Street foods for breakfast in Kolkata

People of Kolkata love to have breakfast in the form of singara (samosa) or kachuri and jiipi (jilebi). This is a combination that many households follow even though they might have regular breakfast later. The bottom line is their inherent weakness for these items. Believe it or not, the vendors begin their activities much before the day breaks. The singara and kachuri are deep fried stuff and require some preparatory work. Once they are ready, the items vanish before the snap of the finger. The next batch of customers have no other option but to wait.

As to the jilebis – these are sweet. Those who live in Kolkata love sweets. Yes, many of them know that these are harmful to health, especially those who are diabetic. In spite of this, they feel items like jiliebis can bring zing into life. This item are fried in full view of the public. They are then immersed in a huge container of sugar syrup, removed and sold to the customers. These, like the singara and kachuri, are fast moving items and vanish in the twinkling of the eye. Those who arrive late have to repent.

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Street foods from Kolkata to Mumbai, Delhi and beyond

The social media loves to showcase street foods from all corners of India and also from abroad. There are prestigious hotels and restaurants that cater to one section of society. However, those who operate outlets of street foods are in a class of their own. They love to experiment with food and offer unique dishes that mesmerize their customers who keep coming back for more. The word spreads and people throng to the counters – sometimes they come as individuals, or with their near and dear ones to share a few moments of tasting the preparations.

Mumbai is famous for its bhel puri. This is similar to the jhal muri of Kolkata. Both are dry mixtures of a whole lot of ingredients. The bhel puri is usually served on paper plates while the jhal muri is served in open-mouthed paper packets known as thongas. Then there is the fuchkas of Kolkata aka gol guppa in Delhi and pani puri in Mumbai. The product is the same. Crisp balls made of flour and stuffed with a mixture of mashed potatoes and other ingredients. The combination is dipped in a liquid before being served to the customer. And – there is always a queue of them around the person who keeps count of the items sold.


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Owners of the 10 teams in TATA IPL 2022

There is a lot of glamor attached to the T20 Games and the teams that participate in the Indian Premier League. Their owners are proud of the players who bring glory and some of the players have become indispensable. The owners go to any length to retain them. Nita Ambani of RIL owns Mumbai Indians – the top team that won the title five times.

The next is India Cements who own Chennai Super Kings that won the title four times.

Then comes the famous Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders. It won the title twice.

Another actor Priety Zinta owns the Punjab Kings.

Rajasthan Royals is owned by Manoj Badale and Lachlan Murdoch.

Kalanithi Maran of the SUN Group owns Sunrisers Hyderabad.

United Spirits Limited, a Diageo Group company is the owner of Royal Challengers Bangalore.

GMR Group and the JSW Group are owners of Delhi Capitals.

CVC Capital owns Gujarat Titans and is one of the latest entrants.

RP Sanjiv Goenka group owns Lucknow Super Giants, another latest entrant.

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This is about another of my near death experiences, also in Kolkata. It was in the 1970s and involved a bus. I did my schooling in St. Joseph's College, an English medium school. My mother tongue is Bengali and my knowledge on it was limited. In college, I faced problems with the language and a pass in it was compulsory for the I. Sc. Exams. The pass mark was 30 percent and I somehow managed to scrape through with 31 percent. This preyed on my mind and I decided to devote some of my time to write in Bengali. I did it on the sly and sent the stories across to a few magazines. And – I struck pay dirt in 1967. That was when I got an employment in HAL Nashik. I was at Howrah Station to catch the train and went to the bookstall to buy some magazines to read during the journey. Believe it or not, one of the magazines had published my story. I needed a breakthrough and this was it.

During one of my visits to Kolkata in the 1970s, I came to know of a magazine that wanted writers. Its address was on the outskirts of the city and I was not familiar with the area. I talked with the locals and got an idea of the locality. I had to take a bus and had to wait for the bus to come along. It was crowded and when I asked for a ticket, I discovered that it was a wrong bus. It had started to move and I tried to get down from the moving bus. I landed on the road and the bystanders helped me to my feet. This could have had serious consequences but I lived to tell the tale of another experience with death.


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I am now 78 years old and my first experience with death was in 1960 - I was 16 at the time. It happened in Kolkata. I used to study in St. Xavier’s College in Park Street. After the classes, I would walk down to the British Council library. That was on Theater Road, now renamed as Shakespeare Sarani. I would spent a couple of hours browsing through the magazines. They had a fantastic collection. Then I would get ready to go home. I usually opted for a double decker bus to enjoy the sights of the roads and people from the upper deck.

That particular day, I nearly got killed. It happened like this. The bus slowed down, I boarded it and tried to balance myself on the footboard. It had to negotiate a curve around the Birla Planetarium. While the driver was negotiating the bend, I slipped from the footboard, landed on the road and the bus sped away. The suddenness took everyone by surprise. Fortunately, I fell on the grass belt of the Maidan that absorbed the shock and I lived to tell the tale of my first experience with death.


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‘The die has been cast and very soon no one need to go to London to see the Big Ben or to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower,’ Didi announced. ‘They’ll get it all here in our city.’
‘Yes,’ Moo Cool added. ‘Many such masterpieces would soon decorate the City of Joy. They will add to its charms and bring in the tourists.’
‘All thanks must go to Didi,’ Patro Chatto said. ‘We can proudly say ‘I have seen the Big Ben from up close’ or ‘I have clicked a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower.’
‘This is a major step in our efforts to woo tourists,’ Didi gave a wry smile. ‘We must arrange some more promotional videos with our brand ambassador.’

‘Don’t worry, ‘Dee Wreck assured. ‘We have covered the tram. Our next target is the hand pulled rickshaw. Our model actually wanted to draw the rickshaw and not just sit in it as a passenger with the strains of the super hit song ‘mein rickshaw wallah…’ in the background.’
‘I know him,’ Didi smiled. ‘He loves to live his role. Ensure that he gets a suitable actress as company. He flowers in the company of women.’
‘What is the next landmark in your sight?’ Moo Col wanted to know.
‘I am debating on getting either the White House or the Berlin Wall,’ Didi said. ‘Both are equally good.’
‘What about the location?’ Dee Wreck was curious.
‘We have installed the Big Ben in Lake Town, right?’
‘Yes.’
‘And plan to have the Eiffel Tower in the Eco Park, right?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then the White House can come up in the Millennium Park on the banks of the Hoogly.’
‘But – we had planned to have the giant Ferris Wheel there? Like ‘The Eye’ in London?’ Dee Wreck reminded.
‘Plans can and do change,’ Didi said. ‘Moreover London is already symbolized by the Big Ben.’
‘Then what about the Berlin Wall?’ Moo Cool asked.
‘I have not yet decided,’ Didi admitted. ‘It will be a toss-up between the Berlin Wall and the Great Wall of China.’
‘And, you want it on the borders?’
‘No – installing it on the border will send out the wrong message. It might affect the supply of ilish and I will lose the support of the ilish lovers. I don’t want that.’
‘Then where will you position it?’
‘All around Nabanna,’ Didi said. ‘It will save my policemen the trouble of wearing helmets all the time. Helmets can become a nuisance because you keep sweating - have you not seen cricketers on the field remove the helmet to get rid of the accumulated water?’ (to be continued …)


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Tallest Durga idol in Kolkata goes under cover

For the last six months, hoardings in the streets of Kolkata and every conceivable media outlet kept urging the people of Kolkata to wait for the biggest Durga idol of all times – it was supposed an 88-feet tall idol and could go into the Book of Records. The venue would be the Deshapriya Park located in a posh locality in South Kolkata.
But, when it was finally unveiled, no one had expected that it would go under covers within 24-hours - literally!! It is in South Kolkata that all important puja celebrations take place and that has been the tradition for years. Needless to say, Bengalis from near and far travel all over the city and, unless he has been to the important pandals, he feels his journey is incomplete.

I had visited Kolkata a couple of years back and had elected the period of Durga puja because I wanted to relive the celebrations of 25-years back – yes, I had last seen the pujas in Kolkata approximately quarter of a century earlier!! Fortunately, I had a vehicle at my disposal, thanks to my brother-in-law and its driver was a gem. The young man knew the streets of the city like the back of his hand and kept coming with parking slots as near to the venue of a puja as possible. That saved me long walks.
Anyway, to come back to the sad story of the ‘biggest Durga’ – it was constructed and dutifully inaugurated by celebrities and visitors began trooping in to get a glimpse of a really huge Durga idol. They came from not only the city but from outskirts as well because the word of mouth had spread like wildfire and, visiting it became a mandatory talking point at all levels.
But, the joy was short lived – before the end of the first day, the police banned entry of people in the venue and put the huge 88-fot idol under cover. It seems the security arrangements had not been properly planned and there was avoidable confusion that could have put the lives of people at risk. (to be continued .... )

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Durga Puja and cultural programs

Durga Puja today is celebrated on a grand scale in Kolkata and anyone remotely connected with the celebrations invariably enjoy the fruits of labor in the form of fringe benefits. It happens irrespective of the size. I remember in our township where it was on a scale much smaller than that in Kolkata but large by local standards.
The venue was fixed – it used to be in an open space that the organizers covered up to ensure sitting spaces for those who would come to enjoy the entertainment programs in the evening.
I am talking of the period of the 1970s when TV was an object of desire that was available in only a few selected houses. The TV set was B&W and the programs were only from Doordarshan.

Anyway, in those days, the organizers of the Pujas in township would make arrangements to have one entertainment program every evening for all the four days. Due to the proximity with Mumbai, volunteers would go there and contact orchestra groups and reputed drama groups. The intention was to have programs that would appeal to different sections of society. The entertainment would be Bollywood based with artistes who would sing, dance, and perform mimicry. The drama would be Marathi. And, then, there would be a local program where local talent would go on stage.
Obviously, all these involved finance and, since the number of Bengalis was limited, the organizers had to reach out to others. Volunteers would fan out beyond township and collect donations. Everyone who donated would be given passes to attend the entertainment programs in the evenings and arrangements would be made to request the MSRTC buses for special trips at the end of the show.
However, all good things do not last for long and, in this case also, the social scenario gradually underwent a sea change – the reason was the arrival of color TV and a variety of entertainment channels. The days of ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Mahabharata’ on Doordarshan was over, it was replaced by serials like Hum Log and Buniyaad. (to be continued …)
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The pandal hoppers of Kolkata

Pandal hopping is a relatively new concept that has begun a couple of decades back in Kolkata. Given the number of Durga Pujas held in only Kolkata and the desire of people to go and have a look at the latest artistic features and designs of the idols and the pandals, a new breed of enthusiasts have come up. These are the pandal hoppers who form groups and hop from one pandal to another to catch the excitement.
This activity begins from the Mahalaya when some important pandals carry out inauguration through celebrities who range from local politicians to stalwarts of the literary fields or the silver screens and, in some cases, sports persons. Then there are the mandatory judges who are roped in to assign marks to the top Puja pandals – the criterion for assigning marks could be the decorations, the uniqueness of the idols, and the special emphasis on environment or social messages and agendas.

Once the awards like ‘Super Star’, ‘Mega Star’ etcetera are announced, the crowds begin to pour in and, the more the footfalls, the more is happiness all around because the sponsors rake in the moolah and the organizers are assured of continued patronage from big names.
Due to the huge crowds milling around the venues, those who use vehicles have to park the same a distance away and have to walk. These groups could be people of the same family or group of friends. And, since the attraction of the pandals is not only the decorations but also the display of colored lights, the hoppers must select darkness. That they do by timing their hopping late in the night – when the venues are less crowded and restriction on parking of vehicles is not there.
Needless to say, those who opt for late night hopping are a boisterous lot – they want to enjoy and leave no stone unturned to make the hopping a memorable one. With four nights at their disposal, they draw up their plans on which area to visit when. (to be continued …)
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Bengalis and the hawkers’ corners in Kolkata

It was at some point of time in the mid-1950s that the first ever hawker’s corner came up in North Kolkata at Shyambazar. It was located in the area of cinema halls and the famous Hatibagan bazar. As the name suggests, it was meant exclusively for hawkers who were allotted one unit of space in which the owner could set up shop and sell his wares.
It was a sprawling covered space and the shops were mostly of clothes, sarees, blouses, handicrafts, artificial jewelry, toys etcetera. And, the advantage of having it in an area frequented by people was good for business. There were no overheads as such and usually, the owners were jack-of-all-trades from being the salesman to the helper boy.

At times they were assisted by their wives or sisters because the clientele was usually women and girls.
Later, more hawkers’ corners were set up in Kalighat and in the Maidan. The concept was to rehabilitate the refugees who had come over from Bangladesh and the government of the day rose to the occasion to set up these hawkers’ corners.
However, in South Kolkata, the picture was different. Here also refugees had settled in the suburbs and they also wanted to find out methods of earning their livelihood. Most of them put up cottages on forcibly acquired land and took up hawking goods from footpaths. And, over a period of time, they joined hands, formed groups, obtained the blessings of political parties and began to set up shops on the footpaths of the busy crossing at Gariahat.
Right now, it is impossible for pedestrians to use the footpath due to the encroachment.
The bottom line is that these hawkers are officially categorized as unemployed, their names ae registered in the employment exchanges but the amount of money that the take home at the end of the day can never be imagined. It is all tax-free. (to be continued…)

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Durga Puja is the busiest time of the year for Kumortuli

Durga Puja is the greatest festival of Bengalis and the artisans who create the idols of Goddess Durga and her retinue of four children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh use this opportunity to earn their year’s income.
In Kolkata, they work in the locality known as Kumortuli – kumor means one who works with clay and tuli is a locality. Their work is a long drawn, painstaking one and since most of the idols are made of eco-friendly material like straw, bamboo, clay and jute threads, the artisans have to be wary of the sudden rains that can spoil their works.

The size and style varies from one idol to another and the idol makers are contacted very much in advance by the authorities of the clubs who specify their requirements. Once a contract is arrived at, the work begins in full swing and club committee members maintain a regular follow-up to ensure that nothing goes wrong.
It is a busy time for not only the artisans but also for those who make the frills like the weapons, the artificial jewelry, and the trinkets that go to make the complete Durga.
Then there are some idol makers who go in for using alternate material like fiberglass – these are usually small in size and meant for overseas markets. Yes, Bengalis who have settled in foreign countries do arrange the celebrations there and, for this, they obtain fiberglass idols which are easy to transport and handle.
And, in villages in Bengal, the making of the idol is held in a central place and people from nearby places flock to see as the idol takes shape step by step from the straw skeleton till the application of paint and final decoration. There is much enthusiasm among especially the children who spend hours watching the complete process. (to be continued …)
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36-days for Durga Puja and the dhakis get ready

Suddenly I saw this tiny news flash blinking on the top left hand corner of one of the Bengali TV channels – it was announcing ‘36-days left for Durga Pujas’.
That conjured up visions of the past when no one had heard about television and newspapers enjoyed prime place in every home. It was the medium available to know what is happening around us apart from the news reports broadcast over the Radio – it was a boring affair.
Anyway, these newspapers had other uses also – people would come from door to door to buy the old papers because these would then be made into paper bags and sold to shopkeepers to pack groceries. Many of these buyers of old newspapers cheated by using weights that were not proper – a portion would be scooped out from the rear and, even though the weight resembled a one-kilogram measure, due to the tampering, it could actually be 900-grams!!

But, the best part of newspapers were the ads of new arrivals in clothes and footwear and special ‘Sales Offers’ pertaining to previous years’ stocks held in the inventory of the shopkeepers. These would be termed ‘Puja Sales’. As far as footwear goes, the leading newspapers would devote the last page to showcasing the wide range of new designs with prices – the purpose was that the head of the family could prepare his budget in advance. Pujas meant celebrations and wearing new clothes and footwear. For the women folk, there would be jewelry and cosmetics – and these invariably took second place because the boys mattered more. The weaker sex had to learn that sacrifice is what they must accept.
And, while the city folks began to gear up for the celebrations, the dhakis living in far-off villages would be fine-tuning their instruments – namely the ‘dhaks’. Durga Puja was the occasion to make some money. Their ‘dhaks’ or drums would have to perform to perfection and create music appropriate to the occasion. They would have to participate in open competitions in Sealdah Station in Kolkata and satisfy the organizers of the Pujas to be selected for that year. (to be continued …)
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Bengalis and the scenario of political violence

I remember in the 1950s there was a stir in Kolkata over the increase in fare of trams by one paisa – it was much before the introduction of the decimal coinage. In those days, one paisa was just one paisa, a circular bit of copper with a hole in its middle. Well – the increase led to a stir and police firing. I was a school student and at home. The windows had been kept closed by my mother to shut out the unpleasantness outside, and I was trying to open a panel and peep outside when suddenly a bullet whizzed past my ears and embedded in the wooden frame of the window.
That was my first experience with violence.
Later, when I was in college, there was this milkman who used to deliver milk to our house – he was a jovial character, a Bihari and well loved by one and all. One morning, he failed to come. And, we learnt that he had been killed in a bomb explosion. He had tried to intervene in a political quarrel and paid the price.

In those days the Naxalite movement was always in the news. Young and bright students would form groups on the sly to rebel against the authorities. They felt that the country was not in good hands and they wanted to change it.
And, in order to tackle that thinking a new police officer came to Kolkata. He was young and it was rumored that he would go around the city in plain clothes and would stop when he saw a gathering of young boys. He would alight, go near them and eavesdrop. Then he would order his force to take them in and carry them far away where they would be released and asked to run. And – a bullet in the back would mark the end of a would-be rebel.
I have no idea about the truth of these reports because, by that time, I had left Kolkata and heard about these instances when I came home on leave. It seems at the time many of these youngsters left Kolkata for fear of being hounded out by the police. Rumor has it that one of them had fled to Mumbai and made a name for himself in the movies. Once again – I do not know whether it is true or just another imaginary tale.
Anyway, the Calcutta Coffee House on College Street in the educational hub of the city surrounded by institutions like the Calcutta University, the Presidency College, and the Hindu College played a major role in shaping the future of Bengal. Intellectuals gathered there and over cups of coffee would debate the future course of action depending on which the wind blows. (to be continued …)
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Bengalis are a politically conscious lot

Bengal is probably the only state in India where politics begins literally from the cradles – at the grassroots level of schools and colleges. Bengalis mature very fast in this field and the training begins early because Kolkata is the only city where school going children have to grow up facing the wrath of political parties and politicians.
Their training begins with bandhs and rallies on any subject under the Sun – the children gradually get used to be sitting it out in the traffic jams as the protesters shout slogans and march on the streets. Obviously, the message goes out clear and loud to the kids that might is right and, if you want something, demand it as a right and take to the streets.

Once the Bengali children move on to the next level of education namely, college, they really get into the thick of things. They have to align themselves to some political party because politicians are firm believers in the logic that the college is the nurturing ground of future leaders. Naturally, the students step into a new world where a general feeling is that the party in power can dictate terms and others have to follow, else face the consequences which could be death.
It was there earlier and is still in vogue – only, earlier it used to be on a selective basis, and today it is free for all.
Believe it or not, one of my nieces passed out from a reputed school and got admission in the prestigious St Xavier’s College but she elected to in City College because Xavier’s was not politically oriented and she wanted to see action first hand!! (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

(Image curtesy ikimediacommons.org)

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Bengali’s favorite dhokar dalna

Dhokar dalna is a dish loved by Bengalis and, while chana dal can be converted into any number of mouthwatering recipes, the dhokar dalna is in a world of its own – it remains unruffled by the innumerable items that keep sprouting all around it clamoring for attention.
Dhokar dalna, undoubtedly, rules the roost and holds a pride of place in the Bengali cuisine – the place it occupies cannot be taken by any other.
The person who created this wonderful dish is not known, neither is there any explanation of why it is called dhokar dalna. ‘Dhoka’ stands for ‘bluff’ and ‘dalna’ usually means a thick sort of spicy gravy. This part of the nomenclature is understandable but not the ‘dhoka’ part!!

Anyway, preparing this delicious dish is a tedious affair. There are a number of steps involved right from soaking the chholar dal in water and, later, making a paste out of it. To get the proper taste, the paste used to be made on a grinding stone but, with the advent of the food processors, the activity can be offloaded to the gadget. Only – care should be taken to ensure that the paste remains a bit coarse.
Then follows adding spices and drying the paste so that it lends itself to be suitable molded by laying it on a plate and cutting into diamond shapes. Some like it square, others rectangles - the shape does not matter. The next step is to fry these squares or rectangles or diamonds to a brownish color. And, then preparing the gravy and putting the fried dhokas into the gravy.
From the above it is clear that it requires time, patience and, of course, the ability to prepare the dhokar dalna. But, the homemakers of today are busy with their activities of running the house alongside taking care of the children and working in the office. They may have the inclination but do not have the time. They must, at times, feel the absence of elderly ladies in the family. Therefore, when the palate wants the taste of dhokar dalna, they make a beeline for some restaurant.
Incidentally, the basic ingredient of dhokar dalna is the dhoka and, there are shops in Kolkata that sell these packets of ready-mix. There are the ‘best by’ dates indicated and all one needs to do is to prepare the gravy, add the dhokas and enjoy. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


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Joynagarer Moah – a unique sweet of Bengal

There are several food items that are unique to West Bengal and, while others may try to imitate them, their efforts very seldom deliver that which is there in the originals. Bengalis have a sweet tooth and sweets rule the roost – in every lane and by lane, alongside the tea shops there are the shops that sell sweets. The sweets appear to be the same but, each shop has its specific patrons.
Anyway – to return to some sweets that are Bengal’s identity. There is the Joynagarer moah which is available only during the winter months. The reason is the ingredients that go into making these sweets that are the delight of Bengalis. Anyone who is returning from Kolkata during winter would invariably be weighed down by packets of this delicacy.

The moah are made from a special kind of puffed rice that are bound with jiggery – that too special nalen gur which is made out of the juice of palms trees. The juice is collected and boiled over a slow fire till the liquid crystalizes and turns solid. There is a special tact involved and the final product depends on the artist who toils over the fire to create these masterpieces. Machines cannot create these.
There was tis beautiful movie on the subject – it was the 1973 movie Saudagar and its actors were Amitabh Bachhan, Nutan and Padma Khanna.
Anyway, the Joynagarer moah of South 24 Parganas Joynagar district has now won the coveted G I (geographical indication) tag. This tag attaches great prestige to the special sweet that has a very short life and has brought joy to those who make these.
Two more equally unique Bengali sweets are the Mihidana and Sitabhog of Burdwan.
These are under evaluation by the concerned people in Chennai and a decision is expected to be made known soon.
Incidentally, a GI tag is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin. (to be continued …)

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A street food named jhal muri

Jhal muri is a street food that is unique to Kolkata – it has been there for ages and no one can really remember who invented this recipe. It is a very simple recipe and requires no cooking as such. It is a ready to eat mixture that is usually prepared and served to the customers on demand. It is always fresh and a delicious preparation that used to, once upon a time, be the catalyst for relationships between the boys and the girls – in the days when social networking, as we now know it, was nonexistent.
The art of making jhal muri is a well-kept secret of those who have mastered the art. Way back in the 1950s and 1960s, the sellers, wearing ghungroos (bells) around their ankles, would go about the neighborhood. The very sound of the bells was music to the ears and children would flock to the source of the jingling to get in queue and lay hands on the jhal muri packets.

These packets would be made of paper, mostly large size pages of magazines.
As to the ingredients – most important was the fluffed rice of muri. The dispenser of the concoction would put a fistful of muri into a container which would usually be a can that once held oil or ghee or some such product.
Then would follow a whole lot of ingredients like tiny pieces of onions, green chili, fried groundnuts, and a few other exotic items. He would then sprinkle a few drops of mustard oil in the container and stir the ingredients with a large spoon.
And – then he would remove a packet, pour the jhal muri into it and serve with a flourish. Usually, the quantity of jhal muri prepared would depend on the number of customers at that point of time.
Incidentally, jhal muri vendors are also seen in trains bound for Kolkata – they board the trains when they enter the borders of West Bengal and the long distance passengers are their patrons because jhal muri is an identity of Bengalis. (to be continued …)

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Modern day fad - vegetables cut and packaged, ready to cook

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention and, therefore, it has come to pass that today we can get vegetables cut, packed and ready to cook. These are available off the shelf and have come as a boon to those who do not want to be bothered about the dull routine of peeling and cutting the vegetables for cooking.
I first saw it in a number of shopping outlets in Bangalore – the packets were nicely stacked on air-conditioned shelves and the customers were young couples, most of them being from the IT industry. They had just started getting used to a family life and, probably, were not that confident about the process of getting the veggies into proper shape. Moreover, such peeling and cutting required necessary cutting equipment apart from some sort of expertise.

Well – if these were readily available off the shelf, why should worry about cutting equipment and expertise. As to the cooking, there are any number of websites that can provide step by step guidance on preparing the most typical of mouthwatering dishes.
Later, I saw such ready-made packets of cut vegetables in shopping outlets in Nashik as well as in Pune – obviously, the fad has caught on.
When I last visited Kolkata, I found such cut vegetables sold in the markets. In some shops, the shopkeeper will peel and cut the vegetable that you have purchased. As they do for the fish – they descale and cut the fish because the modern day nuclear families do not have any elder women in the house to undertake such dull, boring chores like those of yore who used to be entrusted with these activities.
And, in Nashik, I have seen fruits being sold cut and packaged during festivals like Ganesh Puja and Divali. It is customary to offer at least five different types of fruits to the Gods. But, due to the high cost, a solution has been found. Packets containing one piece of each fruit is sold. For those who cannot afford full fruits, the solution is to offer cut pieces like one pod of an orange, one slice of guava, one grape etcetera – the cost is much less!! (to be continued …)
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‘Ladies’ seats in Kolkata buses

Kolkata is probably the only city in India where there are seats reserved for women in public transports like the bus, the mini bus, the private bus and trams. There are special ‘ladies only' trams also in some tram routes frequented by women who go to work – other women and girls take advantage of these transports when available because these ensure adequate security as well as privacy.
In the local trains of Mumbai and Kolkata, there are compartments reserved for women commuters where men are not allowed to board – once again, it is from safety considerations.

But, the reservation of a few seats for women in public transports in Kolkata is something that defies logic. It is implemented to such an extent that, in case men occupy these seats, the very sight of a woman approaching sends shivers up their spines and they to get up with a wry face to allow the woman to sit.
Those who occupy these seats have to literally fight their way through the mass of sweating, smelly men to first reach the coveted seat and, once again they have to elbow their way out of the men to get down from the bus. It is difficult to appreciate their regular tussles for the ‘ladies only’ seat. In any case, when all these reserved seats are taken, they have to travel like any other ordinary commuter.
Why then should there be seats reserved for women when they have to face so much hardship? It was probably OK 30 or 40 years back when the number of working women was much less but, today it is out of place.
In other metros, women travel just as their male counterparts rubbing shoulder to shoulder. They occupy seats as and when they fall vacant and do not bother much about the man sitting next to her. In the age of women’s lib, the women have learnt to assert themselves – why then should the women of Kolkata still want these privilege?
It would be of interest to know that in cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Nashik, there are women bus conductors who can give the men a run for their money. They do not tolerate any nonsense and can take on the men on equal terms. That is as it ought to be. The women of Kolkata should fight for removal of such silly privileges. (to be continued …)

(Image courteous wikimediacommons.org)
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The recent murder of an elderly couple, who lived in a flat in North Kolkata, has thrown up a major question on the safety of elderly people who live in metros and are always at the mercy of others. Their daughter stays abroad and the professor couple lived all alone in the flat.

Both of them were retired professors and they had a young man to do odd jobs in the house. This man was supposed to be very reliable and trustworthy because the elderly couple had helped him out in many ways. They had got him married to a girl who used to be their maid servant and had even financed a cycle rickshaw so that he could earn a decent living. It seems this young man murdered both of them and ransacked the flat searching for money that the old man had withdrawn from the bank. Incidentally, he had gone to bank on the same cycle rickshaw of the murderer. This murder is now being debated by all media outlets and no one really knows how to tackle such problems. Yes, the police keep advising people, especially aged people, to keep records of all those who work in their house and pass it on to the local police. But, that can never be enough. With the disappearance of the joint family system, the bonds between members of a family have weakened and the effects are felt at every step. The sons and daughters are either away in distant places because of jobs or because of marriage and the parents are left to fend for themselves in a world that shows no mercy. These elderly persons do not have any shortage of money, what they are short of is the closeness of the immediate family. In today’s world, contact can certainly be maintained through SMSs or phone calls or even through chat rooms – but, the personal touch is missing, it can never be replaced with any other means. Father’s Day, Mother’s Day are all ornamental stuff and, when one grows old, one wants something more than just words. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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