Ketaki Kushari

Ketaki Kushari 

When I was a young college student doing Pre-University Science, I bought an inspiring and interesting book of English essays entitled "COLLEGE ESSAYS"** by the wonderful teacher Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, who was Professor of English at Presidency College and also at Calcutta University. The book contained English exam essays by toppers including Asoke Sanjay Guha (who got the first position in Calcutta University Intermediate Science exam)# who wrote a brilliant sarcastic essay on COLLEGE UNION, and a literary essay in English for her B.A. English honours exam by Ms. Ketaki Kushari (she got the first position in Calcutta University B.A. English honours exam) - her literary essay was too tough for Me at that time and I coud not comprehend it fully (like I find it difficult to understand the Legouis and Cazamian standard book on the history of English literature for English honours students, with its very complex convoluted complicated sentences) but I remember that she included in her English essay a few lines she quoted from a Bengali poem:

শুনেছি কিন্নর কণ্ঠে

দেবদারু ...

I was not sure what a কিন্নর was (nor am I very sure now) and what দেবদারু trees had to do with কিন্নর কণ্ঠ - songs sung by a কিন্নর ... nor who wrote the poem.

At a book fair in Guwahati held a few years ago, I saw a book on poetry written by Dr. Ketaki Kushari Dyson (sorry did not buy it, I can never show fake interest). I am very glad that I suddenly found her on the following YouTube video in an interview, which I am watching on another smartphone as I am typing on this smartphone:

Ketaki Kushari Dyson on Poetry -- Kolkata Literary Meet 2016 (53:02)/Kolkata Literary Meet (YouTube)

I hope she is alive and going strong.

** I don't have the book now - maybe someone took it and did not return it to Me. Nowadays, I rarely lend books to anyone. 

*

# I am quoting from memory some lines from his sarcastic brilliant essay on COLLEGE UNION:

"Grub Street, in all ages and of all countries, has been rich in masses of human idiosyncracy, institutions at cross purposes... I scarcely think I will be accused of idle bubble-blowing should I class the modern college union as just one such institution ... viands for votes ... finest of marriage markets ... "

Although I had to look up the dictionary for unfamiliar words, I enjoyed his writing very much. BUT I clearly remember that I made up My mind after I read and enjoyed his essay that I was NOT going to follow his model but would always strive to make My writing simple and clear.

As far as I remember, his name was spelled Asoke Sanjay Guha but searching Google for him, I found nothing. But I have just found one ASHOK Sanjay Guha, an ex professor of economics at JNU. (I hope that this is not the same guy. I have zero estimate of fake "economics"!) 

Kishalay Sinha কিশলয় সিনহা [G]

CROCODILE TEARS 

Short or long films aka movies should be made in the various languages on the subject of CROCODILE TEARS, which is My favourite/favorite subject.

Kishalay Sinha [G]

Satyajit Ray films 

I do not remember seeing any Satyajit Ray black and white film. I am not trying to imply anything. I hardly watch movies anyway. I find them too long and hence very tedious. And though I was a student at St. Stephen's College in Delhi, I did not bother to go see Taj Mahal in moonlight or sunlight. Just plain moonshine.

I find Satyajit Ray's detective short stories (ghost-written) (in their English translations) quite interesting.

Kishalay Sinha [G]