‘Bangaliyana – doodles, cartoons and musings from a Probashi Bengali,’ is a maiden attempt by Rajiv Banerjee as an author.
A self-taught cartoonist, the book captures the author’s observations and experiences on aspects that make Bengali culture.
The author, a Probashi Bengali (a Bengali born outside of West Bengal) himself, has used both words and drawings to bring out nuances, which are quintessentially Bengali.
‘Bangaliyana’ is published by BluOne Ink and is available online as well as across leading bookstores in India.
Over the past 7 to 8 years, Rajiv has sketched various aspects of Bengali culture.
These sketches depict situations, observations, and personal experiences, the author has encountered as a Bengali, born outside of West Bengal.
Out of these drawings emerged the idea of encapsulating all of them in a book. That is how ‘Bangaliyana’ took shape.
The book is not a critique of Bengali culture, rather a light-hearted look into our culture; be it the language, food, festival, and movies.
For example, I don’t eat fish and there’s a chapter that chronicles the varied reactions, I still get when I say, ‘I don’t eat fish’.
Or, our love for ‘aloo bhaja’ (potato fritters) or ‘Kolbaleesh’ (bolster). Every Bengali household swears by at least one version of ‘aloo bhaja.’
And every Bengali household will have a ‘kolkbaleesh,’ that has been with the family for generations.
Another chapter touches upon his experience as a Jamai (son-in-law), heaping large doses of disappointment on my in-laws, when they saw me relishing the vegetarian dishes on the table more than the non-vegetarian spread.
The chapter on the famous Bengali penchant for travel are based on his insights while travelling on vacations and watching the interpersonal play between Bengali families, travelling together.
Rajiv’s love for cartooning began at an early age, watching his father create witty cartoons in a little black diary.
Over time, the works of renowned cartoonists like Ajit Ninan, RK Laxman and Mario Miranda became his source of inspiration.
Even today, he refers to their work for references.
