Human beings readily accept traditions without seeking the reasons behind them. Since ancient days the semitic people have been observing the practice of circumcision. Moses and Mohammed accepted this system which today has become tradition. The ancient Austrics used to worship the Sun. Their purpose was to please the Sun God and be blessed with heavy rainfall and bumper harvests. In the social system of the Austrics, women had a predominant role. Thus, in the system of worship and other religious ceremonies, the priest had no significant role. Even the Sun God was looked upon as a female deity and the Moon was a male God. The Sun God was addressed as 'mother' and the worship done in her honour was called `Chat Puja'. Even today in Magadh Chat Puja is held twice a year during the harvest time. The sentiment of Chat Puja was so deeply rooted in Magadh that their system of worship is in vogue even today even after such tremendous Aryan, Buddhist and Moslem influence. Of course, in the external rituals of worship some changes have taken place, but the system of worship has not yet become extinct. Even the Moslems participate in the Chat Puja. In some areas they themselves organise the ritual and in other places they get the puja performed through the Hindus. This Chat Puja has now become a tradition. There was a time in Bengal when the Moslems used to worship Satyana'ra'yana or the Ola'ica'nd.

We are all lazy people, and we all know it. Today I have decided to load three photographs; I took in last September in Calcutta. I was carrying a Mamiya 67, and I knew I could take only 12 photographs.

I was also carrying a digital one, and most of the time I was using that only. After developing the film, I discovered that how lazy I am. There is a distinct difference between digital and old school black and white. (my digital camera is not bad either). See and comment

old man and his cycle

This was taken during 2006 Durga Puja in north Calcutta. I was moving from Sovabazar Rajbati to College Street. I saw this house, 190 years old, a man, may be 80 years old and his cycle, which is (don't know) years old. The man can't here, and so can't speak. Can see, so can cycle. His life is Cycle, and Cycle. I was with him for quite some time. Learnt a lot of things about that "gali". He was writing all these for me. i was carrying a Mamiya 6 X 7 and a Manfrotto Tripod.... and I was feeling light after the discussion...
The brand of the Cycle is 'HUMBER'

Smile in Ganga