Thursday, February 09, 2012

My own International Kolkata Book Fair

The International Kolkata Book Fair or Boi Mela came, conquered and went, leaving a good percentage of Kolkatans happy as well as sad (ten days is so short a time). Except me. I was happy and ecstatic. No, no ... it wasn't because I manged three trips. Nor was it because I bought quite a few books. All these ofcourse made me happy. But the ecstasy came from how I made the perfect trip to the boi mela, beating scores of others!

The last day of the boi mela fell on a Sunday, the forenoon of which is when all good Bengalis (god bless their collective souls) are busy contemplating a good Sunday lunch; I, the early bird, zoomed off to the boi mela and reached the gate at 12, when I was ushered in. And viola! The entire boi mela to myself and (to be perfectly honest) a couple of hundred other early birds but there was so much of the book fair per person that I could be forgiven in thinking that I was alone.


Stall owners were opening the shutters or collapsible gates, setting up books and other wares in and around the stalls.




Ah! I even went to the favorites – Ananda & Dey and did not have to queue up (that alone is like the 8th wonder of the world). I sauntered in, browsed, picked up books and even conversed with the owners about books, prices, discounts, life in general…

Two hours of strolling around the Milan Mela grounds and several books later, I walked out of Gate 3 and upto the main road wherever I was taken aback at the sight of maybe a million
crossing over from the Science City side and rushing in through Gate 1.

As I crossed over to the other side which was no problem at all (god bless Kolkata Police) there was a minibus waiting on the other side which I boarded and took the only seat available! The good bus conductor told me to get off at Park Circus Tram Depot from where I could take an auto – and there indeed was one auto waiting which then dropped me off at Ballygunje Phanri where I got into another auto which just happened to saunter along and was home in no time...

tucking into a good meal of Dal, bhat and Mach Bhaja!

The post siesta evening cha

and the company of my many book!

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Bus. Stop here!

Last week, I went with couple of friends to see Nandikar’s Anto Adi Anto, at the Academy of Fine Arts. After the play, we parted ways as my friends would be taking the metro. I decided to take a bus home, the roads being relatively empty by this time and the buses as well. Besides, taxis just don't agree to this short ride. I walked to the spanking new bus stop all shiny, brightly lit, with Robi Thakur staring handsomely out of the vinyl ad, outside the Academy of Fine Arts. [Such marvellous bus stops have been sprouting all over the city. And atleast to me, is a sight to behold, given the past history and usage of bus stops]. However, bus after bus whizzed past. But none seemed remotely interested in stopping or even slowing down at the stop. What was going on? I turned to my left and realised that a goodish crowd of maybe 10 had gathered in front of the Rabindra Sadan Gate, a few metres down from the stop and that was where the buses were stopping. Argh.

I steadily ignored the unruly Kolkatans and dug my heels in at the busstop. As minutes ticked past, I struggled between doing the right thing or getting a ride back home. Gnashing my teeth and feeling mightily silly, I sauntered over to the by now sizeable crowd for my bus and within minutes found a ride home.

Kolkatans don't deserve these new bus stops. Neither do they deserve the new buses.

PS - I caught another play at the Academy - Bohurupee's Nana Phuler Mala ... and this time, I am happy to say I didnot budge from the bus stop and got the bus to stop for me at the bus stop - by jumping on to the road and waving my arms frantically!

PS2 - If you wish to read about my similar elation about buses, here is one for you:

Read if you will

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