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Vibrant Kolkata
This city I wasn't born in
But have lived in for over three decades
Vibrant, colourful, wayside "krishnachura" head held high
A lively child training on a bicycle
School girls enjoying "phuchkas"
Shopping mall cool and comfy
No dresscode for this joyous city
Dhotis, half pants, skirts, saris, jeans, hot pants
Colours of the rainbow adorn the attire
The grand brick red New Market
Frequented by people who have time to spare
Cheap paper bags on Chowringhee pavement
Dahi phuchkas, chat, biryani stalls, alu kabli, ghughni
Frequent squabbles, din pandemonium, festooned processions
Always vociferous, always on high notes
Life oozes from Kolkata's pores
The wayside lunch stall with woodden benches
Fried rice, momos, chilli chicken, luchi, alu dam
Strawberry in thermocol dishes, coloured papaya slices
Prettily wrapped in shiny cellophane
Loud red rose bunches sold at traffic stops
Push cart icecream in summer, Christmas cards in winter bite
Bazaars with people jostling day and night
Haggling over fish prices-fresh or iced
This is a city with buyers pawing mangoes
To see if ripe, alowed to smell and taste fruit
Sold by the wayside and under flyovers
The new city-New Town-swanky
Who said Kolkata is dirty, filthy? Skeptics !!
Agreed it is not an European metro
Yet it is the mod blended with retro
Sites and sounds galore
Local EMU trains vomiting people onto platforms
Indigestion prevails from overeating
Yet sweets, singaras are adored
In Kolkata no one ever will feel bored
Where was Mishti and Cadbury's wedding held?
Not Rome, Not Paris, Not London
But here ! Here ! Here ! -preceded by Biryani Festival
We love to eat, we love to spend, we love speed , we love to pause
When I open my eyes I find
Kolkatans are always fighting, campaigning for a cause despite their daily grind
Come spend a couple of days here
You'll have memories to tell your grandchildren
Which you'll never get anywhere
© Bishwanath Mukherjee
