My Kolkata Experiences - The taxi driver who mugged me

View from inside a Kolkata cab

Whenever someone mentions about the "streets of Kolkata", I get reminded of a street full of vehicles and a rhythm-less blasting background music of honking. About 60-70% of those vehicles are the signature black and yellow ambassador taxis of Kolkata (of course it depends on the area and time of the day). I have travelled by many such taxis when I was living in this City of Joy. Travelling by these taxis definitely exposes you to pollution, dust, traffic smoke, innumerable germs that feast and marvel on the seats and interiors of the taxi, beggars at traffic signals, and of course the intolerable omnipresent heat and humidity. These taxis have no air conditioning. You should thank your stars if you get a clean taxi or if the glass of the windows can be rolled down by the lever. 

After travelling by taxi few times I became immune to these things. But what I am going to share here is probably one of the most shocking and shaking experiences of my life. It is definitely on top of the list of worst things happened to me in Kolkata (thankfully the list is not so long).

Somewhere near Boi Bazaar, Kolkata

It was a Monday. I have this uncanny ability to get late for work on Mondays for which I hurriedly take a taxi to make it to work on time. That day was no exception. I boarded the taxi and sat on the left corner of the back seat. When it was time to get down, to pay the cabbie the fare of Rs. 120, I took out a 500 rupee note and gave it to the driver. Even though I told him to stop the taxi at a dropping zone, he drove a little forward and stopped at a bus stand. To avoid any traffic snarl because of my stopping there I was in a hurry to get down. I waited for a while for him to take out the change for the 500 rupee note. I noticed him doing nothing. I asked him for the change. He said, "You are supposed to give me 20 rupees more". I said, "But why? I just gave you 500 rupees and the fare is just 120!". He lifted his left hand (in India we have right hand driving) with which he took my 500 and showed me a 100 rupee note. He adamantly said that I gave him that hundred rupee note only. Though in disbelieve, I thought, may be I made a mistake! I gave him another 20 rupee note and got off the taxi and went to my office. While in the lift, I was still in disbelief regarding the 500 rupee turning into a 100 rupee note. Entering office, I sat on my seat, took out my purse and realised that I actually gave him a 500 rupee note! It was the taxi driver's trick on me that he cleverly showed me a 100 rupee note and made it believable. My ears became red and eyes peeled in disbelieve! I was flabbergasted realising how I got mugged just like that early in the morning! I could not believe that had happened to me! I told my colleagues and they were shocked too! 

About a week later, the same thing happened to a lady colleague of mine. She was in a hurry to get down too! I realised how these thieves loot you in broad daylight by taking advantage of your being in a hurry. They cleverly stop the vehicle at a place where it is not a dropping zone. Vehicles from behind honk at the taxi for stopping at such a busy spot. To avoid further embarrassment, you try to get out of the car to let it go and ease the traffic snarl.

The lesson I learnt here is: 

1. Never give the taxi drivers big denomination of notes

2. Make them stop at a proper dropping zone ONLY

3. Be absolutely alert and present at the moment while paying the taxi drivers

4. Never let the driver know that you are in a hurry.

Personally I still like Kolkata as a city to live in. This is one of the very few incidences that was really unpleasant. If you are alert and attentive, you will be fine.

Magh Bihu Bhogali

I am writing this blog with a smile on my face. I hope everyone who reads this blog feels the same joy while reliving the moments I am going to share here. I felt happiness and a great sense of belonging while celebrating Magh Bihu in Kolkata this year. Till the morning of Uruka day, the members of Sristir Ramdhenu (SR) had no plan of celebrating Magh Bihu. There were many hurdles to cross in the form of finding a place in Kolkata for bonfire, contacting all the members which meant uncountable phone calls, collecting money and so on. Since everyone is having full time jobs to attend to, it leaves them with very little time to think of anything else. However, on the evening of Uruka the Assamese spirit emerged with full vigour and the boys a.k.a. the most active members of the group decided to make Bhogali Bihu happen – no matter what.

Unlike other past events, where I participated actively, I couldn’t do the same this time, as I had to attend to some medical issue at home. However, when the boys (Bhaskar, Uddipta, Hemanta and of course Proloy) contacted me, I was free enough to take part in it. Hence, I hopped on, in the organisation of the celebration too. We were in it together and we wanted to make the best out of this team of organisers. All the social networking groups/community sites were updated, members contacted and informed. The spirit of Magh Bihu was poking the members to do something about it and everyone said YES to the proposition. We all had smiles on our faces. :) We will have Magh Bihu feast on the day of Magh Bihu (the day after Uruka). But we all know that a few hours delay hardly matters when there is so much of positivity involved.

Now, Proloy took the highest initiative by arranging for a place for bonfire and feast. It was a walled open space in the front yard of a school. Till late night of the Uruka day, we were on conference calls discussing, making lists of to dos and how to dos and so on.
Next day, the day of Bihu, Uddipta called and asked “Who would cook?” Bhaskar said (on con call) the boys can do it themselves. But I knew nobody had the experience of cooking for so many people at one go. We were 35 people and there were several items on the menu. Hence Uddipta and I decided to hire a cook. I started calling my contacts in Kolkata and luckily found a cook in such a short notice! Another hurdle crossed. Bhaskar and Uddipta went veggie shopping after consulting the cook. I offered to sponsor one of the must-haves/must eats of Magh Bihu, the Kaath alu. I also informed the boys that I would be bringing the sweets and it will be on me. I attended to home chores. Apart from phone calls, guests at home kept me busy.

Evening approached…umm…let me call it late afternoon. Proloy called me and asked if I am ready and going to the venue. He reached there before time to arrange the seating and bonfire etc. I said I’ll be there in 30 minutes. Hiranya called (he was given the charge of arranging firewood) and asked me if I can go to Panchanantala and bring the firewood in my car. Ahem, well, I know I am very accommodating, but firewood in my delicate Ford Fiesta? I suggested him to hire a cab instead. He got the point. I reached the venue and saw Proloy bickering with the cook and his helper. The cook was of the opinion that it was getting too late for the things to get ready and that might result in a very late dinner. We both made the cook understand that it wouldn’t matter and he can take his own sweet time to finish the dishes.
Uddipta and Bhaskar entered with a rickshaw-full of things. Madhurjya, a member of SR came in with his sister who was visiting Kolkata and missing home on Bihu. One by one, people started getting together and the chairs got all filled. Uddipta suddenly looked anxious and I enquired why. He asked what to do about drinking water! Hemanta suggested we buy mineral water bottles for all. But that would be expensive. I suggested we get those big 20 litre gallons of mineral water. Since I take those at home, I called up the water supplier and he said he kept two with the security guard of my apartment and I can take those. Problem solved. I went home and dumped the two 20 litre bottles of Bisleri water in the car dickey, collected the sweets and kaath alu and I was good to go for the night again.
Since many members and wanna be members knew my numbers, they started calling me to enquire about the direction of the venue. One of those calls was from Firoze Maran. The conversation went like this:

FM: Hello, are you organizing the Magh Bihu under Sristir Ramdhenu group?

Me: Yes we are and may I know who is speaking please?

FM: I am Firoze Maran and I am at Assam House now. Me and my friend thought we would celebrate Magh Bihu at the Assam House’s Magh Bihu celebration. But we are bored to death here. Can we come over to your celebration please?

Me: Of course you can. Just come over. We are at …..

FM: Okay we’ll be there.

Another call vibrated my mobile phone. Here’s the conversation:

Me: Hello, Pranjal, tell me.

P: Are you guys not celebrating Bihu at the Assam House?

Me: No, that celebration is by ASL. We are celebrating elsewhere.

P: Oh! Assuming that you are celebrating here, I reached Assam House and it is really getting lousy here. Is it too late for me to join you guys now?

Me: Nope, come over. We are celebrating at….. (I gave him the direction and the address of the venue).

I reached the venue. The bonfire was lit and that excited everyone with the real spirit of Magh Bihu bonfire. The kaath alu was put in the pile of burning wood for roasting. Now came the part when everyone had to introduce oneself to the others, so that if someone is new in the SR community, they would know who is who. This part was interesting for me too as I got to know a few new faces and their professions. Sristir Ramdhenu was getting richer with such valued new members. Once the introduction session was over, it was time for some real thing – Bihu songs and Bihu dance. Bhaskar, our community singer started singing some soulful yet melodious and peppy Bihu songs. The rest of the members got into the groove and all got up to shake that thing … you know what I mean. :)
Hiranya took charge of the kaath alu roast and served the same after peeling and cleaning those. Those were yum!

I must mention that Firoze Maran was one of the best Bihu dancers in the group of more than 35 people. Rituraj sang his favourite Bihu songs and Uddipta was encouraging him as well as Bhaskar. We all did not realize when the clock struck 11 pm. The food was ready by then and some of the children started yawning and pulling their mother’s clothes for want of some cozy place to sleep. So, we decided to serve food to the children first. Families who had to travel back far were served dinner next. The feedback on the food was absolutely positive. I was happy with the cook. All the members finished having food batch by batch. Sweets were served and during the entire time photographs were shot and video cameras were rolling. After food and a group photo session, members were leaving with a full stomach and a satisfied heart. It was past midnight and I was worrying how the girls will reach their respective homes. After arranging for car pools for some, I offered a home drops to six of them and they all hopped on my car. It was cramped with limbs going here and there to make space for everyone. I couldn’t stop laughing! Once the vehicle started to move, everyone settled down. Dropping them at their respective residences, I went home and reached home at around 1.30 am. 

I was all smiles with a satisfied mind and soul. I sms-ed the boys congratulating them on the successful event. We all slept off wearing a smile on our faces.

First One of 2011

Today, while reading the newspaper, I suddenly realised that we have already spent more than 50% of the first month of the new year! .....And I am yet to find time to write! I remember a Sunday morning serial I used to watch when I was a small girl (TV in the morning was allowed only on Sundays. Yes, I have a strict Moma :)). I forgot the name, but in that serial, Nutan, the mother of all the children in the serial, was having a conversation with her eldest daughter (played by Bhagyashree of "Maine Pyar Kiya" fame). In the conversation, Bhagyashree asked her mother, how she gets time to knit lovely sweaters even though she was a full time working mother. Nutan's reply to that was, "You don't get time baby girl, you make time." So, the moral of this mention is, it's time I make time to write on my blog. I have so many things/topics to write on! 

Life is moving at a rocket speed and I am losing myself in the speed. So, here I am, writing the first blog of the year 2011. It's not that I have not written anything in the new year, it's just that I am yet to complete those. So, reader of my blog, I am going to give you the list of what is coming up in this blog this month. Here's the list:

• A blog on how we celebrated Magh Bihu in Kolkata, despite all odds
• A first hand feedback on Medica Superspeciality Hospital
• My love affair with the music of Shayan Chowdhury a.k.a. Arnob/Ornob
• Rise and rise of Joi Barua, the singer, the human being behind the singer

To dos like, a release of a travel magazine, slogging on the pre-production work of an upcoming Assamese magazine, attending to an unwell partner at home, doing my own fitness regimen and meeting the demands of friends, parents and siblings do keep me busy. But, I have to write the things I want to write, because, I know that's therapeutic for me. It makes me feel good. So, dear reader of my blog, keep visiting this link for the new additions! :)

Blue Print for Pharmacy

This is not really a blog. This is a curiosity I have been carrying with me ever since I have started living in Kolkata. I may sound stupid, but I really couldn’t find the answer to my this query and I am here to see if anyone could help me. Now my question to you is, could you please tell me, why many pharmacies are called Blue Prints? For example, a pharmacy named Good Health should have the name as Good Health Pharmacy or Good Health Chemist or Drugstore. Why do they name it as Good Health Blue Print? I have tried googling for the answer but couldn’t really find a solid reply to my question. If anyone knows the answer, please tell me. This itch is killing me.

College Street, Kolkata

Long before coming to Kolkata, I have heard and read about the famous Book Bazaar (Boi Bazaar or Boi Para in Bengali) and the Indian Coffee House on College Street of Kolkata. Predictably enough, after getting transferred to Kolkata, Boi Bazaar and the Indian Coffee House became two of the must dos in my list of to dos in Kolkata. Being a person who is crazy about books, I knew I will be going to Boi Bazaar and since the Indian Coffee house is in the same area where Boi Bazaar is, I wouldn’t give it a miss. I was a lone soul for most part of my initial days in Kolkata. Hence, Coffee House was not really happening due to the absence of a like minded friend. Opportunity knocked and I went there with a friend of mine recently. I am sharing my first hand experience of the College Street and the Indian Coffee House of Kolkata here.

 

There couldn’t be a more appropriate name than College Street for this street in North Kolkata, as it is surrounded by many well known colleges and educational institutions of all time. The famous Presidency College, Sanskrit College, the Scottish Church College, the Bethune College, the Calcutta Medical College, the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Vidyasagar College, Hindu School, Scottish Church School, Bethune School, Holy Child School and the University of  Calcutta, all are situated on both sides of this street. Me and my friend  went straight to the street where Indian Coffee House was ruling for decades. We really needed some fuel to explore the book bazaar of Kolkata. Asking the driver to park the car in a convenient location, we got down from the car and my first reaction was, “This road is, oh so Kolkata!” My statement was supported by a roaring red tram that passed by while a hand pulled rickshaw awaited for it to pass. I felt some connection! 

 The entrance to the Indian Coffee House is deceptively low key. Once you climb up the red spit filled staircase to reach the first floor, you would see a roaring two floors of a cafeteria that has people discussing different things and eating different snacks at the same time. The building is old and the ambience is of a warm humid cafeteria. Well, yeah, I am being frank here. I wanted to sit on the top floor of the cafeteria where I can get a good view of the entire cafeteria. So we both went upstairs and have chosen a table for two and made ourselves comfortable. I thought to myself, well, may be I am sitting in one of those chairs where few of the famous writers sat! Suddenly, realisation struck and I saw the plastic chair I was sitting on. I told myself, “Nah, plastic chairs were not being used during those days.” Felt a tiny winy bit down that I didn’t sit on one of those old chairs available on the first level of the café. Anyhow, I started taking photographs of different angles and frames while we both waited for the waiter to come and take order. It felt as if the waiters were going to take ages to come and take orders. I told my friend, “May be they purposely give time to you so that you can indulge in the favourite hobby of Kolkatans of indulging in adda! (gossip/discussion)”

Well, finally the waiter came and took our snack and coffee orders and introduced us to another round of endless wait. I am not sure if it was because it was a holiday or something else, they were really slow. Anyway, since I had a wonderful companion with me, I enjoyed the wait with nice chit chats and some photo shots. After having our fill, we headed to the book market. I have always been very fond of books. I love the smell of it, I love the sight of it,  I love the feel of it, I love to read for hours, in short, I love everything about books. Hence I was thrilled to see the endless numbers of book shops dotting the sides of the pavement. The best part of the market is that the shopkeepers are very eager to show you what you want and they are knowledgeable. There’s more, if you are finding a book and that particular shopkeeper doesn’t have it, he will find and get it for you from another shop, so, you don’t have to pound the pavement searching for your book.
You must be wondering what did I buy, right? Well, here comes the wonderful part. The books are sold here at a lower price than the printed price. I have never bargained on book price ever. But I was surprised to see that you don’t even have to think about it, as the price is slashed at the start itself. I bought a new 2010 edition of Photoshop CS5 Bible, a handbook for learning Adobe Photoshop. Excellent book with 1042 pages. Loving the book every single day. Boi Bazaar also buys and sells old, used, second hand books at a discount of 50 percent or more. A great place to find some rare books as well.

I found this College street to be a one stop shop for the students, since there are shops that sell all kinds of stationary products a student might need for his desk. Starting from clipboards, magnetic boards to writing copies and variety of folders, you can get everything you want in your academia. I bought 10 folders, a magnetic board, colourful marker pens and a CD holder for my study. So, if you are into books and great coffee, go visit College Street and Indian Coffee House. I recommend.

Click on the photographs for a larger view. For more photographs of The College Street and  Indian Coffee House, please visit my Picasa

Oh So Kolkata!

These models looked so real, I had to share it with you all. See: 

A Rickshaw Puller and His Rickshaw

A Horse Man!

Law of Attraction

Many a times, I have read, in churches and especially in Christian literatures that if you seek, you will get. However, it was a mere statement for me until I read the book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
 

I have read about the power of thoughts and how the frequencies of our thoughts attract what we are thinking about. I was amazed by the book The Secret and wanted to experiment with the “Law of Attraction” that it talks about. 

While discussing the book with my online friends one day, a lot of them suggested that I should watch the movie of the same book. They were so convinced that the movie is much better than the book and I must try it asap. I tried to buy the movie in video stores, online stores and so on. But unfortunately couldn’t get it anywhere. I tried my last hope and tried to get it on hire from BigFlix.com. BigFlix informed that the DVD of The Secret is not available in India. The online stores had no option of delivering it in India and in most cases the shipping cost was higher than the DVD of the movie itself. I so badly wanted to watch the movie that I kept thinking of ways to get it delivered from abroad through some friends who might be travelling to India soon....and guess what? The law of attraction worked. Of course it took some time, but it did work. A very dear friend of mine gave me a link on the internet where I could watch the movie. Suddenly I had the “aha-moment” of my life! Yes, the law of attraction works.

This, many of my readers may find silly. I do not complain if you do. But again, it’s all about believing honestly. I do believe in the law of attraction.

I started to think about more such instances that had happened in my life, which could be linked with the “Law of Attraction”. I found many. On and off, I am going to share my experiences here on my blog about these experiences where I strongly believe that the “Law of Attraction” worked.

One of the most recent experiences where I think the “Law of Attraction” worked is when I was almost slipping into depressing loneliness. I have always been a people person. Love people around me and I had loads of friends during my college days. But life moved on and for work related transfers, I could hardly make new friends with whom I could hang out for long. In the course of transfers, I had to come to Kolkata. I joined PwC immediately after the transfer. It was one of the most boring workplaces I’ve ever worked in. Being a non-Bengali, I had no friends except my immediate colleagues. I felt terribly lonely. A year and half passed and I assumed, perhaps, I have become incapable of making friends. But the feeling of loneliness was so annoying. I badly wanted to have friends to go out with, hang out with and have fun with.

One fortunate day, while coming back from office, I saw one glow sign where it was written in Bengali “Haat Barhalei Bondhutta” (Meaning: If you just stretch out your hand, there's friendship)! That was another of my “aha-moments”. It felt as if it’s a sign from the almighty above! I was woken up from my slumber. Realised, yes, I actually didn’t even try to make friends. I didn’t seek, I just complained to myself of being lonely. That changed my lonely life in Kolkata. I started to open up, meet people, and decided to revive my old friendships outside Kolkata as well. I am pleasantly surprised to see the “Law of Attraction” working here. I changed the pattern of my thoughts from “not having friends, lonely” to “wish I had loads of friends” and this really worked. I have many great friends now who are like minded and great fun to be with. “Law of Attraction” rocks! Just believe!

Experienced Unprofessionalism

These days I am having to work at a client's office reviewing their work on site. Just want to give you all, one vital information: it SUCKS. The work culture is horrible here. Calling me at 10 am, they all come to office at 11 am. Moreover, half of their working hours, they talk about movie stars, mobile phones and movies. The work takes a complete back seat. Then suddenly they realise it is lunch time. Then it's an hour long lunch time. After working on the review for an hour, the application I am reviewing crashes, and there is another 1 and half hours of waiting, before they fix the problem. Oh God! How unprofessional they can be! Lucky them (actually, what a pity), they are having secured government jobs and working in the most laid back metro in India, Kolkata. But for me, if I am offered a job in this kind of an office with higher salary, I will not take it. Reason being, I am not a cheater and I want to work in my workplace. It is not an acceptable behaviour for me if someone is just wasting their time doing nothing productive in the
workplace.
Seeing this government office's work culture, I know now, why India is not called a developed country yet. I feel sorry.

FYI, I am writing this from my mobile, while waiting for them to fix the problem. :-)

Loving it

Kolkata is a place that fascinated me since my childhood. No, I would not be able to pin point any one particular reason for this now. Being the closest metro to Assam, I have heard people coming to Kolkata in pursuit of their cultural aspirations, academic goals, career enhancements and so on. I used to feel jealous when my favourite legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika used to stay here during his younger days. I envied Kolkata for keeping Bhupen mama here, of whom the whole of Assam is fan. However, despite this attitude towards Kolkata, (secretly) I wanted to live here too, at least for a few years. I wanted to know, what it is about Kolkata that is so magnetic.
Now I am here. In Kolkata. And you know what? It feels like home. Yes I know, you must be thinking, “whatta girl!”
Well, its not that I had never visited Kolkata before. I did pass through the city and even visited and stayed alone. During those visits, I never felt unsafe and people were good to me. I had a nice time even in the hotels I stayed in. Now that I am here, it feels like I am not away from home. It feels as if I am in the middle of an extended family of my own. I love the way they talk and accommodate outsiders in the city. I have talked about many aspects of Kolkata before. Today, let’s talk about food.

My Office Lunch Spread

Food is like the centre of life here. Bengalis (the people of West Bengal are called Bengalis) love food. They walk food, talk food, think food and most of all, they are very proud of their culinary skills. Bengalis are known for their fondness of fish. Being a vegetarian, I wouldn’t be able to talk much about the variety of fish curries here, but I can definitely talk about the sweet spreads Kolkata has to offer. I enjoyed some of the delicious sweets immediately after moving here (needless to explain the few extra pounds that I am carrying. Yes, yes, I AM working on it now). The rosogolla, malpua, mishti doi, jol bhora, pati chapta, nalen guder shondesh and the list is endless. I will try and update the list as soon as I remember some of the other names of sweets that I had here.

The City of Joy

Looking through a Typical Calcutta or Kolkata Cab

In some ways, Kolkata is a nice place to live. Some say, it is a Metropolitan city with a low cost of living. It is true in some ways, especially when, you are one of the public. There are places where you get cheap ‘everything’. So, if you go there by a public bus, walk the required distance from the bus stand to the market, bargain, buy and come back by bus; yes, it will cost you less than any other way of doing the same. Well, but for me, this has not been the case. Reason being, I do not know most of the places, the bus routes and things like that. Hence I take a cab (actually, I am having to) and travel, which is not so economical. Moreover, the heat and humidity keeps me away from the public buses all the time. Being a coastal city, Kolkata is generally warm, hot and humid during most of the year.

The Only City in India with Trams

The time when we came to Kolkata, it was monsoon. I have never seen monsoon in this fashion. I discovered that the rain just pours down without even a hint of its coming. It made me run to the balcony several times during those days, to collect the dried clothes. However, I enjoyed monsoon in Kolkata. Actually I just loved it.
Then it was time for winter to set in. But, to my surprise, it felt as if winter is never going to happen in here. When Christmas came by, I thanked God as the city cooled down considerably. I have joined work by this time and was shuttling everyday to Salt Lake, one of the most confusingly organized areas of the city, at least for me, till now. Well, I just know the area of my office and the famous City Centre mall. Other than that, if you leave me in any other part of Salt Lake, I would prefer to get myself airlifted rather than finding my way out all by myself.
I know this is too early for me to sum up and make assumptions about this place. I am still in the process of knowing the city. So, I am positive that very soon my discomforts will vanish and I would sail smoothly in the city just like any other Kolkatans here. Then, I will be back here to talk about all my wonderful experiences in this city of joy.