The tradition of oral storytelling has passed down in popular images of grandmothers surrounded by children, narrating fantastical tales. Thakumar Jhuli is a remarkable example of traditional storytelling that reinforces this image. Bengal has birthed iconic figures like Feluda, Byomkesh Bakshi, Nonte-Fonte, Tenida, Baatul, and Gopal Bhar among several others.

From being horse-drawn to electrical, the tram has seen a journey of more than 50 years and become an intrinsic part of the Calcutta identity. The city is associated largely with yellow taxis, but a few decades back, the trams that ran through myriad connecting lines across the city’s expanse gave rise to its modern identity. Today, a tram museum near Dharmatala has been built to pay homage to the long-standing but swiftly dissipating tradition of travelling by trams, an image seen in most mid-1900s Bengali cinema.

At the juncture of divisive politics espousing hatred and communalism, symbols like language remind us of our glorious past. Urdu, a language born out of the synthesis of Hindu and Muslim cultures is an excellent example. Today, the language has evolved and branched out into various fields.

Beyond shoe-box skyscrapers and stifling urban cityscapes lay a limitless world of the unknown. Into the dense woods and above the gigantic waves; across seven oceans and a hundred rivers, some hearts seek refuge in the enigmatic travels. Our diverse world has witnessed travellers with inquisitive natures who truly set the stepping stones for what is today called the ‘global village’. An east-west synthesis, coupled with mutual curiosity for each other’s cultures, has been made possible by these envoys who lived to venture into uncharted waters.

Poetry and art immortalise stories, including those of unfinished and forbidden romances. The tale of Sultan Mahmud and his slave Ayaz, who achieved great success under the watchful and caring eyes of the emperor, is a story of lifelong devotion, goodwill, and companionship.

Dance, music, painting, and theatre form the core of the Performing Arts. Bharata’s Natyashastra, the book that has single-handedly influenced India’s aesthetic expression, delineated the significance of performance in society. For millennia, courtesans (or tawaifs) had been the centre of immense learning - they catered to the nobility and were connoisseurs of Art. They were often involved in epic whirlwind romances with royalty, giving rise to colourful narratives.

From home to the world, the journey of women has not been easy. Even a century back, seeing women on the stage or runway was unthinkable. Beauty pageants have allowed women to represent the youth and women of the nation, in particular. With the evolution of the beauty industry, these pageant shows have been under debate.

As our country remains divided on the debate of legalising same-sex marriages, priests across the world are redefining the constraints of tradition to include the queer community within the sanctity of marriage. While one perspective endangers equality, the other advocates for it in its truest sense.

There have been countless unsung heroes If today the LGBTQ+ community can live with respect and freedom unlike in the days of yore, it is due to the relentless efforts of unsung heroes like Siddhartha Gautam. His short but succinct life is a tribute to the cause of the marginalized and he is remembered even today for his pivotal role in the 1990s' gay rights movement.

Representation matters. Seeing relatable characters onscreen fills us with excitement, doesn't it? A similar phenomenon occurred in the 1990s when a journalist, driven by a desire to make a difference, conceived the idea of a magazine exclusively dedicated to the cause of gay men. They were the allies of a community confined within its shell. Today, the magazine also caters to other members of the LGBTQ+ community, such as lesbians and transgender individuals, and is slowly expanding its reach to a heterosexual audience. This is the Bombay Dost magazine.