Memories of a Dear City

I had gone to Calcutta, my birthplace, a few weeks ago for a week-long vacation.
One's place of birth is always special, especially when it has repositories of affection like grandparents and sundry other members of the family. Which is why every trip to Calcutta is worth its weight in gold.

But if I were to look at it from an outsider’s point of view what would I see?

Firstly, a city that is any foodie’s paradise. Be it all kinds of non-vegetarian delicacies, or sweets, or several snacks and savories...there is food to suit every budget, location, and whim. My brother and I sampled a cross section of food...be it straightforward, no-frills street food, or fine dining at one of the premier restaurants of the city. Our verdict remained unchanged -- for good, value for money food, Calcutta is Mecca.

Secondly, it’s a city that revels in art, culture, creativity. Even the tiniest neighborhood seems to have a club of its own, with its own little library and book store. There are schools, colleges, museums, libraries, and several other such institutes that owe their modern day existence to our British masters’ decision to set them up in the then capital, Calcutta.

Thirdly, it is the place one should go to, to learn about a very significant part of India’s history. There are heritage buildings everywhere, balustrades and spires that would have seemed commonplace in 19th century England can be seen peeping out from the most unlikely corners, and there is an inbuilt, old-world charm that is hugely different from the flavor of other historically rich cities such as Delhi or Agra or Lucknow.

Despite all this and more, as also the new chief minister’s drive and zeal to improve things, a most obvious facet of Calcutta is how dirty it is. I am not just talking about the crowded parts of the city where a multitude and variety of people live, even inside a premier institute like Presidency College, which is unarguably one of the finest institutes of the country, the dirt factor is so high that my first thought was, “Thank god, I didn’t give in to a childhood whim and leave the pursuit of St Stephen’s to come and study in Presidency.” How can students not take pride in the environment in which they are studying? How is it okay in their scheme of things to invite professors and students from outside ostensibly in an attempt to show off their fine college and its infrastructure, and yet keep it so dirty and unlivable? Mind you, I went there on a day of work and activity, and the squalid environment and working conditions were pathetic.

Another problem with the city is the people themselves. Bengalis by far, must be some of the laziest people in the world. Give us the time to pursue beautiful, creative mistresses such as literature, painting, sculpture, music—-we are happy. Even academics can be our cup of tea. But tell us to exert ourselves, to sweat, to get up and work, to make money, to be commercially and financially successful...naah! That’s not us. Which is why every time I go to Calcutta, it strikes me how the entire city seems to sleep, to let things be the way they are and not shake them up, and therefore perhaps losing out on some of the shades and flavors of the unpredictable, exciting adventure called life.

Note: Pictures are ready and uploaded, but Flickr has chosen to give some trouble. Hopefully, it should be up and working soon.