Azad Hind Dhaba & North Kolkata

Day Three started with a “Hom” Puja at Pappuma’s place and after that we headed to salt lake for Bhog. After the Bhog it was back to Park Circus for some rest as we had a long evening ahead of us. The last evening of the Pujas! A slight setback in the afternoon, Snowy our lovely pet dog had taken ill and we had to take her to the vet. Well like all government establishments the Hospital was open, but the doc had gone out to the bazaar. So we made some frantic calls to another few doctors and got some sort of remedy and managed to nourish her back to walking. But she still seemed weak.

Anyway, we headed out to Salt Lake and had a good “adda” session, which ended up in some song and dance too, before we headed out to our final leg of the Pandal Hopping – North Kolkata. But before that pits stop of great Dhaba food at the new AZAD HIND Dhaba (Branch Ballygunge Circular Road Fame).

The North Kolkata jaunt it seems is more than we had bargained for. There were millions and millions of people on the streets. We went right up to Sham Bazaar and just managed to see one or two pandals. Finally the decision was taken and we parked the cars and decided to walk. That was a treat. Weaving through a bevy of fellow pandal hoppers. But we finally did catch some great sights.

Of course all said and done, the job done by the Kolkata Police is commendable. The way traffic flowed and the non-stop dedication of the entire police force is what got die hard pandal hoppers to their destinations. So what if the Rain played spoilsport, or the no entry signs made you get off and walk for miles, or the serpentine lines kept people waiting for 2-3 hours before they got to see Maa Durga or a Prize winning Pandal. The Spirit of the Kolkata Pandal Hopper wasn’t broken. They came, ate, walked, saw and made merry for three long nights.

And I joined them in their merry making the effects of which I’m still reeling under.