TRAVELBOOK (Kolkata Day 7): A City Of Love

In just a few words, I'll say that I am absolutely in love with this city, and keep falling deeper in love with it each time I come back to visit. Sitting here blogging my very last day, I am smiling thinking about all the wonderful new memories I've created, along with reminiscing of the memories from my childhood.


I was born in the city of joy, but never got the chance to live in it. I only visited every now and then to see my grandparents, when I was living abroad. Now that I'm permanently back in India, I intend to make a trip here every summer! It might just be the warm and friendly people, the glorious shopping, the endless stalls of delicious street food, or just the essence of home, which draws me into this city each time.

Today my aunt, grand aunt, and uncle came over to spend some time on our last day. The entire afternoon, we spent chit chatting, reminiscing memories, a few sweet, and a few bitter, along with sipping our tea with biscuits. This scene, otherwise known as 'adda,' is common in almost every Bengali household. 'Adda' defines Bengalis, who love socializing to create new bonds and strengthen old ones.

As I looked around at the smiling faces, I realized that despite all the changes that may have affected our family positively or negatively, the love that we had for each other had never left. After all, that's what families are all about. It is this exact same love that exudes out of the city of Kolkata, which makes me want to keep coming back! And no matter where I go or how far away I live, it is the city of love that has made a place in my heart forever.

Or it might just be the sweet, mouthwatering rosgulas that I just wanna pop into my mouth! ;)

TRAVELBOOK (Kolkata Day 6): Birla Temple And Its Beauty

As the days near the end of this magnificent trip, I decided a trip to the mandir (temple) is a must. The Birla Temple, built in the 1970s, is one of the major tourist attractions in Kolkata. This would be my second time visiting it.

Located in the rather elite locality of Ballygunge, the Birla Temple looms over the main road with its beautiful carvings etched intricately on marble. We were asked to leave our bags and cameras outside before entering the temple. Stepping into the serene and spacious hall, there stood Lord Krishna and Radha dressed in bright red at the very centre. Several people stood in front of the idols, a few entranced by the magnificent aura, while others deep in prayer. Walking over to the right side, a smaller 'mandir' housed Lord Shiva, destroyer of evil. On the left side stood Goddess Durga, the Goddess of Power. I folded my hands in prayer completely in awe by the dramatic display of Hinduism in front of me.

The beauty of temples in India is that each and every one is unique in its architecture, color, and the deities themselves. There is always a huge mob of people surrounding each deity also. This intense faith amongst Hindus in the multiple gods and goddesses is truly fascinating.

I bowed my head in front of the 'pandit' (or priest) to accept the offerings, took one last look at the idols in front of me, and then turned around. A truly mesmerizing experience, I stepped out of the temple thankful for this wonderful trip.

TRAVELBOOK (Kolkata Day 5): Shop till you drop...literally

We left pretty early today for yet another day filled with shopping. This time it was at a renowned older part of Kolkata known as New Market.

We took the subway, otherwise known as the metro here, which apparently happens to be the oldest one here in India. As it smoothly swerved through the metro line, I took a look outside to see an old city charm mixed with the modern twist of huge billboards and shopping centres and apartment buildings. As we neared our station, I quickly gathered our belongings and hopped out.

When we got to New Market, an ancient building loomed over us. Walking through it, endless rows of stalls holding sunglasses, watches, T-shirts, and kurtis enlightened my eyes. But the real magic didn't happen until we entered the greater area. A bustling market place surrounded me suddenly with vendors yelling at the top of their lungs "Notun bags!" (new bags) "Juto dekhoon!"(see these shoes). There were jewellery shops showcasing glittering bangles, earrings, and necklaces. A throng of colorful bags hung on hooks visible from miles away. The displays attracted customer creating mobs around each stall, not to mention the chaotic traffic of cars, and street animals in the narrow streets. We somehow managed to walk up the steps into the indoor market to see what more was in store for us.



New Market is a market place that is actually quite old, contrary to its name. It has been around since the British rule in India. Thus, there is a British influence in the infrastructure and some of the shops. There is a 110 year old bakery shop which holds some of the most unique sweets from cheese samosas, brownies, cakes, pastries, to fruitcakes. As I spoke with one of the shopkeepers, he said he was quite happy to be working in this place for many years. However, its reputation has been scarred over the years due to the lack of cleanliness and its remote location, which tends to drive customers away. If it was a bit more cleaned up, customers would not hesitate.



But from what I saw, it is definitely a happening place, especially amongst foreigners, as many Europeans flocked around certain shops. I made sure to fully enjoy this experience myself, by having some 'pav bhaji,' a popular street dish all over India. I managed to get a lot of footage for my vlog which I'll be posting later.






The night stretched on by shopping as much as possible, as the low costs and awesome collections are bound to attract any visitor to this unique marketplace!

TRAVELBOOK (Kolkata Day 4): Movie Madness!

Sorry for the late post, guys! I've mostly been exploring every corner of Kolkata (okay not literally), that I can possibly get a hold of.

So, today, the whole day was a girl's day out. It began at the mall. After getting all dressed up, my two aunts, mom, and I landed at South City Mall during the daytime. Stepping into the packed atmosphere, I didn't feel like I was at a mall, but rather a crowded airport. There were so many people! Young girls in their best outfits were escorted by their male counterparts. Similarly, sophisticated women sauntered into the branded shops with their Coach purses slung through their arms. I couldn't help but notice the lines and lines of branded shops visible in front of me : Coach, Prada, Vero Mode, and much more. We explored a few of them, in awe at the sky high prices. In contrast to us, most customers obliviously purchased items, stuffing their shopping bags. I was shocked to see the enormous spending abilities within customers in Kolkata...

Finally halting at the theatres, we lined up for 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani,' an adorable rom-com flick featuring my now two favorite actors, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. After thoroughly enjoying the the two and a half hour movie, we prepared ourselves for dinner at Flame and Grill.

Known for the delicious kabab scene, Flame and Grill offers a reasonably priced mouth watering buffet dinner every night. The highlight: is the endless line of kabab platters served as starters. From prawn kababs, to chicken kababs, mutton kababs, and fish kababs, one will never easily get bored. However, after just having four to five juicy kababs, I was stuffed. Somehow, I managed to make room for the rest of the buffet which consisted of: naan, mutton biryani, palak paneer, and so much more I can't remember now!

Overall,  a very eventful night.

Vlog coming soon! And if you haven't checked out YJHD yet, make sure to do so!

TRAVELBOOK (Kolkata Day 3): Wet Wet Monday...

So this wet day began with a trickle, which eventually turned into a downpour. Stepping out with gigantic umbrellas, we began hopping over puddles to reach the closest optical shop. Before we could reach, we were forced to wait near a local clinic. Waiting and watching the rain fall, I took in the scenario of a typical street in Kolkata.  Despite the ancient looking buildings, for some reason there is always a modern charm to this 'city of joy.' Rickshaws creaked by, as people swerved through the moving traffic, with books over their heads for protection. Local shops from pharmacies, bakeries, to even shoe stores were lined up.

As the rain halted to a stop, we quickly jumped out of our protective area out into the sunny streets. As we began walking, I couldn't help noticing the multitudes of stands showcasing tiny artifacts from combs, bracelets, to even nail cutters. Mom and I  were eager to browse through as many stands as possible, thoroughly thrilled at the variety of items, not to mention how cheap they were!

The day then came to an end when I spotted a petite bakery named 'Monginis' peeking out of the corner of the busy street. My mouth began watering as my eyes scanned through displays showcasing endless pastries, mousses, cakes, along with fish chops, chicken cutlets, and other goodies. This was it. The FOOD. That has got to be the best part of being in Kolkata!

Vlog coming soon!

TRAVELBOOK (Kolkata Day 2): What more can I buy?

First was the train ride, now comes the autorickshaw ride, which I could describe endlessly. All I'll say is that this driver surely knows how to maneuver through the packed streets of Kolkata. Veering through mini buses, taxis, bicycles, and even street dogs, we managed to reach our destination. By barely missing a local bus!

Wrapping my digital camera chord around my wrist, I started clicking away at whatever I laid my eyes on. Finally feasting my eyes on a 'kadai' (a large frying bowl) showcasing some fried goodies, I inhaled deeply. The mixed aromas of spicy kebabs and sweet 'mishtis' clashed deeply with the polluted city smell. I traversed through the crowd to enter a giant shopping complex with artistic letters carved in Bengali saying: "Dakhinapan." Known to be the prime shopping location for affordable yet beautiful Indian kurtis, tops, salwars, and so much more, Dakhinapan was one of my favorite shopping destinations!

Multitudes of customers from the well dressed elite couples to middle class families strolled through the shops. Walking into the first store, I heard cries of "Oh Baudi, ita dekhun! Darun lagbe" from shopkeepers in an attempt to flatter, and simultaneously persuade customers into buying the latest collections. The shopkeeper's prior knowledge about what you want, how you want it, in what color, is what never ceases to amaze me. Surrounded by every employee, it is quite impossible to back out. So I grabbed colorful tops, jeans, flats, and not to mention accessories. I drifted away as if in a dreamland, chasing after all that was reasonable and wonderful...

The tangy smells of puchkas hit me as soon as I exited out of Dakhinapan, tempting me to just give it a try. Stepping around vendors scolding young boys, I made my way through a nearby puchka stand and bravely asked for one. I say bravely because this was my first time trying street food. Soon enough, I stuffed the round, crispy shell covering a spicy and sweet stuffing, in my mouth, the juice slightly dripping down my chin. As I asked for one more, I quickly grabbed onto my multiple shopping bags, ready to take one more trip of shopping in one of the more sophisticated malls called South City Mall. But I still say, nothing beats the shopping like that of Dakhinapan...

TRAVELBOOK (Kolkata Day 1): Destination At Last

The train ride went smoothly and quickly, with 'chai walas' strolling through every now and then, accompanied with afternoon mood music from cell phones of neighboring passengers. As I stepped out of the air conditioned compartment, I found myself in a crowded station, surrounded by an air of humidity. Sounds of "Dada, eyi dike," and elderly aunties huffing and puffing enveloped me, as I made my way out of the station and out into the streets of Kolkata. I had finally arrived. Today marked the first day of my 10-day summer vacation in this city of joy, as it's called...

As we stepped through the bustling station jam packed with peopel, we made our way into the "Pre-Paid Taxi" line, and patiently began to wait. Soon enough, we stuffed our four hefty suitcases into the trunk of the bright yellow and black taxis, and climbed in, ready to embark on the half and hour journey to my Garia home. Snapping pics of ram lines, puchka stands, ancient buildings, along with designer stores, I passed my time quickly. Soon enough, we reached, only to be greeted by my aunt (or mom's twin sis), peeking out from the balcony.

"Eshchish? Aaye aaye..." welcomed my aunt, as we struggled to enter through the gigantic iron gate that marked the entrance to our home. I wrapped my aunt in a tight hug, ecstatic to be back in the familiar environment, associated with many childhood memories. I clambered up the steps to be greeted by my grandpa in the dining room, patiently waiting, and eating simultaneously...


The afternoon was filled mostly with chatter between the three of us (mom, aunt, and myself). Evading an afternoon nap, so traditional in Indian homes, we caught up with each other after months of being away. Plans of going out cut short, unfortunately due to the monsoon rains, that have erupted in this city as well. However, the rains did aid in bringing some relief from the humid heat.


The sticky and wet weather didn't stop me from convincing my mom and aunt to go out for an evening stroll. We began our walk through the always entertaining neighborhood, filled with street shops showcasing shining jewelery, children's toys, hair clips, accessories, colorful women's clothing, shoes, bags, and so much more! Not to mention the endless stalls of fruits and vegetables, puchkas, chaats, and the various authentic Bengali sweets. My head was literally spinning. We managed to complete one full round, ending the evening with a bumpy 'rickshaw' ride back home.

I can't wait to know what's in store for me in the next days to come! Until then, stay posted!

News At Its Best: NDTV Internship

The first day that I walked into the NDTV office located in the more discrete parts of Chennai, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Greeted in by another enthusiastic intern, I breathed a sign of relief to know I wouldn't be all alone at least. She updated me on all the various explorations this internship had taken her. I listened in, fascinated. Then, I picked up a newspaper, and began reading, which I soon came to realize was a must in an internship with a news bureau.

Each day would usually begin like this, until Sam Sir (the team leader, as I liked to call him) would announce a shoot to attend. My first day consisted of a trip to the Police Commission’s Office in Egmore to interview a fan who had lodged a complaint due to the recent cricket controversies. The IPL scandal remained a popular subject of shoots for the following weeks of my internship. I was a regular guest at the residences of Gurunath Meiyappan, Vikram Aggarwal, and BCCI president N. Srinivasan.

It wasn't just limited to cricket. The next few days I got the chance to visit government hospitals, and check out the latest technology of neo-natal wards. Entering, I caught a glance at six to seven babies neatly lined up under a warm glow illuminated by the heaters above. Another ward gave shelter to new mothers in fragile conditions...
I was able to get a taste of NDTV Profit as well, in which I accompanied a financial journalist to his shoots from interviewing prime developers, to capturing footage of high end luxurious markets. A few of the developers included Mr. Shekar (MD of Lancor) and Mr. Yagnik (MD of Jones Lang La Salle).

Learning about the camera was just as interesting to understand the overall package of a shoot. I was able to learn about lighting, neutral density, zooming, focusing, and more. Attending various shoots helped me to better understand working the camera in different environments, indoor or outdoor. Similarly, I learned what it's like to be in front of the camera by doing a live OB and getting interviewed a few times.

On my last few days, I visited Amma's Kitchen (canteens around Tamil Nadu) and spoke with common citizens. They gave their own opinions about these mini canteens selling hot idlis and sambar for Rs. 1 each! Established all over the state by the Chief Minister, these canteens proved to be popular among citizens. 

My internship with NDTV was one of the best learning experiences I had. As an aspiring journalist myself, I was able to learn about being a reporter as well as enjoy meeting and going to different places. Who said work was no fun? Through the knowledge and experiences I've gained, I intend to fully utilize these skills to chase after my dream of becoming a travel journalist one day. Until then, I'll just have to keep practicing all I've learned and hope for the best.

Here's an interview I conducted with reporter Sam Daniel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUdYukwECio