Excited as I was about our adventures in North Sikkim, I dived in and wrote about Lachung and Yumthang. But the first place we visited was Kolkata. That’s where the […]
Indian Coffee House
smoke swirls coffee tastes peculiar i drink it anyway, along with something with mustard mainly for the mustard, rather than for the ‘something’ people stick political posters over the board […]
Trams in Kolkata
Yes, I’ve written about trams before, in a post with the same name as this. But how could I go to Kolkata again and not create some more tram memories? […]
Varsha and the Kerosene Stove
“So, Mamma, there’s no geyser in this place and they’ve given me a kerosene stove to heat water. What to do?” “Hmm. Okay. What kind of stove is it?” “Mm?” […]
Buying a Fridge
My sister came to Kolkata and helped me buy a fridge. It was a long and detailed exploration, comparing brands, sizes and prices at various places. We wandered around, visiting shop […]
The First Year Away
I remember the time the house got flooded and I put my mattress up on the fridge. I shared a bed with my flatmate, and we watched dead cockroaches, plastic […]
Trams in Kolkata
The first time I went to Kolkata, I also went to Darjeeling. I was much younger then, and I was really just visiting my father’s city, the place he grew […]
‘Stranded’ in Ahmedabad
I remember the time when my father decided to surprise me by coming along with me on my flight to Kolkata. My flight had a stop over at Ahmedabad, and […]
Local Trains
I have a distinct memory of a ride in a local train when I was two years old. I remember crazy traffic on Mumbai roads – the reason why my […]
Flat-Hunting
I think flat-hunting is one of those jobs that is most tedious, yet most adventurous, when done alone. After one year in Calcutta, armed with my knowledge of Bangla (largely […]
Jeep Rides
Some people say that if you can drive in India, you can drive anywhere in the world. Others are more specific. They say that if you can drive in Calcutta, […]
No Television
I moved into a flat that looked as if it had been painted by the landlord himself. It had definitely been painted by someone who had never painted anything before. […]
Cycle Rickshaw
When I went to Kolkata for my entrance exams, I stayed with a friend’s family. The first day there, Uncle took me in a cycle rickshaw. He warned me, “Don’t […]