Mahalaya Masti...

This post comes in a little too late in the day, considering it was made on Mahalaya last year. Well, here goes….

After a series of catastrophic class tests, (all JUDEans are acquainted with those!) we decided we had had enough of academics for a while. What happened next was a quick plan to visit Kolkata’s favourite monument, second only to Victoria Memorial in popularity. We usually travel in a group of seven, but it being pre-Pujo season, three friends dropped out due to quite foreseen circumstances such as last minute shopping, marital commitments and cough and cold!!

Prinsep Ghat and Vidyasagar Setu

That left us with Ananya, Poulomi, Madhumanti and myself. Plans were made, where to meet, what to wear, what essentials to carry and most importantly, where to eat out for lunch! We would meet in front of Esplanade Metro station the next day. As promised, Mahalaya dawned bright and clear; a perfect beginning to the pujo. At 11am, we assembled in front of the metro station, and as always, one of us had to get lost trying to negotiate the roads! Thus, a little bit of time was lost in trying to make sense of road directions, observing prominent buildings on the Esplanade crossing and giving directions. This, coupled with what had by then, turned into a sultry summer day.

We finally found each other (*joy*) and boarded a cab, after the customary Kolkata practice of taxi drivers rejecting us, asking for higher fares and the rest of the madness that ensues. Our cab flew across Akashvani Bhavan, Eden Gardens and other prominent landmarks of the city. We did not reach Prinsep Ghat; we had to get down at the railway line which goes past the ghat. Walks are always the most enjoyable and funniest parts of any trip with friends. This walk was no exception. We seemed to be the only interesting people (read girls) in the area, attracting curious pairs of eyes because of the brand new Mahalaya get up, as well as the laughs and shouts. Well, we did finally reach the Prinsep Ghat monument. A little bit of history: the Prinsep Ghat was built in 1843, named after James Prinsep, a prominent Anglo-Indian scholar of the time. It was restored by the KMDA in the last decade, and is more and less well-maintained now. The façade of the monument is sparkling white and clean, it seemed whiter when compared to the beautiful cornflower blue sky and the majestic Second Hoogly Bridge towering behind it. We sat down on cool seats of the Prinsep Ghat monument, shadowing ourselves from the sun; away from the unsightly mess of garbage behind, and the group of boys creating a ruckus. Ghotigorom, a long adda, and a photo session followed. Groups of people, who had completed their Tarpan on the ghat behind, came to the lawns to feed the pigeons, take photographs…and celebrate the end of an annual ritual. We were lured by the cool breeze of the Ganga, and decided to follow the trail. The actual Prinsep Ghat, not the monument that is, lies some way behind. Shaded by trees, it was a treat for souls who have been smouldering so far, with ice-creams offering no solace. The Mahalaya Tarpan seemed to make the place more peaceful, with the sweet smell of incense and flowers strewn on the waters. Finally, we found refuge in the soft lapping sound of the Ganga against the boats, the sound of mantras being chanted, and bells being rung after each chant. The sounds made us happy, excited about the Durga Pujo, which suddenly seemed closer. After spending more time on the ghat (more poses, more laughs, more photographs, more memories…) we headed back the same way, following the railway tracks.

Getting a taxi is always a bit of a bother in the city; the impatience grows, egged on by heat, exhaustion and hunger. We finally got a taxi, agreeing to pay a little more (don’t we always?!) and set out to find Kasturi, our lunch destination.

Kasturi is located on Mirza Ghalib Steet and is known for its Bangal (as in, opaar Baangla) specialities. We were famished by this time, thus lunch, as always was a happy affair. The meal was bhaat, dal, the all-time favourite alu bhaja, laupata chingri, maacher paturi and mangsher jhol. Perfect meal on a Mahalaya day.

Our next stop was the tram ride from Esplanade to Khidirpur; because it passes through the Maidan (we all need some peace and calm!) after taking yet another taxi and getting down in front of Esplanade bus stand, we had to literally run after the tram before we caught up with it. Window seats captured, we settled down to enjoy the ride. The best part about tram rides is the lazy pace, and trust us, its even better amidst the green idyllic setting of the Maidan. We got down midway to take some pictures of the Victoria peeping from behind the Race Course, and walk along the tram tracks till we could get the next tram back. After another bout of running, tram catching…it was time to head back home after a wonderful day spent with friends and exploring the city.

Shruti Chaudhuri
Photo courtesy: Shruti Chaudhuri