Oh! Calcutta - Peeping Into My Mind

Calcutta, known as the city of intellects. I got a chance to be there for a week’s stay a couple of weeks’ back. Veeran is born and brought up in Calcutta. Though a mallu by birth he has got more affection towards his “step-home“.

Calcutta was once the capital of India during the reign of British empire. Hence it holds the credit of many “firsts” in India. It is a big city spread out over a vast area. Though all the advantages of being a metro are available, yet the city appears to have a laid back attitude. A reason why I fell in love with the city :-D.

One thing which I found exciting is the train like thing crawling on rails in between the road traffic, tram. Rails are laid on the road only so that the tram car also moves in the direction of other vehicles. It will stop in the respective ‘stops‘ and has specified depots as well. It runs on electricity and hence during a power failure it will come to a hault. The average speed is very less and also the other vehicles on the road hinders its smooth flow. As a step towards modernising they have cut short the tram rail circuits. Started during the British empire, trams still continue to serve the common man in Kolkata. It doesnt offer you a smooth ride but once in a while you’ll love traveling in it :-).

Another exciting transportation means is the metro, the underground railways running on electric tracks. The power comes from a third rail and Veeran told me that it was once a new way of commiting suicide the time when it was launched [around 15 years back]. Very fast and effective means of transportation I should say. And it would be bad of me if I dont tell you that the metro rail system are keeping the wagons and the platforms very clean unlike other railways run by government :-).

Coming to road transport the bus service is not that good :-(. And another thing I noticed is that there are more taxis than private cars, unlike Kerala. Also the autos there cant be hired. Kolkata has only ‘share autos‘ which runs from one main stop to another and can be used by many persons at the same time.

Moving away from rails and roads, let me touch up on the heritage of the city. Most of the people who live in Kolkata are Bengalis only unlike other metropolitans. Hence most of their traditions are un affected so far. They worship the Goddess Kali who is an angry lady. One of the important temple of Kali is Kalighat where you can even find ‘balis’ being offered to make the goddess happy. [On our visit to the temple I saw a lamb wearing red garland and also a red bindi after the puja, I guess, which was to be offered to the Kali by a family :-(. Hmmm..].

They also worship Goddess Durga who is regarded as the soft version of Kali. The Kali is supposed to have appeared in front of Sri Ramkrishna Paramahamsa, the Guru of Swami Vivekananda. Kolkata is the land blessed by Mother Teresa’s services through the organisation Missionaries of Charity. Rabindranath Tagore, the author of our National Anthem hails from Kolkata.

Being a city that values culture and education, you can find lots of books in the book street. Also there is one big library run by the Ramakrishna mission. India’s biggest annual book fair takes place in Kolkata.

Though British left India long time back you can still find imperia remnants at the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. The Victoria Memorial was opened as a tribute to Queen Victoria for the services she offered to India during her reign as Empress of India.

Kolkata is a land which offers lots of scientific knowledge to the visitors. Science City explains to you physics in a simpler and convincing way. The daily shows at Birla Planetarium shows you the solar system and the celestial bodies in a clearer perspective.

Coming to cuisines of Kolkata. Bengali food is very spicy and unique in taste. Typical Bengali food includes Luchi and Aloo Dum. Their menu is incomplete without a fish dish. And milk sweets of Kolkata are really tasty.

Fish ["Maach" in Bengali] forms an integral part in Begali’s life. When a bride enters the groom’s home after marriage for the first time she is asked to enter kitchen with a fish [instead of a lighted lamp according to Kerala custom]. And also it is a custom for Bengali women to wear red and white bangles made of shell if they are married. And that is very important for them like Mangalsutra in other parts of India.

Well I think the talk about Bengal and Kolkata is never going to end. That was a briefing of the info I gained on my Calcutta trip. Hope to get more about the city on my next visit.

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