S Roy Chowdhury
@sroychowdhury.bsky.social
Historian of the (very long) twentieth century. Writer.
Grainy photos are all that remain of the 49th Bengali Regiment - a wartime unit (disbanded postwar) - deployment in Kurdistan in 1919-20. Here, the Kurdish resistance leader Sheikh Mahmud in the custody of 49th Bengali soldiers (nd). Probably en route to exile in India.
November 12, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Grainy photos are all that remain of the 49th Bengali Regiment - a wartime unit (disbanded postwar) - deployment in Kurdistan in 1919-20. Here, the Kurdish resistance leader Sheikh Mahmud in the custody of 49th Bengali soldiers (nd). Probably en route to exile in India.
Before I got into studying World War I & history and stuff, my imagining of Armistice Day involved Chris Selby, a theatre agent, and a watch smuggler. A Victor Canning short story in my English textbook (no one these days knows what a ticking watch sounds like).
November 12, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Before I got into studying World War I & history and stuff, my imagining of Armistice Day involved Chris Selby, a theatre agent, and a watch smuggler. A Victor Canning short story in my English textbook (no one these days knows what a ticking watch sounds like).
At the historic Data Bandi Chhor Gurudwara this summer. Gwalior seems like a dream I had - an interesting dream where old India and new India blend, a tinge of the sweet old ways, a dash of the bad new ones. Always super interesting. Thanks to my hosts and friends.
October 23, 2025 at 8:01 PM
At the historic Data Bandi Chhor Gurudwara this summer. Gwalior seems like a dream I had - an interesting dream where old India and new India blend, a tinge of the sweet old ways, a dash of the bad new ones. Always super interesting. Thanks to my hosts and friends.
Whatever is left of late summer flowers will all be gone after this nor’easter.
October 12, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Whatever is left of late summer flowers will all be gone after this nor’easter.
Indiana isn’t the most topographically interesting place but the northern part has Indiana Dunes State Park. Gorgeous!
October 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Indiana isn’t the most topographically interesting place but the northern part has Indiana Dunes State Park. Gorgeous!
I miss random things about India - Indo-Greek coins at the Indian Museum in Kolkata (here Alexander and Porus fighting), a glimpse of Humayun’s Tomb from the flyover in Delhi, an old kawariya just walking quietly on his pilgrimage.
October 3, 2025 at 8:46 PM
I miss random things about India - Indo-Greek coins at the Indian Museum in Kolkata (here Alexander and Porus fighting), a glimpse of Humayun’s Tomb from the flyover in Delhi, an old kawariya just walking quietly on his pilgrimage.
I don’t think Albuquerque is picture postcard pretty but it’s still an interesting place. And I loved _Better Call Saul _ so much that I half expected to see Saul or Kim or Gus Fring driving around town or dumping someone in the scrubby desert or picking up tacos from a food truck.
September 16, 2025 at 4:09 AM
I don’t think Albuquerque is picture postcard pretty but it’s still an interesting place. And I loved _Better Call Saul _ so much that I half expected to see Saul or Kim or Gus Fring driving around town or dumping someone in the scrubby desert or picking up tacos from a food truck.
Weekly photo: I drove across from New England to New Mexico & back this summer. Lots of windmills, some giant crosses & the occasional surprise of a Punjabi Dhaba/truck stop in the empty scrubland. The flat landscape makes the sky huge in the west. It’s always an interesting place, this country.
September 6, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Weekly photo: I drove across from New England to New Mexico & back this summer. Lots of windmills, some giant crosses & the occasional surprise of a Punjabi Dhaba/truck stop in the empty scrubland. The flat landscape makes the sky huge in the west. It’s always an interesting place, this country.
Unfortunately, my father cannot travel for his regiment 20 Lancers’ Battle Honors Day (diamond jubilee Sept 1). What a good looking bunch they were, the “Saviors of Akhnoor.” Capt Bhaskar Roy (not in pic) was awarded an MVC for leadership against oncoming Patton tanks at Chhamb.
August 31, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Unfortunately, my father cannot travel for his regiment 20 Lancers’ Battle Honors Day (diamond jubilee Sept 1). What a good looking bunch they were, the “Saviors of Akhnoor.” Capt Bhaskar Roy (not in pic) was awarded an MVC for leadership against oncoming Patton tanks at Chhamb.
A rainy monsoon day at the Gujari Mahal Museum in Gwalior, #India . A peacock in the rain, camel guns with long muzzles, Jain sculptures and some antique coins. An eclectic place. Had the place almost entirely to myself because of the rain. The open courtyard was delightful in the rain.
August 27, 2025 at 2:29 AM
A rainy monsoon day at the Gujari Mahal Museum in Gwalior, #India . A peacock in the rain, camel guns with long muzzles, Jain sculptures and some antique coins. An eclectic place. Had the place almost entirely to myself because of the rain. The open courtyard was delightful in the rain.
Summer travel vignettes. A photo a week (I hope).
Looking at a very intricately carved boar in Gwalior, in July.
Looking at a very intricately carved boar in Gwalior, in July.
August 25, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Summer travel vignettes. A photo a week (I hope).
Looking at a very intricately carved boar in Gwalior, in July.
Looking at a very intricately carved boar in Gwalior, in July.
Disappointments in research are offset by satisfaction on the food scene. Chicken kabiraji - a uniquely Kolkata dish. Crisp egg chiffonade with a chicken filling. Each cafe has its own rendition of the dish. This one was ok, have had worse & have definitely had better.
August 2, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Disappointments in research are offset by satisfaction on the food scene. Chicken kabiraji - a uniquely Kolkata dish. Crisp egg chiffonade with a chicken filling. Each cafe has its own rendition of the dish. This one was ok, have had worse & have definitely had better.
The road to the archives takes me through one of Kolkata’s low income neighborhoods, Narkeldanga. Old Calcutta history asserts an occasional presence along the main Narkeldanga road.
August 2, 2025 at 10:31 AM
The road to the archives takes me through one of Kolkata’s low income neighborhoods, Narkeldanga. Old Calcutta history asserts an occasional presence along the main Narkeldanga road.
A very bad day in the archives yesterday. 4 of the maximum 6 requests allowed were returned with the dreaded “Not Found” notation.
August 2, 2025 at 8:46 AM
A very bad day in the archives yesterday. 4 of the maximum 6 requests allowed were returned with the dreaded “Not Found” notation.
The gurdwara commemorates the release of the 6th Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind from the prison in Gwalior Fort. Mughal Emperor Jehangir imprisoned him c. 1619 (?). Empress Nur Jehan & others interceded but the Guru would not leave without the 52 other prisoners there. Hence Bandi Chhor (Liberator).
July 24, 2025 at 2:38 PM
The gurdwara commemorates the release of the 6th Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind from the prison in Gwalior Fort. Mughal Emperor Jehangir imprisoned him c. 1619 (?). Empress Nur Jehan & others interceded but the Guru would not leave without the 52 other prisoners there. Hence Bandi Chhor (Liberator).
Amongst the nicest moments of my Gwalior trip were visits to the Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor, and the tombs of Tansen and his guru Muhammad Ghaus.
July 21, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Amongst the nicest moments of my Gwalior trip were visits to the Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor, and the tombs of Tansen and his guru Muhammad Ghaus.
There are parts of the Indian Museum, Kolkata, that seem to be straight out of an eighteenth-century English apothecary.
July 11, 2025 at 2:17 PM
There are parts of the Indian Museum, Kolkata, that seem to be straight out of an eighteenth-century English apothecary.
Research in #Kolkata has its sidelights. Ducked into the Peerless Hotel in Kolkata to escape the pouring rain. Haven’t been in decades. Sipping my coffee & listening to an avuncular hotelier type lecturing the interns to choose their domain & then try to get global experience in Dubai or Singapore.
July 11, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Research in #Kolkata has its sidelights. Ducked into the Peerless Hotel in Kolkata to escape the pouring rain. Haven’t been in decades. Sipping my coffee & listening to an avuncular hotelier type lecturing the interns to choose their domain & then try to get global experience in Dubai or Singapore.
Once all this settles down, could India’s overseas foreign policy communications please be returned to people with gravitas and experience (like Shashi Tharoor, Nirupama Rao, professional Foreign Service personnel)? Cartoonish WhatsApp Uncles need be a family embarrassment only.
May 10, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Once all this settles down, could India’s overseas foreign policy communications please be returned to people with gravitas and experience (like Shashi Tharoor, Nirupama Rao, professional Foreign Service personnel)? Cartoonish WhatsApp Uncles need be a family embarrassment only.
I’ve never eaten a bad meal in Sienna #Kolkata . But, the slightly more distant feeling was noticeable this time. It happens. Little gems grow up to become rare diamonds and you have to let them go. They deserve to glitter in the bright light of mega success. Miss the old days, though.
January 11, 2025 at 4:34 PM
I’ve never eaten a bad meal in Sienna #Kolkata . But, the slightly more distant feeling was noticeable this time. It happens. Little gems grow up to become rare diamonds and you have to let them go. They deserve to glitter in the bright light of mega success. Miss the old days, though.
…and to all a good night. 🎄🎅🎄
December 25, 2024 at 4:15 PM
…and to all a good night. 🎄🎅🎄
December 22, 2024 at 3:30 PM
