Calcutta Meri Jaan

Ten years sounds too serious when you mention it as a decade. And that is for how long I know this city that is known for its yellow taxis, rosogolla, phuchka, Victoria Memorial and Bandhs. I can vividly remember how petrified I was while leaving home. But that was my ticket to what one could call it at that age 'freedom'. Coming from a small town in Jharkhand I am very proud of my roots. Initially it is difficult for all to adjust in a new place where people don't speak your language. And I faced similar problems. My parents can speak a li'l bit of Bengali and I read in a school where 70 per cent of the teachers were Bong so you can say I was accustomed to the language but that myth was busted the day I boarded the wrong bus. I was tensed and when you are tensed, all your language skills goes for a toss, I was trying to figure out where was the bus taking me and I asked few ladies and everyone answered in Bengali, maybe I panicked and that made the situation worse but then now when I look at it, I kind of laugh at myself.

Time flew and how. In these ten years things that hasn't changed is the essence and the pace of this city. I have changed, my likes, dislikes and my way of looking at things. I value my mother more. When you stay with someone for too long, you start taking them for granted but staying away makes you realise their importance. Life has its own ways of teaching you things.
I come from Jharia, a small town known for its coal mines, where everybody knows everybody. So when living there, I had to face all kinds of issues; pesky neighbours, interfering relatives and curfew hours. And the much needed thing that Calcutta provided me was FREEDOM...my first tryst with freedom and how can I not be grateful for it.
Aaj ke samaachar samapt. Baki baatein peene baad.