Last night I was watching the movie Kahaani on Movies OK channel. Since the movie is based out of Kolkata it brought back a lot of memories of the city in which I had spent almost 2 years. The movie just reminded of the times I had spent there, the places, smell, the sounds, the excitement of the people during the Durga Puja, old Ambassador cabs, kachoris, puchkas and moori from the road side, the momos and last but not least, people.
I moved to Kolkata in the year 2008 due to my work assignment. It was my first time to the City of Joy. I was told many things like Kolkata is very dirty, I wont like the food cooked in mustard oil, the language is a big challenge etc etc. However, I found my experience to the contrary.
Each city has it own different charm, Kolkata is no different. There are many old historic buildings in the bylanes of Kolkata, each one has its own story to tell. Most of the cabs are Ambassadors, vehicles of a bygone era, still driven with pride with the local taxi drivers. The language has a sweet sound to it. Just like French. Bengali is one of the sweetest languages out there. Initially, I had trouble understanding the same. But as my stay extended, I became familiar with the language to a point where I can make out the on-going conversation. The best part about Kolkata are its people, very friendly, very sweet and at the same time extremely proud of their culture, language and heritage. I am not sure if I could find anyone who had read the works of Tagore or had some form of training in Rabindra Sangeet.
It’s been 4 years since I have relocated to Mumbai. Hopefully, I will be going there sometime soon and rediscover the city once again.
My thoughts...My story 