Day 11, Sep 11, 06: Kolkata: I've got lot's to write, but haven't had the time to pen down my experiences over the weekend. I’m only glad that the weekend had lots of sporting News. My favourite sport star Shumi winning the Italina Grand Prix, Maria, Roger, Leander & Martina (not Hingis, but Novratilova) winning titles at Flushing Meadows. But I must say that me eating has got to be the high point. Eating has become like the best past time here.
Anyway as is visible food did occupy the weekend. Saturday started with my customary auto ride and pleasant but brisk walk to office. I did manage to stop a bit to click pictures of the Sacred Heart Church and a tram on the way. I’m going to set out with my camera one day and photograph as many trams as I can. Quite fascinating creatures these are fighting against being driven to extinction. These coaches are rudiments of a transportation legacy in Calcutta from the days of the Raj. And to think that they co-exist with the Calcutta Metro, which if I may add was the first MRTS to be adopted in the country.
Aah! The Statesman Building: Seems as dilapidated as the state of the English daily that Kolkatans used to swear by.
Getting back to the events of a typical half day at office on Saturday; what’s up with half days till 3.30 pm? That’s as good as saying work 6 days a week. Of course the advantages of working on a day such as this, is that you catch up with scores of other guys working in ABP HO for lunch. And lunch was at Anand’s – a nice South Indian restaurant (for Delhiites, something like Sagar at Defence Colony). So we guys ended up hogging on Masala Dosas, Rava Masala Dosas, Idlis, Uppam, Lassi and Fresh Mausambi Joice.
After that headed back to Office and a short while later dropped Kartik and Kedar to the Taj Bengal where they were hooking up with another friend to head out to IIM Calcutta as Kartik was participating in some Corporate Quiz thing conducted by Harsha Bogle. He won this round as I got to know and will be heading out to Mumbai or someplace for the finals I guess. Must have quite a bit up there I guess. All I can think about is food, it seems. Coz I’m already planning for the feast I’ve promised people back home for Saturday night.
I had been crossing this joint called Zeeshan every day on my walk back home and the spread he had on display just warranted a trial soon. And sure enough Saturday’s feast gives him a Thumbs-up. I had initially planned to head out there and have Kathis Rolls on the corner, which is the best way to relish rolls, but the rain played spoilsport. Though my aunt convinced me that the concept of free-home-delivery had come to Kolkata and I called Zeeshan’s to place my order, I had to go there after the rain stopped to pick up the food.
As I waited for a good 45 minutes for my food to be packed, I noticed that the roads were quite flooded. That’s not because the drainage is poor, but the fact that when it rains, it pours in Kolkata. It seems like half of Kolkata had placed orders there that night. The guy at the counter seemed to be working like a robot, packing box after box. Finally I got my order.
1 Kashmiri Pulao
1 Malai Kofta
1 Egg Roll
1 Chicken Roll
2 Egg Chicken Rolls
3 Mutton Tikia Rolls
1 Egg Mutton Tikia Roll
Bill: Rs. 223/-
A short stop at Nobolok for sweets (10 Rosogollas) and a 2 litre Bottle of Sprite completed the menu.
After a meal like that, it’s only fair that one gets to wake up a bit late on Sunday. So a late breakfast and an even later lunch, a bit of TV and some ghum (afternoon nap), and I was ready to head out. I drove down to Shopper’s Stop at City Centre Mall in Salt Lake. Rather go there than head to Forum Mall in the city which would have driven me crazy for parking. Shopper’s stop was having a 50% Sale and I thought I’d get some trousers. Though I’m try to change the culture here, it seems Kolkatans are a bit sticky about being properly attired (read Toursers, Shirt & Formal shoes, if not a tie thrown in for good measure). I’m quite a straightforward shopper. So I picked up four trousers of various shades, as I knew my waist size. Just as an after thought I decided to try one of them and not that I’m surprised, seems I’ve grown around the central portion. Waaaaah! No way am I picking up anything on this visit. I needed to lose the excess baggage around the waist and to take care of the present depression “Kwality Walls Tuti Fruty in a waffle cone” was the saviour.
Shortly after that got into the car and drove over for a brief visit (which turned out to be 2 hours) to another distant Mashi’s house in Beliaghata and more sweets were consumed. You really can’t refuse the hospitality, especially after you’re visiting them after nearly a decade. On the way back home picked up some more sweets and drove through the crowded streets of Kolkata while nearly running over scores of cyclists, rickshaw wallas, bikers, and the sea of people that inhabit the roads.
I guess that about sums up my second weekend in Kolkata. Munna Bhai will have to wait for the coming weekend. INOX tickets at FORUM are Rs. 180/-. That’s Box Office Robbery.
Anyway as is visible food did occupy the weekend. Saturday started with my customary auto ride and pleasant but brisk walk to office. I did manage to stop a bit to click pictures of the Sacred Heart Church and a tram on the way. I’m going to set out with my camera one day and photograph as many trams as I can. Quite fascinating creatures these are fighting against being driven to extinction. These coaches are rudiments of a transportation legacy in Calcutta from the days of the Raj. And to think that they co-exist with the Calcutta Metro, which if I may add was the first MRTS to be adopted in the country.
Aah! The Statesman Building: Seems as dilapidated as the state of the English daily that Kolkatans used to swear by.
Getting back to the events of a typical half day at office on Saturday; what’s up with half days till 3.30 pm? That’s as good as saying work 6 days a week. Of course the advantages of working on a day such as this, is that you catch up with scores of other guys working in ABP HO for lunch. And lunch was at Anand’s – a nice South Indian restaurant (for Delhiites, something like Sagar at Defence Colony). So we guys ended up hogging on Masala Dosas, Rava Masala Dosas, Idlis, Uppam, Lassi and Fresh Mausambi Joice.
After that headed back to Office and a short while later dropped Kartik and Kedar to the Taj Bengal where they were hooking up with another friend to head out to IIM Calcutta as Kartik was participating in some Corporate Quiz thing conducted by Harsha Bogle. He won this round as I got to know and will be heading out to Mumbai or someplace for the finals I guess. Must have quite a bit up there I guess. All I can think about is food, it seems. Coz I’m already planning for the feast I’ve promised people back home for Saturday night.
I had been crossing this joint called Zeeshan every day on my walk back home and the spread he had on display just warranted a trial soon. And sure enough Saturday’s feast gives him a Thumbs-up. I had initially planned to head out there and have Kathis Rolls on the corner, which is the best way to relish rolls, but the rain played spoilsport. Though my aunt convinced me that the concept of free-home-delivery had come to Kolkata and I called Zeeshan’s to place my order, I had to go there after the rain stopped to pick up the food.
As I waited for a good 45 minutes for my food to be packed, I noticed that the roads were quite flooded. That’s not because the drainage is poor, but the fact that when it rains, it pours in Kolkata. It seems like half of Kolkata had placed orders there that night. The guy at the counter seemed to be working like a robot, packing box after box. Finally I got my order.
1 Kashmiri Pulao
1 Malai Kofta
1 Egg Roll
1 Chicken Roll
2 Egg Chicken Rolls
3 Mutton Tikia Rolls
1 Egg Mutton Tikia Roll
Bill: Rs. 223/-
A short stop at Nobolok for sweets (10 Rosogollas) and a 2 litre Bottle of Sprite completed the menu.
After a meal like that, it’s only fair that one gets to wake up a bit late on Sunday. So a late breakfast and an even later lunch, a bit of TV and some ghum (afternoon nap), and I was ready to head out. I drove down to Shopper’s Stop at City Centre Mall in Salt Lake. Rather go there than head to Forum Mall in the city which would have driven me crazy for parking. Shopper’s stop was having a 50% Sale and I thought I’d get some trousers. Though I’m try to change the culture here, it seems Kolkatans are a bit sticky about being properly attired (read Toursers, Shirt & Formal shoes, if not a tie thrown in for good measure). I’m quite a straightforward shopper. So I picked up four trousers of various shades, as I knew my waist size. Just as an after thought I decided to try one of them and not that I’m surprised, seems I’ve grown around the central portion. Waaaaah! No way am I picking up anything on this visit. I needed to lose the excess baggage around the waist and to take care of the present depression “Kwality Walls Tuti Fruty in a waffle cone” was the saviour.
Shortly after that got into the car and drove over for a brief visit (which turned out to be 2 hours) to another distant Mashi’s house in Beliaghata and more sweets were consumed. You really can’t refuse the hospitality, especially after you’re visiting them after nearly a decade. On the way back home picked up some more sweets and drove through the crowded streets of Kolkata while nearly running over scores of cyclists, rickshaw wallas, bikers, and the sea of people that inhabit the roads.
I guess that about sums up my second weekend in Kolkata. Munna Bhai will have to wait for the coming weekend. INOX tickets at FORUM are Rs. 180/-. That’s Box Office Robbery.
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When was eating not your favourite passtime?
ReplyDeletehmmmmm.....wht about partieessss....howcome you are staying away from them?!!
ReplyDelete