Kolkata …. can’t call it my home town in the strictest because I don’t live there, even as a kid I did not live in this city at a stretch for long and my family home is situated outside the city. I have not lived in the family home as a child for long either. In fact I am not sure whether I can call any place my ‘home town’. But that’s a different discussion! However, Kolkata or Calcutta as it used to be known as those days, is for sure the city where I was born in. I was getting a feeling for quite some time that I don’t know the city of birth very well. Well, not as well as I know Delhi.
You may ask, what do you mean by ‘know the city very well?’ I wonder when you can say you know a city well. Is it when you know its street map by heart or have an idea where to shop for which items or are an expert on the places to hang out? For me, it is when with some degree of confidence I can say I know a city’s heritage, history of culture and architecture and street life to a certain extent, I would feel I know the city – somewhat.
Last month I was in Kolkata for 15 days – well to be very honest I wasn’t staying in Kolkata proper but in the family home. As usual I was flooded with work, chores and ‘things to do’. But I thought I have to give it a try – to roam around and see the city.
So I did. One day, I walked on the Chittaranjan Avenue towards Esplanade and then around Nandan and Victoria Memorial. On another day I went to St John’s Church on Council House Street[1], which houses almost 250 years of history of the city, such as the supposed mausoleum of Job Charnock – the founder of Kolkata, a memorial dedicated to those who died in the ‘Black Hole of Calcutta’[2], the grave of Lady Canning etc. The Church itself was built in 1783 and an interesting place to go to.
On 26 January – the day India celebrates its Republic Day I went on a guided heritage walk. Yes, you heard it right – I pretended to be a tourist in my own city (in a way it is my city still)! The walk was organised at a short notice – I wrote to a charming lady – Deepa - whose name I found from a website the day before the walk. Deepa put me in touch with Neelanjana, who was our guide for the day. Since we (my cousin and I) had a wide range of interests, Neelanjana was generous enough to take us on an off-the-usual-circuit tour she tailor made for us on the spot. We began in Babughat, proceeded towards a wholesale flower market below Howrah Bridge, took a tram to go to Chitpur Road where we saw Nakhoda Mosque and a wholesale fruit market (Mechuabazaar). Our last stop was Kumartuli[3]. We walked around, ate street food and heard from Neelanjana the stories of the various places we were visiting. Without any fear of exaggeration, I would term the experience amazing.
So how do I feel now? I have to say fulfilled and content. I am beginning to know my city better. It is just a scratch on the surface though – so much more to see, learn and know.
Here is a movie made of some of the photos I took during the Heritage walk. As always would appreciate bouquets and (to a lesser extent!) brickbats from the readers. Let us know your impression on the blog too.
Photos and Text Copyright Sanchita C
