Kolkata : Is it my city anymore?

There is not a second passed in this village that I do not think of Kolkata. To me Kolkata is a living, breathing, growing entity. A part of me. Kolkata is mine. It makes me feel at home. But is this city really mine anymore ?

Sitting at a late night diner on Sunday night I read two very upsetting news.

1. BBC took an interview of the Nirbhaya rapists. And they, without any sign of remorse states that it obviously always is the victims fault. I do not think I was surprised. The fact that I was not surprised was what bothered me. A lot of people's reaction I gauged was that of outrage as to why BBC even interviewed these creatures ( I do not find it in me to call these humans. ) To me the interview was necessary. It proves that monsters do not repent. And right now there are a million of men who are thinking the exact same thing. That it is infact the girls fault. Our country does not know how to protect their women. And it is true.

2.The second was much closer home. My cousin was harassed in the middle of Rashbehari Avenue at 10:30 on Sunday night. I am putting her exact words here.

" Ei sahar take nijer sahar bole bhabte khub lajja lagche ajke...Time raat 10:30 Rashbehari Avenue .... Saharer byasto tomo rasta gulir modhye ekta...
Metro theke neme wait korchi behalar gari pawar jonyo... Onyodiner tulanay janbahon kom seta hoy robibar bole noyto biyebarir season bole... Ekti Otyonto obhodro lok... Pichone theke eshe nongra katha o akar ingit korte laglo.... Bolai bahulya j tini prokitistho chilen naa..ei nongrami chollo pray 5 minute....chitkar kore protibaad korate ashe pasher kichu lok moja dekhlen thik e kintu ekjon o egiye elen na sahajya korte... Thik jani na era ki nitantoi ekta bicchinno ghatana... Naki etai ajkal swabhabik byapar...
Jaihok amar bhagya sahay j ami loktike tariye okkhoto obosthay bari firechi... Kintu sabar bhagya eto ta sahay na o hote pare...
Tomader sabbaike ghatanate jananor uddwesho .... Sabai sabdhan... Kolkata kintu khub unsafe hoye geche..."


After knowing about this my first reaction was anger. How dare the man ?

But then I remembered something an NRI Bengali man I met randomly at a movie theatre, of about 40 told me when I was whining about how much I miss my city and how much I want to go back.

He asked me with a smile. " Are you sure the city is yours ? A city where a female Chief Minister punishes by transferring a female Police Officer because the Police Officer went out of her way to catch the rapists of a shameful rape in the middle of the city is pretty much sending out a clear signal to the women of the city that they are not needed."

I could give him no good answer. Because no matter how much I try to defend my city the city has done nothing to protect her women. And right then, sitting at a diner seven seas away in a small sleepy town at 11:30 pm at night, I was feeling completely safe. Yes I had my friend with me. But the truth is even if i did not have my friend with me in there, I would have felt safe. I knew I could call a cab and that would pretty much ensure that I reach home safe. The cabs are constantly monitored by police radios. And there are police cars at the darkest nooks and alleyways patrolling. And at the same time even if my friend was there with me sitting at Hobby Centre in Park Street at 11:30 at night and I had to go back home in a cab, I would feel unsafe and nervous in my own city. Or maybe the city truly is not mine anymore.

A Temporary GoodBye

I have to say goodbye to this city of mine for atleast the coming 6 months. In another 2 days I will be sitting on a plane "don't know when I will be back again". (But I will definetely be back)

It is with mixed feelings that I will be saying bye to the city. I will miss my people in the city. I think I will miss the city more than I can miss a person. For the last two weeks I am trying to get all of the city in me, from Chinese in Mandarin, to Arsalan's Biriyani, to VivekAnanda Park fuchka, from walks along DeshaPriya Park to long lazy walks around Park Street, from street shopping at Gariahat to hunting for bargains in New Market. I will even miss my one and a half hour journey to and from office. Specially the times when I would take an auto to Karunamoyee, then another to UltoDanga, then another to Shova Bazaar Metro and take a metro to TollyGunge tram depot (Uttam Kumar) and walk home. And to top it all Kolkata has decided to dawn the best weather possible right now. The light cool breeze keep on caressing me and bids me a long lingering loving goodbye.

I will be back soon my lovely. I will miss you.

Avijit and Biswajit

It is 21st December. Park Street is all decked up in carnival finery. Me and my friends were walking down towards Allen Park when I spot these two guys They were standing in front of Veda. They caught my eye because they seemed to be silently observing everyone. As if there is some secret known to only the two of them.

Two homo sapiens of the XY chromosomal variety had already said no to me. So needless to say I was quite nervous. I have also been getting suspicious glances because I have been telling my friends that " I need a man for my project." or " I need to use a man for my project." What I meant was that after two lovely women, I wanted to feature a man's perspective of things.

• Name : Avijit
• AGE : 30
• PROFESSION : Kolkata Police Person
• Ethnicity : Bengali

Me : Tell me something funny that you might have encountered in your work ?

A : There is nothing funny in my line of work. It is always dangerous.

Me : There is nothing funny ??

A : No.Nothing. It is always serious.

Me : What extra measure is Kolkata Police taking for the safety of women during the carnival ?

A : There are police posts at regular intervals

Me : Is there a reason that you are not in police gear ?

A : What can I say? I am not allowed to say it. [ At this point I am thinking that if he is in plain clothes to be undercover why did he divulge his actual profession? ]

Me : What is the one thing being in the police force has taught you?

A : I really cant tell you.

Me : Random Life Experience ?

A : I don't really think of life so much !

Me : Do you think about Death then ?

A : (In a really surprised and shocked tone) Death ?

After this I stopped asking A questions rather disappointed. It was clear that I will not get anything interesting out of him. And he had so much potential. He could have been a goldmine of interesting shocking unbelievable tales.

• NAME : Biswajit
• AGE : 30
• PROFESSION : Senior Bartender
• ETHNICITY : Bengali

Me :   So you have an unconventional job ? Why did you choose this job ? And you don't have anything confidential so if you can please tell me.
B : I have always wanted to do this. I studied Hotel management and then joined this job . This is such a happy job . This is like Happy Hours all the time. When the bartender is happy, the guests are happy.
Me :   So tell me something fun that has been happening ?
B : The fact that a novel idea such as the winter carnival is happening in Kolkata is fun. The reason behind this is Karan Paul and Apeejay Group, owner of Park Hotel. This is his initiative. The place brightens up with youngsters coming here to enjoy themselves. I enjoy seeing them enjoy.
Me : You know how we see in movies, some dude gets extremely drunk and then pours his heart out to the bartender. Has something like that happened to you?
At this point A chimes in that if anyone tried that with him he would have taken the poor soul to jail. To which I reply, that is why no one will tell him.
B : I had this guest and every night he would come down to drink at the bar with his girlfriend. After he would get drunk he would suddenly realize that his girlfriend is nowhere to be spotted. The girlfriend would already have gone away with someone else.
Me : Tell me something, some unexpected incident that has happened with you ?
At this point A chimes in , " You doing this, talking to us is unexpected. This has never happened before. "