Dear Readers,

June 2020 saw the end of an era with the passing away of Indian filmmaker and screenwriter Shri Basu Chatterjee, aged ninety. The warmth and slice-of-life humour his films exuded were unique in their connect with the audience, be it Chhoti Si Baat, Rajnigandha or Chitchor. However, two of his notable experiments like Ek Ruka Hua Faisla and Kamla Ki Maut, both in the 80’s,can be called riveting examples of his cinematic genius. His films will perhaps always grace the throne of the “evergreen”.

This month also saw the untimely and very shocking decease of young and gifted Indian actor Sushant Singh Rajput. In his career of seven years, Rajput was only eight films old; seven of which were either financial successes or critically acclaimed, or both. Besides his incredible journey from engineering to the theatre & television, all the way to the silver screen, he was also a sensitive citizen who had been signed by the NITI Ayog, a policy think-tank of the Indian government to promote Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). In addition he ran the Innsaei Ventures, and was actively involved with several programmes like Sushant4Education, as an effort to help young students. What a man, and what a loss!

While we mere mortals reel from one devastation after another this year, the Katha Upanishad steadfastly reminds us:“See how it was with those who came before; how it will be with those who are living. Like corn mortals ripen and fall; like corn they come up again.”

And thus we try to lick our wounds and move on. More on the two remarkable lives by Shanku Sharma inside.

On cover this month, London correspondent Rajesh Punj meets Lionel Estève, an artist from Brussels who curiously sees things we would usually leave to the litter as a part of his works of art. As he says himself, ‘the energy of everything comes from the atmosphere of the earth. The artist likes to think in the moment and allow what surrounds him to determine his artworks.

Apurva Sinha writes an essay about the traditions of the mystical Sri Varadaraja Temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Kanchi, the land of saints, legends and temples is remarkably known as the Kashi of south India,the antiquity of which can be traced back to the 6th century CE.

Another insightful essay comes from Nitya Bali about Assam’s Majuli, the land known for varied wooden and bamboo crafts. She specifically writes about its bamboo cottage industry.

On the Photo Essay segment of the month we have Delhi based fashion and conceptual photographer Raajadharshini K.K. review the unnerving Plastic Pollution in the city.

Hope you enjoy the read. Do share with us your feedback at artanddeal@gmail.com

Siddhartha Tagore