My Kolkata...

I love my city. I love Kolkata!There's something about my Kolkata which keeps me wanna snuggle up and live here for ever. Located on the eastern side of the country, cradling on the banks of river Hooghly lies my favourite place in the world. My city is my birthplace, my identity, my dream and my hideout. A seven year stint away from my city has evoked in me a strange warm love and affection...and even after spending the most part of my life here, I still cannot have enough of this city!

Everytime I travel back to Kolkata, the first glance of the Howrah Bridge fills my heart with pride, nostalgia and excitement! Each time, the city looks charming and inviting as ever! I can't help but marvel at it's rustic beauty and vintage grandeur...It feels as if I am about to explore Kolkata for the first time :-)

The early morning drive on Red Road has always been a one of the best drives I've ever been to...the mesmerizing Victoria Memorial looks beautiful and serene. The lush greenery of maidan can put the Irish countryside to shame. You might even notice beautiful horse driven carriages riding across this road and you can hop into one if you like.

If you are the mushy romantic type like me, take a boatride along the river Hoogly...the experience will linger with you for ever and ever.

How much I love strolling on the streets of Gariahat picking up knick knacks and bargaining with the vendors. I still can't do without buying at least scarf when I pass by the irresistible street stalls selling colourful garments, shoes, jewellery, handbags and décor items! The enthusiasm of the hawkers are infectious and trust me if not the impulse, their eagerness to sell their goods would make you wanna buy stuff from them!

Spending quite afternoons in the Oxford Store, the Starmark or the Crossword is the favourite pastime of the bookworms and the intellectuals, who are often termed as 'Aatels' ( lol ) and behold, you will not find any Calcuttan who cannot strike a conversation about anything under the Sun!!! That's what we do best!!! Talk!

I love trotting on Park Street with friends on a Friday night, not being able to decide where to dine in because the Chicken Tetrazzini of Mocambo would always pose a stiff competition to the Chello Kebab of Peter Cat or the Biriyani at Arsalan! Plus I also get to boost my knowledge of high-fashion and trends as I watch the hot girls and the cool guys ramping on the roads, lost in their world of FB and Whatsapp!!!

Sitting on the pavements of Vivekananda Park sipping hot chai and debating over Literature and History with my childhood buddies still remain as one of the most important task in my To Do List.

Many of my non Calcuttan friends might not be familiar with term 'Adda' and trust me it is a crime! In Calcutta adda forms a major part of our lives. An adda can happen anytime, anywhere among people of any age!!! Although CCDs and Baristas can found in every nook and corner of the city, youngsters still turn to the very old Coffee House for some realtime bonding over coffee!!!

If you have ever been to Kolkata you will notice quite often on the dukans, along the chai bandis on the benches strangers getting together and chatting up!...politics and football still raking as the most talked about topics!!! And if you ever happen to ask for help, be it on an unknown road or in an unknown destination, mark my words...at any point of time there will four different people to help you ways through, some of them even willing to walk you down till your destination ( lol )!!! Such is my city :-)

An afternoon tram-ride across the city is a must! The tram paves its way slowly across the roads, often twisting and turning like a lousy reptile making their signature ting-ting sound...Oooohhhh!

And how can I forget the famous yummy lip smacking fuchkaas!!! Those crispy fried hollows filled with alu kabli and imli water along with a pinch of lemon juice has absolutely no match in any part of the world...I swear!

Come September-October and you will find Kolkata dolled up in the festive grandeur. The first sight of Goddess Durga's eyes being rendered life by the artists of Kumatoli brings along a surge of happiness and hope. Durga Puja is celebrated across the city with pomp and vigour and it's fun to go Pandal Hopping with friends and family, dressed up from top to bottom in new clothes. All kinds of work come to a standstill for those five days and the overwhelmed Calcuttans throw themselves completely into the celebration!

The ever always tussle between the supporters of Mohunbagan and East Bengal, Bangals and Ghotis, Ilish and Chingri, Uttam and Soumitra and Hemanta and Manna would remain with the bangalis for ever and ever...and yes! we are not bengalis but Bangalis...It's true that we are lazy, our weekends are longer than weekdays, we make a mess while speaking hindi, we are emotional about Sourav Ganguly and Mamata Banerjee...but hey! where would you find more friendly people than us?

Don't believe what I say? Come to Kolkata and spend a day or two...or even better...make sure that you have a 'Bangali' co-passenger on your way...you'd know exactly what I mean ;-)