And let's not forget the really important stuff: K*a*r*i*s*h*m*a K*a*p*o*o*r's wedding menu (via scribbles of a lazy geek).
They've been showing a trailer on TV for a new Bengali film, Chokher Bali -- Aishwarya Rai's first Bengali film. In the trailer she is shown looking through a pair of opera glasses. Is it an homage to Ray's Charulata? Or - since both movies are based on short stories by Tagore - did Tagore like to put opera glasses in his heroines' hands? It disconcerted me - it was like watching an American movie and coming across a sled named Rosebud.
We went to Barista yesterday for coffee, and someone's cell phone rang. The ring tone was Raghupati Raghava, Gandhi's favourite bhajan. Was it a coincidence, or had he downloaded it in honour of Gandhi's birthday? At any rate, that was the only observance of the day - barring the Gandhi statue on the beach, which had been garlanded in the morning by politicians. We drove home by the beach road, so we saw the aftermath: the heavy rose garlands, and a hideous temporary platform which almost obscured the statue. Ramesh said they had built the platform that way so that Gandhi wouldn't be able to see what has happened to his world.
Durga Puja, the most important festival of Calcutta, is going on from October 1-5. The city will be filled with thousands of puja pandals, temporary shrines to Goddess Durga. Here are legends and facts about the puja.
October 2 was saptami. The next day, October 3 ashtami, is the most important day of the Puja. Durga defeats the buffalo demon Mahishasura.
The third day is navami. On October 5, there is Dussehra and Lakshmi Puja. Whew! Then comes Ayudha Puja -- when? -- and Divali, and then I think there's a rest until Christmas.
Oh... it seems that Ayudha Puja - 'Worship of Tools' - is tomorrow. Mary (a devout Christian) just asked me for money, saying that four gourds must be bought for removing evil from the house, one for each of the four corners. I told her that one gourd would do, thank you. The staff buys puffed rice and boxes of sweets for themselves. They clean up the generator and the cars, and one lime goes under each car wheel -- you drive over the limes and break them, and you are not supposed to have any accidents during the coming year. We don't believe in it, but respect for tools is not a bad thing. I should take care of the computer too.
And here's what today's New Indian Express has to say:
Police to look out for pumpkin smashers
The police will get tough with those who smash pumpkins on roads during the forthcoming Ayudha Pooja. They should desist from doing so, the police said on Thursday.
This smashing leads to accidents, particularly to motorists, the police said. In this regard, people should refrain from smashing pumpkins on the road and instead should do it either inside their house or shop, the police said. To implement this, police vehicles would patrol the city.
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