The name sounds unusual for a club, but the founders of Mouchak wanted the club to run exactly like a beehive, where the Queen bee orders around and the servants follow the orders. In this case, the secretary is the Queen Bee and all members are her workers. Mouchak has been functioning this way through its 75-year journey.

The club is one of the oldest among those around Kona, Chamrail and Jagadishpur. Senior members of the club remember seeing Martin Rail pass from the front of the club. Although established in the pre-Independence years, the members were not associated with the freedom struggle. “At that time, this was a remote village in Howrah with only a handful of residents, most of whom were farmers. Gradually, people from other places have come and settled in Chamrail,” said Sailendranath Mondal, the secretary of the club.

Those who liked to do physical training or were involved in music, did not have a place to practise. “They would go to local resident, Tarapada Mondal’s house which became a centre for physical exercise and cultural activities,” said Mondal. Later, the local zamindar, Panchkari Santra, donated land for a club. This was a low-lying pond which was filled to make the first club house. “Initially, the club house had a mud floor and bamboo walls and a tiled roof. Later, the building was made into a concrete structure,” said Mondal.

Mouchak was initially started with the purpose of providing space for gym and physical training. Later, however, the members took interest in social welfare of Chamrail, including literacy drives. The founders of the club were Sisir Kumar Ganguly, Rohini Kumar Mondal, Naresh Chandra Manna and Ashwini Kumar Mondal and they began several welfare activities. “Many institutions in Chamrail had started from this club. Chamrail High School was initiated at this club. When the school building was not there, classes were held at the club. Members were involved in welfare activities like clearing overgrowth in residential areas, cleaning drains and other activities,” said Sachin Das, a member of the club.

The children’s section of the club started 45 years ago. It started with bratachari sessions at the club and the children from this club would go to Sab Peyechir Asar. Much later, the club band was formed. The library was a part of the club at one time but became a government sponsored library in 1982. A blind school also ran from the club, till the school found its own building nearby. The new club house was built in 1998 and the first floor was extended in 2010.

At present the club is involved in cultural activities like holding classical dance and music, recitation and art and craft lessons. A handwritten magazine, Pora, was earlier published by the club members, but it stopped after a wall magazine started at the library. Yogasana is also practised at the club.

There are not too many sports activities, the reason being that the club does not have its own ground. “The club never had its own playground which is why we could never carry out regular coaching camps. We do have a volleyball team, but they practise at the barowari committee ground. We also organise an inter-club cricket tournament with underarm bowling,” said Mondal.

The platinum jubilee celebration started from January 4 with a colourful procession. More events are coming up later this year. “We will have cultural competitions at different times of the year and we also plan to organise an inter-district underarm bowling cricket tournament where 16 teams from Howrah, Hooghly and other districts will be participating,” said Mondal.

FACTFILE

Name: Mouchak
Estd: 1940
Address: PO and Village, Chamrail
Activities: Music, dance, recitation and yogasana

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta,India / Front Page> Howrah> Story / by Daila Mukherjee / Friday – July 03rd, 2015

If you’re a fan of funky arrangements and odd time signatures, head to Blue Frog on Sunday to catch Kolkata experimental jazz rock outfit, The Bodhisattwa Trio, in concert. Led by Bodhisattwa Ghosh on the guitar, the band whips out mean progressions, backed by Premjit Dutta’s drumming and Bijit Bhattacharya’s bass lines.

This is the band’s second stint in Mumbai after having played with Ehsaan Noorani earlier this year. The trio has roped in Toronto-based jazz musician and saxophonist Andrew Key to improvise and collaborate on stage for the event, which is titled Phase Anomaly.

“Andrew had come to study Indian classical music earlier, when we did a show together. We have continued that collaboration,” says Ghosh.

“At this gig, we will play some new material that will make into our album, scheduled to release next year,” he adds.

The band has accrued some touring experience after playing at independent venues in London, Paris, Slovenia and Bangladesh, apart from performing at the Kolkata International Jazzfest.

From fiery progressive rock tracks like Annihilation to the downtempo melodies of 0305, the trio has been experimenting with soundscapes since they started in 2012.

Meanwhile, city gaming arena Smaaash will see some heavy duty metal acts from across the country, at the eighth edition of the popular crowd-funded gig series Control Alt Delete. The acts include Mumbai’s Bhayanak Maut, Zygnema and The Minerva Conduct, Aberrant from Shillong, Bengaluru/Chennai band Escher’s Knot and Delhi band Kraken. City band Cosmic Infusion and Pune-based Abraxas complete the line-up, which ranges from black metal to contemporary metal.

WHAT: Performance by The Bodhisattwa Trio (above)
WHERE: Blue Frog, Todi Mills Compound, Lower Parel
WHEN: Sunday, 9.30 pm
Call: 6158-6158
ENTRY: Rs 350 per head

WHAT: Control Alt Delete, featuring Bhayanak Maut, Zygnema and others
WHERE: Smaaash, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel
WHEN: Saturday, 9 30 pm onwards
Call: 4914-3143;
ENTRY: Pay as you like

source: httpL.//www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities / by Mohan Kumar K / June 13th, 2015

TEMPLE TRAIL

A nondescript house that stands dark and invisible behind the cramped row of flower and fruit stalls at Shibpur Dharmatala More houses the Dharmaraj temple. It is hard to imagine that a temple exists in the milieu of a marketplace. An old wooden door leads to the tiny temple inside where a black stone relief sculpture is the presiding deity, known as Dharmaraj to the common people of Shibpur. According to Howrah Itihas- Aitijhya, written by local historian Sibendu Manna, this sculpture is a figure of Vishnu, standing on a blooming lotus flower. Next to the Dharmaraj idol are other smaller black stone idols of Kali, Jarasur and Vishnu.

Shibpur’s Dharmatala gets its name from this Dharmaraj temple which is estimated to be more than 300 years old. Although there is little historical information available about the temple, it is said that the temple was built by one of the members of the Roychowdhury family, the zamindars of Shibpur. “We have seen this temple since childhood and always knew that our forefathers had built it. The first settler of our family, Rambrahma Roychowdhury, had come here in 1683. His son Sukdeb Roychowdhury came to power in 1707. We assume that the temple must have been built during his tenure,” said Samir Roychowdhury, a member of the family.

Dharmaraj is a form of Yama. The god of death is usually worshipped by members of lower caste Hindus. Inside the temple, one can find a number of earthen horses placed near the deity. Mothers who have ailing children or those whose infants cannot walk properly, usually pledge these horses to the deity.

Buddha Purnima is an auspicious day at the Shibpur temple. Special puja is offered to the god on this day and devotees come in droves to offer prayers at the temple. “We have been sevaits at the temple for several generations. This temple is revered by most people in Shibpur area. On Buddha Purnima, we have a special puja and many people come to offer puja to the deity,” said Madhusudhan Bhattacharya, the priest at the Dharmaraj temple.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta, India / Front Page> Howrah> Story / Friday – July 03rd, 2015