The Evening Walk Experiment – Patuli, Parks & A Footbridge Full of Photographers

My neighbour and I seem to have finally found our rhythm when it comes to exercise — an hour-long evening walk.

Nothing too ambitious, mind you. Just an hour of walking, talking and hopefully burning off some of the consequences of all those dinners we seem to be having!

We are still experimenting with the most suitable route. The idea is to find somewhere that gives us a good hour of reasonably uninterrupted walking without having to negotiate too much traffic, potholes, uneven pavements, parked cars, random obstacles and the general chaos that makes walking around Kolkata such an adventure.

Today, we decided to head southwards along the E.M. Bypass towards Patuli.

And, well, it was an interesting experiment.

As we walked into Patuli, we passed the Fire Station. Now, I don't know whether it was because of the time of evening or whether the place is simply like that, but the Fire Station looked remarkably abandoned for something that is supposed to be fully operational.

Not exactly the reassuring sort of place you want to see when you're walking past a Fire Station!

A little further on, we came across something much more pleasant — the Satyajit Ray Park.

We hadn't really planned on stopping, but the park looked so well maintained and inviting that we decided to investigate. It was actually quite a lovely little surprise. Clean, green and obviously cared for, it provided a welcome contrast to the rather chaotic roads around it.

Of course, stopping to investigate a park during an exercise walk is perfectly legitimate.

It is still walking.

Eventually, we turned around and started making our way back.

That's when I spotted the massive Foot Overbridge that had been constructed here some time ago. Naturally, my photographer's instincts kicked in and I had to go take a closer look.

We climbed up and discovered something quite amusing.

Apparently, the Foot Overbridge has another, unofficial purpose.

Photography.

There were people standing all over the bridge taking photographs, selfies and generally enjoying the elevated view. The bridge seemed to be getting considerably more use as a photography platform than as a pedestrian crossing!

So naturally, I joined them.

I stopped in the middle and took a few photographs myself. From up there, you get quite a different perspective of the road and the surrounding area. And honestly, if you're going to construct a massive bridge and put you several metres above the traffic, you might as well enjoy the view!

But by the time we got back to the main road, we had reached a conclusion.

This wasn't going to be our walking route.

The roads were simply too uneven, the walking wasn't particularly comfortable and, more importantly, it just didn't have the right vibe for an evening walk.

And apparently, "vibe" is now a legitimate criterion for choosing an exercise route.

So the search continues.

One evening, one hour at a time, we are slowly mapping out Kolkata — while pretending that all this exploration is primarily about fitness!

And who knows?

We may eventually find the perfect route.

Or at least one with fewer potholes.

A Fire Truck Stop On Free School Street

While walking down Free School Street, I came across something that, quite predictably, made me stop in my tracks.

The Fire Brigade Headquarters was right there, and I couldn't resist pulling out the camera and taking a picture.

What caught my attention this time was one of the smaller fire trucks, which was parked halfway out of the building. Somehow, that little glimpse of the truck against the old architecture made for a rather interesting frame.

Of course, the building itself was reason enough to stop.

I've always found the architecture of some of Kolkata's older institutional buildings fascinating, and the Fire Brigade Headquarters has that unmistakable old-Calcutta character that makes you want to stop and look a little closer rather than simply walk past.

But there is another reason I find myself looking in the direction of the Fire Brigade whenever I'm around here.

The trucks!

I'm always on the lookout for some of the bigger, more specialised and, dare I say, fancier fire trucks in the fleet of the West Bengal Fire & Emergency Services. There is something about fire engines that has always fascinated me—the size, the equipment, the engineering and, of course, the sheer presence of some of the larger vehicles.

So while most people might simply walk past the headquarters, I inevitably find myself wondering what is parked inside.

You never quite know when one of the big ones might be sitting outside, ready to head off on a call.

And if that happens, well... there's another photograph waiting to be taken!

Safety Is Foremost

Since Durga Puja I've been wanting to capture this aspect of the Pujas. Safety measures are put in place and the Fire Department stands on full alert with Fire Tenders stationed at strategic locations all over Kolkata and one such location is just down the road from my house. So today when I returned home and noticed it stationed there with all the fire men siting around chatting I knew this was an opportunity which couldn't be missed. These men spend the entire Pujas at their respective Fire Tenders waiting when the call of duty calls on them to tackle an fire that breaks out. And when I say they spend their entire Pujas, I mean round the clock 24/7.

Hats off to these men who work such hours just to ensure that we can spend our festivals knowing fully well that they are protecting us from any calamity.