Festive Time

A visit to Kolkata is never enduring without capturing the moments of this vibrant eastern city which is but, all full of life, hope and struggle. Representing Kolkata in different moods and colors is a daunting task, and I am though not fully into it. Yet, one cannot ignore the fascinating journey when one discovers hidden gems and concealed surprises at each and every corner and alleyways while walking down the lanes. Kolkata never misses to present herself in the festive moods, and it is during the Durga Puja- the biggest annual festival, that Kolkata comes alive. 

During this festive spirit, people from all walks of life converge in pandals for their arti in the morning. This is in the tune of social gathering where people enjoy the true spirit of a common festive. Puja committees and organizers too try to innovate on pandals to exhibit artistic creativity and design special themes for their pujos. This age old tradition of the Bengalis now gets a digital facelift in the new millennium where, technology and art mixes fervently to provide new colors to the festive ambiance. Some pujas put in mesmerizing themes to attract visitors and draw passionate reviews from the crowds, while others are really good in reflecting ideas and presentation which makes them stand apart. Visitors embed these weeklong events as sweet memories and bond them close to their heart, the puja addas, dhunichi nach, bhog and sandhya arti- those that truly turns the entire city in to a great podium of lights and sounds.

 Some pandals have cultural programmes beside live music concerts adjoining their pandals. The grandeur reaches great heights till dashami, when bisarjan (a draw to a close) takes place in the evening, bestowing festive bliss on the kolkatans who eagerly wait for this time of the year round and over again. This festive, in essence, portrays real variety in presentation uniting all kolkatans together in a string of cultural harmony in the most decorative scheme of settings. It is now no more confined as a puja of the Bengalis, but encompasses a secular character where people from all walks of life and community, have a fair share in the festival.

Some cityscapes: Different Moods

                                                             Life on the street corner

The Biriyani Hub

                                                                     Morning times

Waking Up

Chadni Chowk

                                                               Park Street Crossing

Crossroads

E-mall

Esplanade

                                                              Historic Globe Theater

Kolkata Tram-Still going strong

                                                                           Evening

Festival Flavor

Citylife

                                                                          Dharamtalla

The Music World

                                                                    Deep at Night

                                                                          Flyover

Bread-n-butter

Chowringhee

Familiar place

                                                                  Backpackers place

NM

A lonely walk down the Victoria

Kolkata Skyline

A short Walk

In the evening

Sunder street

                                                                  Morning breadth

Oh! Kolkata Traffic

City of joy

Living on the edge-Kolkata Kid

The city of joy-or Kolkata, as we know, presents some of the most unique opportunities to photo enthusiasts and visitors to capture moments of alluringly beauty of this cultural capital of India. Kolkata presents a distinctive blend of colonial architecture molded in nostalgic yet modern true Asian blue-city flavor, a place, where linguistic as well, cultural, ethnic and all other subtle diversities converge on a single theme- Joy!

Elusive Maidan_evergreen

Few Old Things Still Surviving!

One early morning

The lure of nature

                                           Between two horizons

The city boasts both colonial heritages, intellectual diversities, cultural etiquettes as well, the true authentic Bengali ‘babu culture’ blended in the utopian topology of mouthwatering culinary delicacies of the eastern frontier- eelish maach, golda chingri,and posto, a huge variety of street foods, special sweets of the flavor-rossogolla and sandesh, and where, the theme ‘east meets west’ may appropriately be conferred upon.

If one is allowed for such an opportunity to explore the cultural heritages of this avant-garde city, then one would surely get lost in the realms of its glorious past and struggling present-just to link those to its’ floating, unbeaten future.

One should be cheerful enough to capture in frames about intrinsic moments which signify the city’s very existential extravagance- a profligate legacy in art, culture, literature, cinema and architecture with an ever inimitable charisma still not lost even after decades of pass over and political pandemonium. Kolkata now, is regaining her lost glory!

The city, in this new millennium, presents in as much different moods, colors and flavors, unlike its other South-East Asian sister cities like Bangkok, Singapore, KL, Hong Kong or Shanghai. Lacking an extravagant skyline, the city however, makes up for that in other aspect-cultural diversity. There are so many things to do and see, to look and feel, and thus, one may deeply indulge in feeling the pulse of this dynamic urbanscape and never to miss the best of the city’s landmarks and heritage points.

But all is not about old and reflective culture and architecture, indeed, Kolkata now presents as one of the most buoyant and vibrant atmosphere for leisure travelers and even to backpackers coming from far east and west, both. Food, accommodation and drinks are by far the cheapest when compared to other Indian metro cities, and a pint of beer costs even less than that of Bangkok. The cosmopolitan atmosphere is terrific, and Kolkata is fast catching up the realms of globalization.

                                                An evening in Park Street, Kolkata

 Shopping is a great fun in Kolkata, as it presents shoppers with unique blend of diverse goods and consumer items. Just a stroll down the New Market area would do a lot good to a shopaholic looking for virtually anything, real or fake, and in good price and bargain.

The New Market

                                                               Sudder Street

Like Bangkok, Kolkata also has an exclusive place for the gathering of backpackers-the ‘Sudder Street’, a little narrow street of off the Indian Museum, quite comparable to Khaosan Road in Bangkok.

With cheaper accommodations as low as Rs.150-200 per day, this place presents as a wonderful meeting place for budget travelers from all around the world; US, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Europe, Singapore, Thailand etc, whether as a stopover, en route to other destinations or formal visitors . This place is slowly gathering steam and the social gathering across the street and inside the pubs equally present an ambient atmosphere for young minds, and party bugs.

The tone and mood of this place changes greatly during the festive seasons; the Durga Puja, Dussehra, and Christmas, when the whole area is beautifully decorated and lit up. You are free to hang around this street as long as you like and enjoy the delicious street foods, all for a petty price and enjoy the roadside music.

Chowrinhgee

Nightlife_Kolkata

Pubs-n-Parlours

One fine morning in sudder street

bluesky cafe

Kolkata Skyline

English Connection

Park Street

With true Asian flavor, Kolkata is slowly yet vigorously turning blues out to be the melting pot of South East Asian travel. The huge open space as Kolkata’s heartland ‘Maidan’ across the ‘Sudder Street’ presents as the city’s central park where you can take some break from the hustles and bustles of the busy city life-just to breath some fresh air and enjoy the city’s beautiful landscape. Just across the Maidan is the ‘Victoria Memorial Hall’, one of the prime Landmarks of Kolkata, as well, the city’s equivalent to Taj Mahal of Agra.

Kolkata, as always before, have been a relatively safe city and the public administration of late has become more careful in providing basic civic amenities. The tourist-friendly nature of the Kolkata police ensures that travelers who seek help after arriving in the city with a lot of kiosks and helpdesks for tourist support and information center, so that travelers can avail their service whenever they require, thus making the city more eco-friendly. It is now a much greener and cleaner city, when compared to other similar megalopolis.

Kolkata's own Central Park

At the Crossroads

Grand Hotel rear view

Playground

Maidan at Dawn

Concept Tram Stop

On festive eve

City Lights

Shopaholism

Nightlife Kolkata

A stroll or a night-walk along the city’s main arterial road, Chowringhee, would bring back memories of the city’s past, to those who are familiar with it, while in parallel, Kolkata is undergoing rapid transformation at present. So why wait any longer, pack your bags and take up your camera to capture timeless moments of this change in snapshots!

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To be continued...