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| Howrah Station |
" Kolkata is always dying but it never dies"
Kolkata is a city
where human values are not measured by material wealth but by the warmth, hospitality,
cultural and intellectual abilities extended by ”bhadraloks” (gentlemen}
It is chaotic, crowded, colourful,crazy and yet there is an orderliness in
this madness. If you come once you will promise you’ll never come back again
but once you are back home you will yearn to return to the city which stands
by the river Hooghly, where the average nominal per capita income is $2000 per year, where you can have lunch for $1 and splash $200 dollars for dinner at a flashy 5 star hotel
Most things don’t change in Kolkata. Therefore, the
obsolete, loss-making trams still run on tracks
built by the British. Its ride through history but you can’t depend on them to reach an appointment, slow and sluggish that they are. The
man-drawn rickshaws have stood the test of time no matter how cruel it looks. Thousands would be thrown into the den of
unemployment if they were to be withdrawn. The omnipresent yellow
Ambassador-taxis are indispensable .Hindustan Motors factory but the Ambassador
lives on in the metropolis. They are always at your beck and call through hail or
storm, though some drivers may refuse to turn the metre on or may ask you for
Rs10 extra. “Nahoums” bakery in New
Market is still selling its delicious fruit cakes from the same wooded cases
that the Jewish owners had set up decades ago. Nobody wants anything to change.
That’s the attraction of the place.
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| Kolkata Tram |
The British when they reached Kolkata brought not only the
Queen’s language but also their baroque and neo-classical architecture, grand
and over-powering. The National Library, Writer’s building ,the Grand Hotel, the
Museum remain very British in appearance It is worth doing a architecture tour of the
city which perhaps will take you more than a day.
The iconic Victoria
Memorial which stands imposingly in the centre of the city serves as a tourist attraction,
a jogger’s park and picnic spot. However don’t go to any of the touristy places on
holidays. It’s a melee.
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| Victoria Memorial |
Each attraction in Kolkata is wrapped in a story. The old
Howrah bridge and the new Vidyasagar Setu represents two eras, two Indias both
different yet compatible. I like the
Howrah railway station with its 23 platforms and the big clock( it's not working now) which was built
in 1926 by Gent’s of London serving as a prominent meeting point for many.
The Bengali cuisine excites the palate like no other. River or
sea fish is an integral part of the menu. The “Rasgolla “and sweet curd is the
finale to a hearty meal. Some note-worthy restaurants are Oh Kolkata (10/3Elgin
Road) Kasturi (Ballygunge) and Bhojohori Manna (Gariahat)
Upmarket Park Street
hosts a number of good restaurants and a few offer music in the evenings. Go to
“Flury’s “for an English breakfast or afternoon tea, “Cha Bar “at Oxford Book
Store for a mid-morning cuppa to taste the original Darjeeling or Assam tea
while browsing through a book. Dinner could be at “Mocambo “Bar-B-Q” or “Peter
Cat”. Originally the street was through
a deer park, hence its name. Officially, it is known as Mother Theresa Sarani.
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| Plate of Rasgullas |
Kolkata clubs are little
islands of British culture. Every member holds very dearly to the customs,
mores and etiquette and is more British than the British themselves. The Tollygunge
club is the only country club in India more than 220 years old. The Bengal club
is famous for its Christmas lunch. Should you get an invite to any of them,
don’t miss out.
Kolkata has provided a home for one and all. Parses, Greeks,
Armenians, Jews, Chinese and the English have made it their home over the years,
each community contributing to its growth. Around 2000 Chinese have their own
China Town where Chinese festivals are celebrated. Mother Theresa made it her
own and brought joy to many. A visit to her home will complete your trip. We decided to make it by foot. With GPS data
connection poor and human GPS most unreliable (we asked two policemen, three gentlemen,
and two shop-keepers for directions) we walked a maze of streets covering 4.9
kms to reach the home ....serene and peaceful.....an island of bliss in this
noisy city....it was worth it !!!!But what surprised me was that 7 people
didn’t know where it was located....People’s memories are very short
unfortunately. Besides the walk was not easy .The sidewalks have been converted
to showrooms for tyers and garments leaving us to the mercy of cars that zoomed
by.
My love-hate relationship with the city has brought me back
an umpteenth number of times and every time I have something new to write home
about.
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| At Mother's Home |
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