Warning : The Characters and incidents used here in the description below are all real. Any similarity with any person, location and event is completely on purpose .
A second trip as wonderful as chronicles of Narnia - but sadly without the special effects
So finally we were inside the train. It was all coming true. We had planned it this time around and it was an event awaited for 4 months. December 2012 was also end of the world. But sadly (thankfully) the world did not end.
We missed Jango's wedding to be here and we were glad we came. But we did miss Jango's wedding... moving on.
So me (Taken) Approval and Heartistic were on a train and we met two interesting girls named Analysis and Trend. Hippo was originally going to join us. He did directly as it was his destiny to explore and perhaps exploit the charms of AirIndia Dreamliner. The conversation we had with Trend and Analysis was interesting. We also accidently met an old college friend Shomie in the train. It felt good to meet her.
The first 3 days were spent in the wedding of Shenanigans. This time we were introduced to the delicious south indian food (yes ... south indian!) in Hotel Raj. We were guided by Authoreshwari as we visited Kali Ghat and then revisted Netaji's house.
The city of Kolkatta has changed quite a bit with turning itself in blue and white. Also the street lights look pretty but they are just pretty. The walk back was relaxing.
The sangeet was good. We also explored Fire and Ice. Had a cheese less Pizza and cheese full rice. The pre sangeet evening walk included a puchka jhalmuri and finally ended with a misti dohi
We also had a walk from Maidan to Maharashtra Niwas.
The wedding it self was great, it brought people together. Some after a period of 30 years. 30 years is a long time. It was great to be with Shenanigans family. Her brother, her dad and her mom.
After the wedding we (guys) went to Ghariyar and confidently and desisively shopped for saries. (It is not a sarcastic statement).Authoreshwari then helped us find a good place for buying kurtas. We again went back closer to Kali ghat to buy Shakapola - the red and white bangle combination.
The visit to Victoria Memorial brought back old memories but we rushed to find wrist watches at the ghari market. Soon we found ourselves running to reach the boat ride. The ride itself was great and our local hosts
Authoreshwari and Rangini (colourful) helped us in a big way.
We had authetic bengali dinner that night at Bhojohori manna where we tasted Ilish, Bheaty, Hilsa and nolengul icecream. Taken did not like Hilsa that much.
The night was completed by a gramaphone music listening session along with coffee.
The last morning Taken Approval Hippo and Heartistic were together again at Flurries. It was sort of the last meal in Kolkatta. The place now looked radically different. It was crowded and had lost some of its charm.
But it was not quite the last meal. We had lunch after that and then we visited Ivory's place were Rangini joined us. Even though Ivory was in Delhi, we had to meet her family for the special time we had at their place the last time.
Taken lost his camera right at this moment. And then it was time to go back.
The trip had ended on sunday night as the Mumbai smell hit the groups sensation.
This time there was nothing observed between the two cities and when Monday came... Taken reported to work.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sunday, November 21, 2010
Kolkata Watch - An icebergs tip
Warning : The Characters and incidents used here in the description below are all real. Any similarity with any person, location and event is completely on purpose .
So finally we were inside the train. It was all coming true. It was a dinner conversation a few days back when Ivory suggested that we should all go to Kolkata. Somehow everyone agreed and things did fall in place.
So Me ( Taken) , Hippo, Approval and Ben started out to a journey as wonderful as chronicles of Narnia - but sadly without the special effects.
So we had Ben defeat Approval in a arm wrestling competition. We had the award ceremony and then Hippo and Ben had a pillow fight.
When we eventually landed in Kolkata. (By a train) we saw the evening traffic and we got struck in one place for around 40 mins.
Oh my God - Taken. What is this place. This was my reaction.
Images of city of God (Movie with Om Puri) flashed in my mind. Thankfully I was wrong. And I am glad.
Had milksoda at balwant ka dhaba. Nice. Liked it.
The first morning in Kolkata was spent with Great Expectations which began with a breakfast at Flurry's, a look at St.Xaviers College, the new post office and the whole Park Street area. Also BBD/ Dalhousie block was discovered.
As we later came to know that this was one of the oldest areas. Also we saw writers building. A building where administration of the state takes place.
And ofcourse Taken had the privilege of running behind a bus to get some change. It was a scene. Approval and Hippo screaming at him to get the change and just as he reached the bus. It started moving and so Taken followed as fast as he could.
In the Evening we were shown the way by the Shenanigans who I guess knows the city as well as Lord Hastings himself or may be even better. So after having the best Puchka it was coffee time in the Place where the CCE close by 10 pm , actually closes by 8.45 but 10 pm it closes for sure. (CAFE COFFEE Evening)
The Bus tour the next day was interesting where we learnt that philosophy, history and culture are blended in Kolkatta roots. Also I learnt that I was not supposed to call a certain someone as laughing buddha, not even as a joke.
Victoria Memorial is indeed spectacular but I also liked the math, Bose house and the jain temple.
May the force be with us. (dedicated to that spectacular film our group watched at the house of the great social reformer of last century Sir Raja Ram Mohan Roy).
The wow of the planets dazzled us in the birla planetarium the next day. I had never seen stuff like that.
Yeah ! I am sarcastic.
But Science City was good and I felt nice to see entertainment with science packaged and positioned together.
Boat ride down the sethu bridge was also very good.
A sup-rise for the Shenanigans ended a perfect day after a real delicious dinner and for once Taken was completely wrong. Ben was right to burn all the candles on the surprise birthday cake.
The lunch with Great Expectations lead us to the amazing fact that 3 kali mandirs were in the same area. It felt like Mahim. But Mahim has petrol pumps all around and Thane city actually had 3 petrol pumps at the same spot once. But thats enough fuel for debate for a day.
Then as we toured around the city with Sanky we explored areas like India Coffee House and Trams and all.
Ivory, her family and her friends made our dinner with her family one of the most pleasant and memorable experiences in our trip.
The trip had ended on monday morning or had it when we learnt about Eden Gardens - the real one, the race course and the building with 999 windows.
And to tell you the truth Taken actually understood what the trip meant the next day as he landed in CST - Mumbai.
He had just caught a train back to Thane when a couple of Bengali boys asked him which side the platform would come as they wanted to get down at Dadar . I with the charged up refreshed mind told them not only the direction of the platform but also the fact that they should get the corner (khopcha) so it would help them travel with comfort and also assist them to get off the train.
The looks of fellow train travellers told me that I had overstepped the mumbai's code un-written behaviour. We are not supposed to help unless asked. That to me is the major striking difference between the two cities.
One which helps on its own. the other minds its own business and helps out only when asked.
By Ninad Tatke
Victoria Memorial is indeed spectacular but I also liked the math, Bose house and the jain temple.
May the force be with us. (dedicated to that spectacular film our group watched at the house of the great social reformer of last century Sir Raja Ram Mohan Roy).
The wow of the planets dazzled us in the birla planetarium the next day. I had never seen stuff like that.
Yeah ! I am sarcastic.
But Science City was good and I felt nice to see entertainment with science packaged and positioned together.
Boat ride down the sethu bridge was also very good.
A sup-rise for the Shenanigans ended a perfect day after a real delicious dinner and for once Taken was completely wrong. Ben was right to burn all the candles on the surprise birthday cake.
The lunch with Great Expectations lead us to the amazing fact that 3 kali mandirs were in the same area. It felt like Mahim. But Mahim has petrol pumps all around and Thane city actually had 3 petrol pumps at the same spot once. But thats enough fuel for debate for a day.
Then as we toured around the city with Sanky we explored areas like India Coffee House and Trams and all.
Ivory, her family and her friends made our dinner with her family one of the most pleasant and memorable experiences in our trip.
The trip had ended on monday morning or had it when we learnt about Eden Gardens - the real one, the race course and the building with 999 windows.
And to tell you the truth Taken actually understood what the trip meant the next day as he landed in CST - Mumbai.
He had just caught a train back to Thane when a couple of Bengali boys asked him which side the platform would come as they wanted to get down at Dadar . I with the charged up refreshed mind told them not only the direction of the platform but also the fact that they should get the corner (khopcha) so it would help them travel with comfort and also assist them to get off the train.
The looks of fellow train travellers told me that I had overstepped the mumbai's code un-written behaviour. We are not supposed to help unless asked. That to me is the major striking difference between the two cities.
One which helps on its own. the other minds its own business and helps out only when asked.
By Ninad Tatke
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