One More Look Back ~ Calcutta Memories
The white Lady in all her brilliance. What a wonderful sight to welcome me home.
“Calcutta is not for everyone. …….. But if you want a city with a soul, come to Calcutta.” – Vir Sanghvi
Just one more walkthrough memory lane before I bid good bye to the city where I grew up. I’m sure family will bring me back again but for now Au Revoir Kolkata.
It was an interesting sight to see people transporting their goods balanced on their head as they crossed the bridge on foot. It brought back memories of traffic jams on the bridge which were a frequent occurrence during our growing years.
I recall an occasion where we had to abandon our taxi on the bridge and hire porters to haul our luggage in this same fashion in order to catch our train. Not sure what experience other folks from Calcutta reading this might have.
Carriage rides around the Maidan, and Victoria in a uniquely Indian way. A little different from the horse drawn carriage rides around Central Park, New York or Quebec City, Canada where I’ve been recently though I’m sure the experience and excitement is the same.
Breakfast at Flurys?
How many of you remember the Junior Statesman and jam sessions at Trincas and/or Usha Uthup singing here?
In addition, there used to be a big Oxford Book Store here that was another of my favorite haunts.
Moulin Rouge with it’s the mirrored bathroom that was such a novelty to us young girls.
Oh! Park Street, the same and yet different.
Prinsep Ghat one of the most visited and photographed places in Kolkata on the banks of the River Hooghly under the looming cables of the Vidyasagar Setu. Even though it was a Monday afternoon we saw people strolling and enjoying the green.
I recall grabbing ice creams and walking along the river front, stopping at the jetty and even taking a boat ride a time or two.
The Royal Calcutta Turf Club or the race course is one of the best horse racing grounds in India. Built by the British it’s a haven of tranquility in the center of the city.
Of course, the grounds and stands were deserted but I could imagine the horses thundering by, people in the stands intently watching and cheering their horse along particularly on New Year’s Day which is a big race day in Calcutta.
Only in Calcutta are these old lifts still operating with doors that need to be closed manually and a liftman to operate the lift.
The Lalit Great Eastern Hotel. For some reason I remember it with a red exterior but clearly, it’s white.
While it wasn’t the most popular spot during our school days, I do recall one night when my cousins and I are visited another cousin there and despite being all grown up and having children of our own at the time behaved like giggling hysterical school girls.
Eden Gardens changed beyond my recognition into a sports complex to rival one anywhere in the world.
The Grand Hotel and the Grand Shopping arcade. There used to be a Singer sewing store where my mom enrolled me to learn some domestic arts. I think both the teacher and I were extremely relieved when that bit of torture ended for both of us.
New Market is no longer the bustling premier shopping destination for Calcutta. The various air-conditioned malls and arcades have completely replaced it.
I stopped by Henry’s the Chinese shoe store where we bought our black patent leather store for school and other footwear. Sadly, it was closed.
The dormer windows of Mangoe Lane. My parents had friends who had a business here and I recall visiting and playing on the terrace.
The Birla planetarium in Calcutta is the largest planetarium in Asia and the second largest in the world. I remember the excitement and awe when we first visited as school girls and got to see the magic.
A nostalgic post about Calcutta would not be complete without a mention of the iconic yellow ambassador West Bengal Taxis. I don’t think there’s a taxi quite like this anywhere in the world. I did not get to ride one on this trip but….