8 May 2020

On this Rabindra Jayanti evening…

This is a classic from 1888, I believe.

“Amaro porano jaha chaay
Tumi tai, tumi tai go
Toma chhara aar e jogotey
Mor keho nai, kichu nai go

Tumi sukho jodi nahi pao
Jao sukhero sondhaney jao
Ami tomarey peyechhi hridoyo majhe
Aaro kichu nahi chai go

Aami tomaro birohey rohibo bilino
Tomatey koribo bash.
Dirgho diboso dirgho rojoni
Dirgho borosho maash.

Jodi aaro kaarey bhalobaso
Jodi aaro phirey nahi aaso
Tobey tumi jaha chao tai jano pao
Aami joto dukhho pai go…”

My scholarly Bengali friends can do a better job in translating this for non-Bengali readers, but here is a shot…

“What my heart has always sought
You are just that, veritably so
Bereft of you, in this world
I have no one; truly, I have nothing

If (however) you don’t find happiness here
Go forth, seek your happiness elsewhere
I have found you in my heart
I do not need anything else

Yes, I will be forlorn in your absence
But I know I will live within you
Every single long day and night
Every single long month and year

If you find love in somebody else
If you never come back again to me
Then be it that you get all you have sought
No matter how much I hurt here”

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Category: Music/Poetry | LEAVE A COMMENT
7 May 2020

From the bartender’s corner – Monte Carlo

A Monte Carlo is basically a variation of a Manhattan and dates back to 1948. It uses Rye Whisky (I used Templeton) and bitters (I used Angostura). And instead of vermouth, it uses Benedictine. Being a brandy based liqueur with something like 56 herbs and spices (that includes saffron), it brings a very different flavor and finish to the sips.

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Category: Cocktails | LEAVE A COMMENT
6 May 2020

Answer for the square puzzle

To get to the answer, first let’s visualize the quadrants a little differently. Draw a line (the red dotted ones here in the picture) from the point in the square to each of the vertices. So, the four quadrilaterals have been now divided into eight triangles. Here comes a twist – instead of thinking about the two triangles in any quadrilateral, think about any triangle and the other adjacent one from it. (other than the one in its own quadrilateral).

In the picture, I have colored them. The two greens, the two yellows etc. What can you say about the two green triangles? If you remember old geometry, they have the same base (half a side of the square) and same height. Thus the two green triangles have same areas. Similarly, the two yellows have same area. As do the two blue. And the two purple.

Now think about the quadrilateral with area 80 and that of the one with 40 (diagonally opposite).  One green + one blue + one yellow + one purple. And that is 80+40=120.

Take the other two quadrilaterals. You will notice that they also add up to one green + one blue + one yellow + one purple. Which means the unknown quadrilateral has to be 120 – 60 = 60.

Thus the area of the square is 80+60+40+60=240 units !

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Category: Puzzles | 2 Comments on Answer for the square puzzle