BTT #26 - Prof.Shanku, Pakkhiraj o Onnanyo...

 Prof. Shanku is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating character in the history of Bengali sci-fi stories! Few months back,there was a Satyajit-special issue in the Bengali-magazine 'Prothoma'(May issue)..

In that issue there was an article on Shanku where it has been discussed about Shanku's two friends-cum-occasional-side-kicks i.e. Abinash babu and Nakur babu! But somehow the article-writer missed a certain 'Bhobotosh babu'!! ;-)
 Yes,while many of the Shanku fans might haven't heard this name,but he was the very first neighbour mentioned in any Shanku story,that is,in the introductory Shanku story - Bomjatrir Dairy - in the original Sandesh issues from early '60s!  But later,when SR wrote the 2nd Shanku story,he introduced Abinash babu and when 'Bomjatrir Dairy' was reprinted in the book-form(Prof.Shanku),Bhobotosh babu was 'replaced' by Abinash babu.SR made this change might be to establish a continuity but I see no harm in keeping both names,as it's highly possible that Shanku had more than just one neighbour!

Anyway,after all these years,this seems one of those fun-facts in the Shanku universe!(check the images below):

Also check this Facebook post on the same!

Next is that short-yet-interesting write-up on Shanku's two friends...from Prothom May'14 issue :

DOWNLOAD Shankur Dui Bondhu

Between,besides this Shanku article,it has a reprint of vintage Satyajit-Roy interview which was taken by Aparna Sen - the editor of Prothoma -  on 1986.

And finally,there was a reprint of first Feluda story "Feludar Goyendagiri" from 1965.Incld. this there are three different versions of this landmarking Feluda story(original Sandesh print,book-version and this one)..

A special Shanku-ubach from SR(from that 1986-interview):

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Since childhood when I was introduced with several SR's creations,majority were from the Ananda publisher except the very first Shanku-book "Prof. Shanku" which was by NEW SCRIPT publisher. Later Ananda bought the right of that book and now the NS version is out-of-the-market.And then years after,on the last December I have come across a 'different' Shanku compilation from a publisher other than Ananda - 'Shaiba prokashon' - at a local Book Fair.The title was "Prof.Shankur Obhijan"..

It has seven Shanku stories by SR,all were already printed by Ananda.But the uniqueness of this particular book lies in two things : first, it has a SR interview and secondly,and most importantly,all of those seven stories have the original head-pieces drawn by SR at Sandesh issues which were later omitted by Ananda! So just for these things I have bought this book,and I have liked this quite a bit..I wonder whether there is a 2nd book of this kind??(This book was first printed on 2003 and the latest edition is actually 6th of the line,and it's bit strange that I have never heard about this book before that book-fair!)

DOWNLOAD the interview with S.Ray

Some head-pieces,reproduced from the vintage Sandesh issues...

For more original Shanku head-pieces from Sandesh,check this Facebook post...

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Next is.....the 'Albino'  Suktara..!!

Yes,the September 1978(Aswin 1385) issue of Sukatara was actually printed in 'two distinctly-different-colored' covers,one is completely white(without any back-ground colors) and other,with the usual yellow-patch!!

Well,one of the rarest 'printing error' that made it possible!! That is,DSK mistakenly published some issues with a half-done cover and then the actual version!

Check by yourself the rare albinism... ;o) 

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And finally,the last of the lot : Pakkhiraj pujabarshiki 1390(1983) which has a 'Brishchik' comics by Indranil Ghosh.It is one of the earliest,if not the very first Brischik story ever printed. So before appearing in the pages of Suktara and Kishore Bharati,Brischik was appeared in this magazine!

DOWNLOAD Brishcik

BTT #25 - Swmarok by Mayukh Chawdhury AND a Narayan Debnath comics...

 A rare colored comics by Mayukh Chawdhury from the "Bivabori" pujabarishiki by DSK,published on early '80s.This comic was later reprinted in a MC Samagra,in b/w probably,but reading the original version is something different!
 Like some of his best creations,this short story is based on a sci-fi concept...

Title : Swmarok
Writer/illustrator : MC
Year : 1983

DOWNLOAD Swmarok

Now a humor comic by Narayan Debnath from the same pb...

Title : Jhanu chele Kanu

DOWNLOAD Jhanu chele Kanu

BTT #24 - Stories from the First-Phase Anandamelas(1975-1979)

 Four stories from four different Anandamela from the first-phase....i.e. from 1975(1382) - 1979(1386) period when this was a monthly magazine.

  In the first phase of Anandamela,we had 51 issues in the first 51 months i.e. for a stretch of 4 years and 3 months(Apr'75 - Jun'79) before the magazine shifted from monthly to fortnightly but the size reduced drastically,almost half of the original shape...

I was searching for these 51 issues since the last few years and before the last week,I was missing 5 issues from which I got 4.....so the score is 50/51 and only 1 remains to track(Boishak/1385) ! :) [till Dec'13 I had only two issues but since Jan'14,I was getting these issues regularly,alongwith the later years aswell..]

These are the new haul...

The four selected stories....

DOWNLOAD 'Four Stories'

Now a Tarzan 'news'(from 'Joyistha/1384')...as Tarzan was halted for some 6-7 months,so publisher had to explain the reason and so.. :-)

Few Tarzan pages from these issues..

Apart from Tarzan,the famous Noleda...

Besides these Anandamela,that day was fruitful with many Bengali and English novels/books,some of which I was searching for long!

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 By the way,one of out visitors,Suman once pointed out to Mr. Herze - the famous creator of TINTIN - about a small mistake in the story "Bombete Jahaj" that first published serially in 1976-77 Anandamela issues(where he probably saw that mistake). The same story later published as book on 1996 and that mistake was rectified there,as promised by Herze himself!! :-)

 Here you can see both 'original'(from the 1977 Anandamela) and the 'rectified'(book) version from 1996..

BTT #23 - My Poetries @e-Magazines(Pujabarshiki)

Friends,as you know we have two famous e-magazine groups : "Feluda Fan Club" and "Feluda Dreamers official" - both do publish Pujabarshiki(Puja Annual) on every year as they did on this year,1421. Few weeks ago,I have sent my poetries for their consideration. Now, these two e-magazines have released on yesterday at Mahasathi,30/9/2014, and both of my poetries have been selected in their pages!
So a big thanks for the respective editorial groups. :)
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In this post I will add BOTH the original links of these two Magazines(Pujabarshiki) from where you can read their "Printed-versions",as well as, My "Original Copies",which I had sent at first place. [While I am posting the original Version for easier access for all, I will always suggest you to download these magazines as there are plenty other fine write-ups/articles..Also their presentation,get-up are top-notch.]
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[1] The first poetry was titled "Tumi Acho(তুমি আছো)" which has been published in 'Feluda Fan Club's Magazine "Amra o Feluda(আমরা ও ফেলুদা)" (https://www.facebook.com/groups/feluda.3musketeres/) .You have to just join the group and download the magazine(my poetry is on page-142).

Direct DOWNLOAD Link : "Amra o Feluda"('তুমি আছো' at p-142)

"NOTE" : There are a couple of 'mistakes' like the 5th line has been repeated and it should had been 'Sada Kash' instead of 'Sada Pal' on the 8th line....rest is ok! :)
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[2] The second poetry was titled "Runa,Tumi Asbe?(রুণা,তুমি আসবে?)" which has been published in  'Feluda Dreamers official's magazine "Kheror Khata(খেরোর খাতা)"(https://www.facebook.com/groups/feludadreamers/). Here also you simply have to join and download the magazine(my poetry is on page-17)..

Direct DOWNLOAD Link : "Kheror Khata"('রুণা,তুমি আসবে?' at p-17)

"NOTE" : A noticeable mistake like wrong-spelling of RUNA...it should be "রুণা" and not 'রুনা'....Other than this,only a few minor typos like it should be 'ভেবোনা' instead of 'ভাবনা'(which has been repeated for more than twice) and few others..but these won't bother you much,hopefully!
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AND FINALLY,I am adding the Original Copies of these two poetries.While I sent 'Runa,Tumi Asbe(রুণা,তুমি আসবে ?)?' in typed-version(Avro) ,I had to sent hand-written version for 'Tumi Acho(তুমি আছো)' due to time-constraint,unfortunately.

Also visit my FB Status for the same....

BTT #22 - Russ Manning's Tarzan Sunday - Return to Opar [Conclusion]

Conclusion of "Return of Opar" from the pages of vintage Anandamela!

Some moments...

 Queen La,being herself at the danger,still worries about Tarzan!! They say love is blind...I guess,it's selfless too!! right??

A new girl,and...a Love Triangle?? Not likely...La is not in that mood! ;-)

Finally,Tarzan rescues the queen....

DOWNLOAD Part-II(Conclusion)

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 Now the cover-gallery of the remaining Anandamelas from which this part has been scanned(from বর্ষ ২ সংখ্যা ৪/ July'76 to বর্ষ ২ সংখ্যা ৯/ Dec'76) ...

BTT #21 - Russ Manning's Tarzan Sunday - Return to Opar [Part-I]

This was the 2nd Tarzan sunday strip published in the monthly Anandamela issues from the mid '70s. Art was as usual done by Russ Manning!

This story ran in 14 issues from Nov'75(বর্ষ ১ সংখ্যা ৮) to Dec'76(বর্ষ ২ সংখ্যা ৯) issues, where in each issue as many as 4 color pages were published!
[The very first story of Tarzan @Anandamela has been already posted here. That story ran from the issue dated June'75(বর্ষ ১ সংখ্যা ৩ ) to Nov'75(বর্ষ ১ সংখ্যা ৮ ).]

It's about that lost city Opar,queen La and how Tarzan rescues both Jane and that beautiful queen who is in love with him!

  And mystery continues.......

Read Part-I of "Return to Opar"

Enjoy!
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PS - Here is the cover-gallery of those Anandamela's from where Part-I of this strips has been scanned(বর্ষ ১ সংখ্যা ৮ to বর্ষ ২ সংখ্যা ৩ )...