India 2025 ~ Off the Beaten Track
The Hooghly River and its bridges.
“India is a thali, a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast.” – Shashi Tharoor
Kolkata as it is now known is my home away from home. The best part of being here are the lazy mornings, massages, pampering, reliving my childhood through some incredible home cooked meals and stepping out for a few hours to renew my acquaintance with the city I grew up in finding the new, the undiscovered or the forgotten.
India is an incredible travel destination varied in culture, landscapes and delicious food which I did not have an opportunity to discover and explore while I was growing up. As an adult, I am now making up for lost time by discovering one or two new to me destinations in every trip that I make there to connect with my family.
The Dockyard Cafe is a new IT destination in Kolkata, but it also marks the site of some local history.
The clock tower was built in 1899 and dedicated by the commissioner to the Port of Calcutta to mark the location of their dock office.
The Indenture Memorial commemorates the spot where thousands of indentured workers sailed from Kolkata port from 1834 to 1920 to former British Colonies.
We spent a wonderful afternoon wandering along this area enjoying views of the river, the two iconic bridges over the River Hooghly and some snacks with tea. Thank you @JyotiSethi for being my wandering companion on this one. What a wonderful adventure to discover something new and interesting.
The LASCAR Memorial was less than half a mile from my sister’s house in the naval area. Special permission was required to go inside but we enjoyed reading the history and looking at the beautiful memorial itself from the fence. There is so much history in Calcutta, so much undiscovered. Thank you @RenuSingh for telling me about this.
The Northeast was once referred to as Assam but now many different states have their own identity here. I started with Meghalaya wandered discovering waterfalls, sacred forests, tree root bridges. I made it to the border with Bangladesh and to Cherrapunji once the greenest destination with the highest recorded rainfall in the world.
Then I added a 3-day taster cruise on the mighty Brahmaputra River. We sailed from Guwahati along the river exploring silk weaving, the mighty rhinos, and villages and rhythms along the river. What a wonderful experience.
New Market or Hogg Market as it was originally christened by the British used to be the premier shopping destination in Calcutta. It’s since been replaced by the multitude of airconditioned malls that have sprung up around the city. Having recently read the book Independence by Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni, I decided to indulge my nostalgia by a visit. Nahoums where the characters from the novel visited with wide eyes still exists and though it was evening and most of the cases were empty. Some of the stores where I once shopped for scarves and jewelry still exist and it was fun to stop by. New Market really looks the same as it looked in my childhood except for the outside.
The movie theaters where we once watched English Movies, Globe, Metro etc. have been converted into markets even though the signs remain on the outside.
One of the most well-preserved elegant houses of the 19th century, Marble Palace was built by a wealthy Bengali merchant with a penchant for collecting art. The house is filled with objects d’art, Victorian antiques and a mix of valuable paintings and kitschy art all mixed together in random fashion.
Photography is forbidden since the house is still lived in by descendants of the original family who built the palace. We arrived fairly late in the evening almost at closing time but the security team in the front were gracious and allowed us to stroll through the area open to the public.
Since the Marble Palace was close to Jorasanko Thakur Bari we swung by there as well. Originally built in 1784 but later expanded this house is the birthplace of Nobel Prize Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Preserved as a museum it is an interesting experience to wander through the various rooms.
As we arrived there was some type of dance competition that was happening at a theater on the premises and these young ladies were posing outside. Apparently, there is also a light and sound show here but there was still too much light, so we left.
After visiting the two original thakur baris we visited one that was owned by a friend of my niece @RamnikSethiBasu, my wandering companion this afternoon. Beautifully restored with marble and chandeliers the house was a treat but what I enjoyed the most was the old electric panels with the switches and plugs that reminded me of the panels in the house I grew up in.
A visit to Kolkata would be incomplete without at least one stop for street food. I actually made several and tried all my old-time favorites ~ Kathi rolls, Fish fry, Kolkata Puchka’s and this stop for Bhel and Paan.
I did cheat and the Puchka’s actually came home made with Mineral water and gloved hands. Fortunately, I survived all the street food with no mishaps whatsoever emboldening me for future endeavors.
Alas, I had to bid Kolkata Goodbye and flew across the country to catch up with college friends in Chandigarh from where we drove together to Amritsar for a visit to the Wagah Border and the Golden Temple.
Thank you @Kamaldeepgill and @ShivroopSidhu for the wonderful company and two days spent laughing, talking, and being young again even as you accompanied me against your will to the sunset Beating the Retreat ceremony at the Wagah Border between India and Pakistan which is a theatrical spectacle enacted by both sides.
Amritsar is a foodie destination with all manner of delicious food, and we did indulge as much as we could in the short time we spent here. But of course, nothing beats the specialty of the city ~ Kulcha chana served just so.
We finished an eventful day in Amritsar by arriving at Harmindar Sahib or the Golden Temple in time for the nighttime closing ceremonies. As the crowd dispersed, we found a perch near the Sarovar and let our minds drift as we savored the beauty and peace in front of us.
I am so grateful that I made it to Kashmir to spend two eventful days from Tulips and Gardens to Mountains and Valleys. I am so deeply saddened by the recent events in Kashmir that occurred shortly after I left. My heart goes out to the families of those killed for no reason than that they were at the wrong place at the wrong time and of the wrong religion.
I met so many wonderful local people who were gentle, soft spoken and courteous and I feel for their pain as well, plus what the loss of tourism in that region is going to mean to them on a very personal level.
My younger sister @ramankapur was my host for my last few days in India before returning home. For my final wandering act in India, I have to thank my friend @HarmalaUberai who planned an evening at the Red Fort in Delhi watching the light and sound show. What an incredible experience.
Even though pictures were forbidden during the performance I could not resist this beautiful final act with the colors of the Indian Flag symbolizing India’s independence. Jai Hind! until we meet again Incredible India.