The Busa

A couple of days ago saw the Suzuki GSX1300 'Hayabusa' at the Suzuki Showroom on A.J.C. Bose Road.

Heck I wonder if they're selling it? If they are, wonder how much it gonna cost?

Fire in The 'Bhoot' Building

Last Evening while we were getting ready to leave for the day, we noticed smoke billowing out of the broken windows of the building across the road. Soon we saw a crowd gathered at the entrance of the dilapidated building from where now black smoke was emanating and engulfing the entire side wall rising up and becoming one with the night sky.

On arriving at the entrance saw a pile of rubbish, mainly comprising of the branches of trees that had been cut down ablaze. The flames were leaping up a good 5 feet and the crowd, not unusual in Kolkata, standing a good 15 feet behind discussing how the fire might have started. All this said, someone suddenly realised that if the fire wasn't doused, a catastrophe was in the making. So one of the parking attendants suddenly got busy with a bucket and after five or six rounds, the fire was put out.

So Monday night's excitement quota had been filled, wonder what's in store for this evening?

My Latest Aircraft and Superb Tea

On Sunday, bored as usual and after some awesome 'luchi-aloo torkari' for breakfast and an even more sumptuous chicken curry and rice in the afternoon, Rahul and I decided to go for a bike ride. The bike ride from the house took us all over south Kolkata and I especially like the first pit stop at the lakes and the last pit-stop for tea at Camac Street.

In the evening I just had to go and pic up some more aircraft, which now that there is no more place left to display are lying packed.

NEW RAY
DOUGLAS DC-3
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Item Code: 20385 A
NEW RAY
P-51
Item Code: 20215 B1
NEW RAY
SPITFIRE
Item Code: 20215 C2
NEW RAY
SCOUT 4
Item Code: 20215 E2
NEW RAY
TORNADO
Item Code: 21215 C4
MAISTO Tailwinds
Mig-29 Fulcrum

Procession Leads to Traffic Jam

The Firday night traffic jam outside my place was one of the worst I've seen till date. OK Muharram might have been a bit worse, but for the first time I saw traffic headed towards the bridge spilling over to the other side too.

Anyway I got on the pavement and managed to get home. Only once I was up on the 4th floor did I realise how ludicrous the situation really was. And guess what? I had plans to go out. How on earth was I gonna get out of this one. Anyway I did manage to, since the traffic did clear out by 10 pm.

Worthy of mention was a band playing at Some Place Else. Jazz is always welcome and soothing to my ears and Pink Noise as the band was called did a fine jig that evening. Comprising of erstwhile members of bands, most notably "Amyt Dutta" of "Shiva" fame (the Most rocking band in Kolkata of my school days).

Pink NoiseGyan Singh - Bass
Amyt Dutt - Guitar
Jivraj 'Jiver' Singh - Drums
Jayashree - Vocals

When I finally got home, a blanket of fog lay seige upon Kolkata and it was Winter was making a last ditch effort to linger on. I think it lost as the next morning was bright and sunny.

Muharram In Kolkata

I thought Bandhs were the main contributors to traffic jams, man this Festival just brought traffic to a standstill around my house. Millions and millions of Muslims out on the streets celebrating Muharram. There were scores of young men carry these gigantic poles with triangular flags, food stalls, vegetable vendors and any other sort of vendor was out on the streets to make a quick buck.

Monday Night Partying

Deboo & Friends. We kept our tradition of Monday Night Partying alive. Started at the Officers Mess at Fort William and ended the night at Sharma's Dhaba on Ballygunge Circular Road.