Oh Calcutta

Snatches of Calcutta; the Oberoi’s Chauffeur, a Sikh in Sudder St, an explanation of Hijab in the Muslim quarter.

Food Glorious Food

A year on the road exposed us to many delicious dishes in Asia. My own delicious dish, Kristen, has somehow miraculously managed to stay slim and gorgeous while I have taken on a barrel like shape and are preparing myself for several bouts of serious dieting once we get back to Sydney, Here are some […]

Who said Asians talk with their hands #2. Rono holds forth.

Hinglish Rules !

Hinglish. Perhaps the most evolved of all the variations of our noble mother tongue. Most felicitous and expressive, most bower birdish and elastic, most sweet to the senses, most profound to the reason. You know it makes sense. We know that Shakespeare and Chaucer would have approved. But enough of car now Le jay. What is […]

Bengali Child Catchers, & other smatters and snatches.

Kolkata, West Bengal, deeply mysterious one day, way enigmatic the next. Here the time honoured rules just don’t apply. This Lady, for example, seems to believe that orange and green shouldn’t be seen…unless there’s a wacking great pot on your head. Or is it pink and yeller that shouldn’t be seen…unless there’s a blue and […]

The Lady in the White Sari

119 Lake Terrace Ballygunge. A house like any other in a street like any other. There’s our room, with the green shutters closed, on the top floor. This is Shonkar. Cook, valet, chowkidar, odd jobs man, you name it. Faithful servant of the Dutt family these many years past. Shonkar came from a small village […]

Kolkata International Photography Festival

We’re very excited to be heading to the Kolkata International Photography Festival. En route, on Rash Bihari we meet this elegant lady and amicable priest. Bengalis love a great demo. But also stop to smell the flowers. A quick coffee. Then we plunge into the Museum, one of several campuses (or should it be campi […]

Barbers, Busts, Buddhists, Bitches, Buildings, Bus Boys and Bed Head Ticket Counters.

Calcutta ? It makes the Naked City seem like a kindergarden. This guy was keeping a close eye on things. May have a hot date ? A VERY close eye. And I think we can all agree that the result was outstanding. More importantly of course, the chicks will dig it. As you can see […]

A Little Ray of Sunshine in Bishop LeFroy Street

Got lost on the way to breakfast, past a school uniform shop, school uniforms have certainly changed since our day. Found ourselves on Chowringhee, wacked on the bonce by a descending traffic arm, footpath up, footpath down, our feet like monkey’s paws feeling the ground beneath, soles undulating with the terrain, toes clutching the broken […]

Calcutta Cinema & Cemetery

Through the shining streets we walked, down alleys and lanes. Did Kolkata disappoint ? What do you think ? We were pondering the big issues and contemplating tiffin. Came back to the muddy earth just briefly before our heads were plunged into the glittering Stars again in the shape of the fabulous Park Show House. […]