Oh Calcutta!!

Though I am a hardcore Durgapurian Kolkata has always occupied a central position in my life. Kolkata has been a part n parcel of my life for long.As a child I used to visit Kolkata with my parents ...obviously to my Uncle's place (Chotokakur bari) or to "Jethur bari".I dontremember those trips much except for the fact that in those days I used to visit either the Zooor Victoria,or Birla Planaterium.But off late I started to move to Kolkata on my own....after myplus 2 to be specific.Really one thing I need to confess ...Kolkata has always been a home away from home to me.I think Kolkata is perhaps the most wonderful city on earth....(though I have not witnessed much except a few big cities of India).Her charisma makes me intoxicatedjust as as the sweet smell of earth after the first shower.When I reach the Howrah station by train and then come out of the station to board a bus of Behala Chowrasta I feel a lot of avenues are opening up in front of me....the spectacular site of the Howrah bridge makes me think big ...like its magnitude..and the view of the skyline of the city beyond the horizon of the river Hoogly sends a chill down my spine.Then as the bus reaches theWriters building I could well guess Calcutta's stature and importance that she enjoyed during theBritish Raj, as the capital of India. The bus then moves ahead leaving the grand Raj Bhawaqn on its right and Chowrangee on the left.Just then the magnificient peice of architecture ...the Victoria Memorialfloats in front of my eyes...the more I see it the more I am surprised.The bus then leaving therace course on its right zoooms into the Belvedere road with the Taj Bengal on the left and the zoo on the right.I see the National library gates in the front ...still to be proud of the fact that she enjoysbeing the cultural capital even now.The bus then takes the Diamond Harbour Road...a road very near to my heart.The double laned road with the tram lines on the divider is a thing I am nostalgic about.This road takes me to my destination.....Behala Chowrasta.This place in Kolkata has been my destination from the begining.Kolkata has witnessed all ups and downs of my life ...say the Roorkee Entrance Exam to the Joint entrancecounselling to the CAT examination.Always she has been with me...even during the most recent Reliance episode.Not just in the acads front....I cant ignore those trips to Calcutta with Suvro...those movies in Lighthouse...that episode where me,Suvro and Apratim were denied of drinks in the lighthousebar,that year ending celebrationsin Park Street...with Chatu,Osama and the three of us,those adda at Nandan...and so much more yaaar I cant type so muchSeee u next time...cheerz!!