PRESS & PAPERS

READ ON AMAZON : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009A1ANDY


Saptarshi Basu tries to find the answers for problems of today's youth in the context of their busy lifestyle  
-The HINDU

A recommended story for today's youth 
- THE VIEWSPAPER,INDIA'S YOUTH VOICE

Autumn in my Heart is composed of many narratives of individuals seen wrestling with their thoughts to attain the true meaning of 'love'. We commence our journey as one of the detached readers trying to get a peep into the lives of a bunch of youngsters and their struggle to understand love. Slowly, we begin to find a resemblance of our own 'love' chapters (if any) in at least one of the characters' stories etched out by the author 

- TIMES OF INDIA

While young authors tend to stick to boy-meets-girl romances, Calcutta boy Saptarshi does not shy away from subjects like homosexual abuse and the confusion of a young man as he is forced into an unknown world of sexuality by his uncle 

- THE TELEGRAPH

Written in "Chetan Bhagat style" in a colloquial language with elements of a typical Bollywood love story thrown in, the readers are left spellbound as equations between the central characters of Deb, Ayantika, Saurav, Tina, Vinod and Sagarika change faster than one can think 

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA (PTI)





For a complete MEDIA Coverage, read below

http://saptak-firsttry.blogspot.in/2012/03/media-coverage-autumn-in-my-heart.html

Eating ‘Cookie’, Travelling ‘Java’

A Smiling face welcomed Samaresh inside the flight.

                                                             The beautiful Air hostess of Jet Airlines International flight handed over the Menu card to Samaresh. He began to search quickly for the price tags and got more confused by not founding any. The soft face of the air hostess reminded Samaresh of someone back home but faded quickly over the missing price tags. The menu was like a highly decorated wedding card with elaborate and minute specifications about each food. The flight was quite cosy felt Samaresh. But something was making him feel uncanny .The atmosphere inside the Boeing was too much sophisticated he felt. He tried to concentrate more on the food. His search was halted by the renowned names in the liquor section “Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, Australian Red wine.....”It was obvious that someone of his age would have been the happiest one but the prolonged warnings of Partha Mondal had its own effect.

   “Samaresh, This is your first International flight...be very cautious...Don’t have any drinks in the flight...Remember you are representing not yourself but your esteemed organisation” .Partha, his offshore Delivery Manager has thundered over a trembling Samaresh.

He felt he should adhere to Partha’s gospel and he had done before. Even he was carrying 12 sets of underwear, socks and vests as dictated by Partha. On another note, He had to buy Jockey undies very unwillingly as it was highly costly compared to his age old companion Balaram, only because of Partha.”Carry quality clothings and...Dont wear the same underwear each day”...Partha bloated out in the conference room....

                              Oops...Sorry...I ...I haven’t given my introduction, I am Samaresh, Samaresh Bagchi and yes, I am a Bong.   A Bong and a Sofo.  No, no ...I am not a sofomore, sorry sophomore. Sofo stands for Software engineer. You see, it’s the generation of short forms. Papa has become Pa (in Bengali, it means leg though), Brother has become bro and so on. That’s why sofo .Short, sweet and a bit aristocratic too.  I know you might be angry already. You happened to visit searching for some Java interview questions or about how to hack with cookie. But sorry, I am not sharing any computer knowledge here. It’s about the spicy travelling pursuits of a nomadic sofo. You might again be wandering. Bong and International flight? Bongs usually go to Puri, Darjeeling, Shantiniketan, Kashi or max to max OOti. Dhurjoti Sir, one of my reverent teachers in school once said he went to a rich place called Goa. When I told about those magical stories to my uncle, he just shaked his head in disbelief.  ‘Beta golpo dichhe (He is a liar) , I am sure he has not gone an inch beyond Digha’ .  But let me tell you, Bongs love travelling. Might be Lalbazar or London, bongs love to go places. And I am no exception. I , from my very childhood, loved travelling. Mostly in my dreams as it was cheap and inexpensive. It was with my tryst with destiny that I, who happened not to have crossed beyond Silliguri in the world map, was flying to San Francisco.

                             

                                                            

                                                                                               

                                                                                                To be continued............

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

There's so much being told about Mothers, that I couldn't resist myself posting it...I too love my Mom you see :)

Mother
-Saptarshi Basu

Mothers are the place that we call home.
On them we rest our heads and close our eyes.
There's no one else who grants the same soft peace,
Happiness, contentment, sweet release,
Erasing nighttime tears with lullabies,
Restoring the bright sun that makes us bloom.

Mothers are the place where love
Emerges from the earth,
And happiness rings out like bells
In honor of our birth.

Mothers are the sun that lights
For life our inner sky,
So we may know that we are loved
And need not question why.

Mothers are the moon that shines
Upon our black despair,
So even when we weep, we know
That someone's always there.
Whatever fear, or stress, or pain
Might them to anger move,
We know that underneath the storm
We have, always, their love.

SATYAMEV JAYATE - AAMIR KHAN'S EPISODE ON CHILD ABUSE

Felt good inside my heart that the topic I touched upon in my novel, AUTUMN IN MY HEART about Child abuse , is being shown in today's edition of Satyamev Jayate by Aamir Khan

Hi Aamir,

I would like to appreciate you for bringing such a wonderful program .I watched Harish Iyer in your last episode and almost cried. Also, I was overjoyed. You might think how a man can be overjoyed looking at someone’s pain. Yes, I was. Only because, I had written exactly the same thing in my novel ‘AUTUMN IN MY HEART’

ref link : http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5854785

The Character of my novel, Vinod was sexually abused by his uncle who had taken the complete care of his family after his father’s death. After prolonged abuse, Vinod started feeling homosexual tendencies. I think that’s also the same story with your hero, Harish Iyer.

Thanks a lot to Nikhil Agarwal for bringing forth the hitherto overlooked aspect. Many had reviewed my novel by had kept this aspect hidden.

I hope Aamir my word reaches you and my best wishes for gifting us with ‘SATYAMEV JAYATE’

                   Thanks and Regards,

                                    Saptarshi Basu

-------***----------------------****-------------------------------------------




He came close to me and rubbed his hand on my head. ‘What are you studying ?’ 
‘ Physics Chachu. You are all wet.’ 
‘ It’s been raining all the day.Let me change and take a shower. Did you eat your dinner?’ He asked while searching for his towel. It was hanging on the side of the chair.
‘ Yes, and you?’ I helped him with the towel. 
‘I am in no mood to eat’ he said before getting into the bathroom. We slept after some hours.He tossed and turned while I felt drowsy. Uncle used to drink a lot at times. It lead to life-size fights with Aunty but he still kept to it. ‘Are you asleep ?’ he asked. I could feel his hand slowly rubbing my hair. I didn’t answer and went to sleep. I don’t know what the time was, as it was all dark.All I could feel the prickling of the moustache and my lips locked. At first, I was too stunned to think anything. Slowly I realised someone was deeply kissing me.
Next day I woke up with a queer feeling .First, I felt guilty. I loved my Uncle a lot and couldn’t gear up the courage to say him anything. Sangita Aunty has gone for a week. It happened again the next night .And then next night. I remained awake closing my eyes and pretending to sleep till those hands slowly felt me.

- From AUTUMN IN MY HEART

COMING SOON IN FLYTE -THE DIGITAL STORE OF FLIPKART.COM

Saptarshi Basu tries to find the answers for problems of today's youth in the context of their busy lifestyle  -The HINDU

A RECOMMENDED STORY FOR TODAY'S YOUTH - THE VIEWSPAPER,INDIA'S YOUTH VOICE

http://www.saptarshibasu.com/ 

MEDIA COVERAGE - AUTUMN IN MY HEART

READ ON AMAZON : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009D6PJTY





THE TELEGRAPH-
http://epaper.telegraphindia.com/PUBLICATIONS/TT/TT/2012/03/23/index.shtml 

THE POLITICAL & BUSINESS DAILY

http://www.scribd.com/doc/89457136/AUTUMN-IN-MY-HEART-REVIEW-IN-THE-POLITICAL-AND-BUSINESS-DAILY

PTI (PRESS TRUST OF INDIA) REVIEWS :

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5854785

http://itvnewsindia.com/new-fiction-takes-fresh-look-homosexuality

TIMES OF INDIA REVIEWS :

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-23/books/30670196_1_love-story-love-blooms-erich-segal

BENGAL POST PAPER:

CALCUTTA TIMES :

THE HINDU :

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article2929936.ece

SUNDAY PIONEER :

http://www.dailypioneer.com/images/PDF/today_epaper.pdf 

MUMBAI MIRROR :

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/136/20120312201203121431153436bbe6f25/Autumn-winds-add-colour-to-every-love-story.html 

DELHI TIMES -WHATS HOT :

CHENNAI TIMES - WHAT'S HOT

VERBS AND VERBS MAGAZINE - NEW DELHI

BOOKLINK MAGAZINE -MARCH 2012

            

Does love really exist? - Reviewed by THE HINDU

READ ON AMAZON : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009A1ANDY



HINDU REVIEWS AUTUMN IN MY HEART

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article2929936.ece

AUTUMN IN MY HEART- REVIEWED BY PTI ( PRESS TRUST OF INDIA)

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5854785


http://itvnewsindia.com/new-fiction-takes-fresh-look-homosexuality

FEATURED IN CALCUTTA TIMES -TIMES OF INDIA

AUTUMN IN MY HEART FEATURED IN TIMES OF INDIA-CALCUTTA TIMES

'MEET THE AUTHOR' PROGRAM ORGANISED BY TIMES OF INDIA AT KOLKATA BOOK FAIR 2012

SPECIAL MOMENTS OF 'MEET THE AUTHOR' PROGRAM ORGANISED BY TIMES OF INDIA AT KOLKATA BOOK FAIR 2012 ON THE RELEASE OF MY NOVEL 'AUTUMN IN MY HEART'

- A BIG THANKS TO ALL FOR COMING AND MAKING THE EVENT COME TRUE !

TIMES OF INDIA REVIEWS 'AUTUMN IN MY HEART'

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/Autumn-winds-add-colour-to-every-love-story/articleshow/11649885.cms

KOLKATA BOOK FAIR on 29th Jan - TIMES GROUP STALL (3-6 PM)

DEAR FRIENDS,
  Hope to meet you all at the KOLKATA BOOK FAIR on 29th Jan - TIMES GROUP STALL (3-6 PM) , Kindly do circulate among your friends and relatives

INVITING ALL TO KOLKATA BOOK FAIR

INVITING ALL TO KOLKATA BOOK FAIR- TIMES GROUP STALL ( HALL 1- STALL 5) ON 29 JAN 2012

AUTUMN IN MY HEART- AT BOOKSTORES & MAGS

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE:

The eerie darkness of the murky night got disturbed by the howling of the lone dog.

    It was slowly drizzling outside. Mishra Ji’s restless sleep got disturbed with the pitiful cry and he sprang up. Despite of the unrelenting cold, he kept profusely sweating .Looking outside, he shivered as the thunder stuck the barren land adjacent to his shanty. Tiny drops of rain clinched to the glass window as he slowly came down from his bed. He searched for his glass of water kept beside his bed and gulped at once. The whole house seemed fast asleep, untouched with the tumult happening outside and inside Sashodhar mishra’s feeble heart. He opened the window a bit to feel the gushing wind on his face.Dark,rigid lines appeared on his forehead as he feebly repeated the single sentence ,bringing chill down his spine.

‘Give me your daughter or return the money!’

‘gggivee mmeee your daughter or return the money in a month! Or else….’

He blankly stared at the ravine gushing with the rain water. The edgy thoughts came creeping each and every moment into his mind. He felt time was passing by. But there was not much in his hand. Eight lakhs and that too in just a month!!! It was impossible for him…Mishra Ji’s business was running into troubled waters and he barely managed his family.

             Suddenly a streak of lightning struck on the barren paddy field and Mishra Ji dropped the glass from his hand. The steel utensil made a cracking sound before coming to a standstill. He started trembling and immediately closed the window. A few seconds after, Mishra Ji fugitively slide the window covers to have a glance at the ravine. He looked for a moment but no one was there. Sashodhar Mishra cursed himself for his foolishness and felt relieved. And just then! he realized that the shadow he had seen crossing the ravine was now entering his compound!

     Mishra Ji trembled and ran towards the drawing room .He fearfully checked if his wife or daughter was awake but no one could be seen. A bit relieved, he opened the door .The shadowy figure slowly removed the blanket and a mid-aged man emerged. In the dim light of the verandah, he looked straight into Mishra Ji’s eyes terribly. His threatening words made Mishra Ji hysterical.

 ‘Mano yaa Maro (agree or die).

Your Daughter or My Money –it’s your choice!!!’

There is only one happiness in life- U know what?

‘There is only one happiness in life-To love and to be
loved. these are not my words. Lord Buddha has said this.’

Saying this he looked at us. I tried figuring out in my mind
how to let Guru know the details of my life to help him find
the truth for me, when he looked at Vinod and said.

‘Your uncle loved you. Where ever he is now, he wants to see you
happy, my son. You were confused for a long long time in a
world, which was not yours. Remember my son –

‘nainam chindanti shastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na chainam kledayanty apo
na sosayati marutah’

‘The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon,
nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered
by the wind. But then you need to realize what you are.
Consciousness is eternal. ‘Na Hanyate Hanyamane Sarire’-
Consciousness is eternal. It is not vanquished with the
destruction of the temporary body. My son, you need to seek
the truth within yourself, and that will set you free.’

---- Guru Lama from ' AUTUMN IN MY HEART'


                           READ MORE @ http://www.flipkart.com/books/9380828541

YOUTUBE TRAILER OF AUTUMN IN MY HEART

BOOK REVIEW- AUTUMN IN MY HEART

‘Autumn In My Heart’ by Saptarshi Basu is the tale of the quintessential human being we all have inside us. Be it the Software Engineer guy Deb, or the forced-by-family-to-get-married girl Ayantika, or the other parallel characters like Sagarika, Sujoy, Priyanka, and the office colleagues of Deb – ‘Autumn In My Heart’ tells the story of US, as a whole. The author Saptarshi Basu just had to take the pain to pen it down in a concrete basis in between two covers, efficiently. He did exactly that, and how!

Saptarshi Basu, the author, talks about the Bengali culture and sentiments in a way that not many authors from this side of the country has done recently. At least, not us from ‘Between The Lines’ have gone through such works lately. Naturally, ‘Autumn In My Heart’ was like a whiff of fresh air. And, the author has not disappointed. During these days of SOBA (serial-obsession-of-being-an-author, as we call it sometimes on BTL), Saptarshi Basu brings in some fresh change to the lackadaisical writings that we get to face otherwise. Though‘Autumn In My Heart’ straight reminds me of the Korean movie of the same name (Korean, right? Or Japanese it is? :O), we understand that even phrases tend to become limited at times, when one needs to express himself just like the way he wants to. Talk about cliches, the book never makes you feel it for once.

   READ MORE AT - BOOK REVIEW

THE ARRANGE MARRIAGE CIRCUS

It all started with a Quarrel.

For the last few months, Duttas of Dakhineshwar were

under huge tension. It prevailed over their home and even

spread toxically over nearby regions.

Even the Chatterjees, Biswass Kumar, Gangulys who

stayed in the same colony were in much tension.

The Duttas in the same colony (even some far away

Duttas too) were exceptionally worried. They even tried to

extend their helping hand but Ayantika’s angry expression

always dampened their spirits.

Thanks to a sudden fit of anger, a few glasses were

broken, the red-faced bunny lost his ears and the tense state

of affairs continued.

It was about Marriage. The god damn thing which every

girl hates (at least in front of others) and parents immensely

love.

‘Sono Mouli, Tomake ebar oi chele tar songe dekha kortei

hobe....R kotidin ei bhabe cholbe’

(See Mouli, you have to meet this guy...how long will

it go like this)

Sitala Debi, Ayantika’s mother, was shouting at her.

According to her it was the most suitable alliance and she

had been talking to them since six months and now it was

April already.

'I have told you a million times that I don’t want to get

married right now. Dad, please make mom understand.’

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Soumendra Narayan Dutta, Ayantika’s dad, was the

umpire of the fighting match and was doing his duty quite

efficiently and gracefully.

‘Please don’t cry Mouli, you don’t have to marry now.

Just meet the guy once, no harm.’

‘Mira Masi called up, that guy has sent you an e-mail,

go check it and reply,’ Sitala Debi snarled. The fight ended

(at least for that day).

Ayantika just didn’t want to marry. Not at the moment.

Not until she landed a job with a decent government bank.

She didn’t have much in her hand though. At the doorstep of

the twenty first century, the marriage of a daughter remains

the prime concern and an extremely vital occupation of every

middle class Bengali family.

Marriages are made in heaven and arranged marriages are

made in Bharat Matrimonial or The Sunday Ananda Bazaar,

that’s what they claim .At times the relatives play an important

role bringing in their very distant relatives claiming to know

them very well even when the last telephonic conversation

between them happened two years back! Power packed ads bride

needed for the only son of Highly qualified Chartered

Accountant,also knows scuba diving or looking for MBA, IIT,

CFA, for only sister, very fair, very beautiful.' At times it is

slightly confusing whom is the ad for ?Is it for the Chartered

Accountant father (who from the bottom of his heart really

wants to remarry and throw out the wife, a 1960’s model),

or his son or his daughter!

The father of the bride really has a hectic job finding

a decent groom but then it’s a question of her whole life.

So the drilling starts. The mother of the bride also does

her part... No,No...This guy won’t suit you at all. His uncle’s

daughter eloped with a local hooligan. The expectations make

it tougher to find a suitable match. He is just 5’3...So dark,

how can he manage with this meagre salary?

The bride or the girl at times adds her own requirements

and specifications-Dad, I want a tall guy, size does matter.

Please Ma, I want to marry an engineer. The list gets bigger

and bigger.

The Father of the groom is a bit disappointed as his son

couldn’t find a suitable girl by himself by the age of thirty.

Useless Fellow, can’t find a girl after so many years. The mother

of the groom has started crying for she has already lost her

son to some imaginary girl who plays black magic on him,

thanks to Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (A popular

television soap). She can’t sleep at night.But then she has

to get her son married. Mukherjee Da’s wife was saying the

other day, 'How long will you keep Nakul unmarried? Marry

him off or else he will start doing all nonsense.'

So the search begins - Groom wanted for extremely fair,

extremely beautiful, extremely calm and quiet girl, MA,

Diploma in dancing (only at night clubs!), Also knows

stitching (couldn’t even stitch the first button of her shirt,

Always open!).... At times the father and brother play a big

role in the ad...Father retired; very well known professor of

very well known college(bucks! Flowing!)....Brother IIT,IIM

blah blah (More bucks! Flowing!)

The groom always had some secret criteria which now

comes forth. She must be very fair like Priyanka whom he

proposed to eleven times with no luck, Should have a very

good figure (Hmm.. Like Payal, the Delhi chick who had

twenty boyfriends in just three years ), should be very homely

( and also shake her hips with me at Night clubs )....And so

the search goes on...and on.....

        -----   From the novel ‘AUTUMN IN MY HEART’

READ MORE @ http://www.flipkart.com/books/9380828541