Blogs from Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Asia

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Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata August 16th 2023

Dubai, the land of gold, both black and yellow; the land of malls where shopping malls have proliferated in every nook and cranny just like our mom and pop stores but I like to call it the land of superlatives starting with Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world to the Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the world, to Burj Al Arab, the only 7-star hotel in the world to the unique concept of Global village. On a pleasant winter morning in January, we reached Dubai after a flight of around 4 hours from Kolkata. On arrival VISA process for Indian passport holders with valid USA VISA was a very smooth, quick and hassle-free experience. Once we got out of the airport, the car arranged by our travel agency dropped us at our ... read more
Inside Dubai Mall
Dhow cruise
Dubai Desert

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata » Kalighat October 8th 2022

Kolkata Durga pooja -Piprey on wheels With school holidays over, I imagined it was the perfect time to travel from London to Kolkata on empty flights and catch up on movies in the flights. Very confidently, I arrived at London Heathrow to be denied boarding because I did not have a negative RT PCR test. My option for one free change of date was also denied ( I re-confirmed later in Kolkata that I did have a free change). I paid 179 GBP penalty to fly the following weekend. London Heathrow should be renamed chaos. We were still doing security checks past the flight departure time and asked to RUN to the aircraft. We arrived late at Doha airport and 8 of us missed our connecting flights. 6 eager Bengalis stuck together, took alternative full flight ... read more
Durga Idol-North Kolkata
Durga Pooja pandal-North Kolkata- Ahiritola
Durga pooja pandal-South Kolkata

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata February 17th 2022

Since my paternal uncle passed away, I was concerned about my father as the only surviving brother. Thankfully, he was fine but my brave trip during the pandemic was a lesson in itself to take care of oneself first and foremost. Being not sure of travel, I requested some flexibility in my leave which my 'kind' manager complied with. I took the RT-PCR test and it was negative. Immediately, I confirmed my travels. I cycled and bought a whole lot of thoughtful presents for friends and family at one go as did not have much time for multiple trips. I had to fill a Air Suvidha form to confirm all my location details in India. At the airport, there were so many administrative checks of an assortment of papers, making travelling with the Maharaja less than ... read more
Local markets
Cars parked on footpath
Local Saraswati pandal

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata June 1st 2021

First of all, I must thank my newly found friend for encouraging me to write this. I am not a "blogger." I am a traveller. Inveterate. Usually silent. This is not my blog. I am posting here now, on his blog, after a tireless beer drenched encouragement. We met in a Kolkata bar, one usually wallpapered with travelers, but as you might expect hardly so now, especially in India. Actually, the current state of the "bar" is such that it is more of a speakeasy for expatriates trapped here and looking for escape routes, or seeking out remote places to weather the viral storm. I had come to Kolkata from such a place for the sole purpose of resupplying. The port in the storm where I have found myself will go unrecognized, spoken of only "on ... read more
LOOKOUT WEST
WILD ROSES IN BLOOM
WILD ROSES

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata March 26th 2021

26th March Koley Wholesale Market #heygo http://www.heygo.com Koley Market is situated just beside the Sealdah Station, which is one of the busiest railway stations in India. Kolkata city officially got two major railway stations, Sealdah and Kolkata railway station. The famous Howrah railway station is officially not in Kolkata city but it is in Howrah city which is just the opposite side of Hooghly River – a tributary of the Ganges. Koley market is a place where the farmers bring their fresh vegetables to sale at a wholesale price; retailers come here to buy from them. On average, the minimum purchase should be 5 kilograms which is known as one “Palla”. In Koley market, almost all farmers use the beam balance for the weighing and very few sellers use electronic weighing machines. This market is open ... read more

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata January 20th 2019

Bonjouratous, 14 janvier, 7h50. Le rendez-vous est à l’entrée principale de l’Indian Museum. Nous sommes lundi, à cette heure-ci, même les gardiens dorment encore, la place est nettoyée de ses gens, si ce n’est de ses détritus. Hier après-midi, dimanche, j’avais renoncé à pénétrer dans le musée, les familles entières, marmots compris, s’étaient données des airs d’envahisseurs en quête d’un bon bouillon de culture. Arrivé un peu en avance, je vais me prendre un chai au coin de la rue, histoire de ne pas prendre la route le ventre complètement vide. J’adore le chai, breuvage composé de thé, de lait et d’épices, passé et repassé dans une chaussette en guise de filtre et de récipient en récipient. De retour au point de rassemblement, un jeune blanc bec attend, les yeux illumi... read more
BATEAU DES SUNDERBANS
VIE SEREINE DES SUNDERBANS
HOWRAH BRIDGE

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata February 21st 2018

Woolly says – With our second train of the week cancelled and no trains or buses leaving Varanasi for the next forty eight hours we were left in a bit of a pickle according to Jo, although I don’t know where she was keeping the pickle which I do like on a cheese sandwich! It wasn’t a huge problem except it would mean missing our connecting flight which was due to leave Kolkata in two days’ time. Jo sat with furrowed brow whilst Zoe cruised places to stay for the extra night, I entertained the troops and gave encouraging words for their endeavours. It took an hour of telling the mammoth to go and sing somewhere else and frantic google searches, but we got it sorted. Woolly says – Our plane arrived on the ... read more
St Paul's.....Indian style
Mother Teresa's Tomb
In hiding!

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata January 21st 2018

We arrived very late at night after a long day of travelling and were surprised at the lack of traffic but were told that Kolkata closes after about 10 pm. Certainly a pleasant change from the frenetic traffic we had experienced all over India. Another thing we noticed was kerbing on the gutters. For the next two days our guide Khan, took us on a varied tour of Kolkata. First the white town and the buildings of the East India company and other colonials. We started at the magnificent Victoria Memorial built of white marble to commemorate the Queen's diamond jubilee. There are many exhibitions inside but the best is a chronological display of Kolkata's history. The gardens are beautiful as well. Our next stop was St Paul's cathedral was built in 1839-47 and has beautiful ... read more
Very decorative coach
No need for this sign for us
Frieze at Victoria Memorial Hall

Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata April 9th 2017

Let's Live a ~bit of life~ Swami Vivekananda said ।। में उस प्रभु का सेवक हूँ जिसे अज्ञानी लोग मनुष्य कहते हैं ।। means ।। I serve those Gods whom the ignorants call as humans·· I have always seen it in my life •As you wish so are you blessed by God always• One of my clients once propesed me to join sewa (charity) service on Sundays being organised by Sri Satya Sai Sewa Organisation-Barabazar Samity-Unit 2 located at Sisir Bahaduri Street in front of Hedua Park , Maniktola ,Kolkata-6 WB in India. Devotees were doing "Satsang & Bhajans" inside the Temple since 11.30 am and continued up to around 12.30 pm. The Prashad in form of " Khechudi , Alu Dum , Chatni and Laddu were being prepared since morning by devotees. Local people mainly ... read more
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Asia » India » West Bengal » Kolkata April 3rd 2017

"Every time I click Queen Victoria Memorial Hall....it looks different". its a *HERITAGE* site....in the heart ❤️ of "CITY OF JOY" •Kolkata• The •Victoria Memorial•is an Architectural wonder Heritage in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), West Bengal(India),which was built between 1906 and 1921. This is a shot taken at night with my iphone7plus from "Race course" side.On that evening,while returning from shopping my driver told me that I may get a closest look of "Victoria Memorial" and it was true. it's a click of Victoria from Maidan side and that night as if it was glowing and I will say Victoria looks different every night. This shot I clicked on another occasion during my visit to Kolkata in 2015 and I was lucky I could manage some moments to spend at Victoria and it's really a beautiful view ... read more
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