Postcards from Kolkata

I traveled to Kolkata city for 2 days earlier this year. It wasn't a leisure trip but I did manage to escape for a few hours before my flight out. Hell, I couldn't leave without trying a few puchkas (Please note: Bombay pani puri is the best. This Kolkata puchka I had was strictly whatever), seeing a tram, watching a boatman row and laying eyes of the Howrah bridge. Quintessentially touristy things that I could cramp in 3 hours.

I was there on work with a few complete strangers. We reach mid-afternoon and ventured out hunting for food. We walked for a good hour and were finally told by some helpful strangers to turn left to go to the famous Chinatown. At 4.30pm on a weekday, Chinatown looked a lot like a war zone - Grey walls as high as 10 feet, doors and windows shut tight, an occasionally biker who wouldn't stop to help. Finally stumbled into a shady but character-filled typically Chinese restaurant for lunch at 5.30pm.

Next day before we left, we decided to take a long cab ride into the city. We passed through the centre of the city where narrow lanes where overflowing with hand rickshaws, tram tracks and people minding their own business. It is almost trapped in a time capsule and sometimes looks like a scene from a period movie.

I hope I can visit Kolkata again, leisurely this time so that I can wander through streets no one writes about, taste authentic Bangla cuisine made by a true blooded Bengali, explore a culture so rich, so proud.

Also, Bengali folks are my favourite. #JustSaying