Page 62 - seniors today november 2020

Communities

Of roshogollo and

Rabindranath

The peculiarities of the Bengali are many, and each one is unique, writes
Ranjona Banerji

Hello to all you Non-Bengalis out there from not have known it. This gent probably owns
the people of the “ro-sho-go-llo”. Now don’t a dressing gown. You do not want to know
feel bad. That’s just how we see you. The rest about that.
of the human race and us. Bengalis. Even more frightening is the Bengali
This rule applies, no matter what shape temptress. I learnt about these creatures
and size we may come in. All right, all right. recently from social media, and I hear they
Many of us are the same shape and size. It are rampant and very dangerous. They
could be the fault of the ro-sho-go-llos which are a cross between a Siren from Homer’s
we supposedly bhalo-bashee. Or it could be Odysseus (I am a Bengali myself, therefore
the controversial and mandatory alu in the some mild if unnecessary showing off is par
mutton biryani. for the course) and the ghost-witch churail
You may one day, at your own peril, meet
a bespectacled man who speaks in a fruity
fake British accent touched with some
rounded vowels or bhowels. He knows
everything and lets you know it. Has written
a few books or one or none and pretends
he has anyway and will make sure that you
know. Every now and then he will quote
some poem in a declamatory manner. WH
Auden or WB Yeats. Or Bertolt Brecht, who
is actually a Bengali though he himself may Mutton biryani without the mighty potato is just not done

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