Calcutta - The City of Joy

Calcutta - aptly called as City of Joy, I could feel that joy when I visited the city sometime back. Even now, when I talk to my friends about Calcutta they tell me that it is an over-crowded place, with dirty streets. While my friends keep cribbing about the place, I keep wondering which city in our country so clean that they can vouch on.

Calcutta, the city has something in the air and I really get charged up. It is only city in our country, which has soul that compels you to think about it. A trip to Calcutta provides you a rich experience and the whole city overwhelms you. In Calcutta, you can find some very familiar names that resemble the names from the English country - England. You will find the names and architecture, old and the city has an over powering effect on you and you feel that you have stepped into some 17th or 18th century period.

In other words we can say that Calcutta still has the old world charm and we felt that we are watching a story from PG Woodhouse series. This is the one city in India, where people follow football as a religion as they would do for cricket. We still remember this incident that took place while we were eating in a small roadside restaurant. All of a sudden we found that the waiter who amidst of adding katchori to our plate, his hand stopped mid-way and we looked up to find him staring at the TV screen that was placed at one end of the corner of the room. In a spur of the moment the guy just put everything on our table and started clapping. We were surprised that all the local people in the room were doing the same. We realized what was going on and watched the TV for sometime and to our surprise local people were watching the highlights of the Women cricket match between India and New Zealand that took place long time back. Amazing…

It is a town, which moves on its own pace, in other words it is most laid-back city in the world. People have all the time in the world to explain. You may have asked a small doubt or for that matter a route to some place, and am sure will explain each and every road that you would cross to reach your destination. Even though it is laid-back city, but still you will find people up, walking, jogging, stretching and catching up with each other in a sprawling maiden – that too as early as 5 in the morning…

Our days in Calcutta started with a cuppa of chai served in the mud cups, aloo kachori, and top it all with gulab jamuns or rasogullas. We had hogged so much on the first day that we were thinking it would cost us a bomb, but it came as a pleasant surprise to us when we paid the bill for the breakfast. We found that everything in Calcutta cost so less.

As a traveler we enjoyed Calcutta in many ways. We could actually strike up a conversation with a perfect stranger and talk about …Politics, sports, religion, books, art, films, music, the news, food… just about everything under the sun is worth talking about for the Calcuttan. While talking to a Calcuttan, we found that they are passionate about everything that they discuss and we did have some heated arguments but these arguments never go out of hand.

We had plethora of places to see in Calcutta... Museums, galleries, heritage buildings, amusement parks, temples, churches, synagogues – there was something for every one of us in Calcutta. We went sightseeing and took the ferry across the Hoogly and while ferrying the Hoogly, my mind was playing the song - 'Oh Majhi Re' at the back of my mind.

We enjoyed Calcutta to the hilt; we had wide range of public transport facilities to get around the city. We avoided the local buses as they were quite crowded, but we used Metro extensively. We felt that our trip would not be complete if we did not travel in Metro and the Trams.

Trams reminded us of the bygone era of Raj, where people did not have to hurry around to reach their destination. The tram ride is worth each penny that you pay…and the feeling of tram ride is heady. Frankly speaking, I still feel that I did not enough of tram ride…. Tram adds character and charm to this city and I cannot dream of Calcutta without trams.

Calcutta is the only place in the world where we found all modes of transportation from cycle-rickshaw pulled by the rickshawallah on his foot to the ultra-modern metro station.

Calcutta - home for volatile poets, sensitive artists, and romantic men and women and it is city, where every house has a singer in making. Our friends in Calcutta ensured that we soak into their culture, and soaked we were in the arts, the alluring and intellectually crafted books and movies. In this place only we can find the spirits of Rabindranath Tagore, Uday Shankar, Jamini Roy and Satyajit Ray, to soak us all.

Apart from soaking us with their Bengal culture, we indulged our self with food. A visit to Calcutta is ever complete without indulging yourself with wide range of sweets and junk food. The range of sweets left us baffled. We just had to name the sweet and there it was for us to eat. We came to know that each town or district has a sweet for which it is famous for…rasgullas, mishti doi, sandesh and so many of them.

Though we did not have a chance to enjoy Durga Pooja, but we could imagine the city coming alive during that time. We could visualize Kolkatta decked as a new bride during the festive season – the doors decorated with bright red, yellow, and white flowers against the green mango leaves. The air renting up with the sounds of conch shells, excited sounds of people, and with the smell of camphor, vermilion, and aromas of dishes that would be cooked in the kitchen.

Back home our trip to Calcutta was envy of all our friends. I found that Calcutta is a city which is full of surprises, and I had the thrill of discovering new places, people, culture, and of course food…

Though we do not know when we would get a chance to go back to Calcutta and enjoy the old-world charm, but during this trip we knew why it was/is called City of Joy...

Sikkim... The Himalayan Glory

If somebody tells me that you need to travel all the way to Mt. Alps to enjoy the snow, then I would be the first person to deny that....and that is a fact that I can vouch on.

I have been to many places and added Gangtok recently to my list. I have been smitten with that place so much that I am making plans for another visit very soon...

The moment "Gangtok" is said, you can imagine a mystical land surrounded by mountains, snow, and clouds giving you a feeling that you have seen these places in the fairytales only. Yes, I believe that Gangtok is mystical and secluded in everyway. In other words, in and around Gangtok is still untouched by modern civilization and people have developed their own of living, customs, and religion.

Our gang, mix of adventurous people started planning for this trip for almost 3 months in advance. And finally the day came when we all were set with our backpacks, travel book, notepads, pen, and other basic things that we may require during the trip. Can you believe??? we had a kid who was just 15 months!!!

We all flew from Hyderabad to Calcutta, from Calcutta boarded the train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP). From NJP station, we had a Sumo come and pick us up and transport us to Gangtok. This was about a 6 hours journey and our entire gang looked like enthusiastic teenagers we eagerly lapping up that came our way...the green hills, gurgling crystal clear river that ran parallel to the road, the clean air, mist and the dew. On the way to Sikkim, we stopped at a roadside dhaba, had breakfast and masala chai. Our driver happened to be Nepali who had been settled in Siliguri and was used of traveling up and down to Gangtok. He pointed us some nice spots where we all would stop the vehicle and linger around and enjoy the beauty and move on. On the way, we came across the various diversions that would take us to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and of course to Bhutan - the mountain kingdom. As our vehicle moved up to higher in the mountain, we could feel the change in the climate. We all slowly started pulling out warm clothes from our backpacks.

Finally we reached our destination. We checked into our respective hotel rooms. We all got the best rooms that were available in the hotel. From our room we could see Mt. Kanchendzonga. Since it was quite late for us to go for sight seeing, we all decided to have quick wash, have some tea, and move around the main market area of Gangtok. While moving in and around market we found that almost all the bank ATMs were available and we did not have to worry as such. We found another thing there, after 5 PM; there were no motored vehicles in the market area. The taxi-wallas are supposed to leave the market area before the market clock strikes 5 PM, and then it becomes walker's paradise. We spent about an hour or so in the market and then decided go back to the hotel and rest. On our return to the hotel, we were informed that vehicle has been arranged for us to take us on sight seeing trip for the next day.

At sharp 9 AM, our driver who happened to an ex-army man came to pick us up at the hotel lobby. We went to all the popular places such as research Institute of Tibetology, White Hall, ridge, flower show, Rumtek Monastery, Lingdum Monastery, waterfalls, and few other places. At each place we took our own time and enjoyed the view. At Rumtek and Lingdum Monastery, there is a pillar at the entrance, it is believed that you should make a wish and throw the coin towards the pillar. If the coin gets stuck in the pillar, then your wish would be granted. As human nature is we all tried our luck....nothing seemed to fall in place. Anyways that was one of the way we amused ourselves. Both the Monasteries are the typical examples of Tibetan architecture.

It was pretty long day for us and as soon as we reached the hotel, the receptionist told us that they have arranged for our trip to Lanchung and Yumthang, and asked us to pack our overnight bags. The moment we heard about the following day trip we got very excited and started looking into our guide books to get more information on these places. Since we were pretty tired because of the day's trip we just decided to have quick dinner at the hotel's restaurant and then call it a day.

Next day morning we all were ready with our overnight bags, finished breakfast, and were all charged up for the trip. Our young Nepali driver came at 9 am and picked us up from the market place, and then we were on the way to Yumthang and Lanchug. The drive up the mountain was steep. These two places had breath-taking view of Himalayas. We stayed overnight at Lanchung and next day morning we visited Yumthang. The same evening we returned back to Gangtok. Next day we visited Shangu valley...Oh boy!! That was the experience of lifetime....the travel over the thin slice of ice and snow everywhere felt us wondering at Mother Nature.

These few days just flew by and before we could realize we had to pack our bags and head homewards.....