Oh Calcutta x 10

---

Including the week-end in the Sunderbans ...apparently spelled with an s according to newspaper and listing here in the computer .... the stay in Kolkata has lasted ten days.

Ask me not what I have done

Three days in the Delta, two days spent at cooking class, two days spent with new friends and that basically leaves only three days to see the sights.

City tour by bus, Victoria Memorial, 31st Annual Book Fair, India Museum, railway refund and air ticket hassle, two visits to the GPO to mail things, making and visiting with new friends, finding places to eat like the reward lunch and the perfect cup of coffee... shopping for this and that ... email and blog updates....but no zoo or botanical garden.

As I sit at the computer the sounds of yet another holiday celebration are passing by the window, the sounds of shouting permeating the cybercafe! I looked at a calendar for 2006 and there seems to be at least 2 holidays here in Bengal every month ... or is it all of India?

Today is a muslim holiday . It began yesterday and all bars were closed from 16:00 till today at 16:00. Men with staves and swords are marching down a closed to traffic street.

A tall tower decorated in silver gold and other colours of lustrous paper just passed by. Drums are beating incessantly. Flags on long bamboo sticks pass by. The street is full of men!!and boys!! Where are the women???

Many men have staves, sticks, parts of tree branches and are swinging them about wildly.... no idea about the purpose of the whole thing but I must be witnessing something important because a lot of stores were closed today and my new friend also had a holiday from her job.

A second decorated tower is going by....this is what the procession is all about....thanks to Martyn of Kali Tours.......

Ashurah ........ The procession of Muslims wearing black, carrying swords and beating their chests goes to the heart of the split between Sunni Moslems and Shi'a. The 10th day of the month of Muharram is called Ashurah. It commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). It is a day for mourning. The battle was between the two rival forces fighting for leadership of the Moslem world shortly after the death of Muhammad and resulted in the split into the two major schools in the Islamic world, Sunnis and Shi'a. This day is of particular significance to Shi'a Muslims, who consider Hussein the third Imam and a rightful successor of Muhammad. Many Shi'a make pilgrimages on Ashurah to the Mashhad al-Hussein, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq, that is traditionally held to be Hussein's tomb. Shi'as also express mourning by thumping their chests. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and death. Hussein's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi'a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. The regime of Saddam Hussein saw this as a potential threat and banned Ashurah commemorations for many years. Mourners, both male and female, congregate together (in separate sections) for sorrowful, poetic recitations performed in memory of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, lamenting and grieving to the tune of beating drums and chants of "Ya Hussein." Passion plays are also performed, reenacting the Battle of Karbala and the suffering and death of Hussein at the hands of Yazid, the Sunni leader. It is not a festival -- the event is the saddest event for Shi'a Muslims and it is a period of intense grief and mourning. Some Shia celebrate Ashurah with a traditional flagellation ritual called zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain with a set of curved knives at the end). The practice is not universal - many Shi'a enact the ritual by beating their chests symbolically. Models of the shrine to Hussein are often carried in the procession which is often lead by a white horse. For the duration of the observance, it is customary for mosques to provide free meals on certain nights of the month to all people. These meals are viewed as being special and holy, as they have been consecrated in the name of Hussein, and thus partaking of them is considered an act of communion with God,Hussein and humanity.
There is a police presence and the man at the desk of the hotel told me last night not to go too far because of the 'rods and swords'......

At ten o'clock this morning David, the Australian, came to the hotel and a wondrous walking tour began. Because I failed to buy a good map of the city I felt a bit hampered and was reluctant to just wander. Should have bought the Rs 40 map offered during the first dyas of my stay...did not see the man selling the map when I came out of the Victoria Memorial. Paid David Rs500. The tour was worth much much more!!!

David took side streets, alleys and short cuts thru a very old and intriguing part of Kolkata.

Walked thru were:
-> a street that sold only spectacles ... and still I have not found my perfectly round glasses, known as Ghandi glasses here.

-> an alley full of vegetable vendors; their wares piled high in intricate forms of colour and shapes

-> an area where auctions of vegetables and fruits were held daily except today because of the holiday...still truck-fulls of papaya were being unloaded and a man threw down small oranges for us to eat. To pass thru here we had to walk on layers of straw and newspaper and of course many deposits of spoiled fruit. There were also people going thru the spoiled goods for possible good finds and further sales to others who can perhaps not afford the price of quality produce.

-> a thoroughfare lined with grand houses built by drug lords and rich merchants from a time long past. These palaces now are inhabited and crumbling from lack of upkeep, pollution and the effect of the monsoons.

->a boulevard lined with auspicious buildings which have detailed wrought iron balconies and wooden shutters all in a state showing their past glory but suffering from the ravages of deterioration.

->a Jain temple in the middle of a cul-de-sac that when entering offers a collection of tiles on its walls and floors that bespeak the splendour of Parisian tile makers (?)

And then came lunch at a street side 'restaurant'. The man cooked on the street and we ate inside at four-person tables. South Indian food in the form of dosas was ordered. Very tasty especially with the spoonfuls of two kinds of added conditments (sauces). If I contract kolkata-kaos I will deal with it in Goa. Washed down the lovely lunch chosen by David with two Mountain Dew sodas( very small bottles and it tastes the same).


-> no tram coming... I did so want to ride on the tram because then I would have experienced all forms of travel here except the human rickshaw ... that looks just a bit precarious ... since the man has to balance the rickshaw as he runs along most usually in his bare feet along a most uneven roadbed! Took a taxi to Howrah Bridge in the hope of being able to walk across and then come back by ferry.

Once again the 'holiday' played havoc with the plans. Walked only half way across the bridge and then turned around to come back...

Howrah Bridge was built by the americans during their war effort in this area and Burma at the end of WWII. Need to research this some more. The bridge is the largest cantilevered bridge in the world and it carries the highest number of human traffic per day of any bridge in the world. That's very impressive and I only walked halfway across ... but then I was one of three.


{a small aside...it is dark outside now and the decorated towers are still passing and are being lit up by portable lights. The effect is quite spectacular ... blinking lights, reflective paper and the ever present drums and shouts ... and of course the ice cream sellers, the bettle leaf wrappers and cotton candy hawkers are hard at it too!}

->Before walking "half way across the bridge" the tour passed thru the most magnificent flower market I have ever witnessed .....and I went to the flower auction in Holland!
... red short stemmed roses, marigolds - yellow,orange,brown, white, gladiolas in all colours, jasmine - blossom onlyin huge baskets and giving off a most pleasant smell, small sunflowers, ferns, waxy green leaves, purple asters, white, pink, fuschia-sweet pea petals.
arrangements, bouquets and loose flowers all in an enormous abundance not able to be grasped.
It was not one or two or ten stalls it was a block long expanse of two sided stalls and every stall had an enormous number of flowers.

What one stall contained will not fit into your local flower shop.
The sweet pea petals came in huge bundles the size of tarps.
The marigolds had no stems and were stung up to make 60cm lengths. and they too were packed together in huge baskets and tarps. These large amounts are bought by vendors from the villages or other areas aand then brought home for selling. In the Hindi religion flowers in specific numbers and types are offered during prayers. I bought a garland of orange marigolds for Rs5.

I can not get over the extent and the magnitude of the quantity of lowers I saw!!!! It was stupendous.

This place is now among my top five best places in the world. Could have sat down and spent the rest of the day there. This is a MUST for anyone who loves flowers and visits Kolkata.


-> and then we made our way back along a street that was being torn up for some kind of repair .... either cable, water pipes, or electrical wires. We came out there where our trip had begun and I was happy that the circuit had been completed.

I have seen such a wealth of architecture, people, and goods. Even the public toilet was acceptable!!

Thank you David. We have had a wonderful experience using your services. I was happy to find you in 'Lonely Planet' under Kali Travel. This is the end of this bit of promotion!

{the parade is finished....all is quiet and the crowds are gone ...just like that!!}


Some further thoughts about Kolkata.......

The business man's lunch takes place every day along the streets of Kolkatta. Men in shirts and ties fill the street beside their favourite vendor and eat with zeal rice, dahl, fish, egg wraps, stews, vegetable curries and all manner of other delectable smelling food. All this food is prepared by the veggy boys who start to chop and mix early in the morning after their communal bath at the standpipe the water from which flows freely into the street.

Every street in Kolkatta has vendors; tea, food, fruit, bettleleaf, barber, shoes, stamp making, envelope selling ... everything you may ever need you can find from a vendor....you need only know which street he is located at. No street passed today was without a vendor of some kind.

And then there are all the people living on the street. They too take up space. During the night they sleep on their blankets.on the paving stones or cement. Late in the day and early in the morning they are cooking over little clay stoves in their aluminium pots and during the day all of their possessions are wrapped up while they go to whatever work they do. I am told that one person alwys stays on guard.

Today I saw many street livers with small children. Many of the little ones had no clothes on. It is getting warmer but the nights are still cool. Along the river when we went to the bridge there were also many children who seemd to be wandering around aimlessly...but then again my aimless might be purposeful since I know not the destination or the beginning of the wander.


It was a pleasure to take the subway because it was clean and VERY quiet except for the music videos and news-ticker provided on tv's every few meters.

There is one line of subway here and it runs north south along the river. It is easy to access and on must only remember the end station to determine which way to take the next train. The fares are VERY reasonable ...highest i paid for ...say...five stops was Rs6.

Four small bananas cost me Rs6 this morning. A whole coconut cost Rs5. When I asked how much a live chicken, in its basket with other potential luncheon delights, cost I was told Rs60. .... that's if you do your own knife swiping and plucking of feathers... not to mention draining so it will be halal! The amounts are incomprehensible.

Now I understand the statement that one can live in India for $200. But then again I would not last long living on such sparse fare. I like my luxuries and they can all be found here.

Early Friday morning the plane leaves for Goa. I am very much looking forward to a change of scene, change of hotel room, change of food and change from the constant honkinghonkinghonkinghonking.

The city has been a pleasure to visit. I could very well do without the flies, the honking, the dust and the pollution. The new friends made must be counted as a great asset and more than does up for the unpleasant things.

---

Comments

[Martyn Brown Kali Travel Home]

Ashurah
Just a little background on the procession you saw Barbara. Ashurah The procession of Muslims wearing black, carrying swords and beating their chests goes to the heart of the split between Sunni Moslems and Shi'a. The 10th day of the month of Muharram is called Ashurah. It commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). It is a day for mourning. The battle was between the two rival forces fighting for leadership of the Moslem world shortly after the death of Muhammad and resulted in the split into the two major schools in the Islamic world, Sunnis and Shi'a. This day is of particular significance to Shi'a Muslims, who consider Hussein the third Imam and a rightful successor of Muhammad. Many Shi'a make pilgrimages on Ashurah to the Mashhad al-Hussein, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq, that is traditionally held to be Hussein's tomb. Shi'as also express mourning by thumping their chests. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and death. Hussein's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi'a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. The regime of Saddam Hussein saw this as a potential threat and banned Ashurah commemorations for many years. Mourners, both male and female, congregate together (in separate sections) for sorrowful, poetic recitations performed in memory of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, lamenting and grieving to the tune of beating drums and chants of "Ya Hussein." Passion plays are also performed, reenacting the Battle of Karbala and the suffering and death of Hussein at the hands of Yazid, the Sunni leader. It is not a festival -- the event is the saddest event for Shi'a Muslims and it is a period of intense grief and mourning. Some Shia celebrate Ashurah with a traditional flagellation ritual called zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain with a set of curved knives at the end). The practice is not universal - many Shi'a enact the ritual by beating their chests symbolically. Models of the shrine to Hussein are often carried in the procession which is often lead by a white horse. For the duration of the observance, it is customary for mosques to provide free meals on certain nights of the month to all people. These meals are viewed as being special and holy, as they have been consecrated in the name of Hussein, and thus partaking of them is considered an act of communion with God,Hussein and humanity. Martyn...and thanks for the kind words.