The 10th edition of Kolkata Literature Festival (KLF) in association with The Telegraph started on Friday atKolkata Book Fair with a galaxy of writers who talked about writing, their thoughts and readers, and shared memories.
Mani Shankar Mukherjee, alias Sankar, seated between Shirshendu Mukherjee and Sanjeeb Chattopadhyay at the inauguration of the three-day festival, felt that the Chattujye and the Mukhujjye sitting on either side of him have surpassed him in every way. “My mother had told me the Bandujjyes (Banerjees) and the Chattujjyes (Chatterjees) will surpass the Mukhujjyes (Mukherjees),” he jibed.
Bani Basu, of Shwet Patharer Thala fame, was quite pleased to be called “legendary” by the emcee of the event but she wasn’t really happy being called “veteran”. “Do writers have an age? We have led long lives, we have seen how our country has fared after Independence, how political fortunes have changed, how movements have progressed, how the country has changed. We have seen a part of history and we have brought it to our readers,” she said.
And while doing this, Basu says, she hasn’t had any problem being in sync with the changing times. “A grandfather and a grandson will have differences. That is normal. There will be different opinions, thinking and their conflict is what life is about,” said Basu.
Shirshendu Mukherjee, who was awarded the Samaresh Majumdar Smriti Samman, talked of his association with Majumdar.
“I feel awkward receiving this award because Samaresh was younger to me. He was a long-time friend. I would call him by his pet name Bablu. He used to say there are few people left who call me by that name. I was shocked by his death. He would write
plays, direct plays. He will be remembered for his writings,” reminiscenced Mukherjee.
Sanjib Chattopadhyay, too, spoke about Majumdar. “He would call me Santu,” Chattopadhyay said.
He remembered Shirshendu Mukherjee at workplace. “Shirshendu would sit in front, with Sunil Gangopadhyay to his right. Dibyendyu (Palit) would sit further up. I would see how sahitya (literature) would be written. Shirshendu would always eat before he wrote. Mukhe kichhu na porde, haat e kichu ashey na (without a morsel in his mouth, nothing would come out of his fingers),” quipped Chattopadhyay.