It's the day they have all been waiting for — the Doting Dad, the Multitasking Mom, the hyperactive Jhilik and her unruffled sister Riya. It's the day the Earth spins ultra-fast and pandemonium reigns supreme. It is Zorro's birthday!
Yellow Strawberries is a candid and sweet anthology of short stories about doting parents and their two little daughters in today's tech-driven age.
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy the concluding Chapter - 9 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy Chapter - 8 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy Chapter - 7 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
The doting Dad takes his daughters to an office meeting. An honest and candid exchange of opinions and ideas follows with his eldest daughter after the meeting. They both leave the premises feeling evolved and reformed.
Yellow Strawberries is a candid and sweet anthology of short stories about doting parents and their two little daughters in today's tech-driven age.
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy Chapter - 6 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy Chapter - 5 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
On World Bicycle Day 2024, LnC presents a delightful memoir by NS Rajan about his days with the bicycle — from his youth days to being a septuagenarian on two wheels. With pictures by the author.
Mahasweta Devi’s 'Draupadi' portrays a tribal woman's resistance against state oppression, highlighting gender violence and subaltern identity through Dopdi Mejhen's powerful defiance. A critique by Sampurna Chowdhury.
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy Chapter - 4 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy Chapter - 3 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
LnC brings you Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele — a beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. Enjoy Chapter - 2 of this unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding, published every Wednesday as a Special Series 📖💕
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novella Bindur Chhele is an unusually moving, emotional saga of love, sacrifice and pure human bonding between Bindu and Amulya, the son of her sister-in-law Annapurna.
Starting today on Mother's Day, the day dedicated to celebrating the unconditional love of mothers, LnC brings you a Special Series — Bindu's Son, Lopamudra Banerjee's translation of this beautiful story of a mother's unwavering affection for her son. 📖💕
The Doting Dad recounts another episode in the lives of his daughters. This time, the action takes place outdoors — in a mall, on a picnic, during a long drive.
Yellow Strawberries is a candid and sweet anthology of short stories about doting parents and their two little daughters in today's tech-driven age.
The rollercoaster ride with the kids continues. Along with an open window to their topsy-turvy world, the kids also provide a peek into the life and choices of their doting Dad.
Continued from Part -1 of the Short Story by Prosenjit Purkait
Four guests. Seven children. An aggressive pet. And two preoccupied parents. All present inside a Delhi apartment. A doting dad’s rollicking account of the antics of his two daughters on a given day.
Yellow Strawberries is a candid and sweet anthology of short stories about doting parents and their two little daughters in today's tech-driven age.
UAE-based author Smita Tiwari talks to LnC's Jyoti Babel about her debut novel Kabir – An Inward Journey, her inspirations, interest in spirituality and more.
Get up and close with Shiladitya Sarkar, author of the newly released novel Clayfaces as he delves into his book, inspirations, and artistic journey in an enlightening conversation with Jyoti Babel.
Arin Banerjee, five, a student of Prep 2 in a Pune school, loves to create new stories from his experiences and feelings. He expresses himself through his drawings and paintings. The Curious Little Bud, published by Blue Pencil, is a story conceptualised and narrated by Arin. Jyoti Babel dives into Arin's world and his love for books and stories.
Dhaka-based senior journalist, Shahnoor Wahid reviews HQ Chowdhury's latest book Reflections & Stray Thoughts, published by Blue Pencil, as a book which is "delightfully informative, well supplemented with accounts of stalwarts from the world of music, cinema and sports."
Ramendra Kumar reviews Nupur Aggarwal's book Storytelling Made Easy. The book explores the art, craft and science of storytelling and also has a collection of folk tales.
Go West Odyssey: How I Saw America in 19 Days, published by Blue Pencil in November 2022, is the maiden book of NS Rajan. In a conversation with LnC Editor-in-Chief, Antara Nanda Mondal, Rajan talks about how he came about writing his first book at 87, his experiences, memories, and plans. The pictures used in this article are from the book.
In Trail of Love and Longings, a collection of short stories, Amita Ray presents the diverse, riveting trajectory of the emotions of her protagonists — each short story is a snapshot of our familiar everyday lives. A book review by Lopamudra Banerjee.
Radha Srinivasa Murthy and R. Srinivasa Murthy, two eminent professionals working in the area of child rights and mental health review Ramendra Kumar's book Stories of Resilience.
The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe has not emerged popular merely, because of its roller coaster rides and suspenseful life story but because underneath its veneer, there unfolds multiple vicissitudes. Sampurna Chowdhury critiques the classic.
"Amidst the humour, what really strikes me as extraordinary is how well both Santosh Bakaya and Ramendra Kumar have captured the nuances of the society we are a part of," says Samrudhi Dash in her review of Blue Pencil’s latest publication Mélange of Mavericks And Mutants.
Thomas Stearns Eliot (TS Eliot) captures the inhabitants of a deaf and blind world, who seem to suffer from confusion and contradictions. The stage of this bankrupt world is set in ‘Preludes’, where he shows that life is spent out in smoky days, and he introduces J Alfred Prufrock as the mouthpiece of modern man in ‘The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock’. The paper will take a closer glance at the malady of Modernity, how it has reduced human beings into a pigmy and how the springs of the earth have become dry.
Writing about the various happenings and characters in a supposedly fictitious PSU, Ramendra Kumar chronicles the challenges of a corporate executive in essays that are rib-ticklingly hilarious and introspective too. Santosh Bakaya reviews the book, with a chapter reading.
Ramendra Kumar (Ramen)’s latest book Chronicles of a Corporate Executive, which has been No.1 in Amazon's Hot New Releases for more than a week in running was released at an online event organised by the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal.
A well-written book with layers that bring to life the working of a corporate. Dr Anjana Maitra reviews Ramendra Kumar's latest book Chronicles of a Corporate Executive, published by Blue Pencil.
The kinds of questions asked to give us almost all the information we need about this world-famous tournament, says avid cricket buff Lalit Magazine in his review of The IPL Quiz Book. The book written by ace sports quizmasters Arinjay Ghosh and Aniket Mishra has been published by Blue Pencil.
Taken together, these letters also constitute a love letter to the letter. To the postcard, in particular. Also, a love letter to a childhood in a specific city at a particular time: Calcutta of the 80s. Book review by Rituparna Roy.
Lakshmi Vekatachalam’s poems use simple and colourful words to plumb the depths of felt experiences that range from a deep insight of everyday routine to the realms of desires and dreams. Dr Jameela Begum reviews Of Hope and Faith & Other Poems.
Raj Swaroop reviews The Nail and Other Stories by Gaurahari Das and Chasing the Rainbow by Manoj Das - books that offer a glimpse of the beautiful Odisha.
Super fun Naani finds nothing impossible. Yash would love to have the unstoppable Naani around him. A book review by a sixth grader.
Piu Mahapatra's unbound book of postcards Letter to Myself has received rave reviews from eminent artists, writers and readers. Here are a few select reviews.
Eminent author and film scholar Shoma A Chatterji reviews Tamils of Bengal, by Srinivasan Sampath Kumar that explores the history of Tamils in Kolkata.
Dr Santosh Bakaya translates into Hindi one of her poems from the Amazon bestseller poetry chapbook Vodka by the Volga, which she co-authored with Dr Ampat Koshy.
Noted scholar, film-critic and film-maker Subha Das Mollick previews Amitava Nag's Murmurs: Silent Steals with Soumitra Chatterjee and finds the book impressionistic which is a must read not only for the admirers of the thespian, but also for admirers of experimental literary work.
Ampat Koshy's poem White Nights translated into Marathi by Gorakhnath Gangane. The poem is from the Amazon Bestseller book Vodka by the Volga: A Duo of Duelling Dulcimers & Daggers written by Ampat Koshy and Santosh Bakaya.
Silhouette Editor Amitava Nag has translated Soumitra Chatterjee's selected Bengali poems into an English collection Walking through the Mist published this year. This is the first attempt at translating the legendary thespian's poems. LnC is privileged to publish 6 of them.
Wine-kissed Poems, an Amazon bestseller in poetry is the latest poetry chapbook in the repertoire of noted author and poet Dr Koshy AV. In an interview with Lopa Banerjee, Koshy speaks about his poetic journey and reveals how the book was conceived and written as part of the Sakhi series, as duet with Jagari Mukherjee. He also speaks about how modern poetry has evolved in all these years, and the importance of literary groups like The Significant League to build a substantial literary community.
The Unforgettable Music of Hemant Kumar by Manek Premchand looks in detail at specific areas of Hemant Kumar’s work. Chapters include the journey of his life, from Varanasi to Calcutta to Bombay and back to Calcutta.
Better Parenting for the Children of Tomorrow: Secrets to Ace the Pandemic Times showcases the imperatives of parenting not just in the ‘Here & Now’ but way beyond.
Know Thy Dhoni celebrates the playing career and life of one of India's greatest cricketers - Mahendra Singh Dhoni with over Over 400 Questions & Stories.
Noted author Amitava Nag, Editor in Chief, Silhouette Magazine and an avid cricket buff catches up with Aniket Mishra, the author of Know Thy Dhoni, over an email interview.
'My Unicorn is a Dove' is the debut collection of poems, stories and drawings of Sharanya Banerjee who lives in Texas, USA with her family. Sharanya is almost 10 years old and is in fifth grade now. She won Honorable Mention at the Kappa Theta Writing Project of Lewisville ISD, Texas for her short story entry titled ‘An Adventure to Giggly Land’, which is part of this book. Author, poet and academician Santosh Bakaya writes a foreword for the book which has been released in Amazon India and Amazon Worldwide very recently.
On Rabindranath Tagore's 79th death anniversary, Shoma A Chatterji explores Tagore's outlook towards women in the context of his dance dramas Chitrangada and Chandalika as well as his own approach towards his daughters.
Santosh Bakaya's Morning Meanderings take us barefoot, wistful and eager to take in her stories of unprecedented places. Review by Lopa Banerjee.
"He has been by my side during the best of times and the worst of times. If it wasn’t for him, I would be somewhere, smoking a joint and dying inch by inch, rather than standing here before all of you with this beautiful trophy in my hands. This young man is my best buddy, Aamir. I dedicate this trophy to him.”
Ramendra Kumar's story ends; Avijit Sarkar's illustrations, too. Aamir and Sagar go their ways, but they've forged a friendship that lasts a lifetime. They are, after all, Friends Forever!
How does the match end? Is Sagar able to prove himself? And make Hyderabad Blues proud of him? Friends Forever and Sagar bowl the story to its end.
The hugely popular serialized teen novel written by Ramendra Kumar and illustrated by Avijit Sarkar, reaches its climax!
THE MATCH that Sagar has been waiting for! Friends Forever by Ramendra Kumar, illustrated by Avijit Sarkar, takes you through each over!
There was silence at the other end. Aamir waited with bated breath. He knew he had taken a gamble. If it worked, there was a possibility that Sagar would be in the team or else it was the end of Sagar’s career as a cricketer.
Will Sagar get a second chance? Ramendra Kumar's story is now at the base of its climax. Don't miss these last few chapters. With illustrations by Avijit Sarkar.
Sagar's challenges continue. “I was dreading this would happen one day – my past would catch up with me. Now my cricketing career is finished forever.”
Aamir's faces his toughest challenges - English Elocution and Shantanu - together. What will happen? Of course Sagar is there to cheer him on!
Enjoy Ramendra Kumar’s serialized novel Friends Forever, illustrated by Avijit Sarkar, exclusively on LnC! :)
Sagar's rigorous camp. And then, back to school where a surprise awaits him. Do you think his troubles and challenges are finally over?
Aamir helps Sagar get help. And then, more people help Sagar turn his life around. Ramendra Kumar's Friends Forever proves you can if you want.
Never even in his wildest dreams or rather nightmares could Aamir have imagined Sagar— his best friend, the sports hero, the bright and ebullient Sagar— hooked on drugs! Is there any way Aamir can help him? If Sagar was your friend would you want to help him?
“Simply take a puff and let go. Don’t ask questions, Sagar. Just enjoy,” Sanya said, smiling at him and moving a step closer.
Ramendra Kumar's story can happen with anyone. Be cautious!
Sagar begins his story. Why and how has his life become complicated?
Enjoy the mint fresh episode of Ramendra Kumar's serialized novel Friends Forever, illustrated by Avijit Sarkar, exclusively on LnC every Wednesday and Friday! 😊
Aamir knows who the thief is. But the situation is more complicated than he can imagine. What will he do? Friends Forever moves forward.
A spate of thefts in school disturb everyone's life, puzzling everyone. Do you know who could be stealing from the students?
Over the next few weeks Aamir got busier by the day. Gradually Aamir and Sagar ended up spending less and less time together. Sagar seemed to have found a new friend.
Friends Forever marches on exploring school life, friendship, bonding and challenges.
The girls featured in all the stories are like Kintsukuroi Dolls; they're all broken, but are slowly putting themselves together.
Stories of Resilience written by Ramendra Kumar showcases how adolescent girls battle the toughest of odds with the help of Protsahan India Foundation, an NGO fighting against Child Abuse, and emerge triumphant. It retells stories of dogged determination and unmatched resilience.
Ishika Kiran reviews Stories of Resilience.
Aamir learns the art of public speaking from an expert Richa Tripathy. Ramendra Kumar's "Friends Forever" journeys on with Aamir and Sagar.
In this rivetting novel Kali's Daughter, Raghav Chandra gives an insight into the life of a civil servant in the background of caste equations. A review by Santosh Bakaya.
Nervously, Aamir removed from his pocket the sheet of paper on which he had written his speech and tried reading. How does Aamir overcome his challenges?
Everyone in the stands was on his or her feet. The roar was deafening. Aamir was standing on one leg, his heart acting like it would burst out of his rib cage and flutter around.
The cricket match hots up as Sagar faces the deadly Firdaus who is considered one of the fastest bowlers on the circuit.
He desperately wanted his friend to succeed. Cricket was Sagar’s life and his greatest ambition was to play for his school and then move on to greater heights.
Stories of Resilience written by Ramendra Kumar showcases how adolescent girls battle the toughest of odds with the help of Protsahan India Foundation, an NGO fighting against Child Abuse, and emerge triumphant. It retells stories of dogged determination and unmatched resilience.
Ananya Raghu reviews the book.
Aamir had seen anger flash in Sagar’s eyes for a fleeting second. But after that momentary glimpse, it was back to the good-humoured Sagar.
What if your best friend and you have different interests? Read on to read how Sagar and Aamir live together and follow different interests.
He picked up a pencil and scribbled a few words on a piece of paper. “Pehley waala funda ekdum extra hai, Ekta Reddy!”
Aamir found that he was getting busier by the day. What with his studies, the extra emphasis on English, teaching Gopal and his involvement in Literary Club activities, he had quite a lot on his hands.
Author Ramendra Kumar says there’s a story idea hiding in everything - from a random conversation on a bus to a social media post. And for it to become a book, you have to “write what you love and love what you write”, says a story by Harshikaa Udasi in The Hindu, December 24, 2019.
The art of public speaking was now fascinating Aamir. During the Literary Club activities, he started using every opportunity to participate in Elocution to get rid of his stage fear.
Dr Santosh Bakaya and Avijit Sarkar, the two authors of the beautiful short stories collection 'Bring Out the Tall Tales' speak to Lopa Banerjee, author, poet and Consulting Editor of LnC.
In the next session of the Literary Club Sharma Sir divided the twenty members into four groups and conducted a literary quiz. Four questions pertained to Greek mythology. Thanks to Aamir’s new found knowledge he could answer all. His team bagged the top spot and Aamir was delighted.
They had reached a small bungalow surrounded by a fence. Sagar unlatched the gate and they stepped in. Aamir looked around. A pathway led to the veranda of the house.
It took a few seconds to register and then the shock hit Aamir – it was his essay! The essay he had been quite happy with, was now being read out as a specimen of pathetic writing.
A right hook, uppercut and a couple of left hooks - in a few minutes it was all over! The attackers disappeared into the shadows from where they had appeared. Aamir and Sagar examined each other in the moonlight.
What was Aamir's welcome like at this prestigious boarding school?
Enjoy Chapter 2 of Friends Forever, the novel for teens by Ramendra Kumar serialized exclusively on LnC. Illustrations are by Avijit Sarkar.
Aamir was really excited since he knew how much he had slogged and how hard his parents had worked to make this dream come true...Two weeks later the results were declared. Aamir had topped and could now join TPS.
LnC is proud to present celebrated children's writer Ramendra Kumar's latest novel Friends Forever as an exclusive series, every Wednesday and Friday, illustrated with beautiful life-like art by renowned artist Avijit Sarkar.
Renowned children's writer Ramendra Kumar held creative writings sessions in two Kolkata schools and a bookstore and promptly named Kolkata, the City of Kool! Just as he was charmed by the enthusiasm of the children, his young audience couldn't have enough of him!
Cooking prawns with love makes them taste heavenly. Debasish tries out his favourite Golda Chingri (Large Prawns) when in a mood to do something 'hatke'.
Amitava Nag analysed Satyajit Ray's heroes and heroines as the characters they portray in the films rather than as individual celluloid celebrities off-screen, says National Award winning critic Shoma Chatterji in her review of Nag's latest book.
In a candid conversation with Lopa Banerjee, Dr. Madhumita Ghosh, author, Of A Man And The Mountains talks about short stories, characterization, the process of storytelling and her inspirations in life.
Satyajit Ray’s Heroes and Heroines, published by Rupa Publications recently was launched in Kolkata this month. In a conversation with Learning and Creativity, the author Amitava Nag, who is Editor in Chief of Silhouette Magazine and a film critic and scholar of repute, speaks about how the book embarked on it journey to pay tribute to Bengal's superlative actors who bloomed to their fullest in the cinema of Ray.
'Sachin Dev Burman' or 'SD Burman' or 'Burman Dada'... whichever way you take this name, it will spell magic in music! :)
Blue Pencil. a venture of Learning & Creativity-Silhouette Magazine and an imprint of Wisitech, is proud to present the Revised and Updated Second Edition of HQ Chowdhury's celebrated work Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman, the first published biography of the maestro, originally published in 2011. The delightful 470-pages book takes you through his life and works is priced at Rs.599.
This Children's Day, breaking away from the norm of visiting schools, Ramendra Kumar spent time with the children in an ‘Observation Home’ which is housed inside a prison campus.
An in-depth and insightful review of International reuel Prize Winning writer, memoirist and poet Satbir Chadha's debut poetry collection 'Breeze', written by renowned author, academician, poet, TEDX speaker Dr. Santosh Bakaya.
An engaging review of Dr. AV Koshy's recent book of poems, 'Birds of Different Feathers' by Sunita Singh.
Lopa Banerjee's new book of poetry and memoir, titled 'Woman And Her Muse' is an artist's journey, leading the readers to a tapestry of emotions, consisting of her tribute to Kolkata, travel, art and cinema. A memorable foreword by Dr. Santosh Bakaya, renowned author and academician.
Renowned author Dr Ampat Koshy met Vinitha Nair, an upcoming painter in the realist mould on Facebook and eventually in real life. When he saw her two paintings with which she burst on the scene, he, like others, was astounded at her aesthetic acumen. Wanting to dig a bit deeper, knowing that such finesse, observation powers, concentration, focus, and eye for detail as well as craft could not come out of nowhere, he interviewed her. Excerpts:
With a minimum of words, Gauri Dixit manages to convey the maximum of meaning. Sensitive, hard-hitting and definitely not high brow, the simplicity of her verse is stunning in its impact - A review by Santosh Bakaya
In Gauri Dixit's first book of poems, ‘In My Skin, I Find Freedom’, there is a common thread of a skeptical questioning mind. Book review by Sunita Singh.
Tagore spoke of women's empowerment, about a woman's rightful place, about her power and respect, about how she can turn the course of things in one's life much before these ideas became popular fads. Chandalika and Chitrangada are two beautiful, lyrical and yet extremely powerful dance dramas in verse by Tagore that emphatically place the woman on equal terms with the man, if not above him in courage and conviction.
The Blue Pencil, an imprint of Learning and Creativity is proud to present our latest publication 'Tales of Transformation: English Translation of Tagore's Chitrangada and Chandalika, by renowned author and expert translator Lopamudra Banerjee.
The book boasts of a brilliant foreword by Suman Pokhrel, renowned translator, author, playwright and SAARC awardee, and with some mind-blowing illustrations created by the design team of Blue Pencil Editing Services. The cover illustration by the brilliant Avijit Sarkar from Australia. Print edition will follow soon.
As the FIFA World Cup 2018 fever grips football fans across the world, Ramendra Kumar's novel Against All Odds about a school boy Kartik who never gives up on his dream to play football although he has only one arm, catches the fascination of our young readers. Sixteen year old Ishika writes about the book she found inspiring, not only because of football but also because it is like a story next door!
A Skyful of Balloons by Santosh Bakaya will make you laugh and cry with the characters, the vicissitudes in their lives will tug at your heartstrings; you will savour the beams of the rising sun, and the romance of the setting sun will tickle you into a beautiful morn. An extract.
Effective Parenting: A book full of anecdotes, quotes, poems and short stories and what makes it interesting is it comes from a father rather than a mother. A Review by Bhaskar Parichha.