CREATIVITY IS PIERCING THE MUNDANE TO FIND THE MARVELLOUS. - BILL MOYERS
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Our Friday programmes will take a short festive pause. We’ll be back with something special on 2 January 2026. All our other services will continue uninterrupted during this time.
Cinema Cinema: Part 1
From single screens to multiplexes, storyteller and movie lover Saptarshi Ray Bardhan takes us through the chequered history of Kolkata’s movie theatres.
(For members only)
PAST EVENTS
Unforgettable City: Discovering Kolkata’s Heritage
Having conducted car tours around the city of Kolkata, we felt it was time to organise a virtual tour for members who prefer online engagements. And so, we invited Vedant Karia, heritage walk leader, to speak to our elders about his passion for Kolkata and some of his favourite discoveries. Our members were thoroughly energised by the session, and one of them even asked Vedant to write a book about his experiences. We hope Vedant obliges, if only for the sake of our elders!
SE Radio: Bengal’s Folk Music
Research in gerontology shows that memories and strong emotional responses are closely tied to the songs we hear in late adolescence and early adulthood. With this in mind, we curated eight popular folk songs from our elders’ younger years, hoping to offer an evening that would take them down memory lane. The response was overwhelming. Our members loved every tune. Ms M. Ghosh was especially touched and said, “I’m hearing these songs after so many years! It feels like you returned to me a piece of my childhood.”
Life on the Tidal Edge: The People of the Sunderbans
Dr Bishnupriya Basak, Professor of Archaeology at Calcutta University was our guest speaker for this session. Drawing on her research on the ancient communities living in the cyclone-prone regions of the Sundarbans, she spoke about how people negotiate daily life alongside storms and tigers and respect the rhythms of the forest. She also mentioned Bonbibi and Dakkhin Ray, Muslim and Hindu deities whose shared worship reflects the area’s remarkable communal harmony. Our members thoroughly enjoyed the session. Many said it prompted a new self-awareness about being tourists, with one member remarking, “We never realise the hardships these people face or how constantly they negotiate danger. Thank you for sharing your findings.”
SE Clubs
NURTURING AND SHARING THE JOY POETRY BRINGS
"The crown of literature is poetry" - W. Somerset Maugham
Our poetry-loving members meet every week to enjoy the beauty of the verse. While some enjoy reciting poems by well-known poets, there are others who pen poems and are thrilled to dig out their long-lost poems—poems that they had thought had lost their value over the years. But we know that good poetry is perennial.
Watch TrailerCome and join us to express your love for poetry every Thursday. Time: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
TOGETHERNESS AND CAMARADERIE
Storytelling and connecting are the essence of ‘Adda’ or ‘Gupshupp’ as we call it. For our Gupshupp Club members, it is a time of unadulterated fun when they delve into their memories of yore or are in splits over someone else’s story or talk on pre-decided topics or even sing songs. The feeling of togetherness and camaraderie is what makes them look forward to each meet.
Members have discussions on pre-decided topics, chosen by all participants, the previous week.
Watch TrailerCome join us every Tuesday on Google Meet. Time: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Be Lit!
Organised every Monday 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the SE-Lit Club members have a most enjoyable time discussing different genres of literature in different languages, the culture and ethos of different cities, mythology and much more.
Watch TrailerCome and join our SE Lit Club every Monday
Time: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Let Your Hearts Sing!
Our Antakshari club members enjoy singing mixed with fun! They have to sing songs based on given prompts and retro movie clips or instrumental music is played and members need to identify the songs, the lyricist, music directors, the singers and so on.Watch Trailer
Join these exciting sessions to brighten up your Monday mornings from 4:45 p.m. to 5.45 p.m and enjoy your Tuesday evenings from 4:45 p.m. to 5.45 p.m
When Music is the Food of Life
Organised every Wednesday 4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. members love singing songs of their choice—different languages, from films and otherwise, Rabindra sangeet, Nazrul geeti, Bhojpuri, folksongs and so on.
Watch Trailer
Organised every Wednesday from 4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

