My Kolkata Konnection

Kolkata is my city, my home. It stirs up my emotions, it stirs up my soul. The city at dusk through the heavy dark thunder clouds, the incessant noise from the crowded streets, the familiar and the unfamiliar faces, the multiple options of local savouries, the hurtling riot of colours – these rejuvenate me. Born and brought up for the most part in Kolkata, my Bengali genes are to be blamed not only for my relentless creative pursuits but also my insatiated taste-buds. Wherever I go or whichever city I have lived in and set up our homes later in my life, there has always been a reference to something or someplace or somebody or some incident in Kolkata.

It amuses me and irritates me. Imagine finding Venice, one of the most romantic cities in the world, to be similar to water-logged North Kolkata. Definitely not a romantic idea of a few Euros well spent! My friends who have no prior experience of Kolkata, often ask me – ‘What do you like about Kolkata?’or ‘Hey, we want to visit Kolkata. What do you suggest we should see?’ – these questions make me nervous, as well as excited. Nervous, because I want them to like my Kolkata. Excited, because I have a huge things-to-do-list which I can hand over!

How can I explain to them that one has feel the city, live the city and then only realise what Kolkata is. It is as good as living in a kaleidoscope. For those who haven’t had any prior ‘Kolkata’ experience, I hope I can show them Kolkata in my way. For, I cannot ever severe my soul Konnection. I know that’s not the Korrect spelling but Connection with a K is the only random thing that matches with my city, Kolkata!

◊————————————————–◊

Dubai is my adopted home currently, and most of the food posts have been juxtaposed against my Kolkata nostalgia or my living experiences in the UAE. Culture, history, recipes, food stories and nostalgia unfold amidst the urban backdrop of Dubai, in most of my writings. Hence, sometimes I’ve not been able to demarcate between Dubai and Kolkata posts. Do click on this link for all the Recipes, Food Reviews, Food Events and Travel Banters that are there in the blog. And here, for all posts that fall under the category of Dubai and the UAE.

10 Kolkata/Bengali posts – My pick!
♦ Traditional Bengali Cuisine | In ‘Slight’ Details – An etymological explanation of our food-fetish
♦ Dilipda’s Phuchkas in Vivekananda Park | World Famous In Kolkata!
♦ Pickles | Mother (-in-law) Of All Pickles!
♦ Momos in Tiretti Bazar | The Last Chinese Remnants!
♦ Khichuri As Harbinger of Hope & Kolkata Soaked In Rains
♦ Firni or Ferni, Ramadan or Ramzan, Mallick Bazar or Karama | It’s The Same Festive Sentiment!
♦ Terraces and Beyond – Kolkata
♦ Shiraz Golden Restaurant, Dubai | From Lucknow To Kolkata And To Dubai!
♦ Rôshogolla (রসগোল্লা) | Bengali’s Own Sweet
♦ The Magistrate’s House, No. 1 Thackeray Road, Alipore – Kolkata

Disclaimer: I hope you enjoy reading the posts with lot of visuals. While you enjoy seeing them please don’t use them as some of them have been taken from our personal albums just to make your reading experience more pleasurable. You can see more pictures of my travel and food journey here.

◊————————————————–◊

The World Awaits, for me to wander. ‘It’s a new world – it’s a new start/ It’s alive with the beating of young hearts… Here I am…’ Artist: Bryan Adams from the Movie ‘Spirit’. That is the idea behind the title of the Parent Category under which all the posts are listed and photos are cataloged.

Following are the various places in the world that I have visited:
Tracking My Footprints

Following are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites that I have visited:
- In India
- In Asia (outside India)
- In Europe