Happy Easter: Very Very Belated

Hello my friends at the Den. I am late by months posting this note. I was traveling from South India, I aboard the train on Good Friday and fell ill. I had doubts how long I would continue! I reached my Kolkata home somehow and felt that I would recover by the time you were to celebrate Happy Easter.

Let me be frank. Many Hindus dislike me because of my association with Christian or Muslim. And some Indians think that certain Protestant denomination may view as 'devil reincarnated'. Conservative Islam also may not like me. But I am moderate civil person at business avoiding too much relations at anybody's home.Anyway I am happy to be alive but my finances are in very bad shape.

I am also unhappy with one or two unfinished book reviews; I had not been able to download. I get help from you, but I had not yet been able to finish despite my good efforts. It is one of my priorities.

I am waiting for the Indian PM to return to India from Washington State visit and then post a note in here.

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO READ MY BLOGS AT DEN OR THE FACEBOOK.

-------+ June 15, 2023 ---------

Happy Holi. March 7 2023.

I have a good news. I could finally publish a book of fiction, a collection of stories like a novelette. It is uploaded in Amazon.com books Yama Yawning and Eli Melo. Author Subrata Ganguli.

It is for $1, but may be free of charge if you subscribe to Kindle unlimited.

Let me know how you like them.

-------FEB 2, 2023-----

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023 AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I KNOW IT IS AWFULLY LATE.

SORRY.

-------------   Feb 2, 2023- -------------------

________OCTOBER 25 2022______

HAPPY DIWALI 2022

AS we celebrate Christmas with lights on the trees or the Hanukkah with the lamps, Diwali is celebrated with lights being lit up all over:-- traditionally with lamps on earthen pots containing cotton wicks soaked in oil, and now of course wax a candle and  electric gadgets.

The story in the folk legend reminds us of King Rama in the epic Ramayana upon his return to Ayodha after the victory over King Ravana of Lanka. To the ordox and devout, this is also an auspicious time to worship Goddess Kali (Kalika) who is considered ferocious in battle field. It is also an opportune time for the traders in the Bombay Stock Market to celebrate the beginning of new trade year with a special muhurt trade.

Wish you happy Diwali and best wishes.

______ may 16, 2022______

BE PATIENT

A Bengali says "sabure meoya fale', means it pays to be patient. Or wait and see how one manages.

Years went by.I would not believed that I would live for such a long time. By 1995 only I assumed that it was near my end.Thats why stayed calm with you then.

It happened to me over and over again, but I don't know how it could possibly change. 35 is one age, 60 is another. I wish you all well in USA and elsewhere wherever you know me.

Today is the Buddha's birth anniversary (Budhdhapurnima). And also as I lately came to know, is the tithi when some Bengalis worship their Goddess Gandheshwari. She is not my family diety, but Gandheshwari is the name of the river near my grand father's village Sendra (Sendra Academy is named after this village).

I had grown up, but I had not become like many of my classmates at UIC or IIT  Otherwise I am OK. I had not gotten D.Sc. or Habil. No one gets that from my situation. I tried only to show my tenacity, discipline and purposefulness, what I call Sir JC Bose Business Model. Otherwise I would have joined the ranks of lunatic lumpens.

I like and love all of you. I remember many of you at the UIC.I would be the happiest if some of you still remember there.

 Best wishes. 

Dr. Subrata Ganguli

P.S. I forgot to mention that my own niece (brother's daughter) did very well in Florida as an undergraduate. She is now in Master's in Europe. I would be very happy if she could become successful in the Dept of Public Health.Her success speaks well of my family and the warmth I had for you.

______  May 16, 2022, Kolkata

------- dec 25 2021 kolkata -------

MERRY CHRISTMAS: KINDER GENTLER NATION

I have no negBative feelings towards Americans since I know some Democrats face similar life.

If socialism were to work in the USA they would live in a kinder gentler nation.

SG

--- --  DEC 20 2021 kolkata-----

Season's Greetings.

Thanks giving belated.

Merry Christmas.

Happy New year

Dr. Subrata Ganguli

______  Sep 27, 201 _______

HOW ARE YOU DOING MY FRIENDS?

I am posting this after exactly one year, though I did not mean to. I dont know what happens to me once in a while.

I meant to write one short piece on INDIAN RANGOLI much like the way Rev Jesse Jackson spoke on the American quilt. My mother was good in stiching qulits from bits of pieces of torn clothes and rags: such thin quilts without cotton cushions are called "Katha" in Bengali. Rangoli is a beautiful colourful pattern drawn and enjoyed by Indians during festivities and the "dole" ; the festival with colours. I meant to post earlier but could not due to health reasons. 

recently the Indian Prime Minister visted whitehouse and I got more enthusiasm to finish and I would soon.

\I also meant to contest elections in Kolkata as councillor (alderman). But I have wait for fundings. They projects I had may interest you. One is improving rain water harvesting to prevent water logging and avoiding electrocutions. If you followed my page on Facebook you must have known the stories. It relevant for you when snow melts into water in Chicago. My other projects were to deal with pesticdes and cremation chiney to improve health in the country side. As usual I dont get sponsors and I may approach Bill gates foundations for funds. I may enter elections in Tirupati also.

I still mean to finish my books on Indian Science and Modern Biology, but I have to wait for the right time. If I start volunteer with St. Teresa group I can help you train Medical Social Workers that may be of interest to Hillary Clinton.

I SHALL KEEP YOU POSTED.

------------- Kolkata, Sep 27 2021 -----------

___________Sep 27  2020________

How are you doing this day on 2020?

Had the Durga Puja been celebrated as per the usual normal calender, dussera or Vijaya Dashami would have been over by Sep 26 evenings. I remember Michael's poem beyond rajani chole love taboos taradale (oh they night, please dont end depriving me of the festivities). Anyway this year Dashami would be on October 26.

Sep 26, 2020 was a special day. Ishwar Chandra  Vidyasagar was born on Sep 26, 1820. He is the person who introduced new Bengali alphabet and typography. Also known for his contributions to legalise widow marriage. Bengalis celebrated his 200th birth anniversary.

Sep 27 is another special day for Bengalis. Raja Rajmohan (alternate spelling Ram mohun) Roy died on Sep 27, 1833.

This year these two events had fallen on a weekend, Saturday- Sunday.. I avoided going outside praying to my father so that he gives me bodily strength to do some laborious work at home. I did finish the a lot of pending work at home.

--------------  Kolkata, Sep 27,2020  ---------

_______________ Sept 17, 2020 ______________ 

MAHALAYA:

I DONT WISH HAPPY MAHALAYA, IT IS THE BEGINNING OF SHARATOTSAVA SEASON IN KOLKATA AND EVERYWHERE IN INDIA. AS PER CONSERVATIVES, ONE CAN WISH HAPPY VIJAYA DASHAMI AFTER THE SEND OFF THE GODESS  WITH A RITUAL WITH "SINDUR".

MAHALAYA IS THE DAY  EARLY MORNING TO BE PRECISE, HINDUS PRAY AND WORSHIP (TARPAN) TO THEIR ANCESTORS. IT IS ON THE NEWMOON. THE DURGAPUJA IN THE PANDALS YOU SEE WOULD START (BODHAN) AFTER SIX DAYS (SASHTHI IN THE FULLMOON).

THIS YEAR IS VERY UNUSUAL. THE MONTH OF ASWIN BEING A MALMASH THIS TIME  NO PUJA COULD BE HELD DURING THIS MONTH. SO DURGA SASHTHI THIS YEAR IS AFTER ONE MONTH AND SIX DAYS FROM THE DAY OF MAHALAYA, THAT IS OCTOBER 22nd IN ENGLISH CALENDER.

TODAY ALSO IS VISWAKARMAPUJA . HE IS THE GOD OF WORKETS  SO YOU SEE THIS FESTIVAL IN MANY FACTORIES  WORKSHOPS AND GARAGES.

It is also Randhan  puja ( festival concerning cooking). It is usually celebrated at home, and I shall write on this another time.

SG,

Kolkata,

Sept 17, 2020.

-----------------   KOLKATA, SEP 17, 2020   ------------

______________________  Sep. 5, 2020  _________________

HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY

maa Biddwisha-bahoi   ...  Sans.  ....

Teachers' day falls on September fifth every year, that is celebrated since 1962. It is the birthday of  Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the very distinguished scholar who could have won Nobel prizes for Peace and Literature according to some accounts. Point to note that the date is calculated according to the Gregorian calender that we follow, not according to traditional Hindu tithis following lunar calender. So in this sense this observance is more like August 15, or Labour day.

On this day teachers are felicitated in functions in educational institutions often greeted with flower bouquet. Some are recognised with prizes by the governments. While I was in college, I got a few pieces of memontos that I had saved in my fathers' apartment.

WE need students to raise the lineage of teachers, and we need teachers to continue with the human civilization. Teachers were students first to qualify for teaching responsibility. In the Hindu gurukulashrama system, students are like children of teachers, that at times might lead to family tension. The quote in Sanskrit above is a prayer to the Alimighty to keep both the teachers and the taught without fear, jitter and tension.

I lived in the Radhakrishnan Hall of Residence in IIT Kharagpur.

SG,
Teachers' Day, 2020.

    ---------------- Kolkata, Sept. 5, 2020  -------------

_______________    August 29, 2020    _________________

HAPPY ONAM FESTIVAL

"Ati darpey hata lanka, ati mane cha kourava,
Ati daney balir......  (Sans.)."

I was anxious if I am late for Halloween this year, but actually I am perhaps late for Onam, the distinctive Malayali festival celebrated in characteristic style.

The main part of the festival might start tomorrow, but local customs require preparations over the past few days; much the way you know of Navaratri and Sashthipuja during Dussera.

As most Euro-American festivals are celebrated with Christian imageries, most Indian and regional festivals are celebrated with Hindu imageries, claiming to  trace their roots to ancient scriptures like the Vedas, or to the Hindu mythology and stories like the Puranas, Mahabharata,Ramayana etc., or to the later folk tales, for example Mangal Kavyas in Bengal.

The story of Onam is related to annual visit of Maha-Bali,the mythical king to see his subjects on earth.

Happy Onam, though belated perhaps.

SG.
Kolkata,
Aug 29,2020.

-----------------------   Kolkata, Aug. 29, 2020  -----------------------

________________________________________________________

HAPPY St. PATRICK's DAY.

I still have my fond memories of Old St.  Pat Chicago.

Dr. Subrata Ganguli.

March 17, 2017.

 ---------------------------  Kolkata March 17, 2017 ------------------------