#Love Calcutta India

[lovecalcuttaindia]

Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho will visit Kolkata and unveil a Messi statue at the Durga Puja pandal

Brazil’s World Cup footballer Ronaldinho will make his lady visit to Kolkata in front of Durga Puja and meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to gift her a jersey. The three-time Ballon d’Or victor will likewise initiate the puja at Sree Bhumi Brandishing Club, where a 75-ft sculpture of Argentine World Cup champ Lionel Messi has been developed as a feature of the mandap. The previous Brazil…

[randomlyblue]

বাঙালির দূর্গা পুজো

[bibleofficial]

met a VERY drunk welsh boy trying to find his way back into town & im SO happy for him as a person bc he’s … we were on the same page …. ENGLAND HATERS FOREVER

[familythings]

Saint Teresa of Calcutta: The Saint of the Slums

I am deeply emotional when it comes to talk for a great woman like Mother Teresa. Not only because she is Albanian like me, but because I’ve experienced myself the tremendous influence and love Catholics around the world had for her figure. In one of my visits in Malawi in Africa, I participated in a gathering of clients of a microfinance bank there. As I was a guest the speaker introduced me as…

[xicoindia]

Happy Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti

@xicoindia_ provides a Permanent Residency that empowers a foreign national to reside and work indefinitely in a country of which he is not a citizen.

XICO INDIA MANAGEMENT PRIVATE LIMITED is a private limited Indian company based in Delhi, India, The company is based in the city of Delhi.

Call us for FREE consultation and make your Overseas Career Dream a reality. Call: 011 4984-9440

WhatsApp: +91 8744918449 Email: info@xicoimmigration.com

[phenakistoskope]

There is a difference between Bollywood and Bombay cinema?

listen, subcontinental cinema began in bombay; the very first exhibition of the lumieres' cinematographe was held there in 1896, a few months after its debut in paris, 1895. this event predates the discursive existence of bollywood and hollywood. shree pundalik and raja harishchandra, the films that are generally considered the very first subcontinental features were also exhibited there first.

subcontinental cinema under british colonialism was produced in certain metropolitan centers such as lahore, hyderabad, and calcutta; bombay was just one of them. in 1947, when the indian nation state was formally inaugurated, the idea of a "national cinema" began forming, but given the cultural and linguistic heterogeneity of the indian union, this was quite untenable. regional popular cinemas flourished well into the 1950, 60s, 70s, and 80s and various art cinemas began taking shape alongside.

under the economy that i'm going to completely elide as "nehruvian "socialism"" bombay cinema focused on broadly "socialist" themes, think of awara (1951), do beegha zameen (1953), pyaasa (1957), all of which focus on inequality in indian economy and society from different perspectives. these films were peppered in with historical dramas, and adaptations from literature, but the original stories tended towards socialist realism. reformist films centering the family generally waxed poetic on the need to reform the family, but i haven't seen enough of these to really comment on them.

the biggest hit of the 70s, sholay (1975) was about two criminals, posited as heroes fighting gabbar singh who was attacking village folk. deewar (1975) also had two heroes, and the stakes were the two brothers' father's reputation; the father in question was a trade union leader accused of corruption.

"alternative cinema" included mani kaul's uski roti (1969) and Duvidha (1973) both of which were situated away from the city. then there's sayeed mirza and his city films, most of them set in bombay; arvind desai ki ajeeb dastan (1978), albert pinto ko gussa kyun aata hain (1980), saleem langre pe mat ro (1989) which are all extremely socialist films, albert pinto was set in the times of the bombay textiles strike of 1982 and literally quotes marx at one point. my point is that bombay cinema prior to liberalization was varied in its themes and representations, and it wasn't interested in being a "national cinema" very much, it was either interested in maximizing its domestic profits or being high art. note that these are all hindi language films, produced in bombay, or at least using capital from bombay. pyaasa, interestingly enough is set in calcutta, but it was filmed in bombay!

then we come to the 1990s, and i think the ur example of the bollywood film is dilwale dulhania le jayenge (1995) which, in stark contrast to the cinema that preceded it, centered two NRIs, simran and raj, who meet abroad, but epitomize their love in india, and go back to england (america?) as indians with indian culture. this begins a long saga of films originating largely in bombay that target a global audience of both indians and foreigners, in order to export an idea of india to the world. this is crucial for a rapidly neoliberalizing economy, and it coincides with the rise of the hindu right. gradually, urdu recedes from dialogue, the hindi is sankritized and cut with english, the indian family is at the center in a way that's very different for the social reform films of the 50s and 60s. dil chahta hai (2001) happens, where good little indian boys go to indian college, but their careers take them abroad. swadesh (2004) is about shah rukh khan learning that he's needed in india to solve its problems and leaves a job at NASA.

these are incidental, anecdotal illustrations of the differences in narrative for these separate eras of cinema, but let me ground it economically and say that bollywood cinema seeks investments and profits from abroad as well as acclaim and viewership from domestic audiences, in a way that the bombay cinema before it did not, despite the success of shree 420 (1955) in the soviet union; there were outliers, there always have been.

there's also a lot to say about narrative and style in bombay cinema (incredibly diverse) and bollywood cinema (very specific use of hollywood continuity, intercut with musical sequences, also drawn from hollywood). essentially, the histories, political economies, and aesthetics of these cinemas are too differentiated to consider them the same. bombay cinema is further internally differentiated, and that's a different story altogether. look, i could write a monograph on this, but that would take time, so let me add some reading material that will elucidate this without sounding quite as fragmented.

bollywood and globalization: indian popular cinema, nation, and diaspora, rini bhattacharya mehta and rajeshwari v. pandharipande (eds)

ideology of the hindi film: a historical construction, madhav prasad

the 'bollywoodization' of the indian cinema: cultural nationalism in a global arena, ashish rajadhyaksha

the globalization of bollywood: an ethnography of non-elite audiences in india, shakuntala rao

indian film, erik barnouw and s. krishnaswamy (this one's a straight history of subcontinental cinema up to the 60s, nothing to do with bollywood, it's just important because the word bollywood never comes up in it despite the heavy focus on hindi films from bombay, illustrating my point)

[srbachchan]

DAY 5926

Jalsa, Mumbai May 9/10, 2024 Thu/Fri 12:22 AM

Birthday Greetings for May 10th , 2024

Saddened to hear the news of the passing away of Shri Ratan Lal Bhutoria , Father of our dear Ef Rohit Kumar Bhutoria .. Rohit's Father met with a road accident this morning and unfortunately could not survive .. as informed by Ef Sanjay Patodiya .. 😔🙏🏻 .. deeply shocked and grieved .. our very sincerest condolences to you , Rohit .. we hold your hand .. be strong .. the whole Ef Family with you .. in prayer and support .. 🙏🏻

..

Hard to put anything after this 💔 .. but the occasion for it's greatness I think it deserves a mention .. 🙏🏻

..

A bit of historic ”gyaan” today .. 🙏🏻

:

10 May In Indian History :

.. 10th May 1857 .. the great Indian rebellion .. the 1st war of independence against the British at Meerut .. the rebellion began in the form of a mutiny of sepoys of the East India Company's army in the garrison town of Meerut ..

Meerut is situated between the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna ..

Thanks to its geographical importance, the fertile Ganga-Yamuna doab had been an important centre of human activities since the very early times of Vedic Civilisation.

From the medieval period onwards, the proximity of this city to Indraprastha (present day Delhi) helped it play an important role in the affairs of India.

With the capture of power by the British, Meerut became a major military centre. The aggrieved Indian soldiers of the British Army began their fight against the imperial powers in this soil on 10th May, 1857. They captured the control of the city in one day and marched to Red Fort in Delhi, which was considered to be the symbol of control over the whole of India. On their way, they were joined by the common people who shouted patriotic war cries. By the next morning, Red Fort had fallen into the hand of the freedom fighters.

..

Few pictures of India from 1857 ..

Lucknow .. 1857 ..

Calcutta .. 1853 ..

Taj Mahal .. Agra .. 1857 ..

Jantar Mantar near Delhi .. 1858 ..

James Outram's Camp at Alumbagh, Lucknow .. It was occupied by Outram and his 4000 Soldiers After the 1857 Mutiny ..

Humayun's Tomb in Delhi .. 1858 ..

See how the change has taken place .. this is the same location where we shot the song from UUNCHAI, the film of Sooraj Barjatya, pictures of which had been put up here at the Blog

A Sikh cavalry .. Illustrated Times .. 1857 ..

..

Jai Hind .. 🇮🇳🫡🕉️🙏🏻

Love .. ❤️🙏🏻

It has been a bit of a history lesson .. and after which it would be too severe to write anymore .. but simply to say , that the time at the Studio Saptaswar was visited after many an hour and days .. and the sonorous sounds for an upcoming film of Abhishek .. and of my own Section 84 , was I felt , in keeping with the moment and the story and the emotion ..

Amitabh Bachchan

[octuscle]

I met this man at a bar recently and he was absolutely gorgeous. He’s here shooting a movie but otherwise wasn’t into me at all. Could you possibly make me into an even bigger hotter more muscular movie star so that he’ll notice me and want to get together?

Well… You're not particularly good-looking or charismatic now… No wonder the first contact wasn't particularly successful. But what do you expect with your baggy sweatshirt and ill-fitting jeans?

After the nasty rebuff you received, you're sitting alone at the bar again, looking into your… Whiskey? When did you order a whiskey? You notice that two girls in the corner keep looking over at you, whispering, looking and giggling. One of them gets up and walks towards you. You straighten up, smile at her, she turns bright red, giggles and asks if she can take a selfie. She has an adorable Indian accent. And you reply in Hindi that it would be a pleasure and an honor. She takes the selfie, gives you a kiss on the cheek and runs to her friend, giggling. You finish your whiskey and wave the bartender over to pay. He replies that it would have been an honor to serve you and that the drink is on the house, of course. And a second one if you like. Your crush looks at you questioningly. You accept the second whiskey with thanks and toast the actor. He toasts back and frantically thinks about how he knows you.

It's getting warm in the bar. You unbutton two buttons on your shiny shirt. Like the trousers, which are made of a similar fabric, the shirt fits like it was painted on your body. The bar is getting fuller. Of course, many guests are whispering about your crush. But even more stare at you, want a selfie or ask for your autograph. Many of your fans are glowing-eyed and black-haired. Lots of Indians. Your crush asks you if you're an actor too. The Indian beauty who is taking a selfie with you, pretending to give you a kiss, almost collapses with laughter. She opens Instagram and shows your crush an Instagram account. Your Instagram account. 58 million followers! He turns pale. Very pale. Your skin turns a deep brown. You answer his question with a heavy Indian accent. Yes, you're an actor too. Bollywood is productive. And you are one of the biggest stars. Four to six films a year. And each one is a box office hit. Your fitness videos? Top sellers! Your own fashion collection? A must-have in Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta. And now also in London and Berlin. You smile your hundred-million-rupee smile. It leaves him speechless. But the bulge in his pants speaks its own language…

For the two young men who ask for a selfie, you throw yourself back into the cool macho pose that half of India loves you for. You give the bartender a 100-pound note as a tip, put on your leather coat and tell your colleague "Savoy, Charlie Chaplin Suite. Ask for John Rolfe". You don't need to look around to know that he's rushing to pay and grab his jacket. Tonight will be a close exchange between Hollywood and Bollywood.

Pic found @maxx-magnum

[lovecalcuttaindia]

Hotel Malari Inn will be demolished first as part of the "important" Joshimath demolitions.

Joshimath demolitions 'essential', Hotel Malari Inn will be torn down first

Hotel Malari Inn: The Central Building Research Institute in Roorkee will conduct the demolition once all occupants have been safely evacuated from “unsafe” areas. Today, the Hotel Malari Inn and Hotel Mount View in Joshimath, Uttarakhand, as well as other homes with fractures from soil subsidence, will be demolished. Malari Inn would be destroyed first and “step-wise,” according to Manikant…

[mybeingthere]

Students of the textiles department in the Govt. College of Art & Craft, Calcutta, India have recently come out with a lovely project called Da Vinci Notebooks. Using natural dyes and kalamkari technique they designed a very attractive collection of clothes. Here they are, demonstrating their creations.

[melit0n]

for the lyrics thing: “there’s something in the way you lay / that makes the dead switch graves / you take your leave” from Jericho. is “you lay” a euphemism for sleeping around (so the person is so sexually active that they make the dead roll in their grave)? or is it saying that the person is so wonderful that they can even move the dead? i’ve never been able to figure it out so i’d love to hear your thoughts!

I was hoping someone would ask about the Two ep! Just my luck, thank you anon <33

In the UK, and in America as well I'm pretty sure, "lay" is used as slang for having sex with someone, so you're right on that part, definitely. However, the line "there's something in the way you lay" brings both negative and positive connotations to me. He's saying 'there's just something about you. The way you look like that.' There's either a sense of stillness and serenity with it; a calm brought about by the way they lay, possibly asleep next to their partner.

On note of the next line, which I'll talk about in a moment, a large amount of people are known to 'sleep like they're dead', and others note that having Sleep Paralysis feels like death. The Dead are often confused for the sleeping as well, as long as they don't have any noticible abnormalities.

Even though two is quite sexually charged, I mean hey, take a look at Nazareth, I'd like to go with it being they're just so wonderful, or, in the least, appear to be so.

"Enough to make the dead switch graves" Is a stupidly powerful line. Whoever this is is just asleep, or sleeping around, and they have enough authority to make the dead switch graves.

In addition to this, a typical euphemism you may hear is 'make the dead roll in their grave'. It's one thing to do something so disgusting that you make the dead roll around, but this is something enough for these corpses to get reanimated, dig their selves out, get up, walk to another grave, and switch. This person's mere existence is potent enough that it causes the deceased to get up and leave.

It gives the vibe of a shift in the natural order of things, if that makes sense.

Plus, plus, in Islam (I know, I'm back at the religion again, bare with me lads), after a person has died, it is believed they will rest in their grave until The Day Of Judgement where they will be full body resurrected and either be taken to Paradice or Hell. Aka, the corpse will be reanimated to be eternally judged. There's also a similar idea in Christian theology; some denominations believe they die and either straight up go to Heaven or Hell, or will wait in their grave to be reanimated and judged on Judgement Day. Just something to think about.

Further, Jericho is the 'oldest city in the world', and makes an appearance in the Bible and the Qur'an; Israelites conquer the city and destroy it's protective walls. Nazareth was the home of Mary in the Bible and also where she received Annunciation. Calcutta is the old name for the capital of British India (now called Kolkata). Overarching theme of big cities with violent histories.

Lastly, we have "you take your leave". It's sung in a very final tone, if you get what I mean. Basically a 'you leaving isn't a big deal...but it means a lot to me. You've hurt me; again.'. There's not much to analyse here; it's simple and it's final. Whoever this is is gone, either 'dead' and so thoroughly disgusted/angered by Vessel that they've reanimated themselves and walked off, and Vessel will spend his time dissecting old encounters and feeding off of whatever he can salvage.

On the note of 'death', a bed can also be a grave for some people, either a metaphorical one or a literal one.

[spoiledleaff]

No no you cannot just post that 'silly little hc'??? And not expect me to ask you about it??? I need the rest of your lecture notes ASAP lol

✿ — yesss! haha! i was really, really hoping that someone might be intrigued enough to maybe ask me about this further; it's honestly so near and dear to my heart, especially since diving deep into storytelling and character development is a massive passion of mine! :)) for a little bit of context, this ask is in reference to >>this<< post i made briefly going over my whole hc for the two ep! :D

anyways!! this post is gonna be a massive theory/headcannon post that will be focusing on the sleep token ep, two, and the first song, calcutta, as well as my hc that these songs are quite literally the basis for ii's backstory! :D considering that nazareth and jericho are two of my favorite songs in all of sleep token's discography, i'll most likely address those two songs in a separate post! :) for now, i just wanna throw these thoughts out there, haha!

✿ — TWO.

well, first of all, where does this hc originate from? i'm so glad you asked! :D this hc stems from the fact that every song from this ep are the only songs on spotify to list a 'vessel ii' as a composer alongside 'vessel'. to my knowledge! calcutta, nazareth, and jericho are the only songs in the entire sleep token discography that lists a 'vessel ii' as a composer alongside 'vessel' or 'vessel 1'. naturally, we can assume that this is our one and only ii! :)

and, of course, the ep is named 'two'! :) yes, of course, this ep is the band's second compilation of music, so the name is a little bit on the nose, haha! but i also like to think — in the same vein that this ep is ii's backstory — the ep one is vessel's backstory :) which, who knows, haha! maybe i'll do my own narrative analysis of the one ep after this >:Dc

✿ — CALCUTTA.

↳ tw + cw : discussions of death, jealousy + possessive thoughts.

✿ — first up on the ep is calcutta! :D gosh, i do so love this song, haha! but, first of all, what does calcutta mean?

✧ — as a general idea, calcutta is actually the largest city and the capital in west bengal of india! it's a bit of a melting pot of sorts, especially for practicing different religions such as hinduism, muslims, and, of course, christianity. though, since 2001, the city has officially changed its name to 'kolkata'.

↳ another interesting thing that i discovered while doing some extra research for this post is in regards to the etymology behind the name 'kolkata'! :D the word is initially taken from the name 'kôlikata' which was the name of one of three villages in the area that merged together to form the city of kolkata. in regards to the etymology of the name, 'kolikata' is thought to have been a variation of the bengali word 'kalikkhetrô' which translates to 'field of kali'.

↳ okay, so!! interestingly enough, kali — also known as kalika — is a prominent figure in hindu mythology and religion! kali is oftentimes worshipped as a divine protector and as one who bestows liberation; she is associated with aspects of mortal life such as time, change, creation, power, and!! the most fascinating bit!! she is also associated with destruction and death. this little tidbit of information becomes even more interesting when considering the next song featured in this ep, nazareth. but!! back to calcutta! :)

✧ — additionally, there was also a dungeon stationed in fort william, calcutta in the 1700's that held british prisoners of war after the fort was overtaken in a seige. the dungeon was known as the 'black hole of calcutta', and a written account from one of the soldiers that was imprisoned there detailed brutal conditions that were so inhuman and cramped that they had its prisoners dying from suffocation and heat exhaustion. to support this reference, in the opening shots for the calcutta music video, vessel is shown literally crawling out of an unknown crevice, presumably a hole. haha! i don't know why i worded that so weirdly, but you get the point! :)

✿ — these possible little sneak-peeks of the possible history behind the name of this song are so fascinating to me, haha! but, what about the actual song?

✧ — of course, this is all up my personal feelings and interpretations about this song, but i like to think that calcutta is a song about hopelessness and about experiencing a growing sense of despair that can only come from loving another person that you cannot obtain. as much as i would love to break this song down lyric by lyric and piece by juicy little piece, i think i'm going to focus on specific lyrics and sections that really resonate with me! :D ...which is apparently almost the entirety of the song, haha!

' i am caught, tangled in // wrapped and quartered '

↳ when i first heard this lyric, i was immediately reminded of the black hole of calcutta. to be caught, to be tangled in, only to be executed in a brutal manner that was typically reserved only for individuals who had committed high treason against the kingdom of england. when dissecting it, it's an absolutely morbid and grim line that opens this entire ep!

' and i ache for your eyes and the way you breathe // and i wake, say your name // and i wake, say your name '

↳ personally, these lines scream!! unyielding yearning + unrequited love. especially considering that this line follows after vessel singing about how 'for just a moment // missing pieces find me'?? it feels like every slightly good emotion or feeling that's described in this song is almost immediately crushed by a haunting reminder of how temporary that sensation is.

' you are more than warm belief // melting skywards '

↳ something that i find to be one of the more interesting little references in this ep is that two of the three songs hold roots in christianity + and even calcutta holds a lot of religious symbolism and ties to hinduism. this line feels like religious symbolism being directed to a mortal body—one i can only assume might be vessel. this happens a lot throughout the course of this ep, where there are multiple lyrics that hold heavy references to religious symbolism and/or religious imagery. but there's something so distinctly mortal about how these lyrics are executed, that associating these lyrics with sleep just feels completely incorrect. at least to me!! a gentle reminder that this is all my own person headcannon :)

↳ i'd like to specifically bring your attention towards the terminology that's used in these lyrics! i believe that ii saying that vessel is 'more than warm belief' is ii saying that vessel is more than what sleep is trying to make of him; he is his own person, his own identity that is more than just his devotion to sleep. now, my favorite part is this next bit! 'melting skywards'. sleep token is known for their constant references to water as a form of symbolism, and i think that it's no different here! this might be a bit of an extra long stretch, but i think that ii is worried that vessel's 'warm belief' towards sleep will melt him—ii is worried that vessel's devotion might quite literally be the death of him, or at least the death of his identity, instead choosing to leave ii behind and become completely enveloped in sleep's identity.

' more than silence broken // i'm whole again // for just a moment // 'till the morning comes '

↳ this line feels like a small snippet into vessel's and ii's relationship together, specifically their bonding through music as their time together is 'more than silence broken'. it's through these moments in time where ii feels whole again with vessel and the music that they've made by his side.

↳ i think the most interesting part of this line is the lyric ''till the morning comes'. my favorite thought behind sleep's and vessel's relationship is that sleep is the dominant force during the night, whereas vessel is the dominant side during the day. however, considering that sleep — especially during this era of sleep token's music — is considered a widely negative and toxic personality in their relationship with vessel, wouldn't ii look forward to the daytime?? a time of the week where sleep isn't such a domineering presence in both his and vessel's life?? well! i like to think that this song takes place early in vessel's borderline infatuation with sleep, so even the hours of daylight would be spent with vessel obsessing over sleep and possibly ignoring his relationship with ii in favor of his relationships with sleep and his own personal lover—more on this young lady next!! >:Dc

' oh, she said you'd better believe it // i said you don't know // oh, you said you'd better be there // i said you don't even know '

↳ now, we've finally come to a relatively popular theory in terms of vessel's life before sleep's influence—the possibility of his partner! :) now i will say that i do agree with the theory that vessel did have a longterm partner before sleep and the other vessels hehehe--! especially when considering the music videos for jaws, the way that you were, and possibly even the love that you want and the couple of feminine actors that make an impactful and/or reoccurring appearance in sleep token's music videos!

↳ okay! time to break this puppy down >:)c there are three separate sets of pronouns here — 'she', 'you', and 'i' — so let's identify who might be talking! i believe that 'she' is referring to vessel's partner, 'you' is in reference to vessel, and 'i' is ii. i believe that this verse establishes ii's jealousy towards vessel's partner — something that sleep will weaponize against them both in nazareth.

✧ — ' she said you'd better believe it // i said you don't know ' : to me this feels like vessel's partner is trying to address ii's jealousy, affirming that they are here to stay in vessel's life whether ii likes it or not + ii dismissing them, 'you don't know'.

✧ — ' you said you'd better be there // i said you don't even know ' : this feels like borderline damage control to me, which would make sense if we consider this first half to be from vessel's pov. vessel can see the animosity between ii and his partner. when vessel says, 'you'd better be there', i think he's referring to ii's presence in his life. you'd better be here, you'd better stay with me, etc. etc. and when ii replies, 'you don't even know', i think this is said with the opposite intentions of when ii was dismissing vessel's partner. here, i think ii is almost comforting vessel; his intentions are more genuine when he's addressing vessel, while remaining more hurtful when regarding vessel's partner. i think that this is where sleep finds ii.

✿ — to put it all together, i think that ii cherishes his time spent with vessel during the night, because it's just them! no partner and, at this time, sleep's influence is still small in vessel's life. it's just them. but his attentions are split up — it's being wrapped and quartered — between being with vessel, tolerating his partner, and beginning to catch the eye of sleep themselves. but, in these moments, when it's just ii and vessel together in the dead night, ii feels whole. during the day, vessel seeks out his partner, but in the night, vessel seeks out ii—his missing pieces find him, even for just a moment. however, even in the morning, when vessel moves on, ii is still waking up saying vessel's name. in conclusion, while sleep and their influences might be vessel's—vessel is ii's calcutta; he is ii's prison that ii willingly crawls back into every night, just to have a moment where it is just the two of them. and i think that it is in this moment in time where sleep extends their influence to ii, intending to weaponize ii's jealousy and possessive thoughts to bring vessel closer to sleep.

✿ — and that's it! :D that's my analysis of calcutta from the ep, two! :)) as a friendly reminder, this is just my own interpretation of the lyrics through a strictly narrative lense :) i don't think this could be actual sleep token canon, haha! i just think that this would make a very fun and interesting story for my own selfish reasons, haha! i'll still probably make another post for nazareth and jericho, but please feel free to let me know what you think of this silly little analysis in the mean time! :D i always love hearing other people's opinions and thoughts on these sorts of topics, haha!

[thozhar]

Gulf migration is not just a major phenomenon in Kerala; north Indian states also see massive migration to the Gulf. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar accounted for the biggest share (30% and 15%) of all Indian workers migrating to GCC1 countries in 2016-17 (Khan 2023)—a trend which continues today. Remittances from the Gulf have brought about significant growth in Bihar’s economy (Khan 2023)—as part of a migrant’s family, I have observed a tangible shift in the quality of life, education, houses, and so on, in Siwan. In Bihar, three districts—Siwan, Gopalganj, and Chapra—send the majority of Gulf migrants from the state, mostly for manual labor (Khan 2023). Bihar also sees internal migration of daily wagers to Delhi, Bombay, and other parts of India. Gulf migration from India’s northern regions, like elsewhere in India, began after the oil boom in the 1970s. Before this time, migration was limited to a few places such as Assam, Calcutta, Bokaro, and Barauni—my own grandfather worked in the Bokaro steel factory.

Despite the role of Gulf migration and internal migration in north Indian regions, we see a representational void in popular culture. Bollywood films on migration largely use rural settings, focussing on people who work in the USA, Europe, or Canada. The narratives centre these migrants’ love for the land and use dialogue such as ‘mitti ki khusbu‘ (fragrance of homeland). Few Bollywood films, like Dor and Silvat, portray internal migration and Gulf migration. While Bollywood films frequently centre diasporic experiences such as Gujaratis in the USA and Punjabis in Canada, they fail in portraying Bihari migrants, be they indentured labourers in the diaspora, daily wagers in Bengal, or Gulf migrants. The regional Bhojpuri film industry fares no better in this regard. ‘A good chunk of the budget is spent on songs since Bhojpuri songs have an even larger viewership that goes beyond the Bhojpuri-speaking public’, notes Ahmed (2022), marking a context where there is little purchase for Gulf migration to be used as a reference to narrate human stories of longing, sacrifice, and family.

One reason for this biased representation of migration is that we see ‘migration’ as a monolith. In academic discourse, too, migration is often depicted as a commonplace phenomenon, but I believe it is crucial to make nuanced distinctions in the usage of the terms ‘migration’ and ‘migrant’. The term ‘migration’ is a broad umbrella term that may oversimplify the diverse experiences within this category. My specific concern is about Gulf migrants, as their migration often occurs under challenging circumstances. For individuals from my region, heading to the Gulf is typically a last resort. This kind of migration leads to many difficulties, especially when it distances migrants from their family for much of their lifetime. The term ‘migration’, therefore, inadequately captures the profound differences between, for instance, migrating to the USA for educational purposes and migrating to the Gulf for labour jobs. Bihar has a rich history of migration, dating back to the era of indentured labor known as girmitiya. Following the abolition of slavery in 1883, colonial powers engaged in the recruitment of laborers for their other colonies through agreements (Jha 2019). Girmitiya distinguishes itself from the migration. People who are going to the Arabian Gulf as blue-collar labourers are also called ‘Gulf migrants’—a term that erases how their conditions are very close to slavery. This is why, as a son who rarely saw his father, I prefer to call myself a ‘victim of migration’ rather than just a ‘part of migration’. It is this sense of victimhood and lack of control over one’s life that I saw missing in Bollywood and Bhojpuri cinema.

— Watching 'Malabari Films' in Bihar: Gulf Migration and Transregional Connections

[plenaurum]

Amrit Thoughts: Revisiting

Alright if anyone read my previous post about Amrit, you'd know that I said I wasn't feeling it. I'm almost done with his route (I'm on the epilogue episode, waiting on a DR cause I ain't spending no more diamonds. He expensive), and I think I may want to retract my statement. I think that Amrit is a man that is deeply steeped in the environment that he grew up in--which is the Dozen. So he believes in hierarchy, nobility, and family duty. For someone that is so dedicated to the Dozen and Kali, I think that his only true love could ever be Amala (while for Amala, based on the paths she chooses, her true love could literally be anyone). Because for Amrit, there is only one path for him, which is leading Calcutta and serving Kali, and it's the path that he is deeply devoted to. It was initially sad to me because when compared to someone like Ratan or Killian, who (based on the amount of points you have) would love Amala regardless of the side she chooses, it seemed like his love was conditional. And I'm a stickler for unconditional love. I thought that on the ROG path, maybe Amrit would think about leaving India with Amala and starting a new life, but on further thought, that doesn't make sense with his character. He is very dutiful to his family, to the Dozen, to his country, and so I understand why he'd feel betrayed if Amala rejected any of it (because it'd basically be her rejecting a large part of his personhood). He'd need to be with someone with similar interests. So, I think that his love for Amala is as unconditional as it gets for him. Yes, his interest in her was piqued because he knew he was promised to her, but it was no requirement for him to fall in love with her. He did all that on his own. And it's obvious that he loves her for who she is, no matter how crazy she gets. So. All this to say, I retract my previous statement! I misunderstood him.

[sajid-mollah]

Sajid's Life Story.....

My name is Sajid Mollah, and I come from a humble yet resilient background. I was raised in Saligram, a remote village nestled in the Nadia district of West Bengal, India. The economic condition of my family was not ideal, but we made do. Growing up, I harbored a deep love for writing, which I inherited from my father and grandfather. Although my grandfather was illiterate, he was renowned in our village for his storytelling and oral compositions. The stories I heard about his talent filled me with inspiration, even though I never had the chance to meet him.

I spent my early years writing poetry and stories, diving into the world of fiction with a passion. This creative pursuit continued relentlessly throughout my studies, up until I completed my graduation. However, after leaving my village to prepare for civil service exam in the city of Calcutta, my life took a significant turn. Fiction began to fade into the background as I became engrossed in the subjects of the civil services syllabus, particularly Indian economy and polity.The more I studied these subjects, the more I became captivated by public finance. My fascination with economics grew so strong that I enrolled in NSOU for a degree in economics, further deepening my understanding of this vital field. It was during this time that I realized something profound: fiction, though beautiful and artistic, could not create the tangible change I sought. My desire to contribute to the welfare of society and mankind had to be realized through non-fiction writing, rooted in research and reality."The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson resonates with me deeply. My life's purpose is no longer about crafting stories of imaginary worlds but about bringing forth the real issues affecting the majority of people on this planet.

Now, I devote myself to research, particularly in public finance, and my mission is to shed light on the economic struggles faced by 99% of society. Governments, in my view, are shaping policies that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest 1%, leaving the vast majority of people in suffering and deprivation. Through my research and writing, I hope to change that. I believe that by bringing these injustices to light, I can help guide the public towards economic prosperity and societal well-being.My words are not limited to the borders of India. I write for the world, for every human being who struggles under the weight of economic hardship. I see my work as a global effort to improve the lives of the many who are neglected by those in power.

Fiction once held my heart, but now it is facts, analysis, and truth that drive me forward. As I look ahead, I see a path illuminated by knowledge, and I am committed to walking it for the benefit of all.

This journey has shaped me profoundly, and although the story of my life is far too long to fit into a few pages, I have shared these reflections from the bottom of my heart.

[girlactionfigure]

The Jewish Bollywood Star: Esther Abraham

She was India's first female film producer

Esther Abraham was a Jewish Bollywood superstar and the first female film producer in India. She was a proud observant Jew even while shaping modern Indian culture.

Esther was born in Calcutta in 1916 to an Orthodox Jewish family. The Abrahams were Baghdadi Jews who had emigrated from Iraq in the 19th century. In school Esther excelled academically and athletically. She was a talented hockey player with a roomful of trophies. Esther was also an artist who attended Cambridge University after high school and majored in art.

After university, Esther became a kindergarten teacher at a Jewish school in Calcutta, but she yearned to be a performer. Her first job in the entertainment industry was as a dancer for a silent movie theater. Esther’s job was to entertain the audience during a pause in the film while the reel were changed.

Many members of Esther’s family were talented musicians and performers. She went to visit an actress cousin in Bombay who was appearing in a theater production. The director noticed tall, beautiful Esther and gave her a screen test.

Esther did so well on the test that she soon appeared in her first movie, Bhikaran, in 1936. Around this time she was given the screen name Pramila. Audiences fell in love with Pramila and she quickly became one of the most famous actresses in India. She also worked as a model and appeared on many magazine covers. In 1947, at age 31, Esther won the first Miss India contest – while pregnant with her fifth child.

At that time in India, the movie industry was controlled by a handful of extremely wealthy producers who exploited their actors and crew members and paid them only a measly salary. Esther Abraham decided to change that. She defied the studio system by becoming the first female producer of Bollywood feature films. Esther formed her own production company, Silver Productions, and produced sixteen feature films. She treated her cast and crew with respect and paid them well.

Esther starred in 30 films. In addition to being an actress and producer, she did her own stunts and worked as a stunt double for other performers. Esther also designed her own costumes and jewelry for every production.

Famous for her enchantingly beautiful eyes, audiences didn’t know that her eyesight was very poor and she did dance moves by counting the steps. Audiences also were likely unaware that she was Jewish – and probably wouldn’t have cared. Unlike so many countries with Jewish communities, India has no history of antisemitism.

Esther’s daughter Naqi Jahan was crowned Miss India in 1967, and they are the only mother and daughter who both won the title. Her son Haidar Ali is a successful Indian actor and screenwriter. Haidar described his mother: “A woman who was gifted by God with internal power and strength… she magnetized power…. One the home front she kept us together [clenching his fist] like this.”

Esther Abraham appeared in her last film in 2005, at age 90, playing a grandmother in the movie Thaang. She died a few months after its release. Until the end of her long life, Esther remained a practicing Jew. Her funeral was at the Maghen David synagogue, and her son Maurice read Psalms in Hebrew. Esther was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Mumbai.

For entertaining audiences for seventy years, and for being the first female film producer in India, we honor Esther Abraham, aka Pramila, as this week’s Thursday Hero.