Dodo’s house party

On January 12, we arrive in Calcutta, the “hometown” of our friend Madhu Mitra.  Madhu is a Literature professor at St. Ben’s/St. John’s, and through her, we’ve gotten to know her family.  When we were in Calcutta in 2006, we met Madhu’s mother, brother Bappa, and sister-in-law Munu.  Actually, I should introduce her as  “Dr. Munu” as she has received her doctorate since we last saw her.  They all have become dear friends.  Both Madhu and Munu are at the airport when we arrive.  They embrace us with big hugs.

Dodo, with her blue plate

Enroute to a B & B near their home, they ask if we are up for a party yet that night at a friend of Munu’s.  “Yes,” we say, and a little while later, we all walk a few blocks to the friend’s apartment.  What an interesting assortment of people are gathered!  There are a woman potter, a painter, a musician who plays a 15-string instrument, a French-born director of contemporary theater, authors, a Japanese woman who brings her original designs to local weavers in India, etc. -- and there's Dodo, the person whose apartment it is.  When I ask Dodo what she does for a living, she replies, “I am a serial agitator.”  (It turns out that she is a professor.)  Tonight, she is the hostess, having invited this eclectic group to her home.

We sit around, casually meeting each other over plenty of wine and plenty of food.  The party guests are abuzz about the administrative Vice Chancellor at Jadavpur University.  He has been the subject of widespread student protests, stemming back to an attack on a female student that he didn’t take as seriously as some thought he should.  Students had been protesting for some four months, culminating in a recent student hunger strike.  On this day we arrive in Calcutta, he resigned!  Those assembled think that this is unprecedented. 

Jim, Beth, Leon and I talk the most with two aboriginal Australians.  They are both authors – one a poet, one a novelist.  In fact, the novelist - Ali Cobby Eckerman - was in Calcutta because the University was sponsoring a reading from her new novel the next day.  When she finds out where we’re from, she tells us that she is probably the only Australian aboriginal author to ever attend the Iowa City writers’ workshop! 

At one point, I ask another guest, “How often does Dodo host a party like this?”  The answer: “About two or three times a year.”  Once again, we’re fortunate to hit town on the right night!