Abol Tabol, etc: The Peerless Sukumar Ray. (Part-III)

Author's note: The 1^st part of this series can be read: here.

The 2^nd part: here.

I cannot think of any other author that has made such an impact through his or her writings, and that too with such simplicity and charm. So much so that even a four or five year old falls under its spell... and continues to read and re-read them well into his or her 70s, 80s and 90s.

Upendrakishore Raychaudhuri, Sukumar Ray and Satyajit Ray - are geniuses. Three generation of geniuses in a family, imagine!! But there is a fourth one as well - the great Lila Majumdar, Pishi (paternal aunt) to Satyajit Ray and a younger cousin of Sukumar Ray. Together they have laid the foundations of children's literature in Bangla; a 'children's literature' that one never really outgrows. Simply because: they cannot be outgrown, they become a part of us. They are a part of us. Forever.

Here is Lila Majumdar:

Upendrokishore Raychaudhuri, Sukumar Ray, Satyajit Ray and Lila Majumdar will continue to live on, through their works, via people like us, despite the best intensions of firang Bengalis. :)

Sandesh (the popular children's magazine in Bangla) found able navigators (kandari-s) in Majumdar and her prodigious nephew, Satyajit. Both of them edited and prolifically wrote for Sandesh. 

[Sandesh was started by Lila Majumdar's paternal uncle (jhathamoshai, jyethu; father's older brother) - Upendrokishore Raychaudhuri, in 1913, and was later edited by her older cousin (jyathtuto-dada) Sukumar Ray - for a while; after Upendrakishore passed away in 1915. Tragically, Sukumar too was claimed by leishmaniasis in 1923. Though his younger brother Subinoy took charge, the magazine went through some difficult times and even stopped publication for a while. Satyajit revived it in 1961 and Lila Majumdar (along with her cousin, Nalini Das) was closely associated with it from 1963 until 1994 (i.e. throughout her active writing life.) The much-loved magazine probably is still in circulation. Sandesh is also the name of a popular dry sweet in Bengal; prepared with milk, khoa and khejur gur or jaggery made from khejur or dates. It is yummy, and this magazine was and remains a treat - for kids, young and young-at-heart.]

The Sukumar Ray years established "Sandesh" as a unique magazine that combined literary values with humour and fun, though it also contained a lot of information gleaned from all over the world. Here is the June 1988 front cover of Sandesh:

Many of Satyajit's writings were first published in Sandesh. His 1962 science fiction story - Bankubabur Bandhu (Banku-babu's Friend or Mr. Banku's Friend) was one of them. Ray also introduced his famous characters Feluda and Professor Shonku in short stories he wrote for Sandesh. [His other enduring creation: Tarini Khuro has eluded me so far. Don't know why and how. *Scratching my head*]

Here is Professor Shonku:  

Here is the cover of Tarini Khuro:

 

Tarini Khuro literally means: respected uncle Tarini. Khuro in old colloquial Bengali means: paternal uncle (father's younger brother). Tarini Khuro is actually Tarini Charan Bandopadhyay (clipped to Banerjee.)

Fortunately, Sandip Ray (Satyajit's son) has now taken up the task of bringing the reclusive Tarini Khuro from Beniatola Lane, at College Street in Kolkata (or what was then Calcutta) straight onto the silver screen. Here's more: link.

Sandip Ray's ghost film: here.

... And it is to be released in December. Hurrayyyyy!

Although humour was her forte, Lila Majumdar also wrote detective stories, ghost stories, fantasies... and much more. Yours truly has been trying to lay her hands on Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho (tr: Aunt Podi's Burmese Box) - for years now, and though the book has proved to be elusive so far (!), yours truly has not given up. And she will not give up until this book has well and truly surrendered, 'coz her Karm Yog for this life will remain incomplete otherwise. :)

[In Podi-pishi, Podi is the name of the person. Pishi = paternal aunt in Bangla.]

Though Satyajit Ray had thought of filming Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho, it was finally made under the directorial baton of Arundhati Debi in 1972 (it turned out to be her most popular film as a director.) Chhaya Debi (one of our greatest and the most versatile of actors) played the role of the young hero, Khoka's famed aunt: Podipishi. The rest of the cast included: Ajitesh Bandopadhyay, Haradhan Bandopadhyay, Nripati Chattopadhyay, Robi Ghosh, Chinmoy Ray, Jahor Ray, Rudraprasda Sengupta, Padma Debi, among others. Umm, looks like my Karm Yog has now expanded to include watching this movie as well. Shall do so gladly.

The cover of Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho: 

Here is the great lady herself (reading letters, possibly from her adoring fans):

Signature of Majumdar and Nalini Das: 

 

Lila Majumdar: A Granddaughter Remembers: here.

More on Lila Majumdar (pictures): here.

Biographical sketch: here.

Thakumar Thikuji by Lila Majumdar: here.

Some of Majumdar's works translated into English: reviewed here.

The front covers of some of her ever-popular books: here.

The famed Raychaudhuri family's brilliant, ingenious and innovative tradition of writing - enlightened, satiric, hilarious and myriad-hued - founded by Upendrokishore Raychudhuri, perfected by his son, Sukumar Ray, was very ably carried forward by Majumdar and Satyajit, who not only made it part of their own genius, but enriched it too.

People tend to box Majumdar neatly in the children's author category, but I strongly feel it is unfair. Writers of her and say Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay's caliber should not be slotted thus. Their range is too immense to be slotted or categorized. One rarely comes across a writer/author whose work encompasses such varied subjects and displays such myriad shades. [Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay is also known as 'The Ruskin Bond of Bengal'. But having grown up on a healthy diet of his books and magical tales, and given that I still savour them, I would say Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay is Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. You get it, right?]

Here is Srilata Banerjee (Lila Majumdar's granddaughter) and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay at the book reading of The Burmese Box (Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho translated into English):

Upendrokishore Raychudhuri, Sukumar Ray, Lila Majumdar, Satyajit Ray, Rajshekhar Basu (aka Parashuram) and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay are in a league of their own. And so is Ruskin Bond. They are an inspiration for other authors, including upcoming ones; as for the readers, generations have fallen under their spell and happily continue to remain thus. They inspire others to take up the pen. I would also include Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Sanjib Chattopadhyay, Narayan Gangopadhyay, Narayan Sanyal, Premendra Mitra, Shibram Chakraborty, Narayan Debnath, Khagendranath Mitra, Samaresh Basu, Syed Mustafa Siraj, Abanindranath Tagore, Shasthipada Chattopadhyay, Shaktipada Rajguru and Nihar Ranjan Gupta in the same league. All their works are the literary equivalent of (homemade) ghee-bhaat-alu seddho-dim seddho, i.e., total awesomeness. [Of course there are greats like Rishi Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay, Saratchandra Chattopadhyay, Robi Thakur, Kaji Najrul Islam, Kaliprasanno Singha, et al. But for them, there has been no labeling, like 'children's writer', and so on. So...]

Majumdar's writings are so rich in the fantasies they evoke, in the many different worlds a child's imagination can conjure up. Lila Majumdar was a Bengali writer but one of the finest writers for children (young and young-at-heart) - anytime. Podi Pishir Bormi Bakso came out in 1949 as her third book. [First published serially in a short-lived but popular children's magazine of late forties, Rangmashal, edited by her friend and contemporary author Kamakshiprosad Chottopadhyay, the tale of a missing Burmese box of an overbearing aunt has been uncommonly popular since the time and still stays with the reader.]

An Overview of Podipisir Bormibakso by Lila Majumdar: here.

When she stepped into her 100^th year/ Splendid centurion: here.

Obituary/ Children's tales never outgrown: here.

- "To read, and never really to outgrow, Podipishir Bormi Baksho, Holde Pakhir Palok, Maku, Tong-Ling, Kheror Khata and the Shob Bhuture stories is to discover, and then rediscover many times over, all that must be kept alive - the laughing and the losing, the delicious and the terrifying, the sense and the nonsense - to keep us from turning into crabbed, old bores, out of touch with the best things of life."

... I could not have put it any better.

Lila Majumdar (signature):  

Baidyanather Bori (Baidyanath's Pill, 1939), Din Dupure (Midday, 1948), Podipisir Bormibakso (1949), a comic musical drama called Bok Badh Pala (Death of the Demon Bok), Holdey Pakhir Palok (The Yellow Bird), Moyna-Shalikh, Kheror Khata, Batash Badi, Goopir Guptokhata and Bokdharmik, et al are timeless; their magic have not waned. Her memoirs: Aar Konokhane (Somewhere Else) and Pakdandi too are widely read.

Generations of Bengali kids have grown up happily reading, re-reading, re-re-reading... the adventures of Gupi, Noga, Badyinath, Pnachuda and of course of Podi-pishi. [And to think I have missed out on this one! I clearly have a bone to pick with Lady Luck. Grrrrr.] Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho continues to remain one of the touchstones of children's imagination. Here 'children' is not to be defined by their years on this planet, bujhechen?

Here is something I found on the net: link. Looks like: the non-Bangla-speaking world too can now savour this romance with the written word (that generations of Bangla-speaking kids have exclusively enjoyed.) 

Good. Good.

In case you are still wondering as to why I am bringing in Satyajit Ray and Leela Majumdar (and even Upendrokishore Raychaudhuri) in posts dedicated to Sukumar Ray, the answer is that: they have enriched each others works. There are bits and pieces of Upendrokishore and Sukumar in Satyajit and Leela's works, unmistakably.  

Also, both Ray Sr. and Ray Jr. (Satyajit Ray's son: Sandip Ray) have clearly doffed their hats to Sukumar Ray and to Upendrakishore Raychoudhuri. Always.

Two of our most loved characters: Goopy Gyne and Bagha Byne have been brought onto the silver screen by the father-son duo of Satyajit and Sandip. There have been three films in all - until now, in the much-loved Goopy-Bagha series. 

Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen (The adventures of Goopy and Bagha), Hirak Rajar Deshe (Kingdom of Diamonds) and Goopy Bagha Phire Elo (The Return of Goopy and Bagha) is satire, sublime satire; actually, satire at many levels, but has unfortunately and for whatever reasons, been classified as 'children's film'. The satire of the Goopy Bagha series is relevant even today and will be relevant 50 years from now. And so would the wit, humour and fun!! [Will discuss them in greater detail in my next post.]

... However, the influence of Sukumar Ray is unmistakable.

According to Leela Majumdar's granddaughter, Srilata Banerjee, her Didibhai (an endearing term for maternal grandma in Bengal) spoke about her 'Jyathamoshai' (paternal uncle; father's older brother) - Upendrakishore Raychaudhuri - and how he had to eat mainly fruits and boiled stuff because he wasn't well. It was only when her (Majumdar) own sugar level suddenly shot up and she was put on a restricted diet for a while, that she realized he may have had diabetes.

Sukumar Ray died tragically at the young age of thirty-six (due to 'kala-azar'). According to Majumdar, even when he was confined to bed, he would show her the drawings for many of the rhymes in 'Abol Tabol' ('Rhymes without reason' or 'Weird and Random'). One of the last illustrations that he did was for 'Tnyansh Goru' [Goru = cow in Bangla. Tnyansh is impossible to translate.] Even when gravely ill, Sukumar had laughingly asked Majumdar whether another twist in the character's tail would suit it or not! He passed away shortly afterwards. But this anecdote gives us a glimpse of the man and his spirit, does it not? What a loss...!

Listen to Tnyansh Goru by Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta (from the album: Pyancha Koy Pyanchani, Abol Tabol - Vol 2): here.

In Abol Tabol we are introduced to a series of unusual animals, and they are all well illustrated (by Ray himself). Tnyashgoru is actually a bird, and Ray gives us the details of its food habits and lifestyle. In his usual fun and satirical way, Ray has depicted anglophiles as Tnyashgoru. This type actually ends up being neither here nor there, they are neither bird nor cow; they can neither fly nor graze. :)

Tnyansh is part of the Bangla language now. If someone walks very slowly or extra-lethargically, it is labeled as: tnyansh, tnyansh kore chola. That is: to walk in a Tnyansh manner. 

Here is Tnyansh Goru:

(Do stay tuned…)

Pictures: 1. Pic 01 - Title card of the documentary-film made by Satyajit Ray (as a tribute to his father, Sukumar Ray). 2. Pic 02 - Lila Majumdar (also: Leela Majumdar). 3. Pic 03 - Stamp in honour of Satyajit Ray. 4. Pic 04 - June 1988 front cover of Sandesh. 5. Pic 05 - Professor Shonku. 6. Pic 06 - Cover of Tarini Khuro.  7. Pic 07 - The cover of Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho. 8. Pic 08 - Leela Majumdar. 9. Pic 09 - Signature of Lila Majumdar and Nalini Das. 10. Pic 10 - Srilata Banerjee and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay at the book reading of The Burmese Box. 11. Pic 11 - Leela Majumdar - signature. 12. Pic 12 - Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne. 13. Pic 13 - Tnyansh Goru. 

Abol Tabol, etc: The Peerless Sukumar Ray. (Part-I)

I wanted to do this post on Tuesday (30.10.2012) itself, to coincide with the occasion of the 125^th birth anniversary of arguably the greatest humourist-satirist of all times - Shri Sukumar Ray.

The incorrigible Bengali in me wasn't being 'lajee' err, I mean: trying to 'conserve energy'; and despite the nip in the air, thanks to Nilamdidi, I was not contemplating on 'hibernation' either.

... I simply decided to spend my time reading that nonpareil genius Sukumar Ray's evergreen works, instead of putting thumb to keys. :)

Here is a link for you to read them too. [It is in Bangla though]:

1. http://www.bangalinet.com/sukumar_roy_abol_tabol_index.htm

2. http://sukumarray.freehostia.com/

The task of encapsulating the essence of Sukumar Ray in a single post (or even in multiple posts, for that matter) is colossal; it is simply beyond my limited talents. So, do watch this short documentary film made by his illustrious son, Satyajit Ray (in 1987, and released the same year - during the birth centenary year of Sukumar Ray, who was born on October 30, 1887): 

This is the last documentary made by Satyajit as a tribute to his father, before he too passed away on 23 April 1992. Here is a bit about this 30-min documentary-film: Link.

Here is Satyajit Ray and Akira Kurosawa (regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema):

It is erroneously said that Sukumar Ray wrote mainly for children. His works transcends all sorts of barriers, including those of: age, gender and time. A child can read them and so can an adult, whether a youth, a middle-aged person or the elderly. The humour, fun, wit and the satire part remains intact. What changes, or rather manifests itself with each reading, are the numerous layers. It is an exciting and fun-filled journey of discovery - one that begins during one's childhood and merrily continues until one's 'destination' has arrived. Therefore, one can never tire of them. Never. His works cannot be slotted with respect to events, personalities or generations either; 'coz they are ever relevant, and hence, their appeal will never diminish.

Sukumar Ray's works or legacy, if you may, have endured and will continue to endure. The true essence of humour, fun, wit and satire, in my humble opinion, is its ability to endure, and do so without an overwhelming amount of bile. Perhaps especially: without bile, i.e. in the complete absence of bile or vitriol. Sukumar Ray has achieved this, totally and completely... and effortlessly as well. And this to me is the measure of his talents... and of his greatness.

Vitriol or bile rankles. More often than not, it misses the mark and opens up yet another tributary, so to speak. Wherein: the one that was doing all the gleeful target shooting (suddenly) finds himself or herself in that awkward and unenviable position of having to pay tributes to the until-then hapless target - for some unintentional or perceived slight. We have ample examples of this, right? By contrast, intelligent satire sans vitriol finds its way into even the innermost recesses of firmly shut and airtight hearts and minds, then makes its point and leaves its imprint too. And Sukumar Ray excelled in this. Fortunately, many of his works have now been translated into English, and so, the non-Bangla-speaking world too can partake of some of these cerebral and intellectual pleasures. The flavour and taste may be somewhat altered though. For the epicurean Bengali, it is a veritable feast all the way. Always.

Sukumar Ray was claimed by that severe infectious fever, leishmaniasis, for which there was no cure at the time - on 10th September 1923. He was only 36. His only child, Satyajit [Bangla: Shottojit], was not even two-and-a-half at the time, though he has spoken about his first and few memories of his father, Sukumar. It was most probably recorded on the occasion of Sukumar Ray's 50th death anniversary in 1973. Satyajit has spoken in impeccable Bangla, marked by his characteristic lucidity and baritone. In that narration, he has also regretted not having access to the original manuscript of Ha Ja Ba Ra La (A Topsy-Turvy Tale), and the original illustrations of Abol Tabol ("Rhymes without reason" or "Weird and Random"). What a loss!

Here's an illustration of Abol Tabol (tr: Weird and Random or Rhymes without reason):

Sukumar's father, the great Upendrakishore Ray (Ray Chowdhury; Bangla: Upendrokishore Raychoudhuri) too was a genius, but has been (sadly and inexplicably) slotted as a 'children's story writer' ... not unlike the slotting that Sukumar Ray's works have also been relegated to. Why and how, I have not a clue. Perhaps the ones that did the slotting were even bigger and better humourists and satirists, who, for some reason also never put pen to paper. Or perhaps, they did, and those pages promptly made their way up the 'food chain' around assorted carts that sold jalebi-s, samosa-s, bajji-s and the like - in those days.

Umm, frankly, all I can think of is: 'RamgoruRer Chhana Haanste tader maana/ Hanshir kotha shunley bole/ Hansbo na-na na-na...'

[These are a few lines from the immensely popular "RamgoruRer Chhana" (link) from one of Sukumar Ray's masterpieces: "Abol Tabol" or "Rhymes without reason". It is about people who are humourless or humour-resistant. Congenitally. The ones that treat humour with fear or for whom sunshine in the form of smile and laughter is a calamity worse than forking out large amounts of taxes, not that they are fond of paying small amount of taxes even.]

Here is the famous RamgoruR/RamgoruRer Chhana as sketched by Sukumar Ray:

Many words and phrases invented by the father-son duo (i.e. Upendrakishore-Sukumar) have become an integral part of the Bangla language. Several characters invented by Sukumar have become legendary in Bengali literature and culture; some characters have even found idiomatic usage in the language. E.g. in the popular movie "Miss Priyambada" (released: 1967; genre: a comedic far-fetched 'romance') that starred the grand old man of Bangla comedy: Bhanu Bandopadhyay and his great friend and on-screen Hardy: Jahor Roy, Lily Chakraborty's character dubs her maternal uncle-approved rotund suitor as "KumRo Potash".

KumRo Potash (link) is the name of one of Sukumar Ray's famous rhymes, and this word is now an inalienable part of the Bangla language as well. [Kumro = pumpkin, but "potash" is impossible to translate.]

Do make your acquaintance with KumRo Potash:

Bhanu Bandopadhyay also used this poem in another of his well-loved films: "Personal Assistant", a sort of romantic-comedy, unlike any that you have watched (outside of Bhanu Bandopadhyay's universe, that is). This 1959 film also featured actor-singer Ruma Guhathakurata and Tarun Kumar (younger brother of Bengal's matinee-idol 'Mohanayok' Uttam Kumar.)

Another of the great Ray's rhymes is titled, "Danpite" (link) meaning "irrevocably naughty". And any kid that is irrevocably naughty, a la Dennis the Menace, is termed "danpite" chele or "danpite" khoka in Bangla. [Chele, khoka = boy.] 

Here is the sketch from Danpite: 

I can go on and on... and on.

Sukumar Ray has combined two seemingly meaningless words into one - to formulate a Portmanteau, and this has in turn created new animals in his works, like the Haansjaru (duck + porcupine), Bakacchop (crane + tortoise), Girgitia (chameleon + parrot), the Singhoerin (lion + deer) and even the Ramgorur (human + lizard + cow) that also laid eggs! And whose nests were stuffed with scolding, where even the wind of humour is banned; where: you're not allowed to laugh !! [Ramgorurer basha / Dhamak diye thasha / Hashir hawa bandha shethai / Nishedh shethai hasha...]

Here is some more info on the great Upendrokishore Raychoudhuri:

1. http://www.parabaas.com/translation/database/authors/texts/upendrakisor.html 
2. http://www.parabaas.com/translation/database/translations/stories/toontooni2.html
3. http://www.parabaas.com/translation/database/translations/stories/toontooni1.html
   
   
   

Here is some more info on the nonpareil genius - Sukumar Ray. Please do read:

1. http://aboltabol.freehostia.com/sukumar.htm
2. http://www.parabaas.com/translation/database/authors/texts/sukumarray.html
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukumar_Ray
4. http://www.parabaas.com/translation/database/translations/essays/pZinia_sukumar.html
5. http://satadrusen.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=60&Itemid=8
6. http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/172.html [This article contains a verse (Khichudi) from Abol Tabol (Rhymes without reason) - the original in Bangla is of course by Sukumar Ray, the fairly competent English translation by Bhaswati Ghosh. It brims with Ray's fantastic creatures: Haansjaru (duck/haans + porcupine/shojaru), Bakacchop (crane/bok + tortoise/kocchhop), Girgitia or tiya-mukho girgiti (chameleon/girgiti + parrot/tiya; rather: parrot-faced chameleon), the Singhoerin (lion/singha + deer/hoerin) and Hatimir (elephant/hati + whale/timi).  There is also the goat/chhagol + scorpion/bichhe, the giraffe + grasshopper/phoding and the cow/goru + rooster/morog.

Khichudi (Hindi: Khichdi), as you know, is a common dish popular all over India and amongst the Indian Diaspora (the probashi Bharotiyo) as well, a flavourful mixture of rice and dal (lentils) cooked with spices; also used figuratively to mean a hodgepodge or mixture. The Anglicized spelling was kedgeree.

Here is the giraffe + grasshopper/phoding:

Here is the cow/goru + rooster/morog:

And here are the Singhoerin (lion/singha + deer/hoerin) and the Haansjaru (duck/haans + porcupine/shojaru):

Sukumar Ray's legacy is a treasure-trove of laughter and fun, satire and humour and a commentary on things, persons and events that we can still find around us - 125 years after he was born and 89 years after he physically left us. But it is practically impossible to translate. For those of us that have grown up soaking in the magic of Ray's lyrics, nonsense rhymes and rhythm, our childhood (and beyond) would have remained incomplete without his priceless oeuvre.

Sukumar Ray. Loho Pronam. Tomar aashon shunyo aajike heye bir purno koro...

(Do stay tuned…)

Pictures: 1. Pic 01 - Sukumar Ray. 2. Pic 02 - Satyajit Ray and Akira Kurosawa. 3. Pic 03 - Abol Tabol (Rhymes without reason or Weird and Random). 4. Pic 04 - RamgoruR/RamgoruRer Chhana. 5. Pic 05 - KumRo Potash.  6. Pic 06 - Danpite. 7. Pic 07 - Upendrokishore Raychoudhuri. 8. Pic 08 - giraffe + grasshopper/phoding. 9. Pic 09 - cow/goru + rooster/morog. 10. Pic 10 - Singhoerin (lion/singha + deer/hoerin) and the Haansjaru (duck/haans + porcupine/shojaru).

Our ‘Magnificent Mary’!

Pussy-cat, Pussy-cat,

Where have you been?

I have been to London,

To meet the Queen!

Pussy-cat, Pussy-cat,

What did you bring?

I brought some Olympic medals,

Bling Bling!

Two silver and

Four bronze,

The brightest belongs to

Mary Kom!

Very well-played, Magnificent Mary,

Your Bronze - IS gold.

Congratulations Vijay - victory became yours,

Congratulations Narang, you reached for the Gagan.

Brave-hearts that touched the stars!

Congratulations Yogeshwar and Sushil

You carried a heavy burden:

An entire nation's wish - to fulfill!

Congratulations to our badminton champ,

It was Saina vs China:

The Great Neh-wal of Saina vs the Great Wall of China!

Congratulations to Kashyap.

Man! You were sharp.

And Devendro Singh,

You packed some punch and some sting!

Congratulations to Joydeep Karmakar,
And to Amit and Manoj Kumar.

Congratulations Vikas Krishnan and Sumit Sangwan,

You WON !!

You played and won - fair and square,

Your opponents played and 'won' - fair and lovely!

Hat tip to the great Gopichand as well.

You dreamt big and reached for the moon,

And got it too! Woo-Hoo !!

In the end:

Bronze was gold!

Mary Kom is our hero, or our heroine, if you may. She is our pride, Magnificent Mary as we say.

Mary is a five-time successive World Boxing champion, the only female boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six World Championships. [Do read more about her at: India's shot at Gold and HERE.]

For many, many, people ... ordinary people, ordinary Indians - like us; Mary has always been a star. And that's what she will remain. Forever.

The yardstick for judging a woman - in any profession or field - be it in leadership or administrative roles or even in sports, are very different and far more stringent - compared to a man.

Mary Kom - is a woman, a woman who has struggled very hard and faced difficulties and hardships with grace and spunk. She has succeeded on her own, through sheer dint of hard work and dedication - in a sport that has very few takers in India: women's boxing. In fact women's sports in this country hardly get any attention or coverage, though in recent times Saina Nehwal has been able to undo that - to some extent. Yet despite humungous challenges, Mary has won many laurels for the nation for a dozen years now and competed with the best in the world; with sportspeople that were the products of the best of diets, world-class facilities and who had the constant support of their governments and sponsors.

Mary had none - for the most part of her glowing career. Our gormint has always been too busy gorminting, and there has never been any hope of gormend.

Yet she has soldiered on and emerged triumphant, every single time; when she won trophies and medals, as well as when she did not, because her effort and dedication remained the same. She gave her best - all the time, every single time.

Hers has been an incredible journey that culminated in glory, for she created history. She worked her way up two weight classes in three years - to 51kg. She had to bulk up without slowing down. She had to work on a tight defence against bigger boxers. Four of Mary's five championships have come as a 46kg pin-weight. At the Olympics there were only three weight categories for women, as opposed to ten for men. In her new weight category (51kg, flyweight) she had fought the Asians, but never faced the Europeans, until close to the Olympic qualifiers held in May. [The first time Mary fought in this category, 51kg - was in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.]

So, changing categories, gaining weight, building strength, learning new techniques, facing new opponents - who have been playing in that category for years; in so little time ... and still bagging a podium finish, that too at the Olympics, is a gigantic achievement. It's extraordinary to say the least. Let us celebrate her stupendous feat. Let us celebrate her as a sportsperson. Let us celebrate her as a source of inspiration. For ALL of us. For India. And not just as a woman or for women.

That, to my mind, would be the most befitting tribute to a true champion, a true legend. We have much to learn from Magnificent Mary, including: grit, determination and humility. Let us also tip our hats to her husband, Onler Kom and to her parents, Mangte Akham Kom and Tonpa Kom, as well as to the rest of her family - for they have been her pillars of support throughout. And let us give all our love to her adorable twin cubs: Leinai and Rengpa.

Parting shot: Two people that deserve the Bharat Ratna: the phenomenal Mary Kom and the chess maestro Vishwanathan Anand. And I hope that Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) brings to us the stories of our sporting greats and Olympic champs - soon.

Photograph: Found while trawling the net, don't remember the link :(