This book is a collection of writings, which include a play and several poems written for the family.
Umrao Mary Jaan (based on the Urdu novel written in 1899 by Mohammad Hadi Mirza) is the tragic story of a talented, beautiful, courtesan from the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Lucknow. The story is told through the eyes of a Victorian woman , Mary Jane (Mary jaan) , whose life runs in parallel and is inexorably inter-linked with Umrao Jaans life and shared tragedy. The story unites the different strands of human, social and political events – the rise of British imperialism and Raj, turbulent late nineteenth century India, devastation of war, the exploitation of women both in Mughal India and Victorian England, and the heroic story of two exceptional women who rise above this maelstrom to form a unique bond as a beacon of humanity.
The book then follows with a collection of poems written for family occasions. Sometimes trivial and often sentimental vividly reliving mundane day-to-day events. The verses aptly qualify for the title of the book, Memories of No Consequence, tempered by the alchemy of persistence eternal.
About the author
Bhaskar Dasgupta’s obsession with music and Indian classical cultural heritage was nurtured by his childhood as depicted by the essay “House without Walls” within this book. Music has maintained pole position within a wider curiosity for all strands of the Indian cultural heritage; inspired by heroes such as Ashoka, Akbar, Jayadev, Kabir , Tagore, and Nazrul. His love of Best of India, Best of Indian has led to several original musical and dance shows staged in London by him and his wife Dalia. These include Kavita K2K, Kahata Kabir, Maatri-Chinta, Kaun Banega Vidyapati, Guldastaa , Gulbageecha and the forthcoming show juxtaposing Tagore and Nazrul in Sheydiner Dujon. He and his wife, Dalia, hold an open house for established and rising touring musicians and run the charity Chhandam dedicated to unifying the subcontinent’s diverse heritage.
Bhaskar maintains his musical and cultural interests alongside an internationally renowned career as clinician and researcher with special interest in the conditions giant cell arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatic and large vessel vasculitis. He works as consultant rheumatologist at Southend University Hospital and is visiting professor at Anglia Ruskin University and honorary professor at Essex University. He is honorary president of the medical charity PMRGCAuk.
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