The third edition of Baithakkhana, hosted by Kolkata Centre for Creativity, ran from April 17 to 19 as a three-day deep dive into 'Border', bringing together voices across literature, cinema, performance and public thought.
Curated by Chandril Bhattacharya and Sanchari Mookherjee, the festival explored how visible and invisible boundaries - of nation, language, gender and form - shape creative practice and everyday life.
Starting Young, Thinking Across Languages
The opening day began with Chhotoder Baithakkhana, placing younger audiences within the cultural conversation. A Kolkata RJ led a storytelling session on Sukumar Ray's Pagla Dashu and HaJaBaRaLa, while writer Indranil Sanyal conducted a writing workshop. A debate on the importance of the mother tongue, judged by Sanchari Mookherjee, highlighted questions of language and belonging. 'I liked that it didn't talk down to children,' said Aritrika Sen, a Class IX student. 'The stories were fun, but the debate made us think about why language still matters.'
History, Cinema and the Many Meanings of Division
Across three days, the programme moved between historical reflection and contemporary debate. A conversation on art versus commercial cinema featured Anjan Dutt and Chanchal Chowdhury, moderated by Chandril Bhattacharya. Discussions on a divided Bengal brought together Semanti Ghosh and Jayanta Sengupta, while personal and social boundaries were explored by Anirban Chakraborty, Abir Chatterjee and Ishaa Saha. Joy Goswami reflected on poetry's limits, while Srijit Mukherjee, Abdul Kafi and Yashodhara Ray Chaudhuri revisited borders in Saadat Hasan Manto's works.
Kamaleshwar Mukherjee and Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay examined Partition through Ritwik Ghatak's films, and Ranjan Bandopadhyay with Srijato discussed literary form. 'The range was striking — Manto to Ghatak to contemporary cinema,' said Soumyajit Das. 'There was a thread connecting it all.'
Identity, Generation and the Personal Border
The final day focused on identity and lived experience. A debate on generational identity featured Riddhi Sen, Ushasi Ray, Anusha Viswanathan, Swati Bhattacharya, Pabitra Sarkar and Anindya Chattopadhyay. Gender and identity were discussed by Ipshita Halder, Anuttama Banerjee and Sandip Roy, while children's literature and popular fiction featured Pracheta Gupta, Sakyajit Bhattacharya and Aparajita Dasgupta. Sessions revisited cinematic journeys, with Joydeep Ghosh and Indranil Roy Chowdhury reflecting on Apu's movement. A discussion on mid-life brought together Anindya Chattopadhyay, Srijato and Sanchari Mookherjee. Day two closed with storytelling by Somak Ghosh and Deepanjan Ghosh, while the festival ended with an instrumental performance by Debojyoti Mishra inspired by Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy. 'It felt as much about listening as speaking,' said Madhurima Banerjee.
Beyond Books: Where Craft Met Conversation
Beyond the discussions, Baithakkhana extended into a tactile marketplace, where artists and designers translated ideas into objects. Artist Milton Bhattacharya introduced the 'artist's book' as more than a notebook. 'We are not only a sketchbook brand… we are focusing on artist's books,' he said, showcasing linocut and serigraphy works. 'Art is usually seen from a distance, but here you can interact with it.' The stall featured journals, sketchbooks and hand-bound formats. Nearby, handcrafted home décor drew attention. 'People are appreciating our products,' said Leena Sharma, whose stall included appliqué wall art from Odisha. 'Five women take 45 days to make one piece,' she added, highlighting the labour behind the craft.
