Tomas Transtromer: Metaphysical visionary poet wins Nobel

Tomas Transtromer, the Swedish poet, sometimes oblivious and sometimes real and powerful, won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature for 2011. Even though well known in Sweden (and a strong contender for the prize for many years now) his works have been published in English, the poet is not on the known list for the poetry readers. Currently, I have the opportunity to read through a few of his poems. The nature transcends beautifully into the real world with a distinctive theme of isolation and togetherness. His poetry is universal and he lives poetry.

Mr. Transtromer, 80, has written more than 15 collections of poetry, many of which have been translated into English and 60 other languages.

“His poetry is both universal and particular, it’s complex but very direct at the same time. He’s worked for much of his life as a psychologist, and the work is characterized by very strong psychological insight into humanity.”

Two Cities

There is a stretch of water, a city on each sideÐ
one of them utterly dark, where enemies live.
Lamps are burning in the other.
The well-lit shore hypnotizes the dark shore.

I swim out in a trance
on the glittering dark water.
A steady note of a tuba comes in.
It's a friend's voice: "Take up your grave and walk."


Storm

The man on a walk suddenly meets the old
giant oak like an elk turned to stone with
its enormous antlers against the dark green castle wall
of the fall ocean.

Storm from the north. It's nearly time for the
rowanberries to ripen. Awake in the night he
hears the constellations far above the oak
stamping in their stalls.

The Half-Finished Heaven

Cowardice breaks off on its path.
Anguish breaks off on its path.
The vulture breaks off in its flight.

The eager light runs into the open,
even the ghosts take a drink.

And our paintings see the air,
red beasts of the ice-age studios.

Everything starts to look around.
We go out in the sun by hundreds.

Every person is a half-open door
leading to a room for everyone.

The endless field under us.
Water glitters between the trees.
The lake is a window into the earth.

(C) Tomas Transtromer

3 negative experiences on Facebook and the effects

More and more kids and teens are spending time on social networking sites. Facebook is no.1 on the list of priority. Facebook and other social networking sites are great to revive, maintain and extend relationships. It just takes clicks to connect to your childhood friends or tether to new found friends. As much as Facebook is known to renew relationship its also a major tool in shattering relationship. A research shows that the more time kids and teens spent on Facebook, the more likely they were to suffer from ailments like personality disorder, paranoia, anxiety and alcohol use.

According to a new study, the three most-common negative experiences are:

Ignoring or denying "friend" requests
Deleting public messages
Seeing a 'Top Friends list' on which one doesn't appear or is ranked lower than expected


All three of the major negative experiences are ones that can be found only in the world of social networking. In real life, one does not walk up to another person and ask to "friend" him or her. Experience in social interactions in the real world often doesn't translate to the virtual world. Even the word "friend" means vastly different things to different people in the social networking world.

In such scenario, ending up having a shattered relationships have far fetched implications. Children, teens and even grownups get so involved that they do not know where to draw the line. Virtual friendship is healthy as long as you know the limitations of it. Many use social networking sites as important business tool marketing their products. it's but obvious that those people befriend with a purpose on mind. Without being judgmental, we should be mature enough to understand the limitations of the social networking sites. Ending up with broken hearts is the last thing we would want, both online or offline.

Roadside Masala Chai as good as Saffron Tea

Everyday I see a man sipping steaming hot tea on the roadside stall. The bus in which I travel invariably stops there and I contemplate the moment as much as the man does. The tea is served in semi wet earthen pot. Lots of milk, lots of sugar and lots of love in no specific order and you are served with the cheapest yet the most recharging of roadside teas. The stall man is eternally old. Ever since I have seen him he has been like that - frail, half-bent in tattered clothes and eternally happy. His defunct glasses, among many, are the first thing that would catch your attention.

He literally boils the milk, sugar and little dust tea in a tumbler that's never been washed off the stains. The boiling continues as the office goers and the morning walkers gather to the lovely aroma of the secret masala that the man never shares. The flavor is somewhat gingerish, cardamomish and something more and something different. The passengers are glued to the shop till the signal turns green when they are forced to take their eyes off the morning saga.

And as I watch the man and his insipid tea stall, I am reminded of the saffron tea, expensive and exquisite, that I had on one of the five star tea joints, many years back.

We felt the tremors, the shudders of the earthquake !

Magnitude 6.9 - SIKKIM, INDIA

Never felt the quaking effect before. It was weird, funny and scary! It must be 6-15 pmish when I felt the tremor while still on bed with a book. The pages fluffed and fluttered and fell off my hands as if my fingers have gotten numb. The bed started to move to and fro. In the beginning I thought someone has gotten under the bed and trying to push it upwards. But soon, it was moving to and fro.This continued for about 2-3 seconds but I chose to say nothing. Have had a bad experience before when friends nullified my perception of the tremor. So kept mum.

After a while, I got up from the bed and called my mom, who was reading the newspaper the next door. She also felt it. But she thought it was her physiological changes. She even planned to see the doctor the next day. But when I told her what happened she was relieved and knew that it was the earthquake. Father was watching the TV on the 2nd floor. He attributed the tremor to his hypertensive bouts until he found out from the TV channels.

Later we found out, that the earthquake was of medium intensity and was felt strongly in northern India. It was terrifying to look at the extensive breaking pictures in the TV. The shakes, flutters, tremors, the cracks and even deaths - it was terrifying. It was 6.8 on the richter scale.

"Earthquake prediction is called the Holy Grail of earthquake science, and has been considered impossible by many scientists", however recent technology has possibilities of tracking seismographic changes. We will know in the future, sometime, an earthquake is going to occur. Awaiting that day.

Just hope the earthquake ends with the two bouts that we already have experienced. Just hope people are safe with little damages before the pujas.

Everybody be fine and stay safe.

Magnitude 6.9 - SIKKIM, INDIA

Luchi and kosha mangsho: every bengali's favorite guilt food

Luchi and kosha mangsha is something that every bengali would love to indulge in, especially today when the health regime being taken care of in almost every household. Let's face it. However delectable this dish is, it comes with associated calorie hazards. But, I do not mind indulging in it once in a while.

After all, we only get to enjoy it once in a blue moon. Perhaps the reason why it's more craved.

Luchi is much similar to puris and kosha mangsho is the most spicy, hot, red and gourmet's delight. It is the mutton/ lamb cooked with typical Indian spices like cumin, coriander, red chili, turmeric, garlic, onion, ginger, garam masala. Be generous with the spices and the grease (oil, ghee). More the better. Forget the calories, forget the health meter, eat it guilt free.


Image credit: Wordpress Bong Bong

Uttam Kumar continues to exude the same hypnotic charm..

After watching “Nayak” in London, actor Elizabeth Taylor is supposed to have expressed her desire to meet and work with a versatile and effortless actor such as Uttam Kumar. Perhaps the greatest tribute Uttam Kumar received, Ray said after his early demise: 


I recently watched ‘Nayak' on Doordarshan. I admit there are flaws in my direction, but none in Uttam Kumar's performance. He is the most professional and equipped actor I worked with, after Chabi Biswas and Pahari Sanyal.”

Above is a picture of Uttam Kumar shot by Satyajit Ray in italy.

Chhole Bhature: A veggie delight

Chhole Bhature is a popular North Indian dish. The dish supposed to have been originated in the state of Punjab and is known throughout the country for its delicious, spicy distinctive flavour. There are several variants of the recipe though. However, the basic ingredients remain the same.

Bhature

The maida (refined flour) has to be kneaded well with lot of beaten yogurt, little salt and sodium bicarbonate. It is then needed to be set aside overnight for the best result. Then the kneaded dough is divided into small portions which then have to be rolled into small circles like puris. Then they are to be deep fried and served hot with chhole.

Chhole

Boil the Chana (chick pea) till tender. Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add grated onion and saute till golden brown. Add Ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute. Add tomato puree, coriander-cumin powders, chhole masala or garam masala, chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder. Saute till all the moisture is absorbed. Add tamarind paste and sugar, and saute for another minute. Add the boiled chana along with water and mix. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot bhature and green chili and onion rings.

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