Friendly Kolkata (September 30-October 2, 2008)

Another of India's bigger cities, I find Kolkata to be much more friendly and pleasant than Delhi. The tree-lined streets are wide but the one-ways, crosswalks, lights and numerous traffic police make crossing much less death-defying. The visual impact of modern buildings, crowded streets and rubbish is offset by the pleasant presence of slightly crumbling colonial-era buildings having colorful, wide shutters and vines growing out of rusting pipes. The city feels more spacious and relaxed than Delhi, though it is equally hot at this time.

As my two train companions Jean and Ishtaq have only 1.5 days to see the city, we take a whirlwind tour. It is already the afternoon when we arrive, and by the time we find the tourist office to get a map, it is getting dark. We could have walked to the tourist office, but, after moral deliberation, we decided to take a rickshaw. Kolkata is the only city in India that has rickshaws pulled by men walking on foot, rather than bicycle, and many of them are barefoot. Of course there is moral debate surrounding this, and I believe that within a year these rickshaws will be phased out. However, they do provide an important source of employment for people who might not otherwise find work.

On the first night, we walk around BBD Bagh, which hosts much of Kolkata's finest colonial architecture. We view historic buildings such as the Writers' Building, originally built for clerks ('writers') of the East India Company and still a haven of bureaucracy. There are many churches in Kolkata, home of Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity, and BBD Bagh hosts St. Andrews Church. We also make our way to Babu Ghat in search of a celebration for the current Hindu holiday, Durga Puja. Turns out that although the holiday is about 9 days long, the main ceremonies--that of submerging large hand-made statues of deities in the river--only take place during the final days of the holiday, when I'll be in the heavily Muslim country of Bangladesh. On our way back to the hotel, we walk through New Market, the large market here, and after bargaining hard, I decide to buy two semi-silk saris as gifts for people I will visit in Bangladesh.

During my second day in Kolkata, I again tag along with Jean and Ishtaq. We decide to use Kolkata's only metro line to bring us closer to our destinations. I find it to be surprisingly clean and calm for a country whose streets are crammed with truckstaxisrickshawswalkerscarsdogs, an occasional elephantorhorse. First we visit Victoria Memorial. Built to commemorate Queen Victoria's 1901 diamond jubilee, the structure was finally finished nearly 20 years after her death. Inside, we visit the museum, which hosts somewhat faded paintings of India's spectacular sites, as well as a very informative history of the city focusing on the the experience of Indians living under British rule. After a quick thali, we take the metro to Kali Temple. More impressive are the Jain Temples we visit after. We also visit Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity-Home for the Destitute and Dying. We ask to go inside so that we can give a donation. I am surprised at how small the facility is, but it seemed very clean and quiet.

I let myself sleep in the next morning, which is lucky because I am still in my room when two hours of hard rain come. After the rain subsides, the air is cooler and I leave the hotel. I meet a local Indian named Pawan in the street. I am hesitant at first because I have had so many negative experiences with Indians trying to sell me something, but he turns out to be the first to offer me genuine help at no cost. I tell him I want to see Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, and then continue on to Dakshineswar Kali Temple, where Ramakrishna started his remarkable spiritual journey. He accompanies me on this day trip, which is very helpful because otherwise I probably could not have figured out the transportation. It turns out Pawan was a Hindu priest for three years, so I had to listen to his preaching about life the whole time, but I suppose it was an appropriate backdrop for the day's journey.

The highlight of the day turns out not to be Belur Math and Dakshineswar Kali Temple but the time between the two attractions. Pawan buys me street food I had never tried, and it is a joy to eat. I try Bengali sweets, some of which are similar to donuts, fried and drenched in syrup. I try some fried rice (more similar to Rice Krispees than to Chinese fried rice) which is mixed with aloo (potato), onions, lime, masala and a slice of coconut. Watching the wala (worker) fold a piece of newspaper into a container with one hand and mix the ingredients with the other is just as fun as eating his product. Another wala mixes chow-mien-like noodles, lime and masala, shaking it loudly in a can, and then pouring it into a little packet made of recycled newspaper. For dinner we have chola batura, fried puffed bread and a chick pea sauce. Another highlight is the brief boat journey we take to get from Belur Math to the Kali Temple.

When we arrive at New Market, I am surprised at how quiet it is compared to its usual bustle. Tonight is Eid-el-Fitur, the Muslim holiday at the end of Ramadan, and people are at home feasting with their families.