Dean's farewell sit-down dinner

With Dean R Thompson and his wife Jane at their farewell party dinner

June 11, 2013: This evening I went to The Park hotel to attend a reception hosted by the Russian Consulate in Kolkata. The diplomatic core of Kolkata, who had attended my Indian style sit-down dinner farewell party yesterday at The Taj Bengal, were talking about it. The farewell party was for US Consul in Kolkata, Dean R Thompson and his wife Jane.

With Harshvardhan Neotia

Somehow my idea of organizing the Indian style dinner was a real hit and people, not only the diplomats but others, who had attended it also liked it immensely.
May be, the fact that people now-a-days hardly eat in Indian sit down style at home or parties clicked with the guests.
The consular corps of Kolkata representing France, Japan, Italy, US, Russia and others were there along with eminent Kolkatans – artists, singers, actors, directors, celebs, industrialists and so on.
As planned, the food was served in Indian style thalis made of silver. The manner of serving food was also very traditional. The dress code which I had mentioned in the invite was Indian and the diplomats and their spouses came in traditional Indian dress - kurta pyjamas, badh gala, sarees and salwar kameez.
The dinner menu was also Rajasthani – Jodhpuri gatte, lal maas, bajre ki roti, dal panchmela and lapsi for dessert. I had also organized for an person adept in tying turbans the traditional way and he did so for the guests who donned these colourful turbans, including man of the moment Dean R Thomson. 

With Jeffrey K Reneau

Jeffrey K Reneau, Director, American Centre, Kolkata, came to the dinner dressed up in traditional Indian attire designed by Sarbari Dutta.
I had also arranged for a Manganiyar folk troupe from Rajasthan. The troupe members Chanan Khan Manganiyar, Papa Mir and Raies Khan Manganiyar belong to the famous musical community of Rajasthan. They enthralled the guests with their deft play of kamayacha and khartal which are local traditional musical instruments used by the manganiyars.

Chanan Khan Mangniyar, 50, lives in a small village called Bissu in Barmer district, has been playing music since he was 12. Chanan learned his traditional art from family members right from childhood. He has travelled to 75 countries and is a storehouse of knowledge about manganiyar music and tradition.

My association with Dean and Jane goes back when they visited the first Puja pandal last year at Chaltabagan Durga Puja after coming to Kolkata. 

With K Mohanchandran, GM, Taj Bengal

Yesterday was the last evening for Jane in Kolkata as she is all set to take flight to the US. Dean, however, would be here till August 2013.

I am glad that the sit-down dinner is being talked about a lot in the diplomatic circles of Kolkata and I hope it has been a memorable event for them.
ess bee