Priyanka
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Kolkata: Instead of grabbing a packet of tobacco sticks, getting a book will fetch you an empty cigarette box loaded with information. The packets of Kali Cigarettes were concealed in the pockets of a majority of freedom fighters during the colonial period as the boxes served as a medium to relay confidential information among the revolutionaries.
Kali Cigarette has long moved into the past and Reminiscing on that episode in history, this year’s 48th edition of the Kolkata International Book Fair saw Collegepara Publisher featuring the colonial souvenir for history enthusiasts to enjoy.
Their stall, no. 116, has been set up just beside Gate No. 1, and the visitors are welcomed with the sign “Kali Mayer Boma” right above the entrance. A few steps ahead, visitors can notice the display of two books by Abhishek Chattopadhyay on the Swadeshi Movement “Banglar Tantra O Kolkatar Biplab” and “Kali Mayer Boma.”
Kali Mayer Boma was published at this edition of the book fair and Banglar Tantra O Kolkatar Biplab was launched in the last-to-last book fair.
“Banglar Tantra O Kolkatar Biplab describes how the tantra and the armed revolution are mixed up with one another. The Swadeshis would keep the Kali Cigarette in their pocket and we have tried to make a ‘replica’ so that readers can understand the essence of the movement,” Chattopadhyay said.
Chattopadhyay: “Along with the Kali Cigarette box, some versions Of goodness Kali are being provided to the readers too.” These images were collected from a Calcutta Art studio which Chattopadhyay claims were worshipped by revolutionaries during the movement to gather motivation.
“There have been very few attempts at reconstructing the history of Bengal and the book is one of the very few. It is clear that there is a good demand for the book among the readers. We first published Banglar Tantra O Kolkatar Biplab. Then the sequel where Kali Mayer Boma was published in 2023. Usually, prequels are published before sequels. But, we have done just the reverse as it is done with recent movies,” Sayan Bhattacharya of Collegepara Publisher said.
