My Way On Highway: Day 58, The Old World Charm Of Kolkata

Being in the land of India’s most recognized men can be a tad overwhelming for first-timers like me, until you arrive in Kolkata (or Calcutta). The city welcomes you with open arms and you can actually picture Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Swami Vivekanand and Amartya Sen breathing the same air as you are. There are even signs to remind you of the same. This is the city of art, culture and literature for you. A place that fills your view with the slowly chugging traffic, old world charm of trams, architecture marvels dating back to the colonial times and a comforting chaos, all at once!

So you see Day 58 of MyWayOnHighway was one for the senses. Here’s how it unraveled…

To The Moon & Back

The Birla Planetarium was first on our list. But only the Lord knows the trouble we faced to figure out the parking space! A 40-minute aimless drive later, we found a comfortable spot for our car, Gulabo. Next, we waited with a child-like excitement for the clock to strike noon so that the guard could dutifully open the gates of the aforementioned place of interest that is fitted with the second largest planetarium domes in the world. Trying out the flavourful Bengali paan was a good pastime.

 

Our 80 bucks worth tickets in hand, we settled in our seats for the first show of the day at 12:30 pm that was to be in Hindi. 7 shows run through the day in Hindi, English and Bengali. The huge dome sat like a clean slate over the deep black silhouette of Kolkata that ran across the room. A contraption of metals and lights sat in the middle of the room to eventually play the 30-minute session of the sun, stars and the moon. Pretty impressive to say the least, especially the part when stars move fast between slides. All went well except for the sad reminder that Pluto is no longer a planet. Sniff!

 

 

One for the Queen

Victoria Memorial, Kolkata’s biggest landmark second only to the Howrah Bridge perhaps, is a 5-minute uneventful walk from the Birla Planetarium, even if you do spot a snake being eyed by a crow en route. We all went our separate ways without anyone getting hurt!The skies were a bit unsure, oscillating between their original blue and white of the clouds, by the time we reached the majestic Victoria Memorial. Tickets came cheap at Rs. 10 per person. You can also choose to go only to the gardens for just Rs. 4. We took the first option and entered the grounds of this majestic property, commissioned between 1906 and 1921 in the memory of Queen Victoria, who had passed away in 1901. Beautifully put together from white Makrana marble, the Victoria Memorial is often speculated to be an attempt of the British to replicate the timeless elegance of the Taj Mahal. The museum houses interesting memorabilia from the Indian Colonial past. For me, it was the hallway that took my breath away. We couldn’t even try capturing its magnificence on the lens because photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum area!

 

 

The Sweet Rendezvous

Another momentous rendezvous happened between us and a certain ‘sweet’ someone that West Bengal is most famous for. I am talking about the Rasgulla aka Rossogulla that we can never get enough of. What better, we got to dig in to its spongy flavours at the very place it was born in 1868. KC Das, a mithai shop, is no less than a landmark in Kolkata owing to the lip-smacking legacy its owners have been carrying. The ground floor was choc-a-bloc with those with a sweet tooth eager to take some home. We opted for the 1^st floor seating area where a smart waiter approached us with the menu. I explained to him that we were first timers and could use some help in placing the order. Then what, the waiter took matters in his own hands and got us a tempting serving of Rossogulla, Rasmalai and Gulapi Sondes. Between Tariq and me, all was gone in a matter of minutes. So soft, so creamy! There are a few scrumptious non-sweet savoury snacks too. By the way, KC Das caters to all, even the diabetics with its special sugar-free Indian dessert.

Red & White Kolkata

The day came to an enigmatic end as we drove past the BBD Bagh area, formerly called the Dalhousie Square. The sky had turned a dark grey by then, as we whizzed past the commanding buildings of the seat of the state government. The red and white hues of the colonial architecture urged us to keep driving till we realized we had reached the Howrah Bridge. Then it was time to head back only after tackling a rather busy traffic.

Late evening brought us closer to the second property we were staying at in Kolkata – Jameson Inn Shiraz. The courteous Front Desk welcomed us saying, “We don’t have a swimming pool or a gym. But we have a brilliant service to make up for all that.” And I was floored. I will share some more experiences tomorrow. Goodnight for now.

(Photo Credit: Tariq Khan)