Open letter to Suman Chatterjee aka Kabir Suman

I was sixteen when I first heard your song. It was, ironically in a CPIM’s meeting at Brigade Parade Ground. I have always been politically conscious, but never involved in active politics. The only reason me and my friend went to the Brigade, was to watch Utpal Dutt’s play (most probably ‘Tiner Taloar’). It was getting late, and as usual, the play was delayed. We decided to abandon the plan and go home. We had to pass through the front of the podium to go out. Then suddenly one guy with a guitar, started a song – ‘Haal cherona bondhu…” (don’t give up my friend…). We stopped…and keep on listening to your songs, one after another…for another hour.

I am still standing there.

Correction, I was still standing there, until recently, when you decided to run for the election as a Trinamul candidate!

I have all the songs sung by you. From ‘92 to 98, I went to at least 50 of your live performances. Anywhere you performed, from Kalamandir to Girish Mancha, I was there. In fact, one of the main reason I started this blog, bigbangbong, is to translate your songs for one of my non-bengali friends.

I never judged you by the context of your personal life, only formed your image in my mind by your songs. Turmoils in your personal life never touched me. Neither I was surprised when CPIM (and their nasty sidekicks) tried to run the dirty character assassination campaign against you. Given their track record, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I never met you personally either. There were many opportunities, I never wanted to. Near Asuthosh college, we were returning from tuition – I saw you at the sweet shop. All my friends rushed to get your autograph. I didn’t. Years later, you were waiting at Dumdum Airport, for a Biman Bangadesh flight to Dhaka, I was waiting there for my flight to Singapore. I felt like going in front of you and say ‘do you know that, whatever I am today, my sense, my soul, you have a huge contribution to that’. I couldn’t. I was scared, what if Suman in person change my perspective of of Suman the singer and one of the building blocks of my life?

And now, you are running for a political chair, as a Trinamul Congress candidate, shoulder to shoulder with Mamta Banerjee! With one statement, with one news – you just massacred one part of my identity. Your political viewpoint and actions are not a matter of your personal choice only, they are the foundations of your songs.

Don’t get me wrong here, I would’ve been same way disappointed, if you decided to run for CPIM. Also, I strongly believe that mass de-politicalization of youth is one big reason of the political downfall of India. But, Trinamul Congress? Why Sumon, why? ‘Enemy of my enemy is my friend’ – is such a medieval sentiment!

I am deleting all your songs from my music library. Thank goodness I don’t have the disks and cassettes here with me – I would’ve shattered them in thousand pieces by now. Thanks for destroying one huge portion of my identity. One thing at least I learned in my 33 years of lifeform – everything changes, still somehow having problems internalizing this!

Dekhte dekhte shaab palte jai

Effortless writing – Does it come naturally?

I am not a writer in the true sense, but my job(s) has been closely related to writing. I came to this field by chance and I am quite fond of it by now. Some people may consider it (my job) as writing. I know it is not. I consider people who can create wonders with words as true writers. I am just stuck in a writing mode. Sometimes, I am even tired of writing. Writing does not come naturally to me. I am jealous of the ones who write effortlessly. But, I secretly harbor the dream of being one (not a secret anymore).

My writing sucks. I lack vocabulary skills. I have to open a synonym-finder to search better words many times every time, which makes writing so technical. I don’t prefer it that way. Some people have inborn talent of their brains feeding their writing – right words at the right time. I wish my brain also works that way. Sometimes, I wish to join a creative writing course. But, will that really help? Ability to write seems to be an innate talent. I have my own doubts if it can be established by conditioning or learning. At the most, I believe the natural talent can be refined.

One thing I dislike is planning before writing. Some people say – it works better that way. It works for technical stuffs, like scientific writing. Planning where to write what takes away all the fun for me.

I am perpetually suffering from writer’s block. I have so much going inside my mind, but I find it difficult to put into words. The previous sentence can be written in a better way: My mind is oozing with ideas, but it’s difficult to translate them into words. Though it’s not the best way, I have to put some effort to make it sound better. Do all good writers have to put some extra effort too or their first draft is good enough to be the final?

These wonderful quotes sum it all about writing:

Forget all the rules. Forget about being published. Write for yourself and celebrate writing.~ Melinda Haynes

My purpose is to entertain myself first and other people secondly.~ John D. MacDonald

In my experience, the best creative work is never done when  one is unhappy.~ Albert Einstein

It’s better to write about things you feel than about things you know about.~ L P. Hartley

The faster I write the better my output. If I’m going slow, I’m in trouble. It means I’m pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.~ Raymond Chandler

Hardly anybody ever writes anything nice about introverts. Extroverts rule. This is rather odd when you realise that about nineteen writers out of twenty are introverts. We are been taught to be ashamed of not being ‘outgoing’. But a writer’s job is ingoing.~ Ursula K. LeGuin

The secret of becoming a writer is to write, write and keep on writing.~ Ken MacLeod

I can’t help but to write, I have a inner need for it. If I’m not in the middle of some literary project, I’m utterly lost, unhappy and distressed. As soon as I get started, I calm down.~ Kaari Utrio

BBB is 2!!

I can recall an old quote about Love/Friendship:
Love is easy to start, difficult to maintain. And impossible to forget!

I feel it’s same about blogging too and my lack of post confirms this. Blogging regularly doesn’t come easy to me….Nevertheless, I am grateful that I have such a good platform to vent out my thoughts when I feel strong about something (rare these days).

One more year added yesterday…I wish a long life for our blog. May posts and comments flow….

Happy 2nd blogiversary/blogoversary/birthday to BBB!! 🙂

Some quick stats:

Visitors: 69,728
Posts: 123
Comments: 440

New-age friendship

Most people cherish their age of innocence – their growing-up days.  Friends play a significant role in making those days memorable. You hold on to the memories but your friends keep on fading from your life. They may be life-long residents in your mind but unfortunately, most of us don’t seem to make a genuine effort to reach out to them. Or we get discouraged by failed attempt to connect to lost friend as before. With ever-growing distance and time, the wall between friends keeps building on its own to become an unbreakable barrier. Promises were made to meet again when you met your childhood friend(s) last. But, did you ever realize that it could be the last meet in your lifetime? Most of the time, meeting old friends again just remains a distant unrealized dream. Other priorities in life outstrip the dream and friendship is reduced to minuscule blips in the radar of life gradually.

When spirit-breaking daily grind wears you down and monotonous lackluster life bores you to no end, you crave for a change. You remember the carefree golden days spent with friends. You start looking for that pure friendship devoid of selfishness in people around you. You are on a look-out for simple pleasures of friendship. You understand perfectly that you won’t get it now because friendship is a something which gradually loses its meaning as one grows up. It is foolishness to expect true friendship in this self-absorbed generation. Still your subconscious mind keeps searching for it – only to get a taste of reality dose – time and time again. Life smirks at you – teaches you a lesson yet again – “Grow up! When will you learn? Friendship is seriously overrated!! ”