Glimpses from Bengal..um!

Certain thing which represents Bengal is replete with high spirits.

With the advent of August, carrying autumn with her, Bengalees gear up for Eid, Kite Flying Festival followed by Durga Puja celebrated as a week-long carnival in Bengal (aka Bengalees all over the world).

All these celebrations are countered with MISHTI (the bengalee term for Sweets and applicable for anything that seems sweet!), the most essential part of a resplendent Bengali lifestyle!

Though it is not Bengalees, but anyone from any corner of the world, who has ever been in touch with the sumptuous sweet dishes of Bengal has become its undisputed evangelist!

Scroll down to get information about a few of them.

Rasgula, but the original pronunciation being Roshogollah, is the survivor from a few people (may be) of the world who said "not good!" For others, it has spread its aura to become an alchemist for its fans. This sweet has its roots in Orissa, but the confectioner (or Moyra in Bengali) was Nobin Chandra Das (read Naveen). His successors are now one of the most famous Calcutta based confectioners with shops all over the world, popularly known as KC DASS.

Shondesh, as it is known, is a dessert prepared by the home-made cheese of two variety, soft baked (or Norompak, as norom = soft) and hot/hard baked (or Kowrapak, Kowra = rigid)! There's even others; Tal-shasher sondesh (or sweet dish made of the yolk of coconut palm), Nolengurer Shondesh (Nolen = etymologically Naren, depreciated in Dhaka's diction, it is the sweetdish made of molasses with no use of sugar)!

FIRNI or PAYESH (in Bengalee), being the birds of same feather started its journey much before the renaissance of Bengal had started. The Islamic traditions of food and sweetdishes have found a perfect blend with eastern trends of solicitation during the time of Bengal's architect Nawabs like Shiraj-ud-dulla (read Sheraz-ud-daulah). The characteristic difference between the two is that Firni is served as a cold-dessert whereas Payesh is served lukewarm.

ZARDA or SITABHOG in Bengalee, is also a Persian-Bengal fusion aptly made centuries ago for a soulful taste. By now, Zarda and Sitabhog hardly have any difference except the names and their native styles of cooking.

LEDIKENI, named after Lady Canning, the beautiful wife of the British Governor General Lord Canning, is said to have sold her million dollar worth necklace for this special sweetmeat that later found its name after her. Being an abridged edition of GULABJAMUN in north India, this sweet unlike the latter, is solely made from home-made cheese (or chhana) and is said to have taken great care so that the milk does not ferment more than two times ata specific temperature. For such reason, the Burdwan (or Bardhaman) district of Bengal specilizes in the recipe of this sweetmeat. Its alter ego is, in fact, far more reputed; it is called LYANG-CHA. Interestingly, in Bengalee, Lyang stands for kick and Chaa is tea! Shaktigarh, famous for Lyangcha in Burdwan district makes each piece of more than 500 gms. each with a length of 7 to 8 inches.

CHANDRAPULI PAYESH is a crossbreed of PAYESH and MALAI. It is served to the JAMAI (or daughter's husband) by every in-law during his annual visit to the bride's house every year after marriage. The occasion is called JAMAI SOSTHI (or the Ode to the son-in-law to all worldly grace) where the SASURI (or the Mom-in-law) must cook new recipes every time. It is believed that Chandrapuli can stir up sweet romances between the couple!

MIHIDANA or the clone of Boondi of North India is not exactly the photocopy! When Boondi is a mix of Gram-flour (or Besan in Hindi), Mihidana is made of homemade cheese mixed with milk powder. It probably owes its name to the famous mathematician BARAHA MIHIR of Orissa who liked this dessert!

MALAI CHOMCHOM is a hybrid of CHOMCHOM in Bengali (Chomchom, a Vietnamese word for Rambutan, also Chom Chom Advertising = an advertising strategy with a strict budget betting on a single individual as a master card, not an organization, not any group) meaning Boat. The finest varieties are available in leading restaurant chains all over the world.

RASMALAI or ROSHOMALAI in Bengalee, is now one of the exotic sweet dishes and is preferred due to a rich taste and its innate capacity to melt inside the mouth. Once again, this dish is served by all leading restaurant chains serving Bengali Food.

So, next time you visit Kolkata, don't miss to tickle on your toes and go for a footloose in the city searching for some pure tastes of ecstasy. Also, for Bengali cuisine, both veg. and non veg., do not miss the following if you are visiting Kolkata:

Sen Mohashoy for varieties (Sealdah, mohashoy = Mr.)

KC DASS for Roshogollah (Esplanade)

Bhim Nag for Shondesh (Bowbazar)

Girish and Nakur for Kawrapaker Shondesh (Near Bethune College, College Street)

Arsalan and Shiraj for Firni (Park Circus Junction, don't worry, they have separate provisions for Veggies)

Haldiram's - a 20 minutes drive from Airport

All these sweet shops are located in North Calcutta only with a mutual distance of 4-5 kms. from each other, but take care due to head-wrenching traffic!

Also, try to take dinner in any of the following (once again, don't worry; Calcutta is quite conscious about veg. and non-veg. hospitalities):

Chinese Restaurants in China Pot'ti (or Chinese Slums) lies at a 5 kms. drive from Park Circus/Science City Auditorium. Although available in GK II, Rajouri and Saket in Delhi, I prefer going to Mainland China in Kolkata for a heavenly dinner! Try out private dining in Silver Arcade on Halden Avenue.

Halden Avenue, although, reminds me of my first job nearby and of course, Oh! Calcutta. The ambience and the hospitality are great and yes, it is also in Nehru Place now (International Trade Tower, Delhi).

Another great place would be MARCO POLO on Lansdowne Road. The concept was to bring a blend of Italian spices into Indian dishes. The 'Spicy Lamb Roast' is awesome! Also, "Chocolate Sandwich Vignette"!

Bengalee people believe in a whole-hearted lunch than a dinner. Most of the exquisite bengalee dishes are served during lunch only. 6, Ballygunj Place on Ballygunj Place can be hit for a mindblowing lunch with Posto Narkel Bowra (Roasted dumplings of coconut and poppy seeds), Moog Mohon (lentils with distinct flavor of mango, ginger, coconut), Chhanar Malai Curry (cottage cheese dumplings cooked inside a tender coconut), Begun Bashonti (Succulent brinjals cooked in a mustard flavored curd gravy), Pur Bhara Doi Potol (Coconut, poppy seed and mustard stuff waxed into the finger-gourd or parwal), Mochar Ghonto (banana florettes with coconut and potato with cumin) for veggies and Golda chingrir Chiney Kabab (Stuffed jumbo prawn flavored with hot spices), Daab Chingri (prawns roasted in a tender coconut, will surely melt in your mouth!), Kakra Shorshey (Deboned crabs in a traditional mustard gravy), Bhapa Ilish (East Bengal/Bangladesh's pride, hilsa in a mustard gravy packed inside banana leaf foliage), Chital Machher Muitthya (Clown KnifeFish cooked in spicy gravy), Tel Koi (Bengal's favorite dish across every household, Climbing Gouramie cooked in mustard and cumin), Murgir Tramfrado (Chicken cooked in spicy coconut gravy and flavored with lemon leaves), Kosturi Mangsho (Mutton curry flavored with lemon leaves and coconut milk) for people who wants to take a nibble of much-heard Bengali fish!

Another one (quite low-cost and better if you take a home-delivery to your place) would be BHOJOHORI MANNA (after a famous Manna De song on the bawarchi) on Hindustan Road. Special dishes here includes Mochar Paturi (Banana florettes baked hot inside pooy and coconut milk waxed banana leaf foliage) for veggies, Sylheti Mangshor Chaap (Mutton Curry with lemon, cumin, poppy, famous in Sylhet district of Bangladesh), Ilish machher matha diye pui shak (The head of Hilsa Fish crisped with Malabar climbing spinach) for others. Chutney (a sweet finale before desserts, too significant in Bengali cuisine) made of Tomatoes, Almond, Berries and Date Palm is quite famous here.

Don't you have a Bengalee friend who would invite you in his house for a meal? If you think you will miss the typical Bengalee hospitality of serving the food and drawing satisfaction on viewing that food is being thoroughly enjoyed by the foodies, strike the right chord @ TERO PARBON (Tero = 13, Parbon = Festival, it is said that Bengalee festivals exceeds the count of months in a year!) near Hindustan Park. Coming up as one of the most sophisticated places of Bengali food, don't forget to book the table at least a day before you go there, especially during Durga Puja! Special dishes served are Alu Peyajkolir Torkari (Potato and scallions smashed into a curry with cinammon and garlic), sonamooger dal o jhinge posto (one of the favorites of bengalees, golden lentils soup with smashed coconut along with curry of potato, Ridge Gourd and smashed poppy) for veggies and for others, mourola machher jhal (Spiced whitebait), Topsey machh bhaja (Mango Fish baked in butter), Malai mangsho (mutton/chicken made with stuffed curd or malai), Mangsher Golghor (once a famous place for cooked mutton in Shyambazar area of North Kolkata, Golghor still tides into memory for many Bengalees) etc.

If you are not a foodie who likes to taste different dishes of a native place, the best place to sit with a company into some good restaurants like BARBEQUE NATION on EP-DP Block, Salt Lake or PETER CAT (food is just too delightful and toothsome, you miss Chicken Chelo Kabab there and you miss a grand living) in Park Street. These are best places where one can find cosmopolitan foods being served.

I won't force anybody but AMBER (one of the best places of cosmopolitan foods post-British era and before Oberoi Group opened GRAND, Calcutta) on Waterloo Street and LAZEEZ on Elgin Road are my personal favorites. But they are not as grand as the former and prices are horribly high!

Calcuttans (not Bengalees this time) loves a word: BIRYANI! Nobody can count how many CALCUTTANS have given up lives when Biryani were denied to them, and how many poems of bereavement and love-lost I have written during this 3 years-long stay in Ghaziabad and Delhi! Only because all of us miss the great taste and flavor and admiration and tears and smile BIRYANI brings us!

Certainly, if you are also another Biryani moron like us, the Mecca of your desires lies right at Park Circus. ARSALAN, ZEESHAN,SHEERAJ, TURAN, SHAHEEN, NAUSHAD and AMINIA are Greek-gods for us! Visit these places for a finger-melting taste available at an economic expense!

Finally, beverages!

One place would be quite cool and much distanced from all the dins and bustles of the city. The ambience is simply great and you could, once again, find every taste fitting you! That's SOURAV'S THE FOOD PAVILLION, run by the Former Captain of Indian Cricket Team, Sourav Ganguly. Try French Pape Red Wine (got a huge name in original) which would cost you around 6K but surely, it's worth the price! Aperitif, Rye and Bourbon are also available!

NRFS protocol: English makes it for you!

NRFS stands for NOSE RUNS, FEET SMELLS. Yes, it should have the replacement but English made it possible to bring out the most scintillating effect. English has got one rule that is, it is singularly devoid of any rule. Since ages, the language maestros have dared to punch and hit unusual word combinations, thus making English a mélange of unique literary expression. Remember Shakespeare's innovations like "three scores and ten", "sea change" and "much ado about nothing"! Following are several such paraphernalia that makes English most enduring and the most cherished language to learn, experiment and express:

• OFF is used to express something that has come to an end. Sure? Nah, not with alarm clock. It “goes off” when starts ringing.
• · Although UP is opposite of DOWN, “slow up” and “slow down” conveys similar meaning (usage is different).
• · SLOW cannot be antonymous to RUSH, better word is FAST. But opposite of “slow traffic” is always “rush hour”.
• · Often you find charitable organizations categorizing them as “Self Help Group”. Sounds good, but then where the scope of self help is if you are in a group! Similar stuffs are like “Eyes Wide Shut” (Tom Cruise in lead role) expressing a state of confusion or may be “Corporate family” which pauses one’s comprehension that if it is corporate, how can someone put it as a family!
• · Tongue twisters like “No parking on driveways, no driving on parkways” are in vogue in American English.
• · Practice and be perfect? Doctors don’t have scope to be perfect! They always “practice”!
• · A FINE is a tax for doing wrong, when a TAX is a fine for doing well! LOL!
• · If you believe failures are pillars for success, skydiving is not your cup of eggnogs! Once you fail, you are gone.
• · OUT associating a noun conveys an expression, extraction, visibility, showcasing, publicity like “stars are out”, “recent editions are out” or may be mundane colloquial go like “move out”, “come out”, “bring out”, “take out” etc. Now try this: LIGHTS ARE OUT. You are now in absolute darkness!
• · Horrific can be a lexical brother of horrible, but terrific and terrible are not!
• · A man playing piano is a PIANIST. RACIST is someone who drives a car. (More often used in London dailies as DRIVER is taken in a cheaper orientation)
• · OVERLOOK = antonym = OVERSEE
• · If a lawyer is disbarred (out of the bar court), clergymen are defrocked! Then electricians must be delighted, musicians must be denoted, cowboys must be deranged, models disposed and drycleaners depressed! ROFL!
• · Loose: Lose – See how you can feel the difference if not knowing it. IF YOUR SHOELACES ARE TOO LOOSE, YOU MIGHT TRIP AND LOSE BALANCE.
• · TO PLEAD something means to ask for something. But “guilt” is an exception. “To plead guilty” is to confess one’s guilt.
• · TO CURRY or TO COOK are good expressions to use. “You can’t curry love” (say it to yourself when you feel low in love, wink wink), “Can you smell what ROCK is cooking (remember WWE days?) etc. “To curry favor” however, means you are a sycophant as you win favor by flattery!
• · TREAD THE MIDDLE AISLE is a nascent term I came across. It means to get married, ha ha!
• · Do not misuse “Answer Back” in place of “reply” (reply back is a bad English) or “Call back”. Answer back means to reply defiantly.
• Check WIND UP now. WIND UP my watch would mean starting my watch whereas WIND UP observation means to bring it to an end.

Some new terms I came across (smarter ones):

• Who wears the pants? [Asking for the person responsible]
• Go; fly a kite [to ask somebody to leave you alone]
• Duck soup [easy task]
• Dime a dozen [very common]
• Make a big splash [Achieve great success]
• Chip off the old block [Child looking similar to parents]

Some palindromes:

• LEVEL
• CIVIC
• NOON
• RACECAR
• MADAM
• 
  

Cheer up Indians: you are better off!

Before you start worrying you are not as bright and beguiling as people with English as mommy tongue, check with updates from other half of the globe!

Tokyo Hotel:

Forbidden to steal hotel towels please! If you are not a person to do such thing, please not to read the note.

Bucharest Hotel:

The lift is being fixed for next day. During that time we regret you will be unbearable.

Leipzig Elevator:

Do not enter lifts backwards; and only when lit up!

Belgrade Elevator:

To move the cabin, push button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order.

Paris Hotel:

Please leave your values at the front desk.

Hotel in Athens:

Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.

Japanese Hotel:

You are invited to take advantage of the chamber maid.

Russian Orthodox Cemetery:

You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

Swiss Restaurant:

Our wines leave you for nothing to hope for!

Bangkok Dry Cleaners:

Drop your trousers here for best results.

Hong Kong dentists:

Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists

Copenhagen Airlines Ticket Office:

We take your bags and send them in all directions.

Moving out of ad mania

Advertisement is quite a paranoid in India. Its purpose is still felt to be quite rudimentary in letting organizations communicate people about their offerings. Yet, there are some, who feels a certain potion of crudity and provocative assortment is important for unlearned buyers to test some of the products. Thanks to the vigilance wing of the “Advertisement Standards Council of India” (ASCI), not many organizations or advertisement agencies are sorting to the vindictive way of putting things.

Our take today will ball around the prima-facie facts and figures of advertisement in India which is still a matter of eschew and ignorance for many CEOs, senior managers to executives, ad agencies and even business management graduates.

It is an imbroglio when Brand Management is taken as a namesake of advertisement in solidarity. Although in that case, ad turns out to be visual-media oriented packages.

The purported growth of advertising was made evident as more companies and market leaders started showing keen interest to put it into their cart. One such example is DOVE introduced by HUL decades ago. When Ogilvy and Mather (O&M) was approached to take care of the product through visual sensations, they put forth the mastery of a legendary repertoire by bringing the ad campaign DOVE IS 1/4^th MOISTURIZING CREAM. The immediate year’s sales figures were found growing up to 20% and in coming years, it triggered to even 96% of the initial forecast.

The walter however, kick starts as in one of the ad summit a brand expert once inquired a female audience whether they use DOVE as face soap or body soap. The reply was obviously what DOVE has figured out for it today! Imagine 15 years ago, the brand bearers had no clue they are summoning upon face soap but not a body bar. This is indeed not a success story as the potential customers are now being lured away in the maze of premium range face wash and other lulling assortments. Also on the other bank, it hasn’t ordained to body soap as Indian minds are quite lousy to learn the goodliness of moisturizers on their skins.

HUL in its weirdest nightmare couldn’t possibly pet the idea of a marketing communication team for continually scrutinizing customer base, co-branding and customer associates in order to make a pool of strategies that could contribute into this articulate putrescence of brand equity. For the advocates of advertising, it is necessary to understand a powerful visual media should arise out of a magnanimous market power as the recent Coca Cola “open happiness” campaign by McCann Erickson mastermind Prasoon Joshi (Umeed wali dhup, Sunshine wali asha..)!

For many FMCG and white goods, this is yet to be coveted as on macro-view they are facing a vehemently diversified market with mind-defined preferences.