Kolkata Summer, After 15 Years

I am and will always be work in progress material – I am never the finished product as I am never done with my learning or refining existing knowledge. Now how is that related to Kolkata summer?

After retiring from corporate roughly four years back and settling for a laid back life style in Bangalore Suburbs, it took me just a few visits to Kolkata, a couple of Bengali weddings to attend, a little bit of soul searching and some practical adjustments to take a final call - to return home, for good!

What practical adjustments?

Flat readiness

The preparation had started last year around this time so that we could move to Kolkata by June 16. Our Kolkata flat needed, if not a face lift, at least a coat of Royale which got done in October last year just before Durga Puja. I can seriously make a case study of that any day.

Moving Furniture

If I bring all furniture from Bangalore, I will end up having 4 TVs (though I and my mother are mostly glued to cookery channels on just one), 2 Fridge, 2 Dining table, 2 Divans, 2 Beds, 2 ward robes, 2 Book cases - You already get the drift about the point.

No, the point is not about having everything double – It is about the available square feet area in Kolkata flat – 300 Square Feet, roughly.

Renting out Bangalore Flat

I decided to rent out our Bangalore flat as is – fully furnished however there were no takers for that as most of the prospects that came to see the house had their own stuff. So we sold a few items (Washing Machine, Fridge, car etc.), managed to bring some items to Kolkata through a packer and mover and kept the rest locked in a room. 

Dealing with reputed packers and their insurance company is going to be one great power point presentation forewarning others not to follow my foot steps, particularly when you shell out your hard earned money.

Kolkata Connect.

I have never been able to take Kolkata out of my system. I missed the city a lot. Everything about the city is nostalgia, particularly for someone who has been away from home, for work for 15 long years.

Books in College Street or Oxford

Theater and the fairs (Mela)

Mayapur and Nabadwip for Krishna and Chaitanya fans.

Kamarpukur and Jairambaati for Sri Ramakrishna and Holy mother Sarada

Dakhineshwar and Tarakeshwar for goddess Kali or lord Shiva

Belur and the Cossipore Udyan Bati for disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda

Gandhighat or Serampore Ghat for the Ganges view

Tram and the ferry for quick and cheap rides.

Metro and the local trains

Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year) and Rabindra Jayanti (Tagore's Birthday)

Durga Pujo spread across five days and the Lokhi puja in every household

Politics and People

Street chowmein and the black tea in earthen cups

Biryani and the fish fry.

Mango sweet sour soup (Aamer Talk) and the pointed gourd (Potol) for lunch

Rickshaw puller and the high end car owner sharing the same enthusiasm for football

Seriously, the list continues. I will add here, once I do the Calcutta walks that is so much on the rise now.

Most critical adjustment

I missed all of these and yet dreaded trying most of them during summer. I had completely lost the habit of dealing with heat here and its impact on my body, that has aged by 15 years.

My enthusiasm to relocate back used to get diffused each time I thought of the summer here. Coping up with this temperature was the most critical adjustment that crossed my mind several times, particularly after getting used to Bangalore weather.

Mere Apprehensions

I waited for April to end before writing this blog. Though I do not have to commute or travel to work (as I work from home), the need to visit banks, shops, relatives, weekend trips, friends day out is an ongoing affair, which means I am exposed to afternoon heat at least once or twice a week.

Even without AC at home as my mother is prone to breathing problems, it really was not unbearable, after all, as I feared. There is an unspoken secret anticipation for rain, every morning and that sort of adds to the ability to withstand heat, driven by a cooling factor - hope.

Our choice of beverages must have something to do with the calming effect on us in spite of the degrees moving higher..

Curd and Ice

The  Black Tea Ritual

Sattu Drink

Ice Tea

I am still learning. Still work in progress. 

While I add a few more liquid remedy that I have had so far like a tall glass of Mango juice or sweet and salt fresh lime, I am sure I have many more things to learn to combat heat.