OH!! Calcutta

Yippy….Its now less than 20 days and I will be in Calcutta again, but sadly for a week only. Every time when I plan to go to Calcutta, I have this strange feeling of being there more and more, or in other words, settling down there. I don’t know, but there is something unique in Calcutta, whose spell bounds me every time. Even after being away for the city for 3 years, there is still something which attracts my heart. There is part in me which wants me to be there, again and again.

Calcutta- “The City of Joy”,

--is rightly described by Dominique Lapierre. It’s the city where joy and happiness are among the top priority list of the people. There is no mad rush to amass huge wealth. Calcuttians don’t mind sleeping for a couple of hours in the afternoon after having their favorite Macher jhol and Bhat. People, there, don’t mind even if that two hours nap cost them in their revenues. For Calcuttians its happiness that matters. They are content. They know the art of living and to get maximum of every bit of life.

Calcutta verses Mumbai

-- Being in Mumbai for more than three years and have explored every bit of it, the comparison is obvious. But I don’t want to make this comparison. Mumbai is better in every aspect which can be described in materialistic terms. Mumbai have bigger flyover, wider roads, better infrastructure, Industrial houses, BFS industry and Bollywood. Calcutta is way behind in each of these aspects. But there is an aesthetic appeal. It’s the appeal from the lovely time spent there, life LIVED there. Being away from Calcutta, I miss-

- My loved ones- family and friends.

- My office –PWC and my colleagues there.

            - “Adda”- after the office and on Sundays.

- Amazing food at Azad hind Dabbha, Curry club, Rose, Haveli, Gangaur, Teej,Gautam’s…….

            - Music at Tantra, Sheesha….

            - Hanging out with friends at City Center.

            - Underground metro.

            - Puchkkas (especially the ones at Jorabagan crossing and in front of Jaya Cinema).

            - The yellow black ambassador taxi.

            - 2-3 strikes every month.

            - Holy dip in Ganges on Sundays.

            - Rabindra Sangeet on festivals like Durga Puja.

            - The people of Calcutta.

The amazing nature of calcuttians to accept a stranger as a part of their family and the compassion towards fellow beings, it’s simply awesome.

The list will go on. These are the things which Mumbai can never compensate. I am not cribbing about Mumbai, will never do. It’s just that there is a special place for Calcutta in my heart.

Love you dear; Love you – City of Joy- City with a heart.. mwaaaah!!