Tucked away in a corner of Sarat Bose Road lies an almost forgotten slice of history. Dakshin Kalikata Sevashram, a home for destitute boys, was established in 1924 with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as its secretary and Chittaranjan Das as president.

The Sevashram started functioning after it was gifted 11 cottahs of land in 1930 by Bose, who was then the mayor. The institution now runs the home for destitute boys, a free primary school and provides vocational training on electric wiring and computers.

When Bose was arrested on suspicion of terrorism in 1924, he wrote to Anandabazar Patrika that he was afraid that in his absence, the Sevashram and some other institutions he was associated with could come to harm.

In another letter, written from the Mandalay Jail in Burma, he writes: “I can quit working for the Congress, but quitting work for the Sevashram is impossible. Where else will I get such an opportunity to serve the poor?”

Bose’s ideas are still alive at the Sevashram, says treasurer Subhendra Maulik, though vocational training then included classes on bakery and making buttons. Among the 70 children enrolled at the Sevashram, three are taking their Madhyamik this year and one will be appearing for HS.

Maulik says that instead of sensationalising the debate on whether Bose is dead or alive, it is a better idea to try to carry on the work that he began.

I don’t like this

Offering anjali and chanting shlokas in Sanskrit can be quite confusing. A seven-year-old girl who went to her south Calcutta para Saraswati puja to offer anjali came away puzzled. “Why did the priest ask us to say ‘eshob pochondo noy’ (I don’t like all this)?” she asked. The priest had chanted: “Esha sachandana…” (the mantra with which the goddess is offered leaves with chandan.

(Contributed by Malini Banerjee)