KCC Baithakkhana: Chapter 2
Dates: 11 – 13 April 2025
Venue: KCC 4th Floor and Amphitheatre
KCC Baithakkhana: Chapter 2 | A Bengali Literary Meet, curated by Chandril Bhattacharya, Sanchari Mookherjee, and Tausif Rahman is a three-day celebration of Bengali literature and culture from April 11th to 13th at KCC. This year’s Baithakkhana will delve into the depiction of the হেরো (Heyro) / The Defeated in Bengali and world literature and popular media, through thought-provoking talks, discussions, debates, poetry and story readings, and captivating solo acts, musical and theatrical performances.
Don't miss this opportunity to engage with the cultural heartbeat of Bengal!
Curator’s Note | Theme: হেরো (HEYRO) / THE DEFEATED
জয়ীদের আমরা ধূপধুনো দিই বটে, কিন্তু হেরোরা আমাদের অশ্রুতুতো আত্মীয়। আমাদের মহাকাব্যের ক্যালেন্ডারে কর্ণ তাকিয়ে আছেন অভিমানদীপ্ত চোখে, তাঁর রথের চাকা নিয়তি মাটিতে পুঁতে দিয়েছে। আমাদের প্রেমের মানচিত্রে দেবদাস তাকিয়ে আছে অশ্রুক্ষিপ্ত চোখে, তার প্রেমের বেদনা মদের ফেনায় উপচে উঠছে। চায়ের দোকানের বেঞ্চিতে আমরা তাকিয়ে আছি হতাশালিপ্ত চোখে, ল্যাং মেরে প্রোমোশন বাগিয়ে নিয়েছে চালিয়াত। আমাদের নাটকের নায়ক জোতদারের কাছে মার খাচ্ছে, সিনেমার নায়ক সমাজের গ্যাঁড়াকলে হাঁপ টানছে, কবিতার নায়ক নিজের মুদ্রাদোষে আলাদা হয়ে থতমত তাকাচ্ছে। শোলে-র শেষে আমরা ধর্মেন্দ্রর চিৎকারের চেয়ে বচ্চনের মৃত্যুর মাউথ অরগ্যানের সুরে প্রাণ সঁপছি। হেরোরা আমাদের আয়না। আমাদের আড্ডার আনমনা আলো। এবারের কেসিসি বৈঠকখানার মূলসূত্র: হেরো।
In literature and culture, heroes are often those who face defeat, and in their downfall, they become the truest embodiments of heroism. Many of us feel defeated by the intricate, often ruthless, systems of modern life. When we watch Chaplin's Modern Times, we laugh, but there's also a bittersweet sting in our hearts. After watching Sholay, the image of Jai dying while his harmonica tune echoes through the screen stays with us. Devdas, in both Bengali and Indian literature and film, remains one of the most revered figures, defeated utterly by love.
Our epics are filled with tragic figures: Karna, Draupadi, Meghnad, and Sita, whose suffering and defeat are integral to their heroism. The Mahabharata even suggests that a victory gained through murder and plunder is a true defeat. Bengali literature and theatre have consistently championed the defeated—the average person, the clerk, the struggling intellectual—individuals powerless against a system they cannot comprehend. The history of Indian sports is full of figures like P. T. Usha and Dipa Karmakar, who came so close to victory but never claimed the medal. The Bengali scientific community mourns the lack of recognition for Jagadish Chandra Bose and the tragic death of Subhas Mukhopadhyay, the creator of the world's second test-tube baby.
We may admire the victors, but our deepest sympathies lie with the vanquished. The image of Karna struggling to free his chariot wheel from the ground remains far more powerful than countless victories by Arjuna.
In this edition of KCC Baithakkhana, we celebrate the stories of the defeated. We explore the craft and magic behind how we come to identify with and empathise with the unfortunate and the doomed. We delve into different spheres of life, highlight Greek tragedies, and reflect on iconic Bengali poems, novels, and songs. We poke fun at our tear ducts, all while paying respect to the martyrs immortalised in the pages of timeless literature.
