The Observer Volume 19, Issue 5

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The Observer An IIJNM publication

Rental vehicles are faulty, pose a risk to their lives; companies say their bikes are first-hand | P 2

Vol 19, Issue 5

Adilin Beatrice C

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Pigeon droppings have more creatinine, an organic compound, than in the excreta of other birds. | Credit: Adilin Beatrice C than in the excreta of other birds.

It creates pathogens, bacteria, viruses or other microorganism that can cause diseases. When pathogens in pigeon droppings mix with soil, they turn to Cryptococcus and Histoplasma, fungi that affect people with low immunity, particularly those who have

advanced AIDS and cancer.

These fungi also affect the respiratory organs of anaemic people.

Cryptococcus neoformenas is a fungus seen mostly in dried pigeon droppings. It can even cause the death of AIDS patients. Psittacosis, also called parrot fever, is another infectious disease transmitted by bird droppings.

Pigeons are uricotelic – meaning they excrete nitrogenous waste from bloodstream as uric acid instead of urea and ammonia. Like other birds, they don’t have a urinary bladder, so their urine mixes with faeces, making them semi-solid. Uric acid is converted to ammonia that can spread in air.

“If the pigeons are dangerous, then the BMRCL should take action. It doesn’t mean BMRCL should kill them, but it can prevent the pigeons from entering the Metro stations and dirtying the place. It even dirts on people sometimes,” said Mahalakshmi, a Metro commuter.

BMRCL has installed dartboards in the Trinity station to drive pigeons away. But the boards are only placed at the entrances and exits, not inside the station. Pigeons are seen all over the station.

Floors are cleared frequently, says BMRCL PRO, P3

Disabled shun wheelchairs, ramps at BMTC stands Aarthi N

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he Karnataka government may have provided facilities like wheelchairs and ramps for the disabled in buses and at bus stands, but they remain unused. Disabled passengers refuse to use them saying they are inconvenient.

“Only a few buses have ramps.

It is too difficult to use ramps as we always need help from someone. They should make buses wheelchair-friendly. We cannot keep going to specific places where they have these ramps. I rarely use buses because of not having accessibility,” Fousiya Abdul Rawoof, a locomotor disability person who works as a senior coordinator at The Association of People with Disability, in-

There are 1,117 low-floor TTMC buses in the city. Also, 2,963 ordinary buses have floors that the disabled can access easily. | Credit: Aarthi N formed The Observer.

The Observer found ramps at the bus station in Shantinagar gathering dust.

“People do not have patience till we (disabled people) board the

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A Hakki Pikki village that is close to Wonderla amusement park gets no government benefits | P 3

People with low immunity are most vulnerable

anaemic and sick, Chandrashekar added.Veterinary microbiologists at the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries University say pathogens in pigeon droppings can cause up to 60 different diseases.

Pigeon droppings have more creatinine, an organic compound,

Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Watch out, pigeon poop at Metro stations can make you sick

ommuters of Namma Metro have a reason to worry that they are not aware of: Pigeon droppings. They can cause up to 60 diseases.

“Pigeon droppings will affect the passengers if they are not cleaned for a long time. In Metro ceilings, on air conditioner vents and beside stairs, there are pigeon droppings that not cleaned regularly. If dried faeces are disturbed, they turn to aerosols.

Aerosols spread in the air and can cause lung diseases among people who have low immunity,” Dr K.M. Chandrashekar, former assistant professor, veterinary microbiology, Veterinary College, informed The Observer.

An aerosol is the suspension of organisms in a droplet.

It spreads in the air and enters the human body. Pigeon droppings can cause secondary infections among people who are

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bus. Even if we board the bus, the seat that is reserved for us is occupied by others. It is so difficult to use public transport,” said C. Kanagaraj, a disabled person.

The Karnataka State Policy of

Disability ensures the implementation of legislation related to persons with disabilities enshrining the objectives in the PWD Act, 1995.

The government has implemented other facilities like free tickets and two seats for the disabled in every bus.

“We do have facilities here, but people do not use them. The ramp is not properly manufactured. It is so high. Disabled people find it difficult to climb them,” Yasin Sahed, a BMTC depot security guard, said.

“There are facilities for disabled people here, but I have not seen anyone using them,” Syed Iqbal, who owns a snacks shop at the Shantinagar BMTC bus stand, said.

LED boards to be installed, P 3

News briefs Biofuel planes by 2030

Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of SpiceJet, has committed to fly 10 crore passengers on biofuel-propelled plans by 2030.

Sign language dictionary

Around new 4,000 words are likely to be added in the Indian sign language dictionary by 2020, according to the Union social justice and empowerment ministry's Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre. These include words about agriculture for the first time.

SC raps Kerala govt

Kerala chief secretary Tom Jose has been slammed by the Supreme Court for a “patent beach of law” by the state government in allowing illegal structures like the Maradu high-rise apartments to come up along a fragile coastal zone.

India's trade growth slips India's trade growth has slowed to 1% from 9% due to slow trade growth and growing trade tensions with International hosts.

NLSIU protest ends

A boycott of classes and exams by students of the National Law School of India University ended after an alumnus met the Chief Justice of India (CJI), who is the Chancellor of the University. The CJI promised that only a formal decision by the Chancellor regarding the appointment of a vice-chancellor was pending. A VC would be appointed soon.

Digital census

Union home minister Amit Shah has announced that the 2021 Census would be carried out digitally. He has also suggested one card for all utilities like Aadhaar, passport, bank account, driving licence and voter ID card. He spoke at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Registrar General of India (RGI) that conducts census.

Weather Forecast: Moderate or heavy rain shower Maximum temperature: 28 degree celsius Minimum temperature: 22 degree celsius Humidity: 83% Precipitation: 100%

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The Observer Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Rental vehicles are faulty: Users ‘We are exposed to risk of mishaps due to poor condition’ Ankita Mukherjee

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ehicles from renting apps like Drivezy and Zoomcar are not in a good condition, riders complain. This increases the possibility of accidents.

“As the cost of public transportation is high, I decided to rent a bike from the Drivezy app.

When I went to pick up my bike, it was not in the condition I thought it would be in. The brakes were not working properly and the body of the bike was dented. I asked them if they had any other option. They did show me other options, but those were not up to the mark either, so I had to go with the same bike. It was tough riding the bike,” Adrish Mukherjee, a resident of Kolkata who was visiting Bengaluru, informed The Observer.

Apurva Somaiya, who has lived in the city for four months, said:

Faulty clutches, brakes that jam and defective tyres are blamed for accidents | Credit: Ankita Mukherjee “I have used several rental bikes twice while I was travelling with over the years and have seen one my family on a weekend. Custhing in common: They are poorly tomer support wasn’t helpful.” maintained and usually have Faulty clutches, brakes that more than one mechanical issue. jam and defective tyres are Either the brakes don't work or blamed for accidents. the engine leaks oil. This is danDrivezy fleet executive officer gerous for customers who are new Faiz said: “All bikes and cars are to riding motorcycles. I wish cor- new and first-hand. We give our porates focused on safety....” customers the best, but if the cusSamarth Kapoor, another resi- tomers meet with accidents, then dent of Bengaluru, said he finds we can do nothing. Before handthe Drivezy service convenient, ing our bikes to customers, we but they should focus on the check them. After getting them maintenance of the bikes. back, we do maintenance.”

Student Jai Iyer shared: “DriAn officer of the Zoomcar app vezy cars and motorcycles are who didn’t share his name said: risky. My car tyre was punctured “We try to give proper vehicles to

customers. But when we get them back, at times, they are in a poor condition, maybe due to accidents. But we cannot confidently say that.”

A student who uses Zoomcar said the company collects Rs 5,000 as a security deposit. If a car meets with an accident, they do not refund it.

A transport department official who did not want to be named said vehicle rental apps must install panic buttons, digital meters and emergency panels. App owners should take permission from the RTO. High court lawyer Sharmila Mishra told The Observer: “Twowheelers should be taken off apps as they are too dangerous. They are not legal.”

Drivers of four-wheelers drive rashly, exposing them to the risk of accidents. “Bikers tend to overspeed, causing skidding. Insurance companies should be liable for damage to the vehicle and customers. Rapido, Zoomcar and Drivezy should take permission....”

The transport department should check the insurance documents and driving licences of rider, Mishra said. ankita.m@iijnm.org

Violations around Cubbon Park have the traffic police at their wits’ end Some drivers say they were unfairly fined Chirag Dutta

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he Central Street crossing on Cubbon Road swarms with violators of traffic rules. Though only BBMP trucks are allowed to use the road, other heavy vehicles and trucks also use it. Drivers jump traffic lights with impunity.

Milind Kumar, a tempo driver who was detained for taking a restricted left turn, informed The Observer: “I follow the traffic rules. Today, I was in a hurry as I had to deliver two large music systems in opposite directions of the city. I would not have taken a left turn, but I saw a car in front taking that turn, so I followed.

The police stopped my vehicle and fined me today, whereas several other vehicles still take the turn.

The police mostly detain fourwheelers as they are easy to stop.

Bikers violate traffic signs very frequently, but the police fail to catch them. This is injustice.”

Vishal Anand, an MBA student who owns a Suzuki Gixxer 250, was fined Rs 800 for having a faulty headlight. “I had sent the bike for servicing a month ago.

The service shop reported nothing regarding the headlight. I am confident that nothing was wrong with my bike’s headlight. What

According to the police, trucks and other heavy vehicles often jump traffic signals to avoid being caught. | Credit: Chirag Dutta happened to me was unjust,” he complained.

Cubbon Road is one of Bengaluru’s busiest roads. Despite warning signs, non-BBMP trucks and other goods vehicles use the road. According to the police, trucks and other heavy vehicles often jump traffic signals to avoid being caught. The use of cellphones while driving causes several accidents.

Munirajya M, the sub-inspector who heads the traffic unit on Cubbon Road, said: “The Cubbon Park area is among the areas

with most police personnel posted to control traffic. Yet we have a hard time keeping rule violations in check. Most of the people who violate traffic rules are from educated and wealthy families. They are always in a hurry and try to bribe their way out when detained. U-turn, left and right turn signs are barely followed during rush hours. This is one of the primary reasons for accidents. We have to deal with pedestrians too.

Many are fined every day for not following traffic signals while crossing the road.”

Ramesh K, a traffic police officer of the unit, said “On the first day of the implementation of the (amended) Motor Vehicles Act, approximately 30% more cases were registered. A majority of the cases we had to deal with… pertained to driving without helmet, using the phone while driving, jumping traffic signals and rash driving”.

“People should be more conscious about traffic rules and road safety. “We have launched awareness programmes and posted various YouTube videos to warn the public, but none of them seem to have affected the public in the way we wanted. The Motor Vehicles Act amendment will bring down the accident rate.”

People will think twice before violating traffic rules to save themselves from hefty fines, Ramesh said.

Dr K. Mohanan Nambiar, a traffic warden, shared: “Controlling traffic in Bengaluru has never been easy. Traffic problems increased a few years after the IT sector began to thrive. Nowadays, each family member has a car.

This is one of the main reasons for traffic jams. With so many private cars in the city, not only are the police having a hard time controlling traffic, but public transport is facing a lot of problems...

We plan to increase the number of police checkpoints in different areas of the city. We will select the areas by the end of the month.” chirag.d@iijnm.org

Citizen’s voice Bad roads are a pain I'd like to draw the attention of authorities concerned to bad roads in Bengaluru. The current condition of roads is very bad.

They are either dug up or have potholes, leading to traffic jams and accidents.

Shivani Mishra Smoking in public People, including minors, openly smoke near hospitals, behind Metro stations, and in parks.

This not only creates air pollution, but also exposes others, including children and senior citizens, to passive smoking.

This can cause serious harm to people’s health. There is a lack of no-smoking boards in some areas. Not much is being done to check smoking in public.

Neetu Saini Traffic problems Bengaluru has become infamous for its traffic. The city should be developed in such a way that traffic on roads eases. Traffic police should introduce free left turns, which will keep vehicles moving. There should be investment in parking infrastructure.

This will prevent people from parking on roads.

Sheikh Saquib Garbage in Kengeri lake The Kengeri lake, once a boating place, is now full of garbage and shrubs. Awareness should be created among people to not dump garbage in the lake.

Anil Kumar Lack of playgrounds Bengaluru is becoming overcrowded and many buildings are coming up. All open spaces are being covered up. As a consequence, there is very little open space left for children. Outdoor games, played in fresh air, are important for the growth of children. Exercise is important for their physical and mental development. As there is lack of playgrounds, the children play on streets, breathing polluted air.

Some of them play in unclean areas that can cause health problems. Authorities should look into the matter..

Anish Lal

Around the city DIDAC India - Worlddidac a conference held in Bangalore International Exhibition Centre. From 24th September, Tuesday - 26th September, Thursday.

Global Citizenship Conference - Mon, 23 – Sun, 29 Sep BMS College of Engineering Bull Temple Rd, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, Karnataka. The Global Citizenship Conference is an annual event hosted by the Melton Foundation.

The Almost Weekend, Stand Up Comedy in Eddy’s Café, Indiranagar. From 19th September, 8 pm – 26th September, 9:30 pm.

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The Observer Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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Hakki Pikki village gets no govt benefits While some beg, others produce herbal hair oils

Aman Bhardwaj

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he residents of Gauripura, a village near Wonderla amusement park inhabited

by Hakki Pikki tribals, are not getting the benefits of government schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Ujjwala Yojana.

The village, which comes under the Bannikuppe gram panchayat in Ramanagar district, is the only village deprived of the facilities.

“We don’t get any medical facility from the government and have not received the Ayushman Bharat cards. We have complained to the gram panchayat, but have not received the cards,” Virendra, a villager, informed The Observer.

Madhu, another villager, complained about not getting gas cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. “Instead, we have to pay Rs 12,500 for new gas connections.”Most of the residents use kerosene instead of cylinders at their homes as they cannot afford the cost for new connection of gas cylinders.

People of the village drink groundwater. To get RO-purified

Sixty of the 350 residents in the village are beggars. The government has not paid attention to the residents.

Some make herbal hair oils that they sell online through an agent.| Credit: Aman Bhardwaj water, they have to travel a dis- pension. We complained about stalled and they would not have tance. “Work on a water purifier this to the ward member Hem to travel 4 km for water as half started last year, but has not been Reddy. He promised us the prob- setup of purifier is done. completed yet,” Janaki, a villager, lem would be solved as soon as Without government support, said. The government has not possible.” the villagers are in financial troupaid attention to the village of For his part, Reddy said: “The ble. Two of them, Champa and 350 residents because its resi- government planned to provide Manimala, have a heart problem. dents are few in number and can’t all facilities to the villagers, but They have to spend Rs 5,000raise their voice. due to the change of government 6,000 every month on treatment.

Sushila, another villager, said: in the state, they have stopped Ayushman Bharat health insur“The government has instituted a funds, which they will release ance cards would have covered pension scheme that is supposed very soon.” He also promised the them up to Rs 5 lakh.The vilto provide us Rs 3,000 per month, villagers that within a month, an lagers have to travel to Kengeri, but we get only Rs 600-1,000 as RO water purifier would be in- which is about 15 km to 20km

Ramps and LED Metro floors are cleaned every 2-3 hours: PRO boards to be installed Continued from page 1

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Dartboards are hung in ceiling of Trinity Metro station to scare pigeons.

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he Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, says the government should take appropriate steps for the protection and improvement of human environment. The ministry of environment, forest and climate change is the body responsible for implementation of the Act. “Workers clean the Metro stations regularly. The floor is cleaned every 2-3 hours, and heavy cleaning is done at night.

Instructions are given to contractors who take care of the cleaning teams. We gave guidelines for them to wear gloves and masks while cleaning,” B.L. Yeshwanth Chavan, BMRCL chief PRO, said.

Susila Anand, a Metro worker said: “We clean the floor many times a day. We are provided with gloves, masks and coats. We wear the gloves and masks only while cleaning dusty areas.”

Pigeon droppings become dangerous when they dry up. Those who clean them without protection are at high risk as they breathe the aerosol. It can lead to lung problems.

“We can prevent infection by moisturising it before cleaning. If it is moisturised, it won’t spread in air. Those who clean pigeon droppings should be healthy and take precautions like wearing masks, gloves and aprons,” Chadrashekar said.

If bird faeces come in contact with injuries, harmful organisms enter the blood stream. In December 2018, a child died of Cryptococcus at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow.

Chandrashekar has conducted awareness programmes in 2016 to let people know that pigeon droppings can spread parasites, ticks and fleas in the environment. adilin.b@iijnm.com

uses are said to be disabled-friendly, but in reality they are not. Building ramps in a few buses for disabled doesn’t work in any way. Accessibility of the bus for the disabled itself is difficult. If basic transport is not accessible to disabled people, what can they do? Everything should be done systematically like how it is done in Delhi, and awareness created among the disabled,” said Rama Krishnamachari, director of the Diversity and Equal Opportunity Centre, an NGO. Disabled people The Observer spoke with said facilities like wheelchairs and ramps do not facilitate them in any way. Ramps are built too high and they cannot board buses without support.

Passengers do not have patience till they settle in their seats. As public transportation is difficult and inconvenient, they prefer to use their own vehicles. Bengaluru’s buses are too crowded, making it difficult for these people to get in without hassles.

BMTC PRO Deepak N. said: “We are working on implementing two facilities: ramps which can be used by the disabled at any bus stop..., and LED boards with voice announcements for the disabled.”

BMTC conducts training ses-

sions for crew on how they should behave with the disabled.

There are 1,117 low-floor TTMC buses in the city. Also, 2,963 ordinary buses have floors that the disabled can access easily.

“In Bengaluru, the Metro is fairly accessible, but to reach it, buses are the only feasible option.

If buses are not accessible to the disabled, what is the use of having ramps at bus stations? When we talk about the disabled, we only talk about wheelchair users, not the blind. These transportation facilities should be accessible to all. There has to be a holistic approach,” Sunil Jain, founder trustee and chief enabler of Astha, a NGO for the disabled, said.

In December 2018, government announced that 21 KSRTC bus stands would have ramps and wheelchairs for the disabled.

These facilities were implemented after the apex court directed the states in 2017 to make government buses friendly for differently abled passengers. aarthi.n@iijnm.org

from the village to avail their pensions as there are no banks in the village.They do not have basic facilities like primary healthcare centres,schools and post office in their village.

Sixty of the 350 residents are beggars. Every morning, they travel to Bengaluru to beg at Ayyappa and Iskcon temples.

Some make herbal hair oils that they sell online through an agent.The cost of the oils sold online range from Rs.2000 to Rs.4000 per litre. The oils are made of flowers and plants which they grow at home and it will take about fifteen days to produce these oils.

Dr Krishna Raj, professor of rural and sustainable development at the Institute of Social and Economic Change, said: “If the government announces a policy for rural development, it should be for all rural areas. It is the responsibility of the government representatives to inform villagers about new policies or facilities provided to them.”

If a policy is not implemented in one particular village, it would be due to negligence by gram panchayat members of the village. Villagers can directly write complaints on government websites so that their problems can be resolved faster,” Krishna Raj added. aman.b@iijnm.org

Twitterati talk @ips_patil @CPBlr CCB unearth a major cricket betting racket. 2 persons Sandeep and Rana arrested. Rs. 41 lakhs seized. They collected bets on Ind-South Africa match.

They have named other bookies who operate from outside. @BBMPCOMM In view of the rains in #Bengaluru, I have instructed all #BBMP teams to stay alert as moderate to heavy rain has been forecast overnight. Citizens can call the zonal and central numbers for assistance. #bbmpcomm @ShashiTharoor Nehru & Indira Gandhi in the US in 1954. Look at the hugely enthusiastic spontaneous turnout of the American public, without any special PR campaign, NRI crowd management or hyped-up media publicity.

Team Observer Editor: Aman Bhardwaj Copy editors: Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C Ankita Mukerjee, Aman Bhardwaj, Chirag Dutta Reporters: Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C, Ankita Mukerjee, Aman Bhardwaj, Chirag Dutta Photo editor: Aman Bhardwaj Supplements: Nikita Gupta, Shlok Arya

Travel

The Observer Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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Unknown Splendours T h e a r e a a r o u n d Ja i p u r i s a m i c r o c o s m o f t h e m o s a i c t h a t i s R a j a s t h a n , w r i t e s N i k i t a G u p t a

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ention Jaipur and you will conjure up images of the Pink City, although not so pink really, the fivestoreyed, 953-window Hawa Mahal, the City Palace, the Nahargarh, Jaigarh and Amer Forts, Moti Dongri, Birla Temple, and the Jantar Mantar. For the outsider, these pretty much sum up the city’s history, architecture, art and culture.

So I wasn’t surprised when a friend in Bangalore recently said to me, “It’s not that Jaipur isn’t attractive, I’m more interested in the architecture of places like Ajanta-Ellora.” She couldn’t have been more mistaken.

Do you know where the earliest Buddhist site in Rajasthan lies?

The Kholvi Caves, built around 700-900 BCE. The 50 caves and 45 stone structures found here are said to have housed about 64 monks. Their centre-piece is a 12-feet tall statue of the preaching Buddha.

These caves may not compare with the splendour and scale of Ellora but they are definitely worth a visit. Who, after all, would expect to find such

Abhaneri consists of 3,500 narrow steps over 13 storeys

amazing architectural relics in the heart of the Thar desert?

They are a reminder of the spread of Buddhism across the subcontinent and its tenacious hold on societies and cultures as diverse and distant as modern Bihar, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

It’s a six hours drive from Jaipur or one can board a train to Jhalawar and then drive for two hours. The latter is a timeconsuming but a much more interesting ride. You encounter strangers, their stories, the

Credit:Trodly.com

place’s story and not to forget ‘a cup of garam chai’ at the railway station less visited.

Another Buddhist site you might find interesting is Bairat.

About 84 km from Jaipur, built in the third century BCE, the circular-shaped temple shares a history with the Ashokan Pillars of lore. It sits beside a monastery, built on a higher platform, which has meditation cells large enough to comfortably seat a monk or nun.

One can visit Bairat simply to see the remains of Buddhism’s

glorious past and feel history speak to you from every pillar.

Virtually abandoned, the temple complex doesn’t attract a lot of visitors, which allows you some beautiful ‘me time’ in splendid solitude amidst the relics of Mauryan history.

It’s a two hour drive from Jaipur or one can take a bus, travel down the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway till you reach a landmark, the restaurant ‘Sariska Cut’ and then take a tempo taxi to the site. No matter how you travel, once you get there you’ll be struck by the minimalism of the design and be transported back in time.

But my favourite getaway is Abhaneri. A stepwell, situated around 93 km from Jaipur, is a sculptural wonder and a feast for the eyes. The bottom of the well was the summer escape for the royals as it remained 4-5 degrees cooler than the surface. A part of a complex that includes the Chand Baori and Harshatmata Temple, the stepwell has of late attractedattention and has even provided a setting for Bollywood films such as Dhadak and Bhoomi.

The easiest way to get there

is by taking a morning train to Bandikui and then catching local transport or even hitchhiking for the remaining 6.5 km. The well is an absolute wonder, a finely carved and beautifully symmetrical structure that not just provides sustenance for the body but the soul.

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was born in Rajasthan and the land, its history and culture have always been close to my heart. The state isn’t just sandy desert, gaudy turbans, camels or palaces. It’s essence lies in the extraordinary syncretism of its varied religious and cultural traditions, whether Jainism (exemplified by the exquisite temples of Mount Abu), Sufi Islam (the famous Ajmer Sharif Dargah), Buddhism and of course Hinduism.

And Jaipur, its capital city, is a treasure trove of stories. The beauty of India lies in its living history. Our cities rest upon the ruins of centuries past that offer, in a broken wall or decrepit haveli, glimpses of another time.

We rarely notice them as we negotiate our bustling streets, but they are always there waiting to be discovered.

Finding Solitude in a Crowd K o l k a t a i s a u n i q u e e x p e r i e n c e f o r e v e n t h e m o s t j a d e d t ra v e l e r , w r i t e s S h l o k A r y a

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ravel is almost always associated with places, going somewhere new, or the thrill of the trip itself. But often it’s the personal journey that lingers longest in one’s memory, thoughts of the most vibrant experiences that stay long after memories of the sights and sounds have faded.

My trip was not about the place but about the people I met and food I ate and the nights I spent in Kolkata. It’s funny when I look back, I still remember sitting in my room and telling my roommate about my decision to travel to Kolkata without a specific plan as to what I intended to do once I got there. I took Rs.5, 000, a backpack, a pair of shoes and I boarded a night bus from Siliguri bus stop.

Kolkata welcomed me with soft sunrays and gentle, windy weather. There was the sense of stir in the air, and I had a feeling this trip would be quite unlike

any other. The first thing I noticed was that the entire city was being decorated intricately for a festival. There was a palpable sense of joy, as if people were preparing for their last moments of their lives. There was marvelous chaos, people were shouting, screaming, sweating as they built the pandals. I reached my hotel and gazing out of my room window, I could see little other than this frenetic activity all around and the swarms of people.

Durga puja is a colossal street party in Kolkata. The sheer variety and vividness of life in the city is reflected in the multiple themes that animate the pandals. More than anything else, Durga puja gives Kolkata an opportunity to express its creativity on a grand scale and I, for one, wasn’t disappointed.

I wandered the city but whenever I narrate my experience of the place, I always arrive at Princep Ghat. Between all the music and celebration, I found

Town, but in its oldest neighbourhoods. Steeped in history and culture, these are its living, beating heart.I wandered these lanes crammed with weatherworn, decaying buildings, with cracked and drooping rooftops, bustling with happy people.

Their friendly smiles and their shinning eyes will always stay with me.

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Hooghly Bridge, Kolkata

peace sitting by Princep Ghat on the banks of the Hoogly, staring into the horizon and watching the sun go down. I could sit there for hours zoning into a realm of quietness, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city.

I was amazed at the variety of street food Kolkata has to offer. There is so much variety that I could always something that perfectly matched the mood I was in. The phuchka and

|Credit: Soumyadeep Bhattacharjee

kochuri are to die for and there is a reason why the city is famous for kathi rolls. I remember eating aloo chop, a fried potato patty that became my ‘go to’ street snack while wandering Kolkata’s busy streets. It’s crispy on the outside and soft inside, a perfect metaphor for the city I thought!

The life of the city doesn’t lie in the newer, more developed parts like Salt Lake and New

or the 10 days I spent there, the city was vibrant and loud and it gradually pulled me in and created a bond which only grew stronger with every passing day. Yet, in the midst of so much activity, I found a certain quiet within. Travelling alone allowed me to spend time with myself, to find solitude even in the unlikeliest of places.

Kolkata helped me gain a perspective on life: that in all the chaos and confusion that surrounds us, there is a stillness and a meaning that can be discerned through detachment and a certain peace of mind.