Artlemi #3

Artlemi #3

Hello Artels,

From the very first day our blog got online, I have been asked this question billion times: “What does Artlemi mean?” I think it’s a good time I describe the thought behind the name. 

‘Antel’ and ‘Antlemi’ are two very famous and commonly used words in Bengali vocabulary. There are many people in here, who are not Bengalis or not so sure about the meaning. As these words are not included in most of the dictionaries, I did not get proper meaning of these words. What I know and from what little information I got; we can take ‘pseudo intellectuality’ as a much closer meaning for ‘Antlemi’. Interesting thing is, although Bengalis gave it a proper use, this word was actually first used by French. The meaning of ‘Antlemi’ was “When someone uses illusion of words to create a  

false impression about their knowledge on something.”

Over time this meaning has been changed due to wrong uses among Bengalis. An ‘Antel’ is that person who performs ‘Antlemi’. The thing I feel sorry for is people calling someone ‘Antel’ just because they don’t understand his or her views or perspectives. I have been called ‘Antel’ a number of times just because of having my own different ideas about something. You too, I am sure have been accused to be an ‘Antel’ just because of liking some movies or books that the accuser don’t understand or think is not understandable. What’s more painful? I have seen people tagging poets, directors and painters as ‘Antels’ just because they don’t understand their creations. Well, if creating something that not everyone can understand is ‘Antlemi’, then I am surely proud to be an ‘Antel’.

The first three letters of ‘Artlemi’ forms the word ‘art’. Art, a word we all are familiar with. Art is creating what you feel. Anything formed with imagination, passion and urge of creation, is art. A painting that mesmerize, an architecture that hypnotize, a film that captivate, a song that enthrall, a dance that fascinate, a piece of literature that spellbind, a photograph that appeal, is a piece of art. Art is the result of consciously arranging symbolic elements in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.

So here it is. When art meets antlemi, the power of creating for the sake of creation, it becomes “Artlemi”. When you don’t think how people will react and just create what you feel, that is Artlemi. When you please your urge of creation despite of what others believe, that is Artlemi and you are an Artel. Be proud of it.  

Hope I have made you understand the meaning. Even if you don’t understand and call me an antel, that’s okay. After all an ‘Artel’ does not care.

Keep sending your artlemis to datta.sen@gmail.com and enjoy reading Artlemi.

  

Bye till next Sunday,

ArkaĐ