I have stories to tell...

Fifty articles that evoke the wonder that is Bengal Bengal Write Ahead was a contest organized by Facebook, in partnership with Rupa Publications, Red Fm and Kolkata Bloggers. It invited people from all over the world to write about Bengal and submit their articles online. It was an attempt to see how Bengal is portrayed in the minds of people of various ages and backgrounds. In Bengal Write Ahead, the top fifty pieces, chosen by an eminent jury, are brought together. Each one of the articles evokes a unique aspect of Bengal-from cinema, art, sport, literature to the beauty of its landscape, the wonder that is Kolkata and the delectable range of its cuisine. The pieces examine Bengal's past and also look to the future, to see where the state is headed in a new world. Humorous, nostalgic and hopeful, Bengal Write Ahead evokes the very best of the Bengali people and their culture.

​My write-up talked about the distinctive calls of tea vendors at railway stations. They are a phenomenon onto themselves. "Chai Gorom Chai" is a homage to the age-old tradition. Pg 125.

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“Only a calamity will force me to cook,” I declared.

“Be careful what you wish for!” Mamma warned.

​When my Indian hometown goes into lockdown, I becomes a captive with my family. Subject to their constant suggestions that she lose weight and eat more healthily, I am is faced with a choice: couch potato or chef?

​I choose the latter. Fueled by my love of travel, I decides to explore the globe...one recipe at a time. ​But cooking in the midst of a global pandemic is far from easy. With supplies dwindling by the week, I must turn to different cultures and unusual flavor combinations to utilize the limited ingredients to their full potential.

​As I starts to share my creations with colleagues and friends via social media, the home kitchen steadily gathers momentum: Café Lockdown is born.

​Part cookbook, part memoir, Café Lockdown chronicles my culinary escapades with a wry sense of humor and an infectious enthusiasm for cooking. Mouth-watering recipes are surrounded by hilarious family banter and gentle self-discovery, inviting readers to re-create the Dasgupta’s adventurous family dinners in their own kitchens.

​From rich Russian borscht, to spicy Jamaican beans, to the subtlety of Japanese udon noodles, revel in the diversity of global cuisine as you travel through 21 countries from the comfort of your dinner plate.

​The book is available on Kindle Unlimited. You can read it here too, Happy cooking!