Valentine Day started as a ‘thing’ when we were kids, I am talking about late 80s or early 90s, I honestly don’t remember. I mean the day was ‘there’ and if you do Wikipedia, you can see, that in ‘modern’ times it perhaps started as a celebration since 1797 in England and spread around the world from there. But honestly, I don’t think most people of the sub-continent even heard about Valentine Day not until the late 80s.
My school “Valentine”, who is a vicious, soul sucking witch (to whom I am married for 18 years 😊), had said, even back in the day…. “Do you know, Valentine Day is an Archies and Hallmark Gift Card Propaganda, which is a corporate brainwash trying to get money from innocent kids, this is the evil of consumerism! We should organize a protest!”. Believe me, she did! And people came too! So, you can imagine, I was lucky. I never had to pay a single dime on any gifts, cards, or chocolate, jewelery, diamond ring…. anything… in my life! Ladies and Gentlemen, that is how you become rich 😊
So early on, that was my Valentine Day! After a few years, she lost the battle, and all her friends flocked to buy the cards, the roses, the chocolate and gifts of all shapes and sizes. But that didn’t bother her a tiny bit, because this particular lady didn’t care about ‘shit’ 😊. All these were too far below her. Oh well, I didn’t care much either, as long as I don’t have to spend any money, because those days, I didn’t have too much.
11th Magh, in the Bengali Calendar, typically is Maghotshov! That was the closest thing to Valentine day in Bengali culture. I don’t know how many of you celebrate it in on the other side, but on this side of the ‘shanko’ (as I like to call it), it was a thing at least for the ‘Rabindrik’ people. On top of that I grew up in a ‘khash ghoti’ family where we stayed as neighbors. They were Bhrambho. Yeah, that is a religion. Jorashanko Thakur Family were Bhrambho, and our neighbors were related to them, directly.
Yeah, so here I am, born on 11th Magh as well, I was instantly a popular hit among my neighbors, who remains my real family even to this date. Visiting Shantiniketan University at Bolpur was a thing during much of my childhood if I remember correctly. Later my older brother ever started to work at Bolpur (but I was long gone by that time). I still remember Shantiniketan a lot. Those days I preferred the Saontal colony near the campus, as opposed to all the Rabindrik festivites around the campus. For some reason Ladies in yellow and red Krishnachura, was never something that appealed me that much. I had a ‘didi’ back then who was/is an Anthropologist, and used to work with/on the Saontal tribes of Bolpur, I preferred to hang out with her during Maghotshov times. So yeah, that was usually the ‘love festival’ for me.
I never felt that I missed out on love however, I guess it comes differently to different people. There is not right or wrong way. I strongly believe, that all ways are right, as long as you are not hurting anyone or anything.
-Editor
Romance is perhaps the single most reiterated trope in the entire history of art. Cinema was never an exception in this case. Actually, it would be safe to say that the last few generations are conditioned in their ideas of how relationships should be, seeing romance and love on celluloid. There’s another side of that narrative too, people can identify exaggerated ideas around romance on screen. This is one of the reasons commercially successful and entertaining movies gave birth to the sentiment, “Oh, it happens only in the movies”. The distrust in movies in this case is justified. However, better cinema also gets caught in the crosshair regrettably.
So I want to name a few good ones to see on this valentines day to remind ourselves, high art only reflects the face of humanity and when they exaggerate an event, that is also partly rooted in reality.
Casablanca (1942)
Casablanca is arguably one of the greatest films of all time and it is surprisingly very modern in looks and feels. The city featured in the movie seems to be alive and is a major character itself in the film. And there’s the central romance story between an expatriate american cafe owner in casablanca and his lost love. There’s also war, friendship, the sense of justice.
Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)
Based on the novel by Truman Kapote. But the film takes a different route. A young woman with a chaotic personality starts a relationship with a struggling writer. The film has way more events, a comedic gait, and a less cynical conclusion. The book on the other hand is a fine testament of relationship psychology and the botch that regrettably comes with liberalism. However, for the sake of valentine’s spirit, I’d suggest to go with the film instead.
Who’s afraid of virginia woolf (1966)
This one revolves around a married couple and their marital disputes, bouts and conflicts of interests. A couple who’s spent a long time together go through some sort of a phase, they grow distant from each other or their bonds get stronger than ever. Whichever road they might ultimately set on, they must first go through the challenge of facing what’s wrong with their relationship.
I often see people lose interest seeing black and white films or the year attached beside their name. I want to assure them-- all of these films are extremely entertaining and shouldn’t be hard to get hooked into them at all.
পলাশের পাতার ফাঁক গলে ফাল্গুনের প্রশান্ত বিকেলের নরম রোদ অনুর কপোল বেয়ে নেমে এসেছে চিবুক পর্যন্ত।বিকেলের এই রোদ্দুর ছটা যেন পলাশের রক্তিম আভা মেখে অনুর গৌরবর্ণে সিঁদুরের প্রলেপ মেখে দিয়েছে। পাশেই দণ্ডায়মান তেঁতুল গাছটি এই দশ বছরে আরো দীর্ঘ হয়েছে, ডালগুলি তেতুলের আধিক্যে নিজেকে সামলাতে না পেরে মাটির দিকে নেমে এসেছে। অনু চিরচেনা গাছটির দিকে কয়েক পা এগিয়ে গেল। লাটিমের আল দিয়ে খোদাই করা তারিখটা এখনো বেশ দৃশ্যমান, ১৩/২/২০২১, দেখা হবে এই দিনে!
আজ ফেব্রুয়ারির ১৪ তারিখ অর্থাৎ ঋতুরাজ বসন্তের প্রথম দিন। সুদূর আমেরিকা থেকে অনাকাঙ্ক্ষিত ফ্লাইট ডিলে হওয়ার কারণে অনুর আসতে একদিন দেরী হয়ে গেছে। সেকি তবে এসেছিল এই দিনে? তাকে কি না পেয়ে এক বুক অভিমান নিয়ে চলে গেছে? একটু দুরেই একটি কোকিল ডেকে উঠলো। অনুর এই ডাকটা খুব চেনা, ঠিক তার মতোই বুকভরা আকুতি নিয়ে ডাকছে প্রিয় সঙ্গিনীকে। তার নিজেরও খুব ইচ্ছে করছে গলা ছেড়ে ডাক দিতে!
তপু তুমি কোথায়..........?
ভাবনার জগতে ডুবে থেকে অনেকটা সময় পার হয়ে গেছে, চারিদিকে ছড়িয়ে ছিটিয়ে আছে ঝরে পড়া পলাশ ফুল। তপুর দেয়া লাঠিমটা তার বাম হাত দিয়ে আঁকড়ে ধরে আছে অনু, অনুভূতিটা এমন যে মনে হচ্ছে সে যেন তপুকেই জড়িয়ে আছে। সাধারণত সবাই প্রিয় মানুষকে ফুল উপহার দেয়, আর তপু তাকে দিয়েছে একটি লাটিম। তপু তো এমনই, সবার থেকে আলাদা! শৈশব থেকে কারণে-অকারণে তপুর হাতে মার খেতে খেতে তার কৈশোরে পদার্পণ।
তার পরেও চোখ বন্ধ করলে এখনও আবেগে আপ্লুত হয়ে মনের এক কোণে যে ছবিটি ভেসে ওঠে তা হচ্ছে তপুর মুখ। তপু কি তাকে ঠিক এইভাবে অনুভব করে? নাকি কৈশোরের একান্ত খেয়াল বসত লাটিমের আল দিয়ে লেখা একটি তারিখ, একটি হেঁয়ালি প্রতিজ্ঞা!
মানুষের শরীরের গন্ধ তীব্র পারফিউম এর চেয়েও প্রখর, তবে যারা চিনতে পারে! অনুর এই ক্ষমতা রয়েছে। দশ বছর আগের সেই পুরনো গন্ধটা মুহূর্তেই তাকে আবেশে ঘিরে ফেলল। তার অনুভূতি তাকে জানান দিচ্ছে তপু নিশ্চয়ই আশেপাশে কোথাও আছে। তার ভুল হতে পারে না, কারণ এই গন্ধ তার খুবই চেনা। তপু কি সত্যিই এসেছে? তবে কি এই বসন্তে তার দশ বছরের দীর্ঘ প্রতীক্ষার অবসান হতে চলেছে? অনু আবার গলা ছেড়ে ডাক দিল,
তপু.........তুমি কোথায়..........?
এই আকুল কন্ঠের আহ্বান কারো পক্ষে এড়িয়ে যাওয়া সম্ভব নয়। তপুও পারবেনা, তাকে আসতেই হবে!!
কোকিলের কলকাকলিতে আর বসন্ত আসে না
বসন্ত চেনা যায় মানুষের রঙ্গিন পরিধানে।
শহরের কোলাহলে কোকিলের ডাক আর শোনা যায় না
তাই বলে কি বিলম্ব হয় বসন্তের আগমনে?
Did you hear Winter is ending? I didn’t hear it but I’m seeing it. It’s Spring and almost not Spring. The weather is still transitioning so it’s hot and cold for a while now.
পহেলা ফাল্গুন the first day of Spring holds a special place in our hearts. Yes, this year it coincides with Valentine’s Day, the day which celebrates love. Imagine the colors playing in the atmosphere, love is in the air. Although I know some will run away from Valentine’s Day like it’s a plague, I doubt they’ll avoid Spring and all its promises to poke their long-hibernated emotions to come alive. Well, it did mine. Valentine’s Day or not, no one will stop me from mingling with the colors of Spring.
This day brings some joyful memories, memories from my graduation days; and those were some of the best days of my life. There were concerts on the campus, everyone dressed so colorfully as if the festivities itself would drive the inertia from every corner. It looked so cheery it felt as if there’s no way it would ever be achromatic. I’m sure it will do just that, like every year. More so this day, after all that pandemic has done, now it is time for the entire world to wake up from sleep and embrace spring with open arms.
If I'm saying that I prefer Spring over Winter, that would be wrong. I love both equally as winter here is not severe and it’s oddly pleasant; spring is rejuvenating. Even with striking differences, they have the ability make us connect with the nature.
The spring portrays change for the better, that’s my belief. It’s filled with endless possibilities, so think of it as a chance to rise and shine. Don’t be gloomy, don’t let the withered winter bind your thoughts and passions to a cage, set them free.
It's valentine's day. Everyone is celebrating their day with their loved one and some are not saying they don't have anyone to celebrate with, really they don't? Let's come to this point after a short time. One party is silently celebrating it and another is standing against it. Hahaha. That's the fun for many of the singles like me.
Some say what's the use of expressing love on a particular day, but I will say there is also no harm to it. Well, it can be taken as that it's a special day to make your loved ones feel special particularly on this day. You can make it different from the others so that he or she can remember it as a memorable one respectively.
Single or mingle? That's not the question. You can name this day to your family members too. They are also the greatest love of us. Have you ever thought of them in this way getting out of the criticism about this day? Well, how many of the boys can ever express their love towards their dad? I think few, very few of us. Personally, if I say about mine I haven't been able to tell him ever that how much I love him.
Our career, our hobbies, our desires, and everything is fulfilled by this person. He even sacrifices his desires to satisfy our ones. I can remember our Eid festivals where he could give us the money to do our shopping and I have never seen him buying before us. He always pushed us to complete ours and then he could do his ones so that we don't get any kind of shortage. I am using the latest updated phone and he is still with the five years old one. He keeps us updated and getting behind the latest era smilingly.
Grown-up, now it's best I can do is to realize his love towards us and show them back. Maybe I won't be able to say to him, "I love you dad" but I will make him feel that I do. That's the hardest part for the boys to express their love verbally to their dads which can easily be expressed by any girls. May The Almighty grant immense love and happiness to all the superheroes.
সেদিন আমার জীবনেও বসন্ত এসেছিলো। কারন তুমি এসেছিলে, কিন্তু আমার জীবনে যে বসন্তের হাওয়া দীর্ঘ সময় বয় না। তবে আমার শব্দগুচ্ছে ফুল ফুটেছিল,আমার আকাশ থেকে কালো মেঘের দল সড়ে নীল হয়েছিলো।
সেদিন চেয়েছিলাম দুজন ভেজা ঘাসের উপর দিয়ে খালি পায়ে হাটতে। ঘাসে লেগে থাকা শিশির ফোঁটা গুলো তোমায় পায়ে লেগে থাকবে। পায়ের পাতার কাছের রক্তনালিগুলো ঠান্ডা শিশিরের সংস্পর্শে এসে উদ্দীপিত হবে।
সেদিন মূষলধারে বৃষ্টি হচ্ছিল। কিন্তু তুমি বৃষ্টিতে ভিজতে না করেছিলে,অল্পতেই ঠান্ডা লেগে যায় জন্যে। কিন্তু তুমি জানতে বৃষ্টি আমার খুব প্রিয়। তাই সেদিন সেই ঝুম বৃষ্টিতে ভিজেছিলাম। সেদিন ঠান্ডা না, জ্বর এসেছিলো।
সেই দিনটা খুব মনে পড়ে । এইতো গত বসন্তের কথা। আকাশে সূর্য হাসছিল সাদা মেঘের আড়ালে। চারিদিকে সবুজের সমাহার। হিমেল হওয়া বইছে, আর হালকা শীত করছিলো আমার। সেই বসন্তেই প্রথম দেখেছিলাম তোমাকে, রাস্তা ওপারে দাড়িয়ে ছিলে। কোন একটা কারনে মনখুলে হাসছিলে৷ এখনো মনে আছে সেই হাসিটা।
সেদিন বাসে উঠার আগে একগুচ্ছ গোলাপ কিনেছিলাম। বুকে সহস্র পরিমাণ চাপা উত্তেজনা ছিলো, তোমাকে ঠিক কিভাবে ফুল গুলো দিব! খুব ভয় হচ্ছিল। কিন্তু আমার রঙিন স্বপ্নগুলো মলিন হয়ে যাওয়ার ভয়ে আর ফুলগুচ্ছ দেওয়া হয়নি।
সেদিন রিক্সায় করে ঘুরে বেড়ানো শহর জুড়ে, কিভাবে ভুলবো বলো-তো!!
সেদিন তোমার দেওয়া একটা বই আমার হাতে। বইয়ের ভাজে রাখা গোলাপের পাপড়িগুলো শুকিয়ে কালো হয়ে গেছে। মূলত তোমাকে খুঁজছিলাম বইতে। কারন বেশ কয়েকদিন হলো কথা হয় না আমাদের।
তোমার সাথে আরেকটি বার দেখা হওয়ার জন্য হলেও পৃথিবীর সুস্থ হোক।
This here is our piece de resistance. To promote engagement and a little self-branding, we have come up with an initiative that we simply called Featured. And we are very excited about this portion of the magazine.
Every week, one talented author will have the opportunity to contribute a piece for the magazine while showcasing one of their best posts. The willing writers will have a chance to add a few words about any topic they choose and be a 25% beneficiary of the magazine.
The first step is you have to decide whether you want to get featured or not. Once you've made up your mind, you have to apply by submitting one of your articles from last week. We have a wiggle room for quality content if they are older than seven days. Choose the piece you deem to be your best work for the week, as this will play a significant role in you getting featured or not.
There will be a two-day period to submit your application. It must be submitted by dropping a link to your post in the #Featured-Magazine channel on the BDCommunity Discord Server. One author will be chosen randomly from all the submissions. The featured author for the week will be announced during the weekly voice meeting. They will then have two days to write a piece and submit it.
The author who gets featured in the weekly magazine will be set as a 25% beneficiary, meaning 25% of the magazine's liquid payout will go to the featured author.
Do not forget to join our next weekly hangout on at Friday 10 pm GMT +6
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