Krishna Janmashtami

Our apartment was redolent with the aroma of the frying 'taler - bora' or tal (palm sap) pakora, this rain soaked afternoon.

Afterall it is Krishna Janmashtami!

As much as both the rains and taler bora are traditional Janmashatmi events, so is distributing boxes of the afore mentioned tal er bora to friends and family! Thankgod. It is quite difficult to stop eating them ...

Crimson Pride!

The dominant colour this rainy month has been gray in many many many shades! The jaba - (in Bengali) and hibiscus to the rest thought otherwise!  

Ma's verandah. Soggy August afternoon in Kolkata.

Gone for a six

I boarded the near empty bus from the Ruby Hospital stop.

This was my first time to Hi-Land Park Multiplex by bus. Apart from being like 100 times cheaper than my usual cab, the ride itself was very pleasant. It was only 11 am on this rainy Sunday. The bus fairly zipped through the empty roads!

I asked the conductor what the fare was.

"Over boundary", was his response.

What? I stared at him blankly.

But only for a few seconds .... before I got it.

6 rupees. And just in time too. Before his amusing poser would be lost on a stupid passenger!

Only in Kolkata, this!

PS - The movie was good too!

The Eagle has landed

Not the noisy crows. Nor the shrill mynah. She is back. Solitary. Regal. Many a nights she spent on the branches just outside my window, waking me up with a single cry early in the morning. Then she'd spread her wings and take off as another day began. Just as suddenly, she disappeared. But now, she is back.

The path less taken

Its only a short walk to Nandan along AJC Bose Road from Exide More.  But it had been raining on and off. I didnt feel upto the jostling crowds on the narrow stretch of a footpath which would be wet, slippery, muddy. So, I "ventured" past the Nehru Children's Museum - a passer by assured me that there was a connection right upto Nandan. I did. Just behind, was a beautifully paved walk surrounding a pond with the Saint Paul's Cathedral on the other end.

I was quite amazed. At my frog in the well view of the world. I have always had only one view of the Cathedral. I must have visited Nandan a zillion times ... or more.

But mostly at the sight of the white cathedral under a grey sky. Beautiful.

Clouded Humour!

Cirrus, cumulus and now humourous!

Clouds were in a funny mood that evening. Spread thickly all over (atleast my part of) Kolkata, they looked exactly like thick polluting smoke of a thousand chimneys. More than 50 shades of Grey (haha).

Roof with a view: Kolkata, 6:00 pm ish, 9th July 2013

Garage Sale?

The Motor hospital is in serious need of help. Standing Bright blue on Hazra Road, it has been a very helpful landmark for years. Hope it does not give way to a multi-storied. Soon. The road will be so much less interesting.