Saudade (n.)
Origin: Portuguese
Definition: A nostalgic longing to be near something/ someone who is distant
The Howrah Bridge in the distance, putting up a show with its lights!
Calcutta, or Kolkata, has always held a place in my heart. I’d traveled to KOL a few times but always for work or when passing by. In my deepest desires, I always wanted to holiday in the City of Joy. I wanted to understand what I had been longing for. Yes, KOL had been my Saudade.
It was time for me to make a solo expedition. I chose KOL despite questioning looks from family. The disheartening weather forecasts did not deter me. Thus, here I’m, P, sharing my story of traveling to Calcutta, the business hub of Eastern India.
(A detailed account of each day will follow in later blog posts.)
See the color color color of the sky!
Friday, 22 July 2022 – NCR to Kolkata
A first-class blue sky from my IndiGo flight greeted me pleasantly. The Kolkata airport was transformed beautifully. A friendly Bharat Taxi cabbie contributed to a wonderful start to my Day 1. I stayed in a room with a fantastic view at Fairfield by Marriott. I enjoyed a Chinese meal at Chowman. These experiences prepped me for a peaceful slumber.
Evening was all about art at the Kaee Contemporary. It was the opening night for a new exhibition called When The Other Stares Back. In one word, thought – provoking! Noshing on kebabs & biryani followed at The Bridge, Polo Floatel with my cousin SD.
Saturday, 23 July 2022 – Central Kolkata Sightseeing
The day my tryst with rain began. All was sunny till I entered the Saint Paul’s Cathedral. As I sat admiring the stained-glass windows & the memorial engravings, at some point of time, it started raining. I waited for 30 minutes for the rain to cease. When it didn’t, I made my way in the drizzle to the Victoria Memorial.
Irrepressible Subhas, an exhibition on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, was ongoing on the ground floor. The first floor of the Memorial housed the Biplobi Bharat Gallery. Those who know me know that I read every single exhibit. But the wealth of information here overwhelmed even someone like me. (Still raining when I stepped out of the Victoria Memorial!)
Kolkata was my one Saudade, the other being Flurys. I don’t even remember since when I’ve wanted to visit this iconic cafe. My wish got fulfilled on this excursion. (& finally, the rain ceased!) Lunch was followed by a solemn, humbling drive to The Mother House of The Missionaries of Charity. How does a person be so selfless?
Bougainvilleas adding beauty to an already magnificent structure!
Similar thoughts kept churning in my head as walked later on the Princep Ghat, a promenade on the river Ganges. My heart was so full. I needed to loosen up. Soul – The Sky Lounge in the Park Street Area provided the perfect spot for this. As the dusk sky turned pink, I reminded myself of an important thought.
Maybe we can be both fun-loving and selfless. Not all of us can be Mother Teresa. Nonetheless, we can try to be good human beings!
Sunday, 24 July 2022 – North Kolkata Sightseeing
What a generous breakfast spread at Kava, the Fairfield restaurant! It set me up for a walking & sightseeing day ahead. First up was the Howrah Bridge. My nemesis, the rain, had begun to fall again in a milder format. This emboldened me to walk the length of the Bridge. I felt history exude from its every joint!
I’d been quite eager to see the Jorasanko Thakur Bari. It is the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore. I felt fully satisfied at this typical Bengali mansion of the older days. Its striking green and red color was captivating. The countless galleries hold invaluable information about the Nobel Laureate. Some more family time followed with lunch with SD & her parents, my uncle & aunt.
I wanted to visit the Science City, but the rain had finally dampened my spirit. I wasn’t in a mood for more knowledge – gathering. I made a brief halt at the Birla Mandir in Ballygunge. I was lucky to be there at the time of the evening aarti. The rest of the evening was at Vertex, the lounge at Fairfield. I listened to Pratham Kar.
Playing catch-up!
Then I went to Kava to munch on a special Bengali dinner.
Monday, 25 July 2022 – Wrapping Up On A Divine Note
The Goddesses & Swamis wanted me to visit their abodes! The rain took a break & I made a voyage to the Dakshineswar Kali Mandir, a Hindu navratna temple. From there, Alam bhai drove me to the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission. After the hustle bustle of Dakshineswar Mandir, Belur was an oasis of calm!
As soon as I stepped out of the Belur Math & sat in the cab, it began to rain again! Ha ha! I’d planned to visit the Eco Park but had to drop that. Instead, I headed back to the hotel, packed, made short work of the lunch buffet & checked out. On the way to the airport, I stopped at Mishti Hub to buy Sandesh & Baked Rasgulla.
Lounging at the Vistara lounge & then being pampered in the business class brought to an end a fabulous trip!
Why have I made such a brief blog post? :D Because I intend to write detailed posts for each of these days. This blog post was to give an overview of how a long weekend KOL trip can be planned. Stay tuned for more posts on Kolkata, once the premier center of Indian culture!
