Category: Author

An exposition from the Bhagvad Gita


“You know Elokeshi, as I sat near the funeral pyre, watching my father’s mortal remains turn into ashes which were being blown by the wind, it seemed to me that my father’s soul was being released for its heavenward journey”, observed Dipen.

Elokeshi was looking at Dipen steadfastly, and then said softly, “In Bhagavad Geeta, Shree Krishna says:

Vasansi jir nani yattha vihaya

Navani grih nati maro parani

Tatha Sharirani vihaya jir nanya

Nyani sanyati navani dehi

Just like we do not change even when we replace our old garments with new, so does the soul remain unchanged as it discards its worn-out body and takes birth in a new one”.

As he listened to the erudition of Elokeshi through her recital of the verses from Geeta, something inside Dipen shifted and tears started coursing out of his eyes. Gently, Elokeshi put his head on her shoulder as she caressed his hair.

Snippet: In Hinduism it is believed that as the soul reincarnates in a new body in a new life, one’s thoughts and actions in the previous life, either good or bad, impact one’s destiny and fate. This is the concept of Karma.

The above is an excerpt from the story Pandemic, part of my forthcoming book ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories’ which is scheduled to release this month (February ’21). For updates, do visit

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An Interview with CheckerNews.Com journal


I was asked by Atish Home Chowdhury of  the CheckerNews. Com  journal in an interview recently whether Kolkata remains as vibrant as it used to be in terms of  culture, Literature and intellectualism.  

As I started responding to the question, I realised how in my book, ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly’, without even consciously realising it, I have actually ended up showcasing what Kolkata ( or Calcutta as it was called earlier) stands for and how and why it has become the way it is. This is yet one more evidence of how sometimes a book or a story ends up writing itself!

The other question which I had found interesting ( and also difficult!) was

to ‘suggest some tips to our young readers who often get tensed and impatient when things don’t go as per their plan.

I invite you to see the interview and responses in the direct link of the journal below:

 http://thecheckernews.com/shakti-ghosal-interview/

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A storm was brewing


A storm was brewing and the choppy Hooghly water was making the boat sway wildly. Suddenly the wind rose like a gale and a strong gust lifted the rear up dangerously. Sarada screamed as she saw her husband lose balance and topple over into the turbulent waters. Two of the boat crew dived into the serpent like water swirls but Deb had vanished out of sight. Pandemonium broke out on the deck, Screams, heavy running, orders being bellowed, anxious eyes peering into the extending darkness. By the time, Deb could be rescued and pulled out of the waters he had almost drowned. The incident shook up everyone in the boat; most of all Sarada Devi.

Snippet: Debendranath Tagore, referred as Deb in the above excerpt was the son on Bengal entrepreneur and industrialist Dwarkanath Tagore. Deb had no interest in his father’s business empire and found his calling in spirituality. As the founder of the Brahmo religion ( known today as Brahmoism), he became famous as a religious reformer and Hindu philosopher in his own right.

Debendranath was the father of Bengali poet and Nobel Laureate Rabnindranath Tagore.

Debendranath Tagore features in the story ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly’, part of my forthcoming book of the same name, which is scheduled to release this month (February ’21). For updates, do visit

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The Chronicler Tales……


‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories’ is scheduled to release in February ‘21.

For updates, do visit

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Announcement of 2020 year end ‘dhamaka’ challenge winners!


I am delighted to announce the winners of the Year-End Dhamka 2020 challenge which concluded on the 15th of this month.

.Congratulations to the winners! I give below the winning entries.

Ø Sushma George – ‘Sorrow and Hope’

Ø Love Misra – ‘Kalponamoyee Bangla Paribartita’. The English translation of the entry would be: Bengal Changes conceived in imagination.

Ø Anita Nair – ‘The goddess Ganga weeps; from her tears a great river forms and waters the parched land‘

All the winners are being intimated separately.

‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories’ is scheduled to release in February ‘21. For updates, do visit

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An Interview with an Author


An Artistic depiction by Srilekha Peddina

I had the privilege of being interviewed about my forthcoming book, ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories’ by another author recently.

My interviewer was Sharon Swathi Gaddala, the author of, ‘I chose at 18 – True Chronicles on my choices, career and love’.  Apart from being an author, Sharon is also a Life Coach with the vision-

‘Become a better person than yesterday, simply because you can. You will leave this world and your loved ones, some day, until that day, be happy, live and keep getting better at it !! This is a one time shot, gotta nail it!’

The interview is featured in Sharon’s blogsite:

https://www.sharonswathigaddala.com/post/interview-with-author-shakti-ghosal

‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories’  is scheduled to release in February ‘21. For updates, do visit https://www.shaktighosal.com/

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Would heaven be something like this?


Anjan and Jaya were sitting on one of the lovely grassy visitor areas on the Muscat beachside. A gentle soothing breeze was blowing. Two boys were jumping with joy as the Chinese lantern released by them floated higher. Few families were huddled around portable barbeque stands and the occasional aroma of the grilled meat was overpowering. Ayan was running around with a frisbee. All three of them in fact had just played an invigorating game of frisbee. Now out of breath Anjan and Jaya had begged Ayan for half an hour’s relief to which he had reluctantly agreed.

“Would heaven be something like this Anjan?” mused Jaya. “If only we could be sitting here for ever and ever”.

“Hmm, yes enjoy it while it lasts”, replied Anjan gazing up at the star filled sky. He lowered his eyes towards the darkness of the sea in front. “Look at those bluish phosphorescent patches on the waves breaking on the shore. Did you know that these patches are created by millions of tiny marine creatures?”

Anjan had almost failed to notice a small huddled figure slowly come out of the foaming waves. The figure seemed to be beckoning to him.

Snippet : The public beach close to Al Khuwair and Qurum is beautifully sandy, clean and a beach goer’s paradise. There is a raised continuous walkway parallel to the sea face. One may sit on wooden bemches or plonk down on the grassy atolls wirh a coffee and snacks and watch a beautiful sunset. It remains a preferred place for Barbeque get togethers with family and friends.

The bluish Bioluminescence in the Arabian sea waters is a fairly recent phenomenon and some attribute it to climate change . This is attributed to a plankton like species nicknamed ‘sea sparkle’.

Muscat beach features in the story, ‘Fault Lines’, part of my forthcoming book ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories’ which is scheduled to release in February ‘21. For updates, do visit

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Like a beast awakening…..


Like a beast awakening, the British Howitzers and cannons roared to life. The searing flame moved from right to left as the guns fired in sequence. Ram Prasad saw the charging infantry getting mowed down as he saw the General himself getting hit and toppling from the horse.

“Charge!” Ram Prasad heard his own voice calling. He saw his men as they rose from behind the embankment and moved forward. The unforgiving howl of the British guns erupted again and he saw his brave men falling all around him.

But why was a large part of the Bengal army not moving? He felt a searing pain in the left shoulder and then in the abdomen. Blood erupted from his body, he had been hit. But still, the main flank of the army remained stationary. Indeed, they seemed to be mute spectators of the massacre.

The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over Nawab Siraj Ud Daulah of Bengal on 23 June 1757.The battle took place at Palashi on the banks of the Hooghly River, about 150 kilometres north of Calcutta and south of Murshidabad, then capital of Bengal.The outcome of the battle was to change the history and shape of things to come for ever not only for India, but as some say, for the world, in terms of ascendancy of the British Empire.

The battle of Plassey features in the story ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly’, part of my forthcoming book of the same name.

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The Chronicler tales…..


Coming you way. Are you ready?

In our lives, we at times get confronted with intense and traumatic events which force us to question who we are, what really matters to us and what we believe in. In some ways these events alter our sense of reality.

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First tram ride in Delhi


“Baba, why is that train bogie standing in the middle of the road?” asked Niren, pointing to a single carriage, surrounded by tongas, carts and people walking on the road.

“Niren, that is a tram, a modern day invention. It does not need any engine to pull it. Can you see that pole on the top? It draws electric current from that cable on top to move”, replied Sujit.

His eyes twinkling, Sujit asked, “Would you like to ride the tram?”

“Yes! Yes!” the boys shouted as they started running towards the tram.

“Niren, Suren! Stop, do not run ahead like that”, so saying, Bina turned quickly and rushed towards her sons, her maternal protective instinct taking over. That was when the first wave of nausea and dizziness hit her and she lost her balance.

Snippet: The first horse drawn tram made its appearance in Calcutta in 1873, operating between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat seat. Electrified tramways started operating between Khidderpore, Esplanade and Kalighat in 1902. Close on the heels of Calcutta came the introduction of tramways in Bombay, Nashik and Chennai.

Trams in Delhi began operation in 1908 and with the shifting of the Capital to this city, the network continued to expand.Tramways ferried people between Chandni Chowk to Tis Hazari in the north and Pahar Ganj and Ajmeri gate in the south. However the system had to be shut down in 1963 due to urban congestion.

Interestingly, Delhi’s dalliance with the trams might soon be revived as Delhi Government plans to introduce ‘trackless trams’ in the heritage Chandni Chowk area.

Delhi Trams feature in the story, ‘Ashtami’, part of my forthcoming book ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories’ which is scheduled to release in February ‘21. For updates, do visit

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