Kolkata: A Cultural Shock To A 'Probashi Bangali'
[ Caution: The use of Bengali expletives could not be avoided in some parts of this article for the sake of an authentic feel of Bangla, in which street language, I observed in course of my life in Kolkata and visits to some suburbs, is indispensable. Readers are advised discretion. ] Relevant portions of my e-mails to friends will be added towards the end of the blog (after Anjan Dutta's lyrics) from time to time naqsh faryAdI hai kiskI shokhi-E-tahrIr kA? kAghazI hai pairahan har paikar-E-taswIr kA. [naqsh = a drawn impression faryAdi = appealing shOkhI = style, coyness tahrIr = writing kAgh'azI = made of paper, fake, useless pairahan/pairAhan = outfit, clothing {kAgh'azI pairahan/pairAhan = plaintiff's dress pairahan/pairAhan kAgh'azI hOnA = be a plaintiff (in an old Iranian tradition, one who came to the Shah to appeal against some injustice done to him would hang from his neck a sheet of paper, sometimes containing the written complaint, before presenting hims