Kolkata has prospered over the last decade

The other day I was listening to the famous video song of Usha Uthup on Kolkata. It showed different scenes of the City of Joy and I longed to go back to the old days of the 1960s. I had left the city in the 1960s (it was known then as Calcutta) and subsequently visited it on special occasions. The last time was in 2019 to attend a marriage. I noticed that the city I grew up in had changed. There were flyovers, and skyscrapers alongside new attractions to woo tourists. Once there used to be the zoo garden, botanical garden, museum, Victoria Memorial, Birla planetarium etcetera. Now there are additions like the Eco Park, Nicco Park, Science City, floating restaurant on the Hoogly River and innumerable hotels and restaurant.

Most of these have come up during the tenure of Mamata Banerjee as chief minister. She is not only the supremo of Trinamool Congress TMC but also gifted with artistic talents. How Mamata Banerjee unwinds herself with artistic pursuits. She can wield the brush as well as the pen and was instrumental in promoting the annual Durga Puja festival on a global scale. However, her efforts to bring industries to her state have not met with much success. On the whole, Kolkata has prospered over the last decade. It is evident in every walk of life. Bengalis love the ilish fish and, even though the price might go up to Rs 2000 per Kg, there are buyers. Uemployment is a major issue in Bengal but there is no dearth of buyers of ilish.

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Fuchka Festival in Kolkata and selfies (satire)

Didi was in top gear. She had won a battle and had returned land to the farmers. She had ousted an automobile manufacturing company from her land, had uprooted the buildings and had returned the land back to the farmers. It was a promise she had made and, she had fulfilled it.
‘I think this calls for a celebration,’ Patro Chatto said in a low voice. He had, of late, come closer to Didi and he loved to bask in her glory.
‘Let us arrange a festival,’ Didi said. ‘We have ilish festival and sandesh festival, let us organize another interesting festival that has universal appeal.’
‘We can go in for jhal muri festival,’ Dee Wreck suggested. ‘It is a unique product of Bengal and has taken London by storm. I have seen rave reviews in the social media. We can use the opportunity to woo the British to come to our city.’
‘That is a good idea,’ Fear Had said. ‘I know you also love jhal muri. The other day you were having jhal muri in front of Victoria Memorial with one of your guests and it became hot news. Just like the hot jhal muri.’ Didi gave Fear Had a hard look.
‘I have a better idea,’ Omit Misra cleared his throat. ‘It has a mass appeal because it is loved equally all over the country.’
‘What is it?’ Didi asked.

‘Fuchka,’ Omit Misra replied and wiped his glasses. ‘It is also known as the golguppa or pani puri. Whenever I get a chance, I have several mouthfuls.’
‘Not a bad idea,’ Didi was serious. ‘I’ll invite my friends from Delhi and Mumbai to set up stalls for variety.’ ‘What about the venue?’ Show Van asked.
‘The Milon Mela,’ Didi said. ‘That is where we hold all festivals.’
‘But – it is a huge area. Can it be filled?’
Didi grinned.
‘Don’t be silly,’ she chided him. ‘There will be stalls for selling fuchka and golguppas and pani puris. Then there will be a section on cookery where experts will come and talk about how to make fuchkas. And – there will be books on fuchkas. I will write one book of poems about fuchka. The possibilities are unlimited.’
‘When do we have this festival?’ Dee Wreck asked.
‘Get hold of the oldest fuchka man and his date of birth. That will be the date,’ Didi said. ‘He will probably be from Bihar. I will honor him on the occasion and my fans will increase. I will also declare a holiday on that date so that everyone can make a beeline for Milon Mela to enjoy fuchkas.’
‘There is one problem,’ Patro Chatto mumbled.
‘What?’ Didi asked.
‘Can you take selfie while gulping fuchkas?’ (to be continued …)


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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