"It is a dying city", someone commented about the City of Joy many years before. Yes..thats the other name of Kolkata, "City of Joy". Who named it or why did he name such...I dont know!!All that I know, it is my hometown. Calcutta, as "Kolkata"[pronounced like a typical bengali will do...]was formerly known was the Capital of British India. Looking back to the history of Kolkata, it was actually a village till late 18th century. There was a river, flowing by[& still...!!]Ganga, dissecting the separating the city from the other side, Howrah. Historians & intellectuals are always discussing the origin of the name. Some people say, the name of the city is derived from "Kalighat", a popular old temple in the heart of the city. Anyways...
The East Indian company, a company, whose mission was to conquer other countries & turn it to their colony started their camping from Kolkata only & then turned the city into their capital. Since then, they started builing massive structures of the Victorean Era.Once the news spread that Queen Victoria is going to visit India, & in a couple of months, they built a palace for her to stay. Now its just a showpiece, a memorial, a museum..known as "Victoria Memorial".
Moving few steps ahead, is the most happening place of the city "Park Street". It is named such, as there was a "Deer Park". What do you find here??Well...restaurants, the Asiatic Society...the famed cake shop, which was famed in Asia "Flurys". Yes..these all are here. The area around--Chowringhee, Dharmatala [Esplanade], Sudder Street--all these are happening places!!! The English left their memoirs & legacies here, still enjoyed by the present generations....
Comes the New Market, a few kms north of Park Street. Shopping [you can really get reasonable stuff here!!!], or eating, or watching movies...or your groceries or simply freaking out...an ideal place is "St. Hogg's Market" or "New market", as it is known now.
Now head towards South....& stop at Gariahat. If Park Street is the happening place, Gariahat is another would-be happening place!! Malls, markets, shops, stores, grocers, n wut not??Almost all u will find here, with the traffic too!! The traffic is overly crazy...the bus conductors..shouting at the top of their voice to allure the passengers..police...X Gen & Y Gen!!...Restaurants....hawkers on the footpathn so many stuff....[My home is just a few kms away from this place!!]
Now further south...n stop at South City Mall. Its truly the biggest mall in Eastern India!! Almost everything you will find here....food court to hypermarket!!Bookstore to Apparels selling the latest fashionwear & the "in" thing...
Now...if you want to experience the old kolkata....go straight..until you stop at North...Shyambazar. The roads are narrow...lots of shops, people around...buses overloaded with people..sometimes hanging out the bus, grasping the rods tight...n traffic too!! Many temples, aristocratic people, traditionalists..mostly, all these are residents of this place...
The People of Kolkata
The citizens of this city are not the same what it was 100 years before. Now the citizens are mixed, meaning original residents of the city & people who crossed the borders post Indian independence--so culture is different. My forefathers belong to the latter category.Though Calcutta is usually open to all,however, people, belonging to my clan[i.e. people with roots from present Bangladesh] are warmer than the rest of the Calcuttans. Kolkata is a cosmopolitan city though--you will find people from every corner of the country residing here for months, years, decades or for generations, as this was one the business hub of India.
For reasons unknown, Kolkatans are more prone to philosophy, education, humanity, intellect & poets. Perhaps, there are as many poets in this city, like in every poet. Who can forget the great poet Rabindranath Tagore?
You win heart of a Kolkatan, he will die for you. You betray him...you are actually taking a risk!!!Jokes apart...what a Kolkatan will admire is to chat with friends...the colloquial term being "Adda". A group of friends flocking together in the courtyard of a house, or in a park or their favorite bar,restaurant..or simply the food court & chat for hours after hours..
Kolkatans love their tea...they carry it from morning till the time they go to sleep..Tea for every occassion...even "Tea Parties" too..Kolkatans love their football & post-football match, their comments become worth listening, specially if they were in place of the actual football player, what strategy they should have taken...bla bla....talkative..perhaps, thats why I am so talkative..
Few Kolkatans are heartless...but rest are benevolent. They good for people, society, for a good cause...what I dont like, is their lethargic way of treating things. Undoubtedly, few of the Kolkatans are in their laid back mood "Going on...Going on" mood!!!This is what pisses me off..
Another thing,I dont like is that Bengalis of Kolkata, cannot stand another Bengali...strange..but a true fact!!!
Foods....
It is said that a Bengali loves to eat & loves to feed too...It is a fact. You give an occassion to a Bengali, he will use that *excuse* for eating or for throwing a party[for eating in real sense!!]. A Calcuttan, will love his "Chicken Tikka" from a Punjabi restaurant, "Chilly Chicken & Mixed Chowmein" from Chinatown, "Biryani" from Shiraz in Park Street, "Kosha Mangsho" from Golbari in Shyambazar, & endless sweets from dozens of shops selling rasgullas & lots of sweets..
A Kolkatan, will not forget to buy an egg roll while chatting with friends or simply a student on his way back from school/tuition. Any chat is incomplete without unlimited supply of tea, moori[bhel/puffed rice], chanachur[a salty mix of fried dumplings] & pakora!!!
For a typical eating out on Weekends is a weekly occassion, whilst for others, Sundays are fundays. Eating something special at home..or eating with family, friends...
Thanks to the entrepreneurs that the palate of a Kolkatan is not limited to his home cuisine [Bengali being...], Mughlai Cuisine[the traditional royal foods...mainly from North India], Chinese Cuisine[Come on...we also have Chinatown...2 Chinatowns in two corners of the city!!]--He now savours Italian Cuisine, Lebanese Cuisine, Cuisine of Thailand, Mongolian & Cuisine of Far East too--Japan. Now Pizza is a common thing.
Kolkatans were craving for a Mcdonalds for long, however, unfortunately the communist was too hard initially to Americans!! McDonalds could enter Kolkata in 2006 though...too late!!! Now Kolkatans drop in to their favorite McDonalds outlet & bite in their favorites[No beef burger in India!!!].
When it comes to booze, almost all Kolkatans can swear by their favorite resto-bar.."Olypub". Many kolkatans including me, were initiated in boosing in this pub. Very old, rugged, A/c is almost not working, Beer, whiskey, Vodka & even the bill/check comes in the same glass[bad though]...but people never stop visiting their favorite pub!! However, what is favorite??I love the mixed grill here...the quality of steak has become bad here. Spend hours after hours here...There are many in the same row...choose yours & drop in...
Music
Kolkatans/Calcuttans are lovers of Music.From old gramophone records till the latest Ipod...all are crazy to play their favorite title. From Rabindrasangeet to folk songs, & latest album by Britney Spears, Gaga, Guetta, Akon...you will find admirers of every singers in this city....should you want to buy your favorite album..dont hesitate to visit the closest "Music World" ...
Transport
Bus[private & state owned], taxis, autorikshaws[tuk-tuks], are the modes of transport. Apart from these, the underground transport system, i.e. Metro, first in India, the outdated Tram service, handpulled rikshaws & cycle-rikshaws are also other methods of transport. Whenever, you are in the city, you will find diversions for something or the other reasons...Protests, some renovation, for which road blocked, festivals or any damn reason!!Also traffic...wait for hours after hours...however, in monsoon everything gets screwed, though the municipality commits "From next year no water logging" but they forget their committment. Sad though, that we suffer!!!
Is it a dying city???Or the city full of life, vibrance, vigour..always boiling with energy??
I leave it for you to find out....Its Kolkata...its the city..I belong to....
[On the occassion of Noboborsho--Bengali new year]
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