How lucky my friend that our ways crossed! We could have continued to be strangers for the rest of our lives, had it not been for this fortuitous event. You arrived at this inn that I check into every so often. It’s a cosy little joint let me assure you. The hosts are friendly and the guests I have come across appear to be charming people to say the least.
So, as they say, Welcome Aboard!
What do I do here? Ah! Nice question indeed. You know what? I write stories. I compose poems. I translate stuff into English too, mostly from Bengali and Japanese. Sometimes I move in the reverse direction too. Bengali happens to be my mother tongue and Japanese is a language I fell in love with.
I travel a lot too. Cyberly speaking, if you know what I mean.
By the time you are as old as I am, you tend to repeat yourself. Don’t be surprised therefore if you find me trying to engage you in similar conversations, sometimes at least, at different halting stations.
The list of my favourite inns will lengthen over time. I am reasonably sure that I shall be adding to it every now and then. I have plans you see. One of these concerns students who wish to learn economics. I am in dire need of a classroom. Didn’t I tell you about a nomadic trait in me? Poetry, story AND economics. Oh yes, I am mad-ly no-mad-ic good friend. Read “Who’s Me?” below if you want to find out how I sublimated to this state of existence.
I write for the printed media too and one day I hope to transfer a few of these compositions over to a niche or the other. I am searching for one that fits my bill and will let you know about it when I discover it. But I am a slow builder and I have just about started to chalk out a plan. If my everlasting dream is fulfilled, you’ll probably get to know even without any prompting from me.
Since I write in Bengali too, I would obviously love to welcome you to my Bengali blogs. They are listed to your left in the blogroll.
But here is a parting message. Like Shelley’s cloud, I often “arise and unbuild” the things I pieced together with loving care. I need to rend them asunder every now and then, or else how will the ” orbèd maiden” that “mortals call the Moon” walk in through the yawning chasms and make us hear the “beat of her silent feet”?
To: Who’s Me?
To: For students of Economics.
To: English Blog.
Comments
Dear Oj-dada,
That was a clever post on I’s and You’s! It surely led me to you here.
I wish you a lot of happiness with this new site and will check in from time to time to see what your ‘I’ is saying!
Sujata
Dear Sujata:
Thanks for peeping in. I need a lot of luck without doubt. WordPress is a powerful machine and there is great scope for learning new technology.
But I need to write too, or else it will turn into an expensive harmonium I have bought to decorate my living room to impress my guests. Don’t know how far I will be able to go. Wish I came across these opportunities as a younger person. At my age the end can arrive any moment.
Love and best regards.
oj-dada
Sorry it took so long, but I finally got around to taking a stroll in your garden.
Looks cool, and I take my hat off to you for doing things from scratch, as it were.
I’m not so clever, and my site’s built out of pre-set templates.
Will be keeping a watchful eye on you.
Phil
Thanks a lot Phil. I suppose I get trapped between my conflicting desires to pick up softwares and writing stories. For a while now I think I will concentrate more on the latter, now that I have at least a platform ready.
Anyway, it’s fun playing with the computer. Looking forward to reading the mystery tale from you.
Best wishes.
Dipankar
Dear Dipankar
First of all congratulations on getting yourself a smart new webpage. Its wonderful to have a site of one’s own and collect all one’s thoughts and works there.
I liked the translation of Tagore’s ‘sudden encounter’. Its so typically Tagore, I’d say. The lines
‘All the stars that fill up the night
Lie deeply hidden in the glow of the day.’
left a deep impression in me.
The Dog episode was very touching. I really felt a twinge in my heart as i read the closing line.
I recollect reading The Born Loser before. Was it in Ibibo ? Or perhaps you’d sent me a link from your other website ?
The Magicwalla tale is classic ! I remember people like him from my childhood too. As usual, you have packed a punch in the concluding paragraph.
I will read the other entries as and when I find time and keep you posted. (The toothy tale looks so inviting !!!)
I am really glad you remember me and thought of sharing the link.
Bye.
With much regards
Sarada
Dear Sarada:
I enjoy writing, but there are few readers available to read what I write. So, I force my stuff on unsuspecting people. Unfortunately, you happen to be one of my chosen victims. I still remember the polish in your writing from the ibibo days.
I was a little worried that the translations I used to send you didn’t meet with your approval.
At the same time, I did want my own site, built the way I wanted to build it. Finally, I took the decision to rent a web domain and go ahead. I think you may have read earlier versions of many of the pieces I shall be putting up here. But I have revised them, not in a big way, but as far as choice of words and expressions went. At my age, one is likely to turn far too demanding on oneself. There are times I feel physically exhausted after composing a literary piece.
Maganlal was a story/memoir I had been planning for a number of months. It took me a while to come up with a final version. Or, at least, the first postable version. Let’s see where it takes me from here.
It was very kind of you to read and comment.
Thanks a lot good friend.
Dipankar
Lovely. A place of one’s own.
All the very best as always OJ Da.
Shail
Thanks for the visit Shail. Visitors always liven up one’s home.
oj-da
hope you well,
love your blog.
cool post.
Oh, thanks a ton!!
http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/thursday-poets-rally-week-31-october-21-27/
I invite you to attend Thursday Poets Rally week 31
let me know when you are ready.
Thanks a lot.
two awards for this week’s participation.
I am not much of poet though. Just an occasional writer, that too of prose!!
Thanks!
Great blog post, I have been after that!!!
Thank You,
Seymour
landlord insurance
Welcome aboard Seymour.
Best wishes
Aziz Kingrani
Thank you Mr. Kingrani.
Great Sir…Great writings…
Thank you Joydeep.