Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Kolkata: This weekend

Ok, I want to write something in my blog. I want to write something, anything. There are many topics in my head [knock knock… yes they are there]. But it is always hard to break the silence. Forget all this… there are many issues like.. I know I have to change my blog template.. I want to write about my final days at Kharagpur, my childhood and about beginning of this new phase in my life. Instead of all this I am writing about two general things. First about Kolkata [there is better sites to get information about this city] and second about my this weekend [there is no twist and turn in my life and here in this city I have spend most of the time at three vertices of a triangle- Office, Flat and City Centre].

This is my 7th year and second innings in Kolkata. These two phases are completely different. Only thing in common is me… ok two things Kolkata. Enough about Kolkata, lets talk about my weekend. Saturday “Lage Raho Munnabhai” then lunch then afternoon nap, evening tv, computer games and then dinner and then finally at 2.30 am to bed. Good night. [what!! This much only.. nothing special]. I told you, I am writing about two general things. Ok now back to Kolkata. Many people don’t like Kolkata. Some think that Kolkata does not deserve to be a Metropolitan. For me I like Kolkata most among all the metros and A1 cities [why??? Err… I have never been to any other metro]. Kolkata once called “City of Joy” is now considered to be a dying city by many.

Like all other metro, it has a lot of shopping complexes and multiplexes, science city, aquatica and many other fun joints. I feel what makes Kolkata different than other cities is its culture and its people… BENGALIS. Now I am not a believer of fact that “Bengalis are more affable” nor I believe that they are “annoying and argumentative”. I just think [being a good student of statistics ..Ahem Ahem] that like any random population it is a mix of good and bad people. But their love for their culture is amazing and Kolkata can never be a dying city because Bengali carry this city in their hearts.

City Centre is the best multiplex as per me. It is has lots of space, some good snack joints and one Inox. Food in pizza hut, kfc, restaurants is all same as other places but food in road side is definitely bong’s favorite and I like Bengali food. I like fish, I like rice. [fish and rice comprises half of Bengali menu]. Transport is cheaper in Kolkata than other places and working class in ruder [both thanks to government]. Huge traffic, but at least a bit saner [only somewhat]. Saltlake, where I live, is a newly developed suburb of Kolkata. Now many companies are opening up offices here - fuelling a demand for more residential and office space and with constant pace this city is also growing [So no scene of dying city anyway]. The heart of city is the older part of the city that is central Kolkata. Oh I almost forgot about my weekend. Ok so Sunday. No movie.. nothing special to do. My flat mates Biswadeep and Javed were planning to go out with Reecha and Madhurima [same company]. Apparently they all had some work and they asked me care to come.. I said “Why not”. In spite of my long stay at Kolkata I have never seen much of it. Kolkata and my weekend are coming together.

Now I have heard and read about girl’s shopping, and I always thought that guys exaggerate this. But sadly I was going to know this in hard way that not all hearsay is an overstatement. We three guys were as usual a little late and girls were on time [after all we are talking about shopping]. So they move ahead and we planned to meet them at Crossword [suggested by Madhurima]. It was nearly 12 and we three were very hungry. Crossword seems to be a strange name for a restaurant but I am already been deceived once [there is one restaurant named caught and bowled and I thought it is a bowling alley]. Taxi, in Sunday traffic took about 50 minutes to reach Crossword from city centre. Javed spotted Reecha in Crossword [certainly it does not look like a restaurant]. All I can see, were books but I don’t loose hope that easily. There must be place to sit and eat inside. Just my worst fears [ok I exaggerated] come true when I stepped inside and realized this is actually a book store. But, actually a very good bookstore. Nice collection, great ambience and some cute faces around. But still I am hungry. I pleaded to Reecha “Jaldi karo”. Her reply was “ Aise bologe to kaise chalega … abhi to aye hai” [remember this dialogue.. you all be hearing this a lot in your lifetime]. Even hungry bhav liked that place. So many good books. Biswa bought a book for his mother [he hardly took 10 mins]. Reecha and Madhurima took another hour to select their books.

Well by this time, all were hungry and we were looking for restaurant. It is said a desperate being usually make a bad decision. We did the same mistake. We ushered into the first restaurant we were able to see. Not so good food [End of story].

It was a fine sunny day. But suddenly rain started and we went inside one posh saree store. I took Biswa’s mobile and started playing car race. Yupiee I made two new records and the girls find nothing good enough to buy. By now it was raining hard and it was decided that we to go Metro-Plaza [another shopping mall]. I was amazed how quickly girls collect information about the shopping centers. In 20 minutes we reach there.

Time nearly 3 pm. One hour passed. By this time I have seen the entire metro plaza. I came back to my group. Reecha was looking for a pair of shoes. She was all alone and yet unaware of that [because she was totally engrossed in shopping]. She tried all the shops in the shopping center and she liked just one pair of shoe. But it was not available in her size. She tried many [in which I also suggested some], but she was saying this is not perfect [how come only girls know what is perfect, how they realize the perfection]. I was surprised to see that girls actually see in mirror that how the shoe fits. C’mon! You can see how the shoes in your feet look by our own eyes. Just to help Reecha I said that I have been working with you for 80 days now and I have never noticed your shoe or sandals [Encouraging words… still they were not enough]. Meanwhile I liked one Greek Goddess type dress which on display outside a store and I made 2 new records [car race]. Madhurima has bought something.

So finally at 5 pm we were leaving around 500 pairs of unwanted shoes and metro plaza. Javed left at this time, and we four head to Esplande. We took Metro. Now metro is something which is pride of Kolkata. Delhi has metro too but Kolkata metro being the first metro is India was built with love and pride and it can be seen too. Esplanade is always crowded but today it was much more than the usual. Ohh. We forgot that Puja is coming. Another thing, which makes Kolkata special in this time. Bata now and once again Bata failed to please Reecha. Madhurima was looking for Shirts. Rain was making things more difficult. Madhurima bought a couple of shirts on Biswa’s suggestion. I think she was getting tired now, so she was quick.

Then we moved for Shreeleathers store. My god!! There is a queue outside this store and a very long one. People are entering in a queue. Strangle me to death but I won’t enter this store. Then we entered a smaller shopping complex. This place is also too crowded. It was hard to breathe there but the usually slow girls were really fast and I and Biswa were the one who were lagging behind. Finally we found a shoe store there too. Reecha was finally found her perfect pair of shoes [really strange how these girls realize that is something is perfect]. It was 6.30 pm now but totally worth it. Reecha was explaining to me that her why she took so much time in selecting one shoe [incomprehensible for me]. Really Girls have perfected the art of shopping and they are the best. BEST. [in shopping]. All were very tired by now. We decided to return [Oh! I now remember.. why I came today with Biswa. He told me this place called “Coffee house” serves some great chicken sandwiches]. So after all this I am not getting the sandwich. I don’t like this majority wins rule.

Near Sovabazar, while waiting for auto, I saw one an old house. That house made me think. What this house must have seen in all these years. 50 years back it must have seen that broad road being built [which is now not all able to sustain all the traffic at rush hours]. Kids at that time must have clapped when they used to see a car from their windows and now people living in this house must have got the habit of hearing loud because of the traffic noises. Anyway, we got auto soon. Like this Kolkata, this world, even the universe [see what happened to Pluto] and our lives are changing.

If you still reading this line --> Thank you. And I had a great day thanks to Madhurima, Reecha, Biswa and Javed.

45 comments:

Prakhar said...

Good One be..waise esplanade wagerah pooja ke baad jaana ...bahut peacefully ghoom paayega...hum bhi chalenge next time :D

Anonymous said...

nice one! sigh! my shopping plan has been postponed cruelly since the beginning of this month. maybe after pooja

Anonymous said...

Reliving the weekend was good... and u got that right bout girls perfecting the art of shopping... totally with u there...

Anonymous said...

Well being one of the persons on that sunday ... i think patience is a virtue here... :) ... shopping during pujas at cal is a onerous task.. and seeing the serpentine queue outside sreeleathers... Well there are lots of places in cal where u can get a decent pair of shoes (i am not taking of adidas, nike etc).. How can people stand like that to enter a shop.... U have to really admire the tenacity of these bongs to get a pair of shoes ....
I feel that bhav got a nice shopping experience which will prepare him for future scenarios... including the worst cases (well i can't mention them here...) we had discussed....

Voice said...

@prakhar
sure..

@sonik
why postponed??

@javed
hehe .. they are the best [in shopping]

@morph aka biswa
yes that wud b the worst case. magar mere ko jaroorat nahi paregi yaar. yes if u dont mind then i can take ur gf out sometime for shopping, just becoz i m a very good friend so i want to save u from this. :D
thnx for revising my post.


----- THANKS ALL for commenting-----

Banvri said...

Thnks bhav for writing such lovely post :)

I think i again feel the rythem in ur writing ..keep wrting in buddy ..I m fan of ur posts :)

Anonymous said...

Nice nostalgic post about Calcutta from a Pseudo Bong.Calcutta has its own charms ,that cant be denied.People there seem to have plenty of time and there is nice feeling about it.Sadly same can't be said about Bangalore.I find myself surrounded by a jungle of bodies each shoving and pushing each other to reach the office in time.Miss you all.

Voice said...

@ chitra
thnx
waise tumhare samne [tumhare post, tumhari painting, tumhari creativity] ke samne to main kuchh bhi nahi hu.

Voice said...

@anurag
hi rags
abe pseudo bong kisko bola :x
we miss u too :(
thnx for commenting

btw tumhe kaun push kar rahi hai aajkal ;)

shahid said...

Its been so long ... gud to c u blogging again ... Needless to say ..u chose a gud topic again .. and a gud storyteller that you are presented in very nicely ... wat i liked was the humorous touch here and there ... keep up the tempo .. aur doosra blog likh daal ....

Voice said...

@shahid
yes yaar ab to likhta hi rahunga.
tu bhi likh.. is hausala afzai ke liye sukria

Anonymous said...

phewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....
this was some thing bhav.. will neva f'get it in mi life EVER!!
if u would have been infront of me na.. bharta ban-gaya hota tumhara!!!
wht a fool u have made outta me... :X ... thankfully it aint a fool's day!!!
neways regarding the blog... jst mi memories got refreshed once again thru this "PSEUDO BONG"... nd i jst hope ppl outside kol realise the warmth nd unity we have @ kol...
anyways keep blogging!!!

kosha said...

My My...tht was a real long one...
but i strongly disagree abt the shopping statements...well u shudnt generalize it...

Anonymous said...

flat dekhne ke liye nikalna pada.. baad me aake complete karunga.. tc bye

avinash

Mixi said...

Nice!!Good description n lotsa masti.. reminds me of times i have with my frnds...failed shopping sprees et al...
N thanx for the comment on my post... iv just started my blog, so need all the inputs from an expert... and as for calling me... you just have to ask!!!

Anonymous said...

Nice post... and girls rock :-)

Only while shopping(relapsing to my almost misogynistic demeanour)

Anonymous said...

hey! i didn't know u had other plans in your mind! maybe we would have accelerated our pace ;) agar coffee house ka plan pehle se batate!!!

anyways i am happy that atleast u got the real experience of how particular girls are about shopping!!!

chalo ab se itna bore nahi karenge :)

Mohan Kodali said...

the shopping malls becoming popular, mannnn these days even guys are taking looooong time to choose something! and girls dont need any intro.... someone may say donot generalize, but facts are always facts :D


btw welcome back after a looooong time.

Voice said...

@gags
main bhi nahi bhulunga. hehehe nahi banta bharta yaar. kyunki tab tumhe confusion hota hi nahi
thnx for ur comment

@kosha
u disagree that girls are the BEST ?? :D. ok i too disagree too. ha yaar kuchh jyada hi lamba ho gaya

@avi
ok

@meanie
why i have to ask. check this spot regularly ... :)
and ur talent doesnot require my expert inputs
thnx for the comment

@sandy
thnx :)

@madhurima
hey no problem yaar. woh to last me aise hi likha tha fun ke liye. yes i got to know how particular they are.
main bore nahi hua.. yeah sure next time ghumne chalte hai..
thnx for the comments


@chandu
pehle yeh bata kaha tha itne din?
if only i knew that i have to write a blog to surface u out from ur hiding spot, thn i wud have done it earlier.
thnx for the welcome

Aurora said...

aaahaa!!!!!!thnks >:D< for updating blog.......

n ofcourse lovely post again!!!!


hmmm.....shopping!!!
quite problematic for u ppl to understand gals mind:P

acha experience hua na bhav ...:P:D

Voice said...

utna bhi problematic nahi hai megha.
bus mujhe yeh baat paresan karti hai ki woh aisa kyu karti hai. :)
waise larkio ki yeh achhi baat hai na.
they always know [atleast they think they know] what they want.

>:D< thnks for commenting

achha exp to tha hi :)

Aurora said...

they always know [atleast they think they know] what they want.

wht do u think u ppl know everything:o

Voice said...

@megha

maine aisa kaha kya? main to yahi keh raha hu.. girls know what they want.

dumka said...

never knew that u liked bengali culture so much :) Good weekend. something, which we r dying to experience, here at noida.

Anonymous said...

Great yar...Kolkata revisited for me...seriously one of the best places i have lived in....u were perfect in sketching the fact that kolkata can never be dying....yar ur details on all those places made me remember my days there...and ur exp with the gals was similar to wat i once had in esplanade itself:))...i can feel it...great piece....

Anonymous said...

hey bhav...really u have written nicely....evemn i have 2 go for shopping but now i have postponned it....wat i m planning is that i should go wid u n ur frnds...especially wid reecha n other one..i forgot her name or it may be possible that i have not read her name....if u r having probs then its ok..but just convince the 2 girls 2 come wid me....haha
(jokin)
dnt get angry....par yaar next time bata dena..mai bhi aunga...
sitesh

Voice said...

@dumka
for the matter of fact... i like knowing different cultures. strange hai na :P. not expected from me.
thnx for commenting

@ullas
apne experience ke bare me batana. :)
thnx for commenting
keep reading more to come

@sitesh
darling ... is weekend chal rahe hai
jaldi se aaja. baad me mat kehna.. maine bataya nahi

bp said...

i hav little experience of cal to comment... keep writing...

mask said...

abe tera blog padke mujhe rona aa raha hai. tere kko cal se jitna pyar hai, mujhe chennai se usse bhi 10 guna jyada nafrat hai.

Anonymous said...

kya baath hai aajkal bahut larki ko log help kar raha hai shopping me, from shoes to shirts everything!
But kabhi humlg ko bhi help kar diya karo!

dd

saurabh said...

nice one... but cud have broken into two...just kiddin .. keep posting


suru

Raja said...

decent and unbiased views

girl-shopping you haven't seen yet. my ex-gf cud spend one week on window shopping before buying some never-to-be-used crap for $2500

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Bas ho gaye naa dher sare comments... aur kinne chahiye

(Damn! I'm at my irritating best :P)
DARE U DELETE THIS X-(

luv
-sudhu

Avinash singh said...

net bahut slow hai.. agar mera comment mil gaya to bhagwan ka ashirwad samajhna...

finally completed ur blog.. bahut lamba likha tha.. thoda to khayal karta.. but as usual written very precisely and step by step.. i will give u 30/30 or ur preciseness.. and rest 20 mein 19.5..

wat more.. trust me i read it full..

Avinash singh said...

net bahut slow hai.. agar mera comment mil gaya to bhagwan ka ashirwad samajhna...

finally completed ur blog.. bahut lamba likha tha.. thoda to khayal karta.. but as usual written very precisely and step by step.. i will give u 30/30 or ur preciseness.. and rest 20 mein 19.5..

wat more.. trust me i read it full..

Avinash singh said...

net bahut slow hai.. agar mera comment mil gaya to bhagwan ka ashirwad samajhna...

finally completed ur blog.. bahut lamba likha tha.. thoda to khayal karta.. but as usual written very precisely and step by step.. i will give u 30/30 or ur preciseness.. and rest 20 mein 19.5..

wat more.. trust me i read it full..

Avinash singh said...

chala gaya.. yipeeeee

Athena said...

toooooooooooooo longggggggggggggggggggggg but nice one :)

hey u can't say ki girls r choosy abt shopping thngs, i guess it applies to all who believe in perfection :DDD:PPP

Waise how come u composed such a longggggggg post kahin kolkatta effect toh nahi hai :D pretty interesting a post!!

welcome back to blogging :)

Voice said...

@saurabh
dhoni dravid... kuchh samajh me nahi aya yaar..
and tumhara blog bhi nahi khul raha hai yaar.
:(

@bp
thnx for dropping by.

@mask
maine kab kaha i love chennai [:P]
anyway... earth in tilting away from the sun.. i m sure.. u will find some beautiful reason to stay in chennai

@dd
tum humlogo jaise chhote logo ke sath thode hi jaoge.. bhai tum to hep and studd ho

@suru
ha yaar thoda lamba to ho hi gaya tha :((

@raja
these girls were smart and intelligent not like ur blonde [guessing] ex-gf :P

@sudhu
what a long comment.
thank you very very very very much for reading my blog :)

@avinash
ha yaar mil gaya and guess what jab mila to chappar far kar mila :)

thnks for reading

@athena
late comment yaar.
koi baat nahi. yeah u r right. but mostly girls are perfectionist and waise bhi yeh serious view nahi hai mera..

u too blog likho. and kya baat hai loooooooong post kehne ke bad nice aisa lag raha hai jaise achhe sabdo me tum meri tang kich rahi ho :P

lamba to tha... i wont repeat the mistake :P

Anonymous said...

Sorry, it took eternity for me to post a comment. Well, as usual it contained your grip over your readers, i felt actually i was travelling with you. Though took some insights from your post, may be the girl-shopping incident, would love to explore with you once we meet. I hope you update us with your weekends!!

Psycho McCrazy said...

nice post dude, and also after a loooong time.

Voice said...

thnx samiran and saurabh

fawkes said...

test!

navanita said...

This blog was really nice.i really liked it.you rightly pointed out about the traffic here.
I have been to all d metros but kolkata is d best because its not that fast.
I have never been to city center but after hearing a lot abt it from you now i think i should go there.
Keep writing..because i need something to pass my time..you know

Anonymous said...

Teacher of W.B.B.S.E and W.B.C.H.S.E Board.
(class five to Eight- all Subject)/(class nine to ten- science Group)/(class Eleven to Twelve - English and Bengali)
Address : Ganganagar(Near Julien Day School),kolkata-700132,24 parganas(north)
Ph: 9830880481
Email- linksearch09@gmail.com