The irresistible appeal of Bengalee 'adda'

The younger writers of Dhaka nowadays greatly miss the day-long literary sessions at 'Beauty Boarding' in the older part of the city. Few can draw even the faintest view of those 'addas'. The informal literary sessions were inseparable from Dhaka's mainstream literature --- from the late1940s to the early 1970s. Those 'addas' eventually became synonymous with chatting sessions centring round new literary compositions by the then young poets and short story writers. The authors included Shamsur Rahman, Alauddin Al Azad, Syed Shamsul Huq, Hassan Hafizur Rahman, Saiyeed Atiqullah, Shaheed Quadri and many other emerging poets and prose writers. The later-day film maker Zahir Raihan was also one of them. Al Mahmud started visiting the place in the early 1960s. At Beauty Boarding, chiefly a residential hotel, Zahir Raihan was mostly known as a short story writer and novelist. Sikandar Abu Zafar had yet to bring out his literary monthly 'Samakal'. But he used to visit Beauty Boarding frequently. The Boarding's restaurant and the well-maintained lawn eventually became vibrant venues of literature and movie-based 'addas'. Most of these writers were contributors to 'Samakal', 'Ogotya', 'Sonar Bangla' etc. Years later, the Rex restaurant in the Gulistan area also emerged as an ideal venue for 'addas'.
Lots of educated people confuse literary or cultural 'addas' with indoor meetings. A pure 'adda' is an informal gathering of like-minded people with no fixed date or time. It may continue for a length of time ranging from two to four hours. Unlike meetings, these informal gatherings do not have presidents, chief guests and special guests. The system hasn't changed much since the early days of these casual gatherings. A perfectionist yet quite pragmatic and liberal, Buddhadev Bose, the noted poet, gives a portrayal of how a successful 'adda' should look like. Although Bose didn't have reservations about modern furniture comprising chairs, divans or sofas at a drawing room, he had a special liking for a vacant room not in use. Its floor mats should be covered by a white cotton sheet. Unlike those in vogue suiting the Kolkata culture in the period, Bose would prefer 'muri' (puffed rice) with light fried snacks and tea for 'adda'. Their supply should be abundant. The 'adda' venues normally rotated among the residences of contemporary and junior poets living in the then Kolkata. Reading from one's newly composed poetry or a short story would be welcome. But it was not compulsory.
As Buddhadev Bose has observed in his essay on 'Adda', a few such gatherings used to have fixed venues and sitting hours, especially at drawing rooms at the houses of rich people. Besides, the offices of weeklies and monthly literary journals remained wide open to the authors. They used to choose these offices for impromptu 'adda' sessions. The trend of arranging 'adda' at offices of literary journals was transferred to East Bengal capital Dhaka after the 1947 Partition of India. While in Kolkata, the periodicals were dominated by 'Kollol', 'Porichoy', 'Kabita', 'Shonibarer Chithi', 'Kali Kolom', 'Saugat'etc. The magazine that would draw the highest number of contributors including poets and prose writers was 'Kollol'. They were also the regular visitors to the journal's office. They included Achintya Kumar Sengupta, Premendra Mitra, Jibanananda Das, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Tarashnkar Banerjee and many younger writers of the time. The similar writers would appear on the list of the other periodicals.
In Dhaka, the days of classical 'adda' appear to have long been over, so have their traditional venues and time-schedules. In the gap of a few decades, the 'addas' of Dhaka changed their venues. In place of the roofs of houses, residential drawing rooms or posh restaurants, a section of informal gatherings have moved to different types of clubs. The participants are restricted to specific professionals, or the others meeting the prerequisites for membership given on certain amount of fees. However, many people do not approve of the stiffness and formalities of these 'addas'. They are, by nature, groomed for open and informal gatherings.
In his essay, Buddhadev Bose defines in minute detail how an ideal 'adda' should look like. A gifted poet and well-read person, he viewed that basic precondition for a classical Bengalee 'adda' is it should be plain, and free of unnecessary formalities. A poet and novelist belonging the literary decade of the 1930s, he set a few rules for a perfect 'adda'. A genuine admirer of indoor sessions of poets, novelists and literary critics, Bose dreamt of a liberal atmosphere for informal sessions. To make them participatory, he would love to give access to everyone interested in exchanging views with others present at the venue on different aspects of aesthetics. A lively personality, Bose would love to allow everyone present at the weekly or fortnightly sessions to express their views. Always in the leading role, the highly erudite poet would also allow the reflective authors present to remain silent. He believed in the truth that everyone is not born to be talkative and draw the attention of others.
Informal literary gatherings welcome the authors having more or less the same age. A few of those present at 'addas' may happen to be senior to others. An ideal 'adda' never hesitates to make the juniors feel at home there; even at the so-called informal yet exclusive sessions. The literary 'addas' normally take pride in their liberal atmosphere. Everyone present there enjoys the right to express his or her views on a specific subject. Moreover, if an 'adda' belongs to a certain literary camp, it doesn't hesitate to welcome writers belonging to platforms other than that particular group. It means that 'others' have unfettered access there, on occasions though.
The history of Bengali literature has long been carrying a rich legacy of 'addas'. It dates back to the times of Rabindranath Tagore, and his predecessors Biharilal Chakraborty et al. and even Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. When it comes to the buoyancy of an indoor literary gathering, these writers' sessions would finally emerge as sombre and scholarly events with little scopes for light humour. It was Tagore, who broke with this dour and academic tradition of informal sessions --- devoid of any lighter mood. It was possible because despite Tagore's pre-eminent position, he was quite affable and friendly to the audience even at a formal meeting. Besides, the great poet had a sharp sense of humour.
Apart from literature, painting and other art forms, Bengalees as a nation can make an insipid atmosphere based on any mundane subject lively by discussing and debating them. The magic lies with 'addas'. Among the educated and enlightened classes, it is the arts that play the dominant role. Discourses on the different branches of the arts are sometimes followed by domestic politics, sport etc. Among the aesthetes, literature has to emerge as the dominant 'adda' subject, thanks to its hidden elements of variety. The habit of reading helps in the refinement of people. Creative 'addas' expedite this process.
shihabskr@ymail.com