The market was full and many women were having Mendi designs drawn on their hands. This occurs on Rash Bahri Ave. where the street venders are so numerious that it is only possible to walk down the sidewalk single file. Read more…
Backstage with Bubul
Friday night I was invited to be the guest of the preeminent sarod player Mr. Anindya Banerjee or Bubul to his friends. He was giving a performance at the Dover Lane Music conference. A classical Indian music festival, that takes Read more…
Printing is Finished!
Thursday I was able to return to the block-printing factory where we complete my printing. It was a much different day than Tuesday. More printers were at work and the boss lady was there so there was a serious Read more…
“Dreamland”
Wednesday turned out to be a holiday, Saraswati Puga. Saraswati is the goddess of learning as well as the goddess of the arts hence her reason for holding a sitar. So all the children had off school. My apartment Read more…
At the Fabric Block Printers
Tuesday ended up being my most productive day. In the morning Topo arrived early with more old saris for gluing. Then after a failed attempt at going to the printer on Monday the opportunity finally presented itself. I was escorted Read more…
The End of an Era
Today a leader in West Bengali politics died. Mr. Jyoti Basu was 95 and an important figure of the Communist party. He was instramental in organizing land reform. There is a write-up in the NY Times at this address: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/world/asia/18basu.html?ref=asia With Read more…
More Images of the Neighborhood
Work
I got a tour of the neighborhood this evening with explanations of local businesses that I could not decipher on my own. The biggest mystery was this shop with beautiful wood and glass cases. An Ayurvedic Dr. with all his Read more…
Xanadu
Everywhere you turn the potential for something magical appears. This view was glimpsed from the window of a contemporary art gallery. It is a Jain temple inspired by the medieval temples of Orissa (A neighboring state known for it’s very Read more…
The Harrington Street Art Center Opens
Monday Night, My first social event here in Kolkata, everyone for the art community was there. Housed in a grand British Colonial mansion in the center of the city and here is where the ironies abound. Started by a Read more…
