Life has a way of bringing unexpected yet delightful surprises, and one such moment happened during my time in Baghdad. I received an email from a fellow blogger, Uttam Chakraborty, who pens beautiful short stories. Our mutual admiration for each other’s blogs had already created a connection, but this email added a new chapter to our friendship.

প্রিয় ইন্দ্রজিত বাবু।

আপনি আমার ব্লগের একজন নিয়মিত পাঠক। আমি লক্ষ্য করেছি আপনি আমার লেখা খুব ভালবাসেন এবং সেই কারণে আমি সত্যিই আপনার কাছে কৃতজ্ঞ।

আমার এই ব্লগের পাঁচ বছর পূর্ণ হচ্ছে এই পয়লা আগষ্ট 2022 এ। এই উপলক্ষে ও কৃতজ্ঞতা স্বরূপ আমি আমার তিনখানা বই by post আপনাকে উপহার পাঠাতে চাই। আপনার যদি আপত্তি না থাকে তাহলে আপনার সম্পূর্ণ ঠিকানা ও ফোন নম্বর আমাকে এই মেলের জবাবে জানালে ভাল হয়। আশা করি দ্বিধা করবেন না।

আমি আপনার মত একজন একনিষ্ঠ পাঠককে সম্মান জানাতে পেরে খুব খুশি হব।

অনেক ধন্যবাদ ও শুভেচ্ছ জানাই।

ইতি,
উত্তম চক্রবর্তী।
ব্যাঙ্গালোর।

---

Dear Indrajit Babu.

You are a regular reader of my blog. I noticed that you like my writing very much and for that, I am really grateful to you.

My blog is five years old on 1st August 2022. On this occasion and as a token of gratitude I would like to send you a gift of my three books by post. If you don’t mind it would be better if you reply with your full address and phone number. Hope you don’t hesitate.

I would be very happy to honour a loyal reader like you.

Thank you very much and best wishes.

Regards,
Uttam Chakraborty.
Bangalore.

---

Upon returning to my home in Ranchi, I discovered a package waiting for me. Inside were three books, each signed by Uttam Babu himself. These books, a treasure trove of Bengali poems and stories, are more than just a gift; they are a testament to our shared love for literature.

Reading them in Ranchi was a joy, and I was once again captivated by Uttam Babu’s eloquent writing. His stories and poems hold a special place in my heart, and now they also adorn my small library. I am eager to share this literary treasure with my guests, allowing them to experience the beauty of his words. As I am revisiting his books, I felt compelled to express my gratitude once more, and this time, I am sharing it here.

Uttam Babu, my heartfelt thanks to you for this honourable gift. Your thoughtfulness and generosity have touched me deeply. I have already expressed my gratitude through my Bengali blog, Kinjolkini, but I wanted to take a moment here as well to thank you again.

May your pen continue to weave wonderful stories, and may I have the pleasure of reading your blog whenever I can. Thank you, Uttam Babu, for thinking of me and for your priceless gift.