It was years since I last visited Kolkata. Frankly, the previous visits do not really count as they were a touch and go experience and that too when I was untouched by experiences of life. I landed in the city, recently, in the wee hours of a cloudy day when it was still lazily rubbing its half-closed eyes. Roads were mostly empty except for few of the famous yellow taxis ferrying people like me who had just landed up in the city or those who were leaving and some early morning vegetable hawkers. What immediately sucked me in was the architecture, long archaic colorful windows fixed on beautiful red walls. Some parts of it reminded me of the lanes in South Bombay.
I had, yet again, only one day, returning the same night. With a meeting that would occupy most of my first half, I decided to catch shut eye for an hour. After the meeting, I landed up at Park Street to gorge on some delicacies. S took me to Mocambo (a place suggested by my brother as well, seems like a famous joint) after lot of deliberation where the food was insane and darn heavy. We walked around the area. I was again mesmerised by the general vibe and the buildings! There is this old lady in me who is in love with corner buildings with arched walls, curved balconies that open up to the exact corner and giant doors and windows. It felt like the city was talking to me. We spent our remaining time of the day, walking around hand-in-hand, fighting over what to buy and what not, generally taking in everything.
Our evening dinner was decidedly rolls. The love towards which only an east Indian would understand. It was really late (as per a city that retires early) by the time we were on our way back to the railway station. With the dark sky in the background, I could see many ancient but beautiful buildings standing forlorn and dilapidated. I just wondered about it aloud and S replied matter of factly, “It shows how rich the city was once, the heart of business, trade, art and culture and the economic progress is no where close to the other major cities”. I pondered over it and the selfish romantic in me was somewhat glad that these buildings were still standing, no matter how old and worn out adding to the essence of the city, instead of the glass walled shiny modern soul less ones.
