“And Now Have I Not Told You That What You Mistake For Madness Is But Over-acuteness Of The Senses?

I have no idea where I’m going with this post but I want to say that Sourav Dutta deserves more credit for his research on some of the less researched Bengali books and authors. He had multiple blogs which are all absolute GEMS and if you are into Bengali literature you should totally check them out.

He restored and compiled many illustrations that are unavailable now, which is like really cool. Like original illustrations and headpieces from the magazines where those stories and novels were first published, or illustrations from those tiny hardcover anthologies that were popular before samagras were a thing, all that.

There’s also a lot of information on those books in his blogs, on both canon info and publication history and it’s like. Really interesting. I recently found out he died and I just wish I could have talked to him. I did talk to him in the comments of one of his blogs when I first discovered them a couple of years back, but still. I think he would have been great to cultivate, tbh.

I’ll link the blogs that I know of so everyone can pay a visit.

Blogus is a miscellaneous blog with pages on many books and series, including Ghanada, Tenida, Harshabardhan-Gobardhan, Kumar-Bimal, Mejokarta, several Bengali translations of Hound of the Baskervilles and many others, pages on authors, illustrations of books, comic adaptations including a comic of Charmurti that came out in Jugantor in the 1970s etc. There’s even a page on the song Bhajahari Manna. It’s super interesting.

Ghanada Gallery has illustrations and covers of the Ghanada stories, publication dates and information on the illustrators.

Tenida Treasury is the one I’ve frequented the most for obvious reasons, and it has a lot of good shit, but especially a chronological list of all the Tenida stories which I don’t think exists anywhere else. And all the illustrations and trivia are very cool too.

Manoranjan Museuem is about Manoranjan Bhattacharya, the author of Hukakashi. There’s not only illustrations but also ads and reviews of his books and a lot of general trivia.

Tagging some Bengali mutuals @travalerray @a-dragon-under-the-stars @your-favourite-skittles @slytherclaw-lair @half-assing-things101 @infp-denofdreams @grace-k-sterling @arachneofthoughts @goblinisjustahumanoidgremlin @carpeposterum @bongboyblog I’m really sorry to bother you and I’m not even sure if all of you are into this incredibly niche stuff, I just want people to see this. Feel free to ignore.

Movie fanart of The Ritual, directed by David Bruckner

I discovered the movie while casually scrolling Netflix, and I'm in awe.

Must Read Bengali Books

This list is not exhaustive and I have missed out on a lot of gems while writing this so please feel free to add few more books in the comments. So here it goes:

Chander Pahar(Mountain of the moon) by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay is a novel based on the adventures of an ordinary young man named Shankar who gets a job at the Uganda Railway services. The story talks about Shankar’s encounter with dangerous creatures and his search for the mountain of the moon along with his companion Alvarez. It is a short and enthralling read. The descriptions are so vivid that you’ll feel as if you’re watching it all unfold in front of your eyes. If you want to start with Bengali literature, you can begin with this one. (English translation is available)

Shei Shomoy and Prothom Alo(Those Days and First Light) by Sunil Gangopadhyay. Read these books for the language, for the beautiful storytelling and to know more about Bengal Renaissance. These books are non-fictional ones but written in a fictional style, the way the story sprawls out is captivating, it offers a detailed picture of the evolution of culture, religion, society and education during the Renaissance. All the main characters in these books are important historical figures and through their story, you get a glimpse of the past. You have to read these two books as they are both fine pieces of Bengali literature. (English translations are available)

Srikanta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay is a story named after its protagonist who happens to be a young man drifting aimlessly from one place to another, experimenting new things. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay is known as the wordsmith of Bengali literature, and he knew how to weave enigmatic stories. Through his story, we meet various characters and how the characters greatly influence Srikanta’s life. The story also highlights the flaws of our society and the need for radical changes. It is an exceptionally beautiful story written lucidly with lots of layers.

Padma Nadir Majhi (Boatman of the river Padma) by Manik Bandyopadhyay is a heart-touching novel about the people whose livelihood depended on the river Padma. The river plays a pivotal role in the story as the lives of the characters are completely dependent on it. Manik Bandyopadhyay has built up a beautiful story around a small community of people, the characters are simple yet lead very diverse lives. All the characters have different challenges in life and their own way of going about their problems. While reading this, we are all transferred to the small village of Moynakhali beside the Padma and the small world over there. This story is again one of the finest Bengali stories and will break your heart. (English translation is available)

Pratham Pratishruti (The first promise) by Ashapura Debi is a path-breaking novel narrating a story of a child bride, Satyabati and her struggle to survive in a patriarchal society. The story unfolds in the backdrop of the nineteenth century colonial Bengal where women’s conditions were pitiful, in such a situation a young girl aspires to educate herself in a society which weds off young girls and sends them to their in-laws to produce children. In that glorious time, this young girl was brave enough to learn to write, to speak her mind and take her first step to women liberation. This book will stir your soul, especially if you are a woman. It is a beautiful work, please do give this a read. (English translation is available)

Golpo 101 by Satyajit Ray is a collection of short stories written by the legend himself. The topics vary from sci-fi to dystopia. Ray is an amazing storyteller even through his writing. I highly recommend this book to slow readers and people who have just started with Bengali literature, as it is extremely engrossing and written lucidly, you’ll finish this book in no time. (The English translations of these stories are available)

Anandamath by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee is a story set in the backdrop of the pre-independence struggle and the plight of the people of that time. It is one of the most remarkable stories written in Indian literature. It has different dimensions- nationalism, scarcity of food and hunger, rebellion, women’s contribution towards the movement. The origin of the song “Vande Mataram” is this book, which became the slogan for the freedom struggle in the coming years. Despite this being a fictional story, it holds up the essence of the struggle for independence, the exploitation under the British Raj and will remind you about the duties of the people to their motherland (English translation is available).

Gora by Rabindranath Tagore is a story set in Calcutta during the British Raj and covers the political, cultural and religious scenario of that time. This book is fictional and philosophical at the same time and will leave a profound mark in your mind. It is a bit difficult to read this story because of its complex language and its length, but it is a beautiful piece of work. Tagore’s characters are strong and have a diverse way of thinking. They demolish rigid societal norms and prejudicial way of thinking by their rational approach in life. There is a lot to learn from these characters and the story revolving around them, I am sure you’ll enjoy reading this (English translation is available).

These are few go-to lighthearted Bengali books you can read for a good laugh. Narayan Debnath is the creator of some of the best Bengali comics namely, Handa-Bhonda, Nonte-Fonte and Bantul-the great. Tenida Samagra is a collection of stories written by Narayan Gangopadhyay about a group of four boys and their small pursuits. The stories are hilarious because the protagonist Tenida is a very peculiar person who talks about doing great things but does nothing other than eating good food and whiling away his time with his friends. The stories are written in a comical style and are mostly conversations between friends.

TF?

HOW MANY SECRET BENGALI'S ARE HERE HUH?

REBLOG IF UR BENGALI

The New Yorker

ChatGPT Is a Blurry JPEG of the Web

OpenAI’s chatbot offers paraphrases, whereas Google offers quotes. Which do we prefer?

You should read this article. Honestly. You’ll thank me later.

Billy Wilder, Audrey Hepburn, and William Wyler.

✧･ﾟplaylists to help pass the time *:･✧

hi everyone! it’s been a while since i made a huge playlist masterpost, but i thought that right now when we’re all stuck inside wondering what to do with our time i would make a list of all my playlists. listening to music is so calming and definitely helps me pass the time…so enjoy! - cam

songs that remind me of a fashion show 

a mix of songs that remind me of driving down the coast 

a playlist dedicated to paris 

songs that inspire me 

a dreamy mix

songs to listen to when you feel carefree

a super fun workout/running playlist to keep you pumped up 

songs to listen to during golden hour 

a mix of songs to listen to on a sunny day 

a playlist full of songs that make me feel alive 

songs that remind me of my teenage years 

a study/coffee shop playlist to keep you calm 

songs to listen to on the weekend 

songs that make me feel like living in the moment 

a friday kinda mix !

songs that remind me of a warm spring evening 

a mix dedicated to nature 

my all-time favorite songs all in one playlist 

songs that remind me of flowers and sunshine 

a 12-hour long playlist of songs that make me feel nostalgic 

songs that remind me of going back to school 

my ultimate summertime playlist 

songs that make me feel like i’m in a movie 

upbeat songs to get ready to in the morning 

songs i’m currently loving & listening to right now

a playlist dedicated to italy and all its wonders 

songs that are soft and delicate 

a mix to listen to while watching the sunrise / sunset 

a playlist for a rainy and stormy day 

songs to listen to when you wake up ! 

another nature playlist because why not?! 

a monday playlist to make your monday more enjoyable 

my springtime playlist 

songs that are bittersweet 

my girl power anthems playlist 

for the daydreamers 

songs that remind me of the spirit of traveling & exploring 

a mix to listen to before bed 

songs to listen and dance to in your kitchen 

a super fun 70s playlist 

relaxing songs for a sunday 

songs that remind me of wintertime 

for people who love the east coast 

for people who love the west coast 

a mix of lo fi beats 

songs to listen to in your car at night 

fresh finds (new songs every monday!)

the ultimate sing along playlist 

an indie playlist 

the perfect road trip / daily commute mix 

a super studious playlist to keep you extra focused 

songs that remind me of the beach 

a mix of songs to listen to when you’re j chillin

songs that remind me of a trip to outer space !

listen to this when you’re in love 

songs for stargazing…

the perfect autumn playlist 

songs that make my heart flutter 

a mix of carefree & happy tunes 

the grooviest 80s playlist around 

a mix of golden oldies 

listen to this if you like rap / r&b 

another workout playlist !

a mix of fun, upbeat songs to dance to 

a playlist inspired by call me by your name

a coming of age playlist 

a mix of songs that deserve more hype 

songs for all the main characters out there 

a mix inspired by the king harry styles

songs that make me feel angelic 

a dark academia playlist 

a spooky halloween mix !

a playlist inspired by dystopian novels

a special cottagecore playlist 

a light academia playlist

songs to listen to while looking at the moon

Daniel Egnéus’s stunning illustrations for Little Red Riding Hood (part 1 of 2).

Quick 30 min illustration

Which one do you prefer 1 or 2?

graphic design is my passion

this is the something i was working on!! do you like them??