This is why I love Calcutta

Yes, I refuse to call it 'Kolkata'. Calcutta has its charm and reputation that Kolkata can never replace. If you are someone from Calcutta, you will know what I mean.

I have lived in different cities in India, and all of them have different memories associated with them, but Calcutta stands out. Calcutta though has recognition of its own at different scales. For instance, if you ask a foreigner about Calcutta, high chances are they would talk about Mother Teressa and the Missionaries of Charity and how it is called 'The City of Joy'. To any other Indian, Calcutta would be, 'The land of bandhs and communists'. ;)

For me Calcutta is more than a city. It is where I belong, it is what defines me. Yes, we are loud, we have a terrible accent be it Hindi or English, we are round (in shape), we think we are all intellectuals, we smoke, we love rosogollas and we quarrel over little things, we do not exercise, we need to have the morning cha and newspaper(we do not drink coffee), we talk about principles and yet follow none, we make terrible businessmen, we are football crazy, we make fun of Biharis and Oriyas, we need to have 'tatka mach' (fresh fish) from the bazaar every morning, we are the only group of people in India where brahmins eat meat and fish because we live to eat, we cannot let our guest leave without trying at least one shondesh, or 'kochuri' from a 'parar dokan' (local shop) and claim they are the best you can find, we blow 'shankh' (sea shells), every evening while praying, we complain about slow trams, and yet refer to it as our heritage to an outsider, and all these things combined together make us a unit.

Winters in Calcutta mean an occasional visit to 'chiriyakhana' (the zoo), 'natun gur' (jaggery)and all the delicious sweets from grandma's recipe book, home made cakes at Christmas, feasts on new year's eve at every para, every club house, races at the derby, and if you are lucky, a test match at the Eden Gardens (usually referred to as the Mecca of Cricket).

Calcutta has a lot more in store. 'Durga Pujo'. Which other city celebrates a festival by decorating itself for 5 days like a bride? Pujo is such an integral part of every Calcuttan. Every Pujo has a special memory attached to it. Pujo means smell of new clothes, pandals, lights, decorations, sweets and all the frantic planning and shopping that comes with it. The sense of competition in every para to outmatch their pandal, the scurry to buy the best clothes in a sale, eating out every evening, hanging out with friends, fasting on Ashtami before Pushpanjoli is what Pujo is all about to a Calcuttan. Pujo brings families together, instills the faith of love and sharing.

I know that I have missed out on many other aspects of being a Calcuttan, for instance, waving to a bus and expecting it to stop for you even though you are a 100 meters away. We don't, nor does the bus driver care is that is disrupting traffic! Come on, we are Calcuttans! We love doing this and yet we complain when we are at the receiving end. :D

I love my city, I love being a Calcuttan, I love being a Bangali (total)*.

* This article has been long due (since July 2010) and I have finally managed to finish it after constant pushing from my girlfriend. All credit to her.