My photos in Unesco site

Recently, one of my students told me about the photography contribution of World heritage sites in UNESCO website, which actually helps economically the old heritage sites of a country. As I've a habit to travelling the ancient cities of my country to take photos, to write articles of their history, architecture and culture of that time, I took the opportunity to share my experience with UNESCO.

Me as a photographer

 So, I asked them that I wish to contribute with my photos on world heritage sites of India. They are truly friendly and passed me all information for the procedure and accordingly, I sent some of my selected photos of Mahabalipuram caves and Kanchipuram temple statues of our Hindu Gods and Goddesses with captions. They honored me by publishing all these photos on 22nd October in the UNESCO site. Dear friends, here I'm sharing the site link so that you can see those worldly treasures.
http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&l=en&id_site=249&gallery=1&&maxrows=15

Again with Algerian guests

Since 2012 I'm working with a Howrah-based electrical equipment company Asbesco who works with Algeria since long. This mid-September, the Algerian electrical giant Cameg sent a team of inspectors for their internal testing of products of Asbesco which they take from Asbesco.

Me with Algerian team in Barista

Three young enthusiastic engineers came to visit the site and as usual I'm their official translator for 4 days staying in  Kolkata. The test procedures are well-known even to me as I've the previous experience with Asbesco. So, we finished our scheduled testings within 3 days with satisfactory results and the last days we roamed around the city for having some taste of local dishes and buying local-made clothing which are hardly available in that north African state. We also visited some tourist places like Victoria Memorial. But, what made me happy is to meet with Mr. Amino who is not only an engineer but a talented music composer and singer in Algers. I was lucky to listen to some of his compositions at hotel lounge. The other two guests also sang during every dinner which seemed that some friends met after a long time. Formality was thrown into dust after first day's office visit. This is one of my unforgettable interpretation experience.

During factory inspection 

My Autobiography

Few years ago, I didn't dream even that my poems and stories will reach to the every corner of this world. My poems and micro-stories were being published in Bengali in several magazines in Kolkata and in other towns of Bengal. But, suddenly due to my hectic working schedule, I had to take abruptly a long vacation from my writing in 2008. 2010 brought me back to writing world when I received an inspiring letter from the French writer Natalie Porte as a reward with a book for achieving 15th position in the French Yong Writer's competition.

Me with Bengali poet Samaresh Mukhopadhay

Since then, I'm writing in French and also in Spanish to make my beautiful Bengali and Indian cultural flavor to the entire world. Slowly the readers started commenting and sharing my poems to their friends who are publishers and editors. In 2011, I suddenly received an invitation through a social site for sending my Spanish poems to a writer Gladys Cepeta of Buenos Aires. She and the co-editor Diego Dramien Orello started publishing my poems since then in their international venture Lakberna.

Me with the Bengali poet Amit Kumar Biswas

They suddenly brought me to the limelight of huge number of readers who read only in Spanish. I continued to contribute there till its last edition of 2013. By that time, they spread my writing everywhere possible. Thanks to them, I was honored to be a part the famous magazine Ficciones y Realidades, Fuegos del Sur ( both from Buenos Aires), my poems were read by the poet Liliana Varela in Arinfo radio. Even the Spanish poet Alfredo Alencart knew me throgh them and publish some of my poems in the Salamanca University's cultural website. I became member of Spanish language writer in REMES and APOA, my interviews were also published in some magazines. But what made me speechless was when Gladys Cepeta asked me to write my autobiography to make special number on me in her new venture El Septimo Cielo en los Ojos. I felt really clueless how to start and from where to start as I'm really inexperienced in the writing arena. She inspired me almost everyday through mail that the Argentinian readers are waiting for reading my new poems every month whenever these are published in magazines.

So, I decided to write a true autobiography with all my failures and achievements, with all my virtues and vices. Many school-friends helped me with their photos, taking me to my childhood days' places. Fortunately, I was able to record some priceless guitar pieces played by my guitarist father and the the inclusion of them covered all my flaws in the autobiography. It was published last month there. I'm still overwhelmed day by day to get response from the reader who actually are not serious readers of literature. I still feel, it's too early to honor me in such a grand way. www.elsepyimocieloenlosojos.blogspot.com.ar

Argentina calling

I always feel Argentina as my second home due to many reasons: my writings are continuously published there, I have been working with Supreme Court judges of Argentina since 2010, moreover, till I have worked with Traders, Engineers, Educationists of Argentina and I always feel warm to talk with them.

Me with Nestor and Teresa

This May, I was called by Exide India to provide my interpretation service for their Argentinian guests. On 5th May early morning Mr. Nestor Colodro, the professor of San Martin University of Argentina and the owner of Dataplex company reached here with his wife Sra. Maria Teresa. First day, we just visited the city due to their long journey fatigue. Next day, we went to Exide factory in Haldia city which is very close the Bay of Bengal. We visited the entire plant for 2 days and attended some business meeting. Personally, for the first time, I have seen the battery processing systems and it enriched me a lot.

At dinner table

Third day, we came back to Kolkata and attended the most important meeting with Exide Director too. Fourth day, we had formal meeting with with Exide sister company in Salk Lake city who takes care of components of Exide batteries. Last day, we enjoyed a lot as we already finished all scheduled meetings and visits. So, I accompanied them to visit some important historical places of Kolkata, then buying typical Kolkata made handicrafts and finally finished with an amazing unforgettable dinner. The most unforgettable part was their hearty invitation to come to Buenos Aires home.

Exide members with the guests

At the riverside

It's official: A Spanish language writer

One morning in the last February, I received a surprising invitation from the famous Spanish novelist Luis E. Prieto to register myself as a writer who writes in Spanish language. I was trilled first and I thought that some of my Spanish texts were already published in Argentina, Peru, Spain and Puerto Rico. So, probably due to that reason, the readers or the writers from that sphere may know me. As a lone representative from India, I registered myself in REMES ( Red Mundial de escritores en español ) with all required details and they honored me as a Spanish language writer within a few days. They also invited me to write in Spain and Latin America based Spanish literary magazine and immediately after this great honor, their own literary magazine PALABRAS DIVERSAS  as a new voice of poetry with my small literary curriculum.
To read my poems in this magazine, please visit:  http://www.palabrasdiversas.com
To see me as a Spanish language poet, please visit: http://www.redescritoresespa.com/A/adak.htm

Venture with Photography

Sunrise: my snap: 2014

I never thought seriously about photography, though I possess a very simple Nikon camera just to keep with me so that I can take photos of my clients from abroad as a proof of work or better to say, as a memento of reminiscence. Since the middle of 2012, I started taking photos of my garden and village and the places around my village just to kill the time and to see how much I can interpret well through this camera. But, practicing rigorously with it, I found some photos came excellent even through this camera. It boosted my encouragement and I continued to take photos of nature. Then, since 2013, I started taking photos of my city Kolkata, the moods of people, situation or a fragrance of moment which tells a story. Though the photos didn't come as a professional, but they could able to interpret the story line. By this time, I bought a smartphone also through which I started taking videos which energized me much more than before. When, I decided to travel to the places of Pallava dynasty last November, one of my students, after going through some of my snaps, encouraged me to take it seriously and to take photos of Pallavas in such a way so that I can be reached at entire world by representing these mind blowing places. After coming back from a successful journey, I first uploaded some photos to Flicker and got some nice response from the co-photographer of that site, which pushed me to register in National Geographic Magazine and other well known photography sites as well . By posting some selective snaps of mine, I became quickly known as an active family member of photography which is now a very serious topic to venture with.
To see my snaps, please visit: http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/member/863239215814
And https://www.flickr.com/photos/108258769@N03/12045444634/

My another snap : 2013

Kolkata Book Fair 2014: The Most Unforgettable Book Fair

Since 2008, I'm deeply attached to the Kolkata Book Fair as I participate as a volunteer and member of Indo-Latin American Association & Spanish Study Center. But this 2014 Book Fair is the most memorable experience till now in my life.

Our Pavilion

As a participant, I worked not only in our well known pavilion but also we were invited to have seat in the pavilion Peru, the Focal theme of the Book Fair.

Me in our pavilion

We were to explain the Peruvian culture and literature principally to the visitors who couldn't realize the Peruvian display of  posters and books as all of these were presented in Spanish.

Our team with Francesca Denigri 

At the same time, we were to sell our translated books

the visitors

which included Poems of Peru, a travel log of Peru in Bengali ( Pothe Pothe Peru by Asesh Kumar Ray) , fourth edition of Natural History of Peru of Inca Garcileso de la Vega, Peruvian Traditions by Ricardo Palma etc. As we know that this is the melting pot of poets, singers, artists, I personally had to talk with contemporary Bengali novelist Abul Basar, composer and singer Anupam Ray etc when they visited our pavilion. Above all, our collaborated translation work Poems of Peru was also inaugurated in the presence of Peruvian Ambassador in India Javier Paulinich, poet Francesca Denigri and I was also a part as a translator of this work.

Reading program

What made me more encouraged was to see the more people interested in Latin American and Spanish culture and their vivid interaction with us, which seems far better then the scenario of 2008 when I participated for the first time.

Me with another participant Arjun in Peruvian pavilion

First book where I colaborated

30th January is one of the unforgettable days in my life. Our language academy Spanish Study Centre has done a collective plan to publish a Bilingual translation of Poems of Peru as this year in Kolkata International Book Fair Peru was the Focal Theme.

Inauguration of the book

Accordingly, I was awarded to translate few selective poems of  Jorge Eduardo Eielson, Jose Maria Eguren, Jose Santos Chocano, Porfirio Mamani Macedo and Yamili Yunis Herrera into English. With me the other collaborators included the chief Editor Asesh Kumar Ray, translators Atasi Chatterjee, Mahua Dutta and Prof. Rabin Pal.

Francesca Denigri is reading from the book

We finished our part much before the Book Fair started. On the eve the presence of Peruvian Ambassador in India Mr. Javier Paulinich, the book was launched. Our Editor in chief shared some moments about how much we struggled to translate and also our experience with this project. The Peruvian poet Francesca Denigri was also present in that over-crowded occasion. On 5th February in the same venue ( Pavilion of Peru) we were invited to read from the book and discuss about the translation with the cultural attache of Peru -Mr. Enrique Noria. Each of us read our own translations and then shared our points how much we had to struggle to reach at the quality translation of these eternal poems.

Reading my translation on 5th Feb.

Personally, I had to think a lot from point and view of an English speaking reader and how that reader can visualize a Peruvian poem through his/her perspective. But above all, it was a milestone in my tiny literary journey. The book is named 'Poems of Peru: Perur Kobita'

Posing with the book

Tribute to Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhay

His House

The entrance

Sunset at Ichchamoti

Recently, I visited the India-Bangladesh frontier village Panitar, just beside the river Ichchamoti. Panitar is not  only well known as one of the most important  frontier villages, but it is the birthplace of Gauri Devi, the first wife of famous Bengali novelist Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhay. He also stayed there for almost one year after their marriage and wrote some beautiful novels depicting the calm and quiet village ambiance with busy river. Unfortunately Gauri Devi died before giving birth to a child in 1928 and then , Bibhutibhushan left this place with grief, though he visited Panitar many times after the death of Gauri Devi, few times with his second and last wife Roma Devi too.

Mustard field

From then on, people call the house as Bibhutibhushan house and Gauri Devi's house as well. Now the house is in a wretched condition with the library in front surrounded by big trees an a white statue of him. When, I touched my feet to this land, I felt the beauty of silent nature what was mostly described in his entire writing.

Me beside his statue

14th International Conference in Lucknow

I was honored to be a part of the 14th International Conference of the Chief Justices of the World ( 11th to 17th December, 2013) in Lucknow as a Spanish & French Interpreter . It is my consecutive 4th time to work there with the chief justices. This time, the judges came from Argentina, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, Congo, Comoros, Ghana, Tchad, Madagascar, Lebanon, Tunisia etc.

Me with Sra. Patricia Gonzales, Paraguay & her husband

With our team of Spanish & French, we had to attend simultaneous interpretation in auditorium box, consecutive interpretation on the auditorium stage, parallel session discussion and question-answer session in Conference halls and TV interviews. As, most of the interpreters of our team has previous experience to work there and I'm one of the most experienced interpreters in this conference, we didn't have to struggle to get accustom with the type of job, though this is one of the toughest job in language sector.  For me, it's a get together of  every year with the respected judges and friendly officials of the organization.

Me with Ana Maria Conde, Argentina and Sumit

This time, I was very involved with Argentinian judges, so, I had to skip the TV interviews, I was only parallel sessions from 14th to 16th December, and simultaneous interpretation in box. It is a nice experience to be a part in the conference and obtain more specific knowledge of the judicial sector.

Me with Juan Manuel Matera & Edgardo Bello, Argentina

As a learner to Pallava Dynasty

Work without break gives us not only physical stress, but also makes the professional life monotonous too. Planning to take a short break after 5 years of work, finally, I planned to visit the specific places of Pallava Dynasty in southern part of India, which not only brings me a freshness in life but also to face our heritage and learn about its depth. On thinking to make an adventurous trip, I went alone to Chennai where I was invited as a guest to a Tamil family to celebrate the biggest festival of India - Diwali with Tamil tradition. They welcomed me with warmth as if I'm one of their family members. After watching a different sort of Diwali celebration which is quiet different from from my city of east o even from North India, I started my adventure from very next morning of Diwali. It was the beginning of November, so the weather in Chennai and its neighborhood is far better than any other time to roam around the places.

Arjun's Penance in Mahabalipuram

First day, I went to Mahabalipuram, the ancient city of Mamallapuram where the Pallava kings depicted their creativity in cave sculptures in Mahabalipuram caves, Pancha Rathas and also in Sun Temple area. Most of the existing statues are of 7th and 8th centuries depicted on Sand stone, though the work was started from 2nd century. Lot of French tourists use to visit this ancient town, as it is very near to Pondicherry.
Next day, I went to the capital of Pallava kings, i,e, Kanchipuram which almost 70 km west from Chennai. Kanchipuram , also known as Kanchi, is nowadays is famous for its sari and as the city of 1000 temples though most of them are demolished by time, now 150 temples exist only and 20 among them are well- maintained for visitors and devotees. With the help of an auto rickshaw I managed to visit 15 of them within 4 hours, the driver was friendly and became my guide to show the famous temples, houses explaining significance of some places.

Corridor of Sri Ekambaranathar Temple in Kanchi

On third day, I went to Thirukazhukundram village to visit the Eagle temple which is known also as Pakshithirtham. It is also a part of Pallava dynasty, established by one Pallava king 1200 years ago. There are 2 parts of the temple, the biggest one in plan land on which the entire village is surrounded and the hill temple where till 2004 the Eagles use to come at 12 pm everyday to take Prasadam from the priests of the hill temple. To climb to the top of the hill is not an easy task, but after reaching there, I've seen a beautiful view of village, far landscape, nearest city Chegalpet, the big tank of the temple beside the hill and the temple at the bottom. The priest also offer Prasadam to each visitor in the hilltop temple. Due to difficulty to climb, most of the visitors avoid this temple. But, for the sake to viewing the natural beauty of that place, every visitor should try to climb, it would be a life-time experience if you reach there with a camera.

Vedgiriswarar temple in Thirukazhukundram

From Mahabalipuram to Thirukazhukundram, it's like a dream journey to come back to the lap of my motherland. A history book can give lot of information of an era, but to feel the era, the best way to visit that place.

Chegalpet Lake