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

Mind Refreshing Language Teaching

MACE 

English Centre

Though I'm a Linguist by profession, I always feel more refreshed while teaching the language. Though I'm a translator, interpreter , tour guide, language analyst, Sub-title maker, editor and proofreader, but my priority in profession is always teaching and providing language training to the students of different age groups ( from 8-80!) from various sectors ( school kids, college goers, university professor, architect, BPO workers, Sales manager, Business personnel, Home maker, IT technicians, journalists, Pilots, Artist, Dancer, Painter , Golf Player almost impossible finish the list till now whom I taught and I'm still teaching). Teaching is not only demanding my concentration on this language, but also, to share my experience of different dialects, movies, literature, native speakers' style of life to the hungry queries of my dear students. Till now, I teach 10 schools, examine paper in one renowned school ( La Martiniere for Girls, Kolkata) and attached to a Government office and many more personal students with different demands ( communicative/ basic language skill/ literary/grammatical analysis). These help me to enrich myself everyday and also to learn a lot from them. 

YIELD

MACE

People who think that teaching is just like sitting on a chair comfortably and taking a coffee are wrong that this is probably the most passionate profession which require vast knowledge, ability to present the fact blending with stories and information and of course the most

Spanish Study center

Spanish Study Center

Exam in Spanish Study Center

Exam

vital one- patience. 

Tribute to My School

Certificate awarded to me

Since mid of 2007, Spanish Study Center is an inseparable part of my life. I joined in this school as a learner of Spanish language. Thanks to my professor Asesh Ray, my interest then was getting extended to Spanish culture and literature. Since then, I didn't miss a single opportunity to participate the cultural events like Spanish film fests, Latin American film fests, Kolkata International Book festival, Seminars on Spanish culture and its influence on our culture, cinema and literature, Annual Convocation organized by our school. This school enriched me and gave me the confidence to confront with various Spanish dialects when I work with Spanish speakers of Latin American countries and of course from Spaniards from South Spain. Last year when I was told to teach in the south Kolkata branch of this school, I felt a big surprise awarded to me. As I like to take always the new responsibilities, I agreed immediately to join hand with my beloved professor and to rub shoulder with Friends cum colleagues of this schools. Till now, we work hard together to expand our brand value from north to south, from India to Spanish speaking countries and I feel happy to be a part of this school now. 

Reading my translation

Let me tell you one more important point without which this tribute would be incomplete: La Culture Hispanica is our literary magazine which gave me the opportunity to publish my Bengali translation of Spanish poems of Carlos Herman Belli. I also get to reach to audience by reading my Bengali translations several times during our Annual Convocation. This boosts my encouragement to enter into the  Spanish literary world by publishing my Spanish poems in several magazines of Argentina, Peru & Colombia and to connect with the contemporary authors there. 
Surely, this is an unforgettable experience which turned me from India to world wide family.

Reading my own Spanish poems

Picnic

2012 Book fair: Pavilion of Peru

in 2013 Book fair

Asbesco- Algeria Again

Asbecco (India) Pvt. Ltd , Kolkata is one of my old clients with whom I work with ease and comfort. Moreover, they always appreciate my work. This July end, they again called me to accompany another Algerian company CAMEG's Production Head, Mr. Boufalou Mahommad. He reached here at 10:30 p.m. on 30th July and received our welcome with warmth and smile. Through out our five days visit to Kolkata and factory inspection, I saw him always keen to learn by a curiosity of new comer with his gentle smile. He used to address us always as my brother, a heart-touching person! Though he interacted only in French with me, he talked a lot with local people through his newly learnt English. I visited some enchanting tourist spots of Kolkata with him on 31st and he tasted local Bengali dices

Mr. Boufalou in front of Victoria 

Mr. Boufalou in Factory

Me in front of Victoria

and translated  the road-side market through his camera. From 1st to 4th August, he was in the two grand factories Asbesco, in the suburb of Howrah, sister city of Kolkata. Lot of practical tests were done with Eletrical tools and materials: Slip test, Break test etc. 
He was very much astonished to see the potentiality of the local technicians in the factory and of course the warmth received from the Indians. Finally, he was quite happy with the tests and approved all tested materials for Algerian Electric Transmission Process. The hearty voyage ended on 4th August evening and I came back with a nice experience again.