Back from Kolkata

tasuray

Sorry to disturb you Jyotida. You must say Kobiraji Cutlet at 'Mitra Cafe' of Aurobindo Sarani & Central Avenue junction.

jyotirmoy

tasuray,
I know Mitra cafe from the sixties! At one time I tried to bribe the Oriya cook there to get the recipe of the Brain culet but that "gentleman" refused out right. I was moved by his loyalty to the owner of the cafe & still feel ashamed. This time I could only show this place to my daughter on my way to Kumortuli but because of paucity of time couldnt have a cup of Darjeeling tea & the heavenly cutlet.
In our time Delkhosh in college street did damn good Kobiraji cutlet & my Sibram kaku introduced me to this place as well as Chacha's hotel for the Chingri cutlet.

somnath

Jyoti da is one of the luckiest men on earth. I am sure that he is ready to share all his magic recipes but he’ll never disclose who was Sibram kaku (kaku = uncle). Sorry Jyoti da I understand it is a personal info but you will be agree with me that it is nothing like top secret national security issues, so …….. friends, if any one is interested to know who was this Sibram kaku, please try google search with the value “Shibram Chakraborty”.
And let me tell you, the cumulative information will let you know even less than .01% of that great writer. Shibram used to play with the Bengali language. He was able to create a new meaning from a word by breaking it in to pieces; he was a juggler of the language. But one of the most neglected (in terms of recognition) talent. But it is our bad luck that he is and he will remain in a small boundary, as his work is not translated in any other languages (if anyone aware of its existence plz share with us) you need to know Bengali language to experience Shibram (it is true that it is next to impossible to translate his works).
Jyoti da, you have spend a lot of time with that great man, could you plz share some experience with us, if it is not too personal?


-Somnath

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Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.

* My Travel Pix...

jyotirmoy

Yes ofcourse Somnath. My Sibram kaku was the first bohemian person I met. He lived in a room in a dilapidated building & never allowed any one to clean his room. All important info like addresses etc. used to be written on the walls since no one ever would repaint the walls of this building. His way of greeting me would be to offer "Rabri Churna", that was Nestle milk powder with sugar. The day he got his free copies of his books he would gift me one & sell off the rest. Then he would go to either Delkhosh or Chacha's hotel to eat & treat. His only luxury was a silk kurta which he used on rare occasions. His way of discouraging visitors who came to Kolkata & wanted to stay with him was to offer his bed to him & he himself slept on a blanket which was given to him after his release from prison during the swadeshi movement on the floor. The blanket used to be lined on the edges regularly with kerosene. The guest invariably ran away next day because of the bed bugs!
One day when he was very old some thief stole his ceiling fan, it was easy job as he never locked his room. No one cared that the person who had enthralled old & young with his magic lay sweating in his room, he was dragged to a Sahitya Mela in the suburbs & made to wait. He was taken home much much later than agreed. The next day the occupants of the mess found him dead in the toilet. Thats how we have treated my Kaku, tears are diffusing my eyes so no more now................

somnath

What a pathetic end of a man who is able to bring tons of smiles (friends, I bet, every one will suffer from severe spasm in stomach if you read the stories written by him).
I am extremely sorry, Jyoti da, didn’t try to stab your old wounds.

- Somnath

jyotirmoy

Not at all Somnath, you prompted me to write about a great man & may be some one who hadnt heard of him would look him up. All his contemporary writers like Premendra Mitra, Achintya Sengupta, Bonophool & Sailajananda had a very high regard for Sibram kaku & all of them had written volumes of praise for him in their biographies. Premendra Mitra wrote "Amar bondhu Sibram" ( My friend Sibram).
When we find some one who has no demand we soon forget & neglect him.

ddutta

Feeling very bad & sorry to hear this tragic end of a great man. I have grown up by reading his stories. No idea whether kids now even know his name or not. Chachas Hotel (the original one near Hedua ) is still going strong. But how long dont know bcoz this is the only building left to takeover by RK Mission for their Vivekanada's Birth Place Project.

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"If you smile at me I will understand, because that is something everyone everywhere does in the same language"

jyotirmoy

Somnath & ddutt,
If possible read his Ishwar Prithibi ar Bhalobasha(God the Universe & love). This biographical master piece appeared as a serial in the Desh magazine. One of my Mashis had cut these pages & bound it together. A few months before her demise she had sent it to me. I understand later on it was pulished as a book.
Not just his celing fan but his kurta had been stolen too. The members of the Sahitya Mela probably found humour in my Kaku sitting wearing a ganjee only. He was dragged clad in the baniyan to speak; a very funny sight indeed!

tintin8801

people write stories, why dont they help in real life! sitting seeing writing doing nothing!.........it seems it was prevalent during earlier days as is prominent these days in the streets!.......... sorry if i am rude

jyotirmoy

Dear Tintin,
Age has dulled my intelligence, I would be grateful if you re-write your comments in a simpler language, it was directed to me I presume.
Sorry for the inconvinience.

somnath

Yeah, Tintin plz make it a bit clear. I don’t think you are telling that ‘writers are worthless in the society so need not to pay much attention to them’.

ddutta

Tintin , please simplify even me too unable to understand what do you want to tell actually.

Sree

Tintin I am also submitting my request to clarify what you have said .
What kind of help you are talking about? In "Pather Dabi" by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, a character was there, "Sasi kobi" try to remember what kind of role he played there? And at the same time plz remember what was the impact of this book on those day’s freedom fighters? Don’t you consider these as “Help”?

sadhuji

sorry for the delayed response. my net connection was down for three whole days. yes - shibram chakravorty was a wonderful person. like jyotirmoy, i also grew up on his stories. they were laced with humour to the brim. his writings are unparalled even as on date.

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mooning over a moon journey

tasuray

Jyotida,
Mon ta khub kharap hoe galo.Ami Sibram Chakroborty r mritu arakam sad jantam na.Muktarambabu Street r mess ar galpo amar babar kache sunechi.Harshobardhan & Gobordhan was my favourite in boyhood. Iswar,prithibi o bhalobasa is a master piece.