A review of Lopamudra Banerjee's recently released book, The Broken Home and Other Stories (Authorspress, 2017), her English translation of Rabindranath Tagore's selected works of fiction.
Renowned author Santosh Bakaya, co-editor of Darkness There But Something More pens her many hued musings on Kolkata, the city that never fails to charm her. Visiting Kolkata in the sultry July heat for the launch of two diametrically different books - one an anthology of spooky ghost stories and the other a book of verses, Santosh writes about Kolkata's sights and sounds in a series of diary notes.
Translation of one of the most beautiful and motivating Puja Parjay songs of Tagore from Geetanjali.
One of the most quoted poets in Urdu, the legendary Mirza Ghalib’s poetry was mostly in the form of ghazals. Ghazal enthusiast Niraj Shah takes you through a mesmerizing journey of not only Ghalib's poetry but also shades of his life, his sorrows, his famous wit and his muse, stringing along a garland of oft-quoted shers, lesser known ghazals and misquoted shers as well.
Maya Khandelwal's evocative review of Lopamudra Banerjee's memoir 'Thwarted Escape: An Immigrant's Wayward Journey', written in a poetic, lyrical form. Her first attempt at a poetic review of a book.
My mother was a writer. She and I published, at her own cost, at my cousin's press, a hand-crafted book with a beautiful red cover titled very simply "Sara / Poems" that I personally oversaw the making of, for her pleasure. A very slim volume, its poems match Emily Dickinson's. Her book had no ISBN or anything of the sort. She was earlier the author of two very successful Bible quiz books.
I was fortunate to have collaborated on one poem with her and to help her edit her poems a bit.
One day all her works will come out in one volume - the two books left, one of her poems and stories, some for children, and one on art criticism in Malayalam, and she will get her place in literature primarily for her poems.
My best tribute I can pay her and all mothers everywhere today is to post the poems in that already published book.
If Indian English critics actually searching for great Indian women poets who mattered but were unknown are impartial she will get a place among the very best along with writers like Kamala Das for writing such controlled yet powerful short poems. Only half her output is given here.
Sara Abraham (born 16 -02- 1930 and died 11-02-1994) was also Mrs Omanakutty Varghese after her marriage.
A rare and memorable picture poem by Michele Baron for the Autism Special Edition of 'Learning and Creativity'
A sensitive poem written by Matthew Vance who has Autism himself. He wrote this 6 years ago, right after his Grandfather passed away from Alzheimer’s. He gave it to his Grandmother to comfort her.
![(Pic: Shamit [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL] via Wikimedia Commons)](https://learningandcreativity.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/640px-Sunrise_at_Tatarpur_Midnapore_West_Bengal_India-150x113.jpg)
On the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Gurudeb Rabindranath Tagore, the bard of my soul, the illustrious Nobel laureate of Bengal, my humble tribute, a short excerpt from my recently released book, ‘The Broken Home and Other Stories’ (Authorspress, 2017), a collection where I have translated in English two of his novellas and six short stories of his magnum opus work of fiction, ‘Galpaguchchho.’ One of the stories of this collection, ‘Subha’ is a heart-rending tale of a mute girl, steeped in deep pathos and also a level of mysticism which was the trademark of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's poetry and prose. I sincerely pray I have been able to do a wee bit of justice to him through my humble translation. This short excerpt, I hope, will give the readers the impetus to read the full story along with the other stories and novellas of the collection.
A soulful English translation of one of Rabindranath Tagore's most sublime songs of Gitabitan, on the auspicious occasion of his birth anniversary.
A soulful and sensitively penned poem on autistic children, for the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity'
A very thoughtful and emotionally charged poem depicting the life of an autistic child, for the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity'.
A sensitive poem honouring and celebrating differently abled children, for the Autism Special Edition I of Learning & Creativity
A sensitive poem for the Autism Special Edition of 'Learning & Creativity'
A strong, hard-hitting poem on autistic children, for the Autism Special Edition I
A sensitive poem dedicated to children with autism for the Autism Special Edition I of Learning and Creativity.
Sensitive and powerful poetic depiction of a boy with autism, for the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity'.
A sensitive poem depicting the life of an autistic child, for the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity'.
A thoughtful poem about a differently abled child with autism, for the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity'
A sensitively depicted poetic piece on the life of an autistic child, and the difference he can make to the world, for the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity'.
A poetic depiction of the life of a special needs child, a child living with autism, for the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity'.
Celebrating and honouring the special life and the special abilities of a child with autism, for the Autism Special Edition of 'Learning and Creativity'.
A hard-hitting poem on the life of an autistic child and his parents for the Autism Special Edition I, building Autism Awareness through poetry.
A strong, succinct editorial note about the Autism Special Edition I of 'Learning and Creativity', defining the purpose behind curating and publishing this edition and introducing the poets/contributors.
My poetic tribute to the dark, sinister, yet irresistible love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw in Emily Bronte's classic novel 'Wuthering Heights'.
Values in Management - Trust the source that is PERMANENT within your own self. Your being, inherent nature, characteristics, strengths are within you. Peeyush Sharma lists the assets that are Permanent in Life.
Holi is an especially popular holiday in Lansing. The Bharatiya Temple hosts the area’s most prominent Holi festivities. Budding editor-writer and booklover Nitish Pahwa writes about how joyous a festival it is for Lansing, Michigan's residents.
My poetic tribute to two timeless romances of Bollywood which swept me off my feet in my girlhood days, Ek Duje Ke Liye, and Silsila.
Love is... finding utopia even in shackles. On Valentine's Day, enjoy this sweet love poem from Ramendra Kumar.
Valentine's Day Special: Two love poems by Uma Subedi translated from Nepali to English by renowned poet/author/translator Suman Pokhrel.
What makes you more powerful - winning wars or ensuring peace? In a heartwarming story of two kings, Ramendra Kumar explores the eternal conflict. A Republic Day Special from Learning and Creativity.
The much awaited Results of the Weave a Ghost Story Contest are out! Congratulations to the winners and contributors for their participation!
Mother poems from Learning and Creativity - Enjoy this beautiful poem about a mother's endless struggle to make her boisterous 3-year-old listen to her.
Lend your full support to Alabama-based Tess Winningham's Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to help her launch Carmine by December 2016.
"Profits make you happy but while doing business if you can serve your country or help making the place a better place, that will give you a real joy. A true businessman should not distinguish between his customers." Arunabh's short story delves into the inseparable bonds of pride and patriotism that make us go the extra mile to preserve our heritage.
"I knew the concoction that I was trying to cook, was far from yummy, as I was just trying to make do with an apologetic array of vegetables available in the swanky kitchen. Half an onion, three–fourths of a capsicum, and a couple of potatoes."
Santosh Bakaya muses over the challenges mothers face to serve up something yummy, something different for their demanding kids.
"The sound of the bursting crackers, the smell of the mouth watering sweets, screaming, shouting and merrymaking of the children, the brilliance of the millions of tiny lamps reflecting the light of love, of knowledge, of happiness.....You want me to miss all this? Diwali is the festival of festivals."
Ramendra Kumar's touching story about the spirit of Diwali celebrates the indomitable spirit of human beings to fight odds and enjoy life in the Now.
"The absurdity of the whole process made me feel selfish...." Priyanka Chauhan's short story delves into the fads of the social media.
The remarkable collector Sunny Mathew has over 1 lakh (100,000) rare records, including records in their earliest form and about 260 gramophones/record players/phonographs of different varieties in his self-built Discs and Machines Museum, in Kottayam, Kerala. It is a shrine for music lovers and students of history of sound recording. M Dharma Kirthi, Sundeep Pahwa and Rocky Abraham find themselves transported into a mesmerising world of discs, gramophones and record players, painstakingly collected, archived and preserved by an unassuming, retired Forest Officer, Sunny Mathew. Dharma Kirthi chronicles this amazing journey of discovery as Sunny Mathew takes the visitors through his collections and creations with passion, energy and enthusiasm.
It’s time to stop being a slave to a barrage of information of all kinds, writes Amitava Nag. Let scarcity rule for a while.
To achieve production and launch of Carmine in the market by December 2016, Tess Winningham, founder and CEO of Carmine and Alignment Simple Solutions, is aiming to raise $9,000 in 60 days from the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.
Finding inspiration where we might, we can remember our pasts, participate in our present, and possibly have hope for a better future, and survive the crimes, conflicts, and chaos which tend to swirl and encroach so much of life, and provide such inspiration to our arts and literature.
Health brings sheer excellence in every sphere of life. And the foundation of a healthy child lies in inculcating healthy habits early on. Life is a way to celebrate with your baby, not to find reasons for not doing things.
A wistful musing about that one awakening moment when Nature's all-encompassing beauty manifests itself as balm to the soul, reaffirming its infinite spirit and giving strength, even as the world fleets by on its own course.
Helicopter View Technique is a birds’ eye view, a third party observation point, a non-involved study and scrutiny. It changes the entire perspective of how we look at things each day in our business.
Film and music enthusiast Sundeep Pahwa belongs to a family which was closely connected with the film industry and had produced a couple of films in the '50s and '60s. In this personal essay, he recounts his visit to the National Film Archives of India (NFAI), Pune, and an exciting journey of discovering memorabilia of Bahu (1955) and Bombay Race Course (1965), produced by the Pahwa brothers. His father, the youngest of the three Pahwa brothers was introduced as Basant Kumar in Bahu, a film that marked the directorial debut of legendary film director Shakti Samanta.
I went to my father
A tired and crumpled man
I told him, “I am sorry,
But I love you more than anyone ever can.”
The Broken Home happens to be the second only translation of Tagore's Nashtanirh, and the only one available in Amazon. Written by Lopa Banerjee, Deputy Editor, Learning and Creativity.
The sheer magnitude of his work speaks of the immense versatility of Tagore. Thousands of poems and songs for which he composed music, his plays, dance dramas, novels, short stories, essays, and even the letters that he wrote are considered gems of literature. A tribute on his birthday.
Rabindranath Tagore’s association with the recording industry began in 1904. An exploration of the sound recordings of Tagore and Rabindra Sangeet by Sounak Gupta.
The recently celebrated 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival, Kolkata, which took the city by storm on March 26, 2015, was a grand follow-up to the international...
You and I
At a strange time
Could have been one
Two variants of an atomic soul
Same yet different
Shaped by different storms
Weathered we are
But we still love the rains
And...
A heartfelt tribute to the poetry and life of the celebrated, radical poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, on the National Poetry Month.
Poetry on womanhood by Sri Lankan poet Shirani Rajapakse as part of Rhythm Divine, Kolkata's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016.
Aiman Abdullah's poetry on womanhood as part of the 6th Woman International Art and Poetry Festival 2016, in collaboration with Rhythm Divine, Kolkata.
Sana Mohammed's poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016.
Himadri Agarwal's poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016.
Poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016.
Ritesh Agarwal's poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016, initiated by Jael Uribe.
Interviewing poets of Rhythm Divine about Woman Scream International art and Poetry Festival 2016
Interviewing Sufia Khatoon, Co-founder, Rhythm Divine for the the Kolkata chapter of Woman Scream 2016
Anindita Bose's Poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016, initiated in Madrid, Spain.
Radhika Mall's poetry on womanhood as part of the 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016, in collaboration with Rhythm Divine, Kolkata
Shreyatama Datta's poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016.
Kushal Poddar's Poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016, initiated in Madrid, Spain.
Poetry on womanhood as part of Rhythm Divine's collaboration with 6th Woman Scream International Art and Poetry Festival 2016.
An intimate author interview with prolific poet Sanjeev Sethi regarding his latest collection 'This Summer and That Summer'.
A young married woman, a mother faced with a cruel reality of her life, as her family crumbles down.
A touching poetic saga of oppressed women of the modern days, named after the Hindu goddesses.
A poet reminisces about his mother, the sounds and images he would associate with her leaves him deeply nostalgic and lost.
A moving account of reminiscence and nostalgia of a mother as she visits down the memory lane on the occasion of her dear daughter's birthday.
A detailed, analytic book review of 'Defiant Dreams: Tales of Everyday Divas', published by Readomania, edited and curated by Incredible Women of India.
A touching, heart-wrenching saga of love, sacrifices and loss, centered on the relationship between a father-in-law and a daughter-in-law.
A heartfelt, romantic plea from a lover to his lady-love, a simple celebration of their blissful days together.
A soulful poem on matured love and how the lovers' emotions evolve while exploring love.
A soulful poetic account as the poet reminisces the memories of a house, lost in flames
Blue , the color of all my morns
Teeming with hope and
Shredded bygones
Crimson ,the hue of early noon
A clumsy mishmash
Of ecstasy and doom
Green , the signal of twilight
I...
A poem by Sufia Khatoon on the enigmatic beauty of old Calcutta (now rechristened 'Kolkata'), inspired by a photograph of an old building in the city by Kounteya Sinha.
A short, but powerful fictional piece with a strong social message.
A touching musing about the emotional bond that a mother and daughter share with each other. Santosh Bakaya pens it down as a funny birthday musing.
