I have written this article in mid of night almost out of desperation. After coming back home seeing everything around just to burst out frustration. But never posted this and almost forgot about it. Now I am again back to Bangalore sitting a comfortable weather and those frustration almost gone.
So why I am posting it now? There is small story.
In our office canteen. among many other I have seen one person serving us. From the first day, I am seeing he is the odd man out there. From his face anyone can make out that he is very disturbed. When he finally served, you will find you are highly obliged by him. Seeing this all, I used to think this guy should born in Kolkata not in Bangalore. Mainly here all canteen guys are localite. Might be seeing my ID card today, he started speaking in bengali today. It is just 2+2 for me now and reminds me of posting this.
Few years back, Vir Sanghvi has written an article on Puja and Bengali in The Hindustan Times. As many other Bengali I have read the same many times and finished with complacent. Now after one year when I came back somehow found this article bit out dated.
"But if you want a city with a soul: come to Calcutta." ..Vir Sanghvi
I am confused. Does this still hold true. I no way found a touch of soul in this city. Not arguing about what other Indian or global city have. What I pathetically observed, day by day Kolkata has grown up with a mentality where people likes other to suffer. Every other public service you avail, you get a treatment like you are being obliged. Other day I was traveling in a bus. Seeing a Puja pandal one small child wanted to see that pandal which was originally not in their itinerary. So that father was left with no choice but to request that conductor to stop the bus. Now the entire crowd started shouting that bus should stop only at regular stoppage. If you ever been in Kolkata you know here is nothing called bus stop . Where ever you stop that is a bus stop. In a city like this where value of time is almost zero, those shouting only represent their frustration, frustration about everything. This is only one small example. Day to day commuter here can put the same with much better picture.
Each shop you go here with almost ready to buy mentality, first you will be treated with humility. What makes me wonder how people are well seasoned with this, not even react to same and almost accept it as greeting. One of my Ex- colleague put the same in an excellent way. As per him " In Bangalore when you go to purchase some thing that salesman is desperate enough to make you buy from that shop. So he is ready to do anything for customer. Here in kolkata that shop keepers has a unique strategy. They will start insulting you, reminding you about the cost and many other thing. You will buy the product from his humiliation. " I am not sure which IIM is going accept this idea and request this shop keepers for a presentation in their campus. Anyway MR Sanghvi this is not touch of soul!!
"Because, finally, a city is more than bricks and mortars, street lights and tarred roads. A city is the sum of its people. " .....Vir Sanghvi
Kolkata has many problems and as Bengali I know many person to blame for this misery. But what all we have, just because we deserve the same. This city is sum of our common mentality. Here if some one wants to earn few thousands more, others will discourage him saying too much money minded. Eventually you will be admired when you wasting the same in gossip and glorifying it saying Adda the only benchmark which makes you Bangali. This apathy towards your jobs reflects everywhere in Kolkata this makes Kolkata special. Here everyone wants to be something else than what he is doing.
"In Bombay, a man with a relatively low income will salt some of it away for the day when he gets a stock market tip. In Calcutta, a man with exactly the same income will not know the difference between a debenture and a dividend. But he will spend his money on the things that matter. Each morning, he will read at least two newspapers and develop sharply etched views on the state of the world. Each evening, there will be fresh (ideally, fresh-water or river) fish on his table. His children will be encouraged to learn to dance or sing. His family will appreciate the power of poetry. And for him, religion and culture will be in inextricably bound together."..Vir Sanghvi
Exactly MR Sanghvi. I know how true each line is, unfortunately how dangerous it could be also. One popular joke about Bengali. Two elderly personal was discussing about there personal life. After few words one asked,
How are your daughters and how their husbands are doing?
One son in law is in job, nothing to worry about him. My all tension is about the other one. You know he just have only one factory. He is owner of that.
So why I am posting it now? There is small story.
In our office canteen. among many other I have seen one person serving us. From the first day, I am seeing he is the odd man out there. From his face anyone can make out that he is very disturbed. When he finally served, you will find you are highly obliged by him. Seeing this all, I used to think this guy should born in Kolkata not in Bangalore. Mainly here all canteen guys are localite. Might be seeing my ID card today, he started speaking in bengali today. It is just 2+2 for me now and reminds me of posting this.
Few years back, Vir Sanghvi has written an article on Puja and Bengali in The Hindustan Times. As many other Bengali I have read the same many times and finished with complacent. Now after one year when I came back somehow found this article bit out dated.
"But if you want a city with a soul: come to Calcutta." ..Vir Sanghvi
I am confused. Does this still hold true. I no way found a touch of soul in this city. Not arguing about what other Indian or global city have. What I pathetically observed, day by day Kolkata has grown up with a mentality where people likes other to suffer. Every other public service you avail, you get a treatment like you are being obliged. Other day I was traveling in a bus. Seeing a Puja pandal one small child wanted to see that pandal which was originally not in their itinerary. So that father was left with no choice but to request that conductor to stop the bus. Now the entire crowd started shouting that bus should stop only at regular stoppage. If you ever been in Kolkata you know here is nothing called bus stop . Where ever you stop that is a bus stop. In a city like this where value of time is almost zero, those shouting only represent their frustration, frustration about everything. This is only one small example. Day to day commuter here can put the same with much better picture.
Each shop you go here with almost ready to buy mentality, first you will be treated with humility. What makes me wonder how people are well seasoned with this, not even react to same and almost accept it as greeting. One of my Ex- colleague put the same in an excellent way. As per him " In Bangalore when you go to purchase some thing that salesman is desperate enough to make you buy from that shop. So he is ready to do anything for customer. Here in kolkata that shop keepers has a unique strategy. They will start insulting you, reminding you about the cost and many other thing. You will buy the product from his humiliation. " I am not sure which IIM is going accept this idea and request this shop keepers for a presentation in their campus. Anyway MR Sanghvi this is not touch of soul!!
"Because, finally, a city is more than bricks and mortars, street lights and tarred roads. A city is the sum of its people. " .....Vir Sanghvi
Kolkata has many problems and as Bengali I know many person to blame for this misery. But what all we have, just because we deserve the same. This city is sum of our common mentality. Here if some one wants to earn few thousands more, others will discourage him saying too much money minded. Eventually you will be admired when you wasting the same in gossip and glorifying it saying Adda the only benchmark which makes you Bangali. This apathy towards your jobs reflects everywhere in Kolkata this makes Kolkata special. Here everyone wants to be something else than what he is doing.
"In Bombay, a man with a relatively low income will salt some of it away for the day when he gets a stock market tip. In Calcutta, a man with exactly the same income will not know the difference between a debenture and a dividend. But he will spend his money on the things that matter. Each morning, he will read at least two newspapers and develop sharply etched views on the state of the world. Each evening, there will be fresh (ideally, fresh-water or river) fish on his table. His children will be encouraged to learn to dance or sing. His family will appreciate the power of poetry. And for him, religion and culture will be in inextricably bound together."..Vir Sanghvi
Exactly MR Sanghvi. I know how true each line is, unfortunately how dangerous it could be also. One popular joke about Bengali. Two elderly personal was discussing about there personal life. After few words one asked,
How are your daughters and how their husbands are doing?
One son in law is in job, nothing to worry about him. My all tension is about the other one. You know he just have only one factory. He is owner of that.
He is working in the factory which my other son in law owns.
This story represents us very well. Once your Flight touch Netaji International Airport you are in land of Miracle. Here every one is proud about their culture. How less educated he is, never leaves a single opportunity to proud on the culture. Doing business is always considered of less educated status. Only you will be admitted to elite class when you start speaking about Drama Music Cinema. Everyone has sharp opinion on the same, how wrong it could be.
We only agreed to throw away communism when our so called intellectual class took the stand of other side. I am sincerely thankful to Sourav. At least he has given a different identity for us.
In Bengal everything end with sweets. So as bengali I am proud of many things. I am proud of Sourav Ganguly like any other Indian. I am proud of Pranab Mukherjee our finance minster. I am proud of durga puja. I do not know which other festival we can compare with this. The spirit of it is completely unmatchable. Again from where I started, the enthusiasm of that small child to see each beatuful pandal in hot humid hostile atmosphere gives me a sense of relief. I still see ray of hope. We will be able to maintain this great carnival with highest spirit.
So Mr Sanghvi, why don't you come this city once again?
3 comments:
Hi,
I am not a follower of your blogs.it was just when i was searching a blog by vir sanghvi about calcutta i came across yours.I do agree to some points that you have mentioned.but I want to say that I have been born and brought up outside kolkata.it was only during my graduation i came to kolkata.i hated it at first.but after staying there for 4 long years i have fallen in love with that place.may be i have fallen in love with the imperfections of that place. and now today when i am out of that land it reminds me of the good old days that i have spent there.that is one place on earth which i love the most other than my native land.so i just wanted to say that first u have to love your place.if u compare kolkata with bangalore that is not going to work.kolkata is like kolkata and we dont want it to be like bangalore right?.because if u wanna enjoy the beautiful weather,the night life,the pubs and discs,etc etc u definately can visit bangalore.but if u wanna enjoy life u have to be in kolkata.
Dear Riya,
It is more than a nice surprise that you took the pain to read my blog and managed time to comment on it. I am sincerely thankful to you. As I am born and brought in that city I feel extremely nice and proud when people say some good words about it.
I did not understand the point of bringing comparison between Bangalore and Kolkata. As a native of Kolkata I would definitely like to see Kolkata as next Bangalore. As you mentioned you have spent only 4 years of your life in that city and you still like to visit that place to enjoy life. Unlike you, I have spent 26 years of my life in that city and came out of that city for simple reason that I feel hungry 4 times a day. I have most of my family back in that city, who still struggle to manage a decent transport . They are still suffering with the extreme unprofessional health care. So my dear, for me it is not a retirements paradise or so. It is my own city. I would be extremely happy if Kolkata is able to achieve 50% of Bangalore.
Riya, please don’t take it personally . Between me and you it is more of the matter of perspective. Last but not the least; I would like to change your idea about Bangalore. Bangalore is no more a pub city and people living here are more conservative than Kolkata any day. Good or bad I am leaving that upto you.
God bless you
Best regards,
Chhandak
If you want to write in English, at least learn the language.
Post a Comment