Things I love & hate about Kolkata

"...A pile of shit that God dropped..."-- this is how the legendary author Gunter Grass describes Calcutta, which is now better known as Kolkata. A city where I was born and brought up, Kolkata is very much a part of my soul. Kolkata is has witnessed  all my firsts....namely, my first crush, my first date, my first movie, my first poem, my first everything...However, much as I love my city, I cannot turn blind to the gory sores that cripple the very notion of a healthy life, here. 

I have grown up in our very own 'City of Joy', like many of my friends, and have often asked myself, what is so 'joyous' about Calcutta? To any visitor, who is here for the first time, the city symbolizes the grim reality of a poverty-stricken India-- a city known for Mother Teresa and her immense efforts to rid the city of its filth, to provide food, shelter and the basic amenities needed for mere survival to hundreds of its homeless children, orphans and numerous other 'have-nots',---a city full of slums, waterlogged streets in the monsoons, and beggars of all ages lining the pavements. Is this what our dear old 'Kolkata' is all about? Do tourists visit this ex-capital of the British regime, just to feel great and superior amidst scores of unlucky people who happen to live here and face the daily drudgery of life in an over-populated city of a 'third-world' nation?

So, what is 'Kolkata' all about? From all of this city that I have seen since childhood, Kolkata to me, is a surprising concoction of 'the lively' and 'the dreary'. To put it simply, there are certain aspects of this city which one can fall in love with, at first sight. However, that does not protect one from the filth that is a part of this city. The following, is a list of my most enchanting and my most disgusting experiences with this city. Opinions may vary from person to person, but this is entirely my perspective of this city that I have known since the last 25 years.

To begin with,Some of the most utterly detestable aspects of this city are, 

The men: the men (some of them, not all) of this city (with due respect to all my male friends and family members) remind me of a story that I had once read in a Hans Anderson volume, which depicted a coarse path through the middle of the ocean, that the mermaid was supposed to cross. This path was lined with evil trees which had branches that would grasp and tear at anything and everything that comes across their path. Most men of this city, (or the middle aged ones who mostly travel by public transport, to be precise) behave as if women are more endangered than the black buck, or more rare than an alien from outer space. Ogling, pushing, shoving are common phenomena. Added to this is the chauvinistic chant of defense when they are caught in the act. The recent addition to this, is the shameless way in which they prefer to stand amidst scores of women in the ladies' compartments of the metro, and engage in a war of words with women for a mere place to sit in public transports. Shame on you, men of Calcutta. One advice for you: Grow up!

The metro: Once known as the 'pride of Calcutta', the metro services have deteriorated beyond words, in the recent past. Serpentine queues, rude staff, faulty ticket-punching machines, the type of service which is a far cry from what it used to be, even ten years ago, have all made the metro, a living hell. AC rakes and tokens not withstanding, few can distinguish between the metro and a 'local', these days. Where did the charisma vanish? Why has the metro turned into a favourite 'suicide haunt'? Why does it have to resemble cattle sheds with passengers being hardly able to breath in the crammed compartments, during peak hours? Perhaps, nobody has the right answers. 

The roads and public amenities: Potholes, waterlogged streets during the monsoons which put even Venice to shame, hospitals which have mice gnawing at patients who simply lie on the floor due to lack of space, new-borns dying every other day, frequent power cuts even during important exams....and the list does not end.

The attitude of people: Just as the naive 'Sardar' ji jokes, one cannot ignore the image that people from Calcutta carry with them. The 'Bangali bhodrolok' is well versed in Rabindrasangeet and knows the strokes of Ganguly by heart. Yet, he is too feeble to respond to the cries of a teenager being molested by goons or of an accident victim lying in a pool of blood on a busy highway. There are obviously, exceptions. 

Much as we hate Kolkata for its faults, we love it too, at times, and below are a few instances when we pride ourselves on being a Kolkatan. 






The sweets: Kolkata is synonymous to sweets for many, and most tourists from other regions of India or from anywhere else in the world would definitely not miss the 'Mishti Doi' or 'Shondesh', when they are here. One aspect which makes Kolkata ace the list of cities which make mouth watering sweets, is the variety. From 'chamcham', to 'kancha golla', 'pantua' to 'golap jam', 'jilipi' to 'rabri' &' komola bhog' to 'chandrapuli', you name it, and they have it. The 'rosogolla' however, rules the roost, and is symbolic of the love for sweets that an average Kolkata dweller nurtures.






The street food: Much has been said about how Kolkata is home to the cheapest and the most delicious of all street food. A close scrutiny, proves furthermore, how very delectable food can be, on the streets of Kolkata. The pavements next to towering office buildings, though a bit dingy, are the very places where one finds food of all sorts. Be it the momos of 'Exide more', the 'puchkas', or the chaat, street food in Kolkata is the best deal that one can get. Infact the city is perhaps the only place where one can have a full-fledged meal of rice, dal and bhaaji for  anything between Rs. 12 to Rs. 20. Biriyani at Rs. 30, chilli chicken at Rs. 5 per piece and fried rice at Rs. 16 per plate--- street food has never been better than on the pavements of Camac street. The variety here too is striking, as one can lay one's hands on anything ranging from dosa , roti, 'luchi', dal, rice, aloo dum, chicken, mutton, paneer, to fruits, sweets and lassi. Similarly, nobody who has ever tasted the fresh mango and pineapple juice on the pavements of Shyambazar, can forget the refreshing feel of it. 

Park street: Witness to a million blooming romances & a billion revellers during Christmas, through the years, Park street is the life-blood of the city.  A place which houses everything from fast food joints, pubs, and classy restaurants, with an array of dishes, be they Indian, Continental or Chinese, to book and music shops, Park street can very rightly be described as the 'Connaught place of Kolkata'. The place comes alive during Christmas, with the mesmerising lights and revelry that lasts till the wee hours of morning. A walk through Park street is immensely therapeutic and nostalgic for many belonging to our times, and will be so, for many generations to come. Flury's, BBQ, Peter Cat,KFC, Music world, Oxford, Someplace else, The Park.... Park street is a collage of joy and good times.

Durga puja: This was, is and will be the best feature of Kolkata, for years to come. Durga puja, is one occasion which makes everyone of us in Kolkata turn into a community, which eats, drinks and sleeps 'joy'. The aesthetics that the 'themed' pandals and idols exude, is an obvious symbol of the faith that the people of Bengal have, in their creativity. The colour, the pulsating happiness, the exuberance and the pomp that are intrinsic to this event, make it something worth staying in Kolkata for. Families staying miles apart re-unite with their cousins, uncles and aunts. 'Adda', 'Bhog', 'Pushpanjali', 'Shindur khela' --- the very many facets of this gigantic event brings a lot apart from Maa Durga's blessings with it. It gives us an excuse to splurge at the malls, much prior to the actual event. It makes us ignore our diet plans for four days. It makes us forget our woes and simply be 'happy'

The culture and heritage: The Kolkata 'culture' is not all about 'Ilish macch' and sweet loving Bengalees. It is a kaleidoscope of many facets. A glimpse of images which are drilled into the existence of Kolkata  will include the hand-pulled rickshaw (though, a symbol of slavery, to some), the tram (romantic, in its very existence), the temples at Kalighat and Dakshineshwar, the Victoria memorial, the Outram 'ghat', the flea markets of Gariahat or Hatibagan which house everything from bags, accessories and clothes to household items and gifts at amazingly affordable rates, the 'boi para' at College street which looks forward to a promising renovation and relocation at the up-coming 'book mall' called 'Barnaparichay', The annual 'Book fair', the coffee house- the nursery of dreams, and the 'jholas' of Presidency and JU (though, a cliche, its existence cannot be ignored), to name a few.

This is Kolkata, the way I see it, and have seen it since my birth. A city which inspite of being grossly irritating at times, is home to some of the most amazing concepts which enthrall and overwhelm me at the same time.