Oh Calcutta

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

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

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 […]

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 […]

Bengali Bonhomie. Kolkata Kindness.

Kolkata. Take 2. It’s grand to revisit but especially when a city has captured your heart. There’s something about Kolkata. The place. The people. The joie-de-vivre. The haunting smells of cardamom, rose, garlic, onions and incense. The bite of chilli to your eyes. The constant squawking crow-chatter with their balletic swoops hither and thither. We […]

Just down the corner

But…somehow…like…TOTALLY around the bend. ‘

Art Deco Kolkata

Calcutta’s slightly faded and monsoon busted belles line the streets. It’s a bawdy cosmopolis, a sultry sinuous city where a crackling current surges through the soles of your feet and runs up your spine, popping your eyes out on stalks and electrifying the top of your knot.

The Indian Museum

We revisited the Indian Museum on Chowringhee, an amazing shrine to Civilisation, and passed these characters on our way down Sudder Street. The Indian Museum is one of the great museums of the world. A cathedral to culture and industry. Vast rooms, one upon another, each the size of ballrooms, pillared, plastered, soaring ceilings, doors […]

Overpass Chess and Karom with Aplomb

Chameleons that we are we’d decided to get some Indian kit. (Then no one could guess we’re ferengis…) We were bargained-and-haggled-out so graciously our charming host, Rono took us round to his favourite local emporiums down Resh Behari way. A government- run store and a tiny shop bursting with an excellent variety of anything you […]