! We did go visit the pandals, but they were almost an afterthought, and my memories regarding the ‘medhas’ and bhasani are vague at best.

One of my more vivid memories relate to the Naee Jatra. I don’t know if this still takes place now. But back in the 80s the banks of the Kathajodi would be home to a jatra where farmers and tradespersons from the small villages around Cuttack and from the islands in the Mahanadi would come to sell their ware. Baskets (kula), jhaadu, and other household products not typically found in the stand-alone grocery stores of those days. While I do not like being in a crowd, I enjoy watching a crowd. Our house in Cuttack offered the best gallery to watch throngs of people heading to the Naee Jatra, their numbers increasing as the afternoon progressed into early evening. People carrying their ware, the rickshaw wala yelling for people to move because no one was heeding his cycle bell, women and children dressed in resplendence (literally - my cousins and I had a running count of women wearing ‘shocking pink’ sarees; we used to also have a running count of the number of times cyclists had to dismount because pedestrians would not move), the stray bull plopping down in the middle of the road, the dahi bara-aloo dum vendors ‘walking’ their bicycles, the gupchup walas pushing their thelas, vendors balancing aluminum containers with singhadha and rasagolla on either side of flimsy bamboo pole, men carrying baskets covered with khalipatra on their heads… it was a human mosaic of color, sound, and sight! And, deft navigation!

I visited Cuttack every single year during Durga Puja till I moved out of Bhubaneswar in the early 90s. My last Puja was in 1990. And it was my last time at my grandparents’ home. To me this festive season has always been about family. I feel blessed to have a large family with scores of cousins on both sides. And a Puja does not feel like a Puja if I am alone.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

 Take 15 - Subhashis Panda

This was a little before I would be completing eight months into marriage. It was decided (no marks for guessing, who decided) that our first Bijoya Dashami would be a visit to all my in-laws followed by pandal hopping, finally ending with watching the Rabana Podi at Saheed Nagar. Much that I hate driving in heavy traffic; I went about the whole routine without a single retort. Paan in the mouth really helps sometimes.

When we reached Saheed Nagar, I parked the car in a bylane, and we walked hand in hand up to the pandal. I packed a couple of paans in my mouth as we weaved our way through the jam-packed crowd. After the customary darshan, as we were wading out to a distant location for a clear view of the Rabana Podi, I felt the urge to spit out the paan juice, which was overwhelming me. As we were bustling out, I suddenly saw an empty space and I spat. A hand came out from nowhere and my spit landed on the back of his hand. I whisked out my handkerchief and placed it on the back of his hand.

The next moment we had melted in the crowd.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

 Take 14 - Sid Padhi

The closest I came to an exciting memory in the context of Durga Puja was one, I think, from Std VIII days, when along with my cousin, I had a free run of the Grand Carnival of Cuttack – Bhasani. I say free run because my childhood had been a sheltered one, to say the least. I had to abide by timings and going out without informing and a definite objective was not the accepted norm. Hence, exposure to Puja fanfare was strictly from the confines of direct observable range of chaperones (generic for any accompanying elder). And, therefore, no adventures.  So, my cousins and I saw what our elders showed us.

Bhasani was all about whose Medha was the best and who put on the best show. There were friction points, of course. Rival pandals vying for popularity, which meant a mention in the papers the next day. Those were the days when people had integrity.

The second there was the route issue - which Medha would precede whom - for everyone who knows Cuttack know that there are no further 'avenues to explore'.

Thirdly, there was a communal angle. As the Medhas passed through certain Muslim zones, there would be a few miscreants (from either side) who would try to instigate a fight. When I look back on those times, I see how much society and societal thought has changed. Those miscreants would be caught and banged up by both sides and the show would literally go on. No huge flare-up like today. Reporters didn't care squat about those goons.

So, coming to me and my experience. Despite the free run, nothing happened. I mean, nothing of substance. The Grand Carnival appeared at its best yet. They had some new kind of lights that blinked better than the previous year. The dance steps were definitely the latest. I had a generous supply of roasted peanuts and was strategically located on a tall, broad wall overlooking the whole shebang - a ringside view.

But nothing happened. That year probably was the only year when all friction points were lubricated and the was also the only year I had the freedom to watch it from so close.

I went to bed very happy that night. I'd had my lifetime's fill from the buffet that evening had offered and it was all because ‘nothing happened' that evening.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

 Take 13 - Siddhartha Sahu

Durga Puja was always a Cuttack thing and I was, and still am, not a big fan of crowds. I have a vague recollection of pandal hopping once, ages back, in Cuttack with unidentified relatives in rickshaws. Neither the glitzy decorations nor the never changing features and pose of the Goddess from pandal to pandal interested me then. I have given pandals a miss ever since. I think the themes became more creative later with showcasing of current topics (like one shared recently with Xi as the demon!). But usually I find the execution amateurish and too much in the face. Personally, I prefer the permanence of a temple than an ephemeral pandal for my obeisance. I know I will get quite a few kicks in the butt from many of my friends but that's my honest take on this.

Welcome any damning comments you may have…

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

 Take 12 - Neeta Mohanty Nayak

Growing up around Durga Mandira in Bapuji Nagar

Durga Puja or Dussehra or just “Puja” as it’s known in Odisha. I grew up calling this festival Puja as this was the most popular festival of the year.  Being right next to a popular Durga mandira, I recall being part of the festivities from a very young age. 

As far as my memory goes back, the pre-puja preparation would start a month or two in advance.  The temple will get a fresh coat of paint.  A massive cleanup event will be planned.  Baikhunta Bhaina (head pujari at the temple) complaining to my parents because we kids would have ran across the clean floors and left our foot prints!!  There will be the much-awaited saree auction from the temple that my elder sisters looked forward.  The sarees from prior year used to be auctioned off to make room for new donations of sarees.  I so vividly remember, the saree donated from Banaras Beauty was the most sought after.

The temple had a tradition of sponsorship program.  20 families were allocated lunch/dinner for the 10 days.  My family had the honor of Asthami lunch.  The preparation would start a week in advance with Baikhunta Bhaina and his head cooks fixing menus and making the list.  I accompanied my Bapa to Hata a lot.  We would buy large quantities of supplies and directly deliver to mandira.  The day of Asthami, hustle bustle would start at 5 am and continue till 3 pm or so.  Hauling the groceries from home through the secret side door to the mandira was the fun part.   Being the right age for chores, my brother and I would run between our house and mandira for anything and everything.  Puja was accompanied with special musical instruments (shehnai and dholak) along with the ghanta and sankha.  New outfits, fragrance of flowers, smell of prasad in the air just brings the nostalgia in me. 

Not every year, but occasionally there would be a movie screening on the open field at night.  We would be on the first row and stay till the end and run home because my brother will scare me by saying there is a “Bhuta” sitting by the roadside.  Often there will be Ravan Dahan and I would bring potato and other vegetables to roast, God knows how much vegetables I have sacrificed in the fire!!  This was so repetitive every year that there was never a need to go around other places in Bhubaneswar.  A trip to Cuttack to see the pandals would be a dream come true.  Only if there was a time machine to take me back… but I do relive those moments in memory.

Bhubaneswar – best place on earth and childhood memories – takes you through life.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 11 - Sushant Paikray

A walk to the Unit 4 puja pandal on a cold October morning with my younger brother is possibly the best memory I have of Dussehra. This everyday walk would start almost two weeks before Sashti puja, from the time when the artisan would be gathering his random thoughts to give shape to his imagination. We would hold the artisan in high esteem and sit in front of him with great appreciation of his skill, though deep inside it used to be our urge to see the idol taking its final shape. Coming back home every day with a sense of satisfaction and narrating the progress to my sisters would become a norm for the next couple of weeks.

The euphoria and excitement building upto the puja followed by sadness and gloom on the day of immersion will always remain engraved in memory...

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 10 - Tamsa Mahapatra

Every year I eagerly wait for the arrival of Maa. The atmosphere becomes so blissful with sweet scent, sound of mantras and Dhol. For me, the first and foremost is to have a gorgeous new dress.

 My fondest memories are those of the Puja celebrations at our ashram in Puri. My parents and guruji, Sri Sri Satyananda Brahmachari used to do the Kumari maa sewa. Many Kumari Kanyas throng the ashram every morning. Then guruji washed their feet. My mother would apply alta, kumkum and chandan to the Kumari Maas. Then they would be seated in a line and offered prashad. The smell of bhoger khichudi was just irresistible. There would be a number of items to be served along with the khichdi. In the evening there would be the 'Dhunuchi dance' accompanied by dhaak. That was sheer magic! I felt like being transferred into another world. Simply mesmerizing!

 After Bijaya Dashami, a sense of emptiness would engulf my soul. My father would lift up my spirit by saying, "Maa has to go back to her abode as she has to take care of the world. Cheer up Dhania, she will come back next year."

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 9 - Rajesh Srivastava

My fondest memories of Navratri or Durga Puja are those of the Garba Dance festival when I was in Baroda, my first posting back in 1994.

Those 9-days or rather nights I experienced the highest level of aesthetics ever. Every evening, the entire city, as One, would earnestly wait around 8pm for the air to be soon filled with soul enchanting devotional songs of Maa Durga, sung typically in Gujarati Garbo style. People, absolutely loving people, boys, girls, uncles, aunties, grandpas and grandmas (with the highest standards of civic sense I have found anywhere across the Indian subcontinent) in thousands, all dressed up in traditional Garbo attire would slowly join in, barefoot, with or without Garba dancing sticks, swaying together in concentric circles on the open, cleaned mud-prepared ground like under a common hypnotic spell in complete Unison to Spiritual Harmony. We, bunch of young officers, would at times hop from one Mela 'ground' to another spread across the city on our bikes until morning. As each night transcended into wee hours, there was no sign of tiredness but only the longing for one more song. On the last three nights, as the feeling sunk in that Garba festival will soon end, you could see people having wet eyes as the last mornings dawned, until next year!

Not one untoward incident took place those days, as young girls and boys roamed freely throughout the city, clad in jewelry, all night. I often murmured to myself, this is Heavenly India!

We, IAF spoilt brats, would quite often leave behind our bikes somewhere in the city, only for the police to decently return them back to us next morning in the Officers Mess, Makarpura Palace. We took that as our right, like we trust our parents.

I also see Durga Puja as a precursor to Deepawali and my annual bonafide licence to splurge and indulge in all sorts of enviable but harmless sins. 😉

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 8 - Debjeet Kar

Every Puja, the child in us would wait with a pair of new dress for each of the 4 days of Durga Puja Sasthi, Saptami, Ashtami, and Navami. The day would start on an empty stomach till the pushpanjali time and then we would run for a Puri Sabji and a golab jamun prasad to fill ourselves first and fast! Lunch menu comprised of khicchddi or pulao with a variety of vegetables, khiri and rosogollas at the end. The evening time was filled with a fun walk along the nearby pandals and then meeting friends and relatives - each one wearing a gorgeous and new attire, with broad smiles, and endless stories taking us down memory lane. Each day and every night till Dashami were memorable! Till the day of Dashami where we expected a bhasani of Goddess Durga accompanied with a new hope of seeing her again in a similar form next year...again...

Tradition kept alive as years go by...🙏 A week of fun and a beautiful way to energise ourselves.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 7 - Som Patnaik

My most fond memories from childhood are the days of Durga Puja – days of joy, happiness, fun and gaiety. Nine days of good food, the most wonderful sweets, and being surrounded by festivities is what transpired as Goddess Durga resided with us. One of the things I cherish the most is how my brothers and I stayed away in the evenings to go around the different medhas in town and specially stop to listen to the melodies at the Cuttack pandals.

One distinct, favourite and humorous memory of almost every Puja season was sneaking into our home late at night after pandal-hopping and getting caught in the act by our father. His one-line remarks on our late returns still brings a broad smile to my face.

This was also that time of the year when we were indulged.... good food and new clothes. Durga Puja was a time of change, change of season, feelings, and everything seemed new. I miss those festivities that were full of simplicity.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

 Take 6 - Tariq Wakil

When I was in Standard 9...

I had been invited to a new friend's house who had just shifted from Cuttack. I took him to meet my Saheed Club (junior) friends. When we reached the club field, the gang was discussing about visiting the puja pandals in Bhubaneswar on Vijay Dashami. Everyone greeted my new friend, Bulu Parida. Bulu was a real daredevil and he suggested we all go on a cycle expedition to Cuttack and see the pandals there, which were better and more beautiful than that of Bhubaneswar. Though this remark was not taken well, it arose our curiosity. None of us had seen the Cuttack Dussehra celebration. Eventually it was decided that we all - 14-15 guys would go double-riding process - two on one cycle.

But I had doubts... if my parents would allow me to go on this expedition. So, I kept mum not knowing how to convince my friends or my parents. To my surprise, that evening my friends came to my house. They pleaded with my father, ultimately convincing him to allow me to go on the trip – on the guarantee that we all return before sunset. They didn't tell him that it was a cycling trip. And, neither did I.

The next day we met at the club field and by 7am we were on the go via Rasulgarh. The highway was narrower those days. And I was literally scared of the traffic - inter-state trucks and Ambassadors and Rajdoot and Bajaj scooters. I had a dreadful belief that truck drivers were drunkards and always caused accidents. So, I insisted on pedaling instead of sitting on the rod of the bicycle. I was convinced I was a better cyclist than the rest of my friends. And I could easily dodge the drunk truckers or in an emergency... just jump away to save my life. I still remember the fright and courage mixture in my stomach.

It was a two hour ride. We stopped enroute at Pahala to have fresh hot, smouldering, rassagollas - I gobbled twenty of them for just five rupees!

The moment we entered Cuttack town, I was baffled by the narrow, crowded roads. Every two meters we had to literally dismount our cycles. There were rows and rows of shops and innumerable cows and dogs in the streets. Street vendors captured more than 50% of the streets. It appeared as if everyone knew everyone in the crowd. There was total chaos all around. 

Our first Pandal was the one at Madhupatna chowk.. and then... it was as if every lane and bylane had a pandal. We were forced to get down from the cycle and simply walk.

Bulu took us to his Mamu's place in Chowdhury Bazar and we all had some good naashta of Aloodum Dahibara, which I tasted for the first time. It was really good, and we had our fill. His Mamu directed a route plan for us and we set forth visiting pandals until 3pm. We got to know that the evenings would be entertaining and cold. We also had to return the same evening before dark. We were all frightened. Mamu instructed us to stay back overnight...

More to come!

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 5 - Mrigank Das

I have one little vignette about Dussehra Puja that comes from the small town of Burla in Western Orissa where we lived for about 5 years when I was a young lad. It is a smaller city compared to Bhubaneswar or Cuttack or even its bigger twin city Sambalpur but by no means insignificant as it houses two very premier institutions of learning, the Medical College and an Engineering College both ranked among the top two or three in Orissa. As a result of its proximity to the Madhya Pradesh border, Dussehra in Burla was a fusion of the traditional Durga Devi pandals and also the more North Indian custom of burning an effigy of the ten-headed demon king Ravana in a fairground on the south side of the town. As a young lad after doing the rounds of the usual Durga Devi pandals in the various Medical and Engineering college hostels which were always done with their usual splendor and variety and where my dad always got a few extra goodies owing to his status as a Medical college professor,  our tradition was to go out to the nocturnal Vijaydashami effigy burning which was in a fairground on the other side of the huge canal that flowed down from the majestic Hirakud dam that separated the quaint, compact, and yet charming market areas of Burla from the Medical campus where we resided. The sights and sounds and smells of the pyrotechnics and the bonhomie of the large crowd of onlookers that would cheer and clap as the various parts of the Demon king's grotesque effigy came careening down with crackles and spits of fire was a childhood thrill that was distinct and unique from the celebrations in the cities like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on the eastern part of the state.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 4 - Rita Sinha

My childhood memories of Durga Puja starts and ends in the small Durga Puja pandal of Unit 4 AG Colony.

My unforgettable memories of Durga Puja start with Baba taking us to a gents’ tailor in Unit 4 market for tailoring our dresses. I liked the bell bottom pants and (Neetu Singh's) elephant-ear sleeves. The number of inches of bell bottom flares obviously reduced after delivery due to my mother’s conspiracy.

Now, comes the most awaited days of Durga Puja. My nostalgic memories of Durga Puja are Durga Ma, partially hidden in the aroma-mixed jhuna smoke during aartis, the  huge lotus garland around her neck, her long black hair, the sound of Dhak, the khichidi bhog blended with a unique puja mixed flavour, the Dhunuchi dance after sandhya aarti, the sindoor khela..... etc.  (I can add the numbers non-stop).

Other amusements included the small mela where I think world's best lemonade, lembu khatta ice cream, sonpapri, chat and dahibara used to wait for me.  The world's best cinema theatre used to come to is in an open space under the sky with a biiiig white screen tied to two long bamboo pillars with a projector.  I once got a chance to watch 'Awara' for one hour. (The screen name of the heroine, Rita, attracted me more!)

On the day of Ashtami, tasty, tasty curries and non-veg items were cooked by Ma at home. But my mind was always in the khichdi bhog of the pandal.

Gradually comes the day of Dussehra. Ma used to spend the day preparing coconut laddu, sondesh, nimki, khaja, and ghugni. Didi and I were appointed as assistants in nimki cutting.

Finally, comes the pathetic day of Bisarjan when I used to literally cry .

Last but not the least, came the time to rest. This particular time my sisters and I used to get fever all at the same time. Ma and Baba's scolding used to work more than medicines here.

After all this fun, was the most disliked memory: the school opening.

Friends, we all are witnesses of all the changes in the world from the past decades to till today. So enjoy every moment of your day. You will never get back the day you have already spent. We can again write a story after decades about this day.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

 Take 3 - Sid Padhi

When I think Puja during my schooldays, I think of sardines in an ambassador car. The sardines being my nine cousins and me packed into an Ambassador that took us on a tour of the pandals of Cuttack. No getting down. No parking space, anyway. But, those days cars were allowed. We took turns sitting on each other and coming up for air. It was a lot of fun. The puja pandals itself weren't as fun - going to Cuttack to see what I'd seen the previous year didn't excite me.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

 Take 2 - Sankalpa Basu

Durgapuja was the most special time of the year for me. Maa used to cook many delicacies, there were new clothes, no school and no homework, it was the simply the best time of the year. Amongst all these memories one stands out. Durgapuja was the only time I was allowed to stay out past midnight. It made me feel free. My best friend Munna and me made sure that our bicycles were in good repair and wait until dinner was over.

It was quite a ritual, we used to go out every night but one when we went to see a movie with the family. The rest were devoted towards exploring the various pujas of Bhubaneswar and outskirts. Our forays didn't have a pattern, we stayed in one pandal if we wanted to or ride between many if that's what we felt like on that night.

Our favourites were the pujas at Railway Station, AG colony, Airport and Banadurga. There was also the pleasure of going the various sahi pujas of Old-town. In those days, hopefully it hasn't changed much, the old town idols were mostly of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati. These pujas became less busy after midnight, it was the best time to be see those pujas. Maa used to look the same every year. It was divine, literally to commune with her in the quiet hours of the night.

Watching a open air movie was one of the many perks of the pujas. We liked to watch the shows in the Aerodrome puja. It was late and cold by the time the movie ended. And the aerodrome road became rather deserted. My most favourite moments were of riding fast in the same route as our school bus went. We used to race against each other, laughing and without a care in the World. Our bikes made a satisfying whirr when we freewheeled, and the cool air hit my warm face and coursed through my hair. I felt more alive than I ever have. Then we went to see the old town pujas before returning home. We often stayed a bit, Maa in her resplendence watched the two lads as they looked at their protectress. And I used to think she was smiling at us.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Memoirs

Take 1 - Biswajita Ray Samal

My childhood memories of Durga Puja go back to the time when we lived in our house near Bhubaneswar's airport. Durga Puja in that area was predominantly organized and celebrated by the Bengali staff who lived in the airport campus. After completing puja at home, we would all dress up and go visit the Puja Mandap. It was so nice to see all the women, men and children dressed up! I loved seeing the Dhup dance. And those drum sounds! They gave me the goose bumps then, and even now, when I think about it, I get goosebumps – Bhakti goosebumps! I learnt about sindoor khel – this is something that was not common among Odia people. I learned at these celebrations the reason behind sindoor khel. Earth is Goddess Durga’s maternal home, her maika. As she gets ready to head back to the heavens, she is bid farewell with the auspicious colors of vermilion, sindoor.

I also remember going to Cuttack a few times to watch the different medhas. It was always interesting to watch the Bhasani from the balcony of our family friend’s home. Bhasani always made me sad – I knew it was temporary, but it felt like Goddess Durga was leaving us. I felt more sad for the artists who had put so much effort in creating the idols.

Texas – the big and short of it all

Compiled by Sipra Pati

Howdy y’all! I have lived in Texas for a while now. Just like very other state and place, Texas has its own little quirks and secrets. I thought of sharing some interesting facts about this state which my family and I have called home for some time now. 

Nature and the State –

1. State flower  – when spring comes around, the rolling blue countryside is proof enough – it’s the blue bonnet.
2. State small animal – the quaint armored animal that gets killed so often by automobiles on Texan roads – the armadillo.
3. And, because everything’s gotta be big – hey this IS Texas, after all – the state big animal is the Texas Longhorn.
4. State insect – the Monarch butterfly – this beautiful offspring of nature does make one re-think ‘bugs’!
5. Every time I drive down Mockingbird Lane in Dallas, I am reminded it was named after the state bird - the mockingbird.
6. State shell – the lightning whelk, native to the Texan gulf coast.
7. Going into the water after collecting shells – it is the Guadalupe bass which is the state fish.
8. Come thanksgiving, the nut from this tree, the state tree, satisfies the palate and stomach of many a holiday diner – the pecan tree.
9. The only natural lake in the state is Caddo Lake. Given that Caddo Lake is technically a wetland area, the name, I guess, is a misnomer and the claim too. Nevertheless its unusual ecosystem makes it a stunningly beautiful place.

On the dinner table –

1. State pepper – the array of peppers in the supermarkets makes me wonder if this is the real reason Indians have an affinity for Texas – the jalapeno!
2. State dish – Red kidney beans, ground beef, onions, hot peppers  make a good bowl of Chili, without a doubt.
3. 40% of the catfish raised in US farms are battered, marinated, fried, baked, or grilled here in Texas. Does that make catfish a close second to chili? Food for thought, huh?
4. We talked about chili being the state dish; one of its ingredients is the state vegetable – the sweet onion.
5. The hamburger, the all-American fast food favorite, was invented right here in Texas in the town of Athens.

Space and Technology –

1. This is a Texas fact because, only because of its content: What do you think was the first word spoken on the Moon? “Houston”! You guessed right – the first humans on the moon were contacting Mission Control in Houston.
2. Talking of space, the airport in Amarillo, Texas is the other landing site for space shuttles because it has the country’s third largest runway.
3. It’s a chip on our shoulders… no wait it’s in the computer! The microchip, without which our lives would be unimaginable, was invented here in Texas, Dallas, to be precise, way back in 1958.

It’s legal… wait it’s illegal… what no! IT is the law!

1. In Texarkhana, you are required to put a tail light on your horse if you are riding it at night.
2. Early census counts in Texas counted people along with the number of cattle.
3. While branding a cow with its owner’s name has been a practice, it is against the law to put graffiti on someone else’s cow in Texas.
4. While on cows, if you milk a cow that you don’t own, you are breaking the law in Texas.
5. Apparently if somebody introduces a person as a husband or wife in public three times, that person becomes the legal spouse.

Getting physical –

1. High school football may be the most popular sport in Texas, but rodeo is the official sport of the state.
2. The Texas official dance is geometrical - the square dance!

Last, but not the least –

1. The first train robbery in Texas took place almost at my doorstep. Almost. This act of pillage and theft took place in Allen in 1878 at the intersection of Main Street and Ash Road.

There are more interesting snippets about Texas on these websites (where I found all the above information), if you are interested:

• http://www.visitdallas.com/about/stats/
• http://texas.facts.co/interestingtexasfacts/abouttexasfunfacts.php
• http://www.lovefortexas.com/lore/amazing-texas-facts/
• http://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-facts.html
• http://www.co.collin.tx.us/living/just_for_fun.jsp
• http://www.dumblaws.com/laws/united-states/texas
• http://www.cityofallen.org/

 

Chai pe Charcha

 

Subhashis: Sankalpa! Got this now:

Sankalpa: I am holding my breath. Make a light liquor and try it on its own. Then drink the stronger milk variety (I discourage it), only after you get a feel for it. Keep it sealed in an airtight jar, I will get it from you if you don't like it. I am very excited.

Subhashis: First cup was a disaster (thanks to the excitement). The water got boiled. But the woody taste was distinct. Second cup was nice. Switched off just before it could boil. Taste was better.

Sankalpa: You can boil it if you want to drink with milk.  When the lock-down gets over, think of buying something like this.

Subhashis: No milk and sugar for me

Sid: He may become a tea-totaller but I bet he can't be a teetotaller.

Sankalpa: Subhasis has a fondness for the good things in life. That I think we can agree on.

Siddhu: This fascination for tea of a particular bagaan (garden/estate in Bengali) I saw in the Durgapur Bongs. I never saw tea shops like those elsewhere except in WB. They would have tins and well-sealed tins of tea lined up all over the walls and floor. Every Bong was partial to his own bagaan and had his unique mix of dust, leaf, granules which the shopkeeper had no problem understanding. There could be 5 combinations of bagaans and leaf type in a 200gm order and the shopkeeper would happily comply. Customers actually lined up for tea like they line up for booze now.

Sandeep: Anyone remembers Ruby Dust? There is another important criteria: 1st flush: spring harvest and 2nd flush: autumn harvest; the former being much better. Age too matters a lot – a good first flush will lose 50% of its value by the time the autumn harvest is ready, that is six months. 

    Trivia: The Brits took a lot of tea pickers from Orissa to Upper Assam, the language spoken in that region is called Bagania and has a lot of Oriya words.

    This variety is Orange Pekoe, Lopchu is the garden. One can have Orange Pekoe variety from different gardens/ bagaans. It is a popular variety. Not variety but grade; that’s the highest grade and dust is the lowest.

Sid: Mukharuchi style.

Siddhu: Exactly. More sophisticated version

Sandeep: There was this bengali guy named Kesto between Pen Hospital and Swosti Hotel who used to sell mixed tea loose tea

Sankalpa: Arun Tea Co.

Biswaranjan: My father used to get tea from there. Later on, it operated from the Swosti building. Finally, he retired and went back to his native place

Sankalpa: Yes, my father was very sad when he went. He was the only person in Bhubaneswar who could make a good blend.

Sandeep: Yes, he last operated from Swosti hotel building. I had my office in Master Canteen, knew him personally, a lovable chap. He didn't go away, one fine day he dropped from the face of the earth (disappeared). His wife tried to run the shop but couldn't manage, she had to close shop.

Minakshi: I remember. 'Was in front of our home.

Sipra: There was one in Bapuji Nagar too. In the first gali. A little bigger than a paana shop. Stacked with tins wall to wall. Dash Tea, I think. Sad that these are not there anymore.

Sid: There was one in Tulsipur, Cuttack, where the signboard said - Cha in Odia followed by T in English, repeated over and over. Gave the impression of ChaaT. But disappointingly, stocking tea.

********

It is interesting how the simplest of things, like a cup of tea, can trigger a lengthy conversation. This time the conversation was on tea. Some facts, some trivia, and some memories!

Disclaimer: A conversation transferred from the class' WhatsApp group. There was some conversation in between that I took the liberty of removing because it wasn't relevant. 

Quarantine Quisine

 As the world started shutting down, locking itself indoors, more and more people began to explore the possibilities and extent of their capabilities. Some of my friends took it upon themselves to shell out a variety of delicacies - some with little or no help from spouses, children or other family members; some who extended little or no help to their spouses or children. And, I got to get a look at some of these mouth-watering dishes. Inspired, I cooked and baked some too. The fears, both known and unknown, of the pandemic still hover over our heads. The initial excitement and fervor of sharing food tales seemed to have simmered down. I saved some of the pictures and thought of sharing it here - who knows, this may inspire many more of us to get creative in the kitchen. 

So in no particular order, 

Tridib's Chhena poda

Rajesh Srivastava's Dahi Puri and Pani Puri 

Minakshi's Puran Poli

Sankalpa's Kachodi and Alu Bhaji

Subhashis Fish Chops

Sid Padhi's Fried Jackfruit

Biswajita's Stuffed Mushroom

Sandeep's Shrimp Omelette

Sipra's fish curry

Tridib's Laddu (I forget which kind)

Subhashis' Keema Pao

Rajesh Srivastava's Bread Pizza 

Sid Padhi's Veg Koftas

Minakshi's Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Sandeep' Fish and Chips

Sankalpa's Gupchup

Subhashis' Cakes

Tridib's Pav Bhaji

Sid Padhi's Sandwich (what kind??)

Subhashis' Sushi

Minakshi's Healthy Thali

Sipra's Fish Tacos

Subhashis' Bread Tales

Rajesh Srivastava's Aloo Sandwich

Sankalpa's Oven Fries

Subhashis' Kachodi and Aloo Tarkari

Sipra's cakes: Walnut Mocha and Almond Chocolate

Tridib's Rabidi

Subhashis' Chocolates and Cookies

Disclaimer: I have to add one. When I started compiling these pictures, I believed in the honesty of my friends. At least one has "confessed" 😉 that they do not hold exclusive credits for all the food pictures they shared. Apparently, the only credit they could possibly lay claim on was the lip-smacking part. 

The comment section is open to all those who want to extend credit where it is due.

 

Design Credits: Subhashis Panda

Story credits: Rajesh Srivastava 

On oaths and solemn affirmations

Sankalpa Basu

I would have spent this afternoon differently if it weren’t for the Sadguru. He had just touched my life through a WhatsApp forward. He has brought light, understanding in many lives, and filled others with awakenings and realisations. He has made spiritualism popular among the smart phone generation and is the English retort to the liberal wayward. If religion is the opium of the masses, then he may be the good doctor prescribing fentanyl. Of course, you might argue that a WhatApp forward is just that, someone sending a couple of minutes of highly edited video to convey a message, which would need to compete with another 67 messages in grabbing attention. How could it even hope to summarise Hinduisms take on Secularism or Sadguru’s interpretation of this delicate affair? I don’t argue with that. I probably just got a nudge to get me thinking about what oaths mean to me.  

I have taken many walks on the quayside of the Tyne.  It is not a long way from my home. On Saturdays there is a curious open-air market where you can buy anything from the local Northumberland sausages to the exotic Jamaican chilli sauces. When I first came to Newcastle there used to be many shops selling cheap woollen gloves, toys, LP records, second-hand books and other things that gave the place a bazar kind of feel. But these shops over the years have given place to more genteel shops selling Ceylonese woodcarvings or Thai incense holders.  Four bridges, all of them full of character, beauty, and history, cross Tyne here. There are many pubs and restaurants on the quayside where you might have some quality refreshments before heading back home. The beautiful Sage Theatre stands on the other side of the river; on this side there is a rather ugly Court Building.

I had first gone into this building many years ago, not as an accused as some of you might be hoping but as a professional witness. I will tell you, for those who don’t have the experience; it is not very nice being cross-examined by a barrister. These fellows seem to have a knack of making you feel nervous and guilty and as they always know more about the case than you do they ask you terrible trick questions and make you look like an idiot. I was therefore sitting there in the waiting room cheerlessly looking out at the Tyne, it was a grey afternoon, and the river seemed to bear with fortitude the annoying, non-stop rain. The judge seemed to be taking his time and I was already tense when I was herded into the courtroom. It wasn’t old-fashioned and oak-lined but it tried to be as impressive it could be in a modern steel and glass way.

I found myself standing in the witness stand - it was a rather empty room, just a couple of known faces, whose lives could change as a result of my evidence, a couple of solicitors whom I half knew, and two of the wigged gentlemen. A very unsmiling court clerk approached me and asked what I would like to take oath on. I asked him what choices did I have. Immediately I knew I had asked a silly question as he wasn’t supposed to hand out a menu. The clerk turned out to be more patient than I had expected him to be and told me that he had a Bible and a Quran. I said I was happy with either as I considered all religions sacred and all Gods the same. I also explained that since I was a Hindu I would prefer to have a Gita, if he happened to have one. The clerk took a note of that and told that since he didn’t have one I would have to take a solemn declaration that I will stick to the truth.

I have since then thought about it many times. Would I lie more readily if I took an oath on the Bible or the Quran? And why should I need to take an oath anyway? After all a man/woman should be expected to tell the truth all the time, whether in the presence of the Lord or in the presence of the Lordship. And if I had to choose, then what would be the one thing I would least like to defile with my lies. When I was young, I knew a girl who had the habit of asking me to take an oath on her. There are few Odia sentences more beautiful than ‘mo rana’. It is about innocent trust. I could never lie to her after she said ‘mo rana’ although I knew nothing was going to turn out differently if I did lie. Later I have seen people take oath on their children and parents and on Gods and Goddesses. They do that because they hold these things sacred and dear.

I suppose the clerk wouldn’t have allowed me to stand in a British court and take an oath on Lord Jagannath, neither could I say that I am taking an oath on my mother’s life and whatever I say will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The Sadguru said in UK and USA the top dogs have to take an oath on the religious book of the state before they took the office the PM or the president. But we in misguided India have to take an oath on our constitution.  Just imagine the misery of the oppressed Hindu, who has to show his allegiance to the constitution, against his will and conviction. What a load of rubbish!

I do see certain advantages in following the Holy Man’s advice. Wouldn’t it be nicer if they listened to him and made the prime ministers take a vow on the religious book of their choice? At least then they wouldn’t be embarrassing the constitution when they broke their promises.

I feel the constitution, although it is an imperfect document, made by men and changeable by amendments is the holiest of holy books in the world. It is the birth cry of a nation; the rallying cries for all India’s soldiers, revolutionaries and patriots. For all its frailties it is the only armour we have in the battle against saboteurs of our democracy. It is as innocent as ‘mo rana’ and as dear as one’s mother. I am glad the Sadguru made me think of all these.