TILOTTAMMA AT A GLANCE BY SREEPARNA SEN

                                               

 Author :Sreeparna Sen

Publisher : Ukiyoto    

Genre : Culture

Book buy link :https://www.amazon.in/Tilottama-at-glance-Sreeparna-Sen

The Engaging book by Sreeparna Sen with an attractive title TILOTTAMA AT A GLANCE with a beautiful cover image of splendid second Hooghly bridge or Vidyasagar Setu can be read by people of any age group. The cover image of Hoogly river and bridge hint about the content of the book. It hold in itself many interesting and fine details of the city of joy –Kolkata.

Author with a fine diction presented the innate information of Kolkata and invites the readers to make a visit to witness the spectacles of the city. The contents of the book flow alphabetically with simple narrations in English with Bengali words and phrases in between.

Why TILOTTAMA in the title?

 Tilottama is the name of a mythical Apsara, virtually meaning the beautiful lady who has been created with every particle of beauty in earth. The association of the city of Kolkata has come from a poem of Bengali poet Jibanananda Das, where he wrote,“ কোলকাতা কোনোদিন তিলোত্তমা হবে”, meaning Kolkata shall someday be the most beautiful city .(Courtesy : Swarnendu RayChaudhary)

 

Durga puja, Rosogulla,  Bengal fish curry, Bengal tiger, Bengal cotton sarees, hand crafted white &red bangles, Trams,  Dum Dum airport, Nobel laureates Rabindranath Tagore and Amartya Sen, Rabindra sangeet and Shanthi Niketan, Film personalities like Satyajit ray and Sharmila Tagore, Mother of all Mother Teresa,  Famous political leader Jyoti Basu, Fine hills of Darjeeling,  Mangrove of Sunderbans etc are the  popular things that comes to mind when one thinks of Kolkata or Calcutta.

Moreover the song  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptqkTdtt7nI    (Chingari Koi)  presents the beauty of the  night view of Hooghly river.

 Apart from this  huge list there is lot more to know about this city of joy,  the Author has written many  unknown facts and anecdotes of the city with thorough explanation covering the way of life in the nooks and corners of the Kolkata. She is successful in bringing out the hidden treasures of the city.

Author Sreeparna Sen is a Banker and finds her solace in writing. She has authored the book TALES OF WIZARDENCIL and is a part of 10 anthologies. Her blog can be read at:https://wizardencil.com/

 

 This book brings forth the friendly atmosphere of Kolkata with the concept of ADDA. The stage for fine arts and theatre is brought to life in the chapter N for Natok. The city which is always bustling with joy and chatter got into the grip of quarantine, how it was? And how they all managed themselves in the pandemic is heart warming.

Author has provided a chance for readers to learn and familiarise themselves with few Bengali words like BOI, BOIMELA, BOIPARA, LYADH, NATOK, PARA, CHA, ADDA, PUJO etc. Because when we read about Bengal it is quite essential to know about and use  at least few basic Bengali words.

In the chapter D FOR DURGA PUJA, The author elaborately pictured the celebrations and pre-arrangements for it. The ten defining characteristics of the celebration of Durga puja clues about the grandeur and instils in readers an urge to be a part of the celebrations at least once in their life time.

Next comes the section dealing with street foods,  though there are whole lot of dishes author has shared six top tasty and pocket friendly foods. The description of the dishes brings out its ingredients and its make which reflects its popularity.

This book highlights the best of Kolkata and it will be highly useful for readers to read it before stepping into Kolkata for the first time. This will guide you to include all the important things in your itinerary and not to miss the best.

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