I am here in Kolkata once again after a gap of five years, last I came here in 2009, and It was exactly same as I left it five years back or may be it is same as British left in 1947. Same Howrah Bridge, taxi drivers jostling among each other’s space, people eating futchakcas and badralok, all that is called the city of culture, the great Bengal rising- the word I have heard long back in my history books.
I take the taxi and tell him the name of hotel which I booked from a travelling website. Taxi moves on the roads and lanes and by lanes. Nobody in this city seems to be in hurry, taxi driver looks back from the rear mirror- saab kahan se ayen hain. He was speaking perfectly in hindi, he tunes a Kishore kumar song on FM- Tu tu hi wahi dil ne jise apna kaha. Song refreshed me and I soon forgot the disturbing journey of Howrah Rajdhani express. I said that I came from Delhi.He said saab Delhi toh bahut door hai. I smiled – Far or near depend on the mode of your travel, if you go by plane it is three hour journey, if go by rajdhani then it is thirteen hour and rest is the long journey. He lit a beedi and said sir why do you want to go to that hotel only it is very far and I can take you to another hotel in half of the price and you can take all kind of luxuries. I ask him to concentrate on his driving.
Finally when I check in the hotel I was almost exhausted, the distance was not long but traffic was terrifically awful . I take a hurried bath eat what the room service provided and came out. Hot water batH has relaxed me and I was feeling a little comfortable. Unlike Delhi weather was warm, and few minutes later I am again in a taxi moving to science city.
Evening was busy when I finished the work it was around 7.30. I called to my friend Mallik, he was in saltlake. I note the address and city was looking beautifull once again a Kishore kumar song was playing in taxi- pal bhar ke liye koi mujhe pyar kar le jhoota hi sahi. Mallick was waiting outside the gate of apartment. He looks cheered by seeing me and we took the lift to his apartment. His flat was neat and clean and it was nicely decorated with colourful paintings. The paintings were really beautiful. In one of the painting a women was making some art under a tree on the side of a pond. Mallik told me that this painting is of Raja Ravi verma. Meanwhile I knew nothing about Raja Ravi verma. There was no one else in the house. Malik told this wife works in an event management company and she will return late. We gossiped, malik was not looking happy with the salary he was getting from his publication company. It was almost half of what I was getting. He said that he want change of job and especially because his wife was earning more than him. Though whatever he was earning his life was full of content and satisfaction. When I hint this thing to him he said-“Dear this is Kolkata if you earn 100 rupees per day then your breakfast lunch and dinner is guaranteed that is also with sufficient calories. We have been taught this from the child hood. Here money is a secondary thing. People in Kolkata do not discriminate on the basis of the money and this is culture and that is why communist ruled this state so long.
