Yesterday was “Bharat Bandh”, called by the CPI-M and other non-Congress parties to protest against recent price rise. The bandh in a sense came as a blessing to many Indians who hardly get time to relax at home, with family and friends.
For the Kolkatans, most of them didn’t complain in not making up to the office just like any other normal week day. Rather, they tried to enjoy every bit of time, playing games on PC or chatting with dear ones. For me, it was a sudden holiday! My husband and I spend a quality time, watching TV together and trying out some new dish from my recipe book.
There was hardly any transport seen on the road. The bandh was for 12 hours, but who cares going out after 6pm in the evening, apart from visiting some friend’s house close by. Majority of the shops remained closed and there were few buses and auto rickshaws seen after the bandh got over.
The daily news showed some hartal supporters trying to create havoc by pulling down the Metro Railways shutters and not allowing passengers to enter or leave the station. There were mobs in and around many streets, particularly areas termed as hot seats of Congress or Trinamool Congress Party leaders, shouting and pleading to support bandh as it is called to protect 'our' interests only.
We, the common people know very well, how much our interests are fulfilled. Never ever have any of the political party leaders do anything good for the citizens. They are holding prestigious positions in the Parliament and Constituencies, being elected by us, and are ‘good for nothing’ fellows.
Being a citizen of the world’s largest democracy, India, it’s really a shame to see political leaders fighting like children in the Parliament and throwing papers and chairs to each other like a bunch of fools.
Anyways back to where I started from – it was a lazy, joyous morning for most of us. There was no tension of rising up early to get ready for office, no rush at the metro stations, bus and auto stands to get into one at the earliest, and no sweating and burning under the hot sun. To add to the flavour, there was a much needed respite from the summer heat, as it rained quite heavily the day before yesterday.
People who tried to go to their office had to face problems due to the unruly bandh agitators. They tried to prevent office goers by various possible means – telling them to go back home, not letting them enter Metro stations, showing muscle power and verbally abusing them.
Nonetheless, what ever may be the cause for calling a bandh, the Kolkatans are simply happy in getting another day off (apart from regular holidays on Saturdays and Sundays). It was just a few who seem to complain about the CPI-M government for stopping all work and wasting valuable 12 hours of Tuesday.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Kolkata is Sweating: Want some Rain
Kolkata is literally in the ‘dying’ stage because of the scorching heat of the sun. There is no rain for the past few days, although earlier Alipore’s Met Department predicted of some rain. It’s becoming impossible day by day to go outside, with temperature rising high to 39 and 40 degrees Celsius.
Added to this natural calamity is the power cut and shortage of water supply in the city. There is load shedding for long hours often stretching to more than 3 hours. And, just like any other summer, in this year also, the picture has not changed. With extreme hotness and unlimited sweating, most of the generators at the thermal power stations have stopped working on the pretext of power disruption.
The Kolkatans are devastated with now-and-then power cuts and lack of adequate water supply. People have already started agitations in the front of the CESC head office in central Kolkata. I don’t know why this happen with our city all the time?
It’s no old news that during the summers every time we face such difficulties. No proper steps whatsoever are taken to ease the situation by the KMC or the CESC. They should keep extra, powerful generators exclusively for the summer months – April and May, and must do something to handle power shortage and water disorders in the future.
Added to this natural calamity is the power cut and shortage of water supply in the city. There is load shedding for long hours often stretching to more than 3 hours. And, just like any other summer, in this year also, the picture has not changed. With extreme hotness and unlimited sweating, most of the generators at the thermal power stations have stopped working on the pretext of power disruption.
The Kolkatans are devastated with now-and-then power cuts and lack of adequate water supply. People have already started agitations in the front of the CESC head office in central Kolkata. I don’t know why this happen with our city all the time?
It’s no old news that during the summers every time we face such difficulties. No proper steps whatsoever are taken to ease the situation by the KMC or the CESC. They should keep extra, powerful generators exclusively for the summer months – April and May, and must do something to handle power shortage and water disorders in the future.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
KKR - Again not making to the Semi-Finals
Kolkata Knight Rider’s dream of making to the semi-finals got shattered with the winning of Chennai Super Kings last Sunday (run-rate calculation didn’t favour KKR). It was a lovely match to watch out for – how Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of Chennai Super Kings hit fours and sixes to pull his team to the last four.
When all of us were thinking that it was Punjab who will win, Dhoni showed his real talents. Like a brave soldier in the battlefield, he started to bang Irfan Pathan in the last over, thus sealing his team’s victory. Chennai needed 25 runs of the last 2 overs and they easily made up that.
However coming back to Kolkata Knight Riders or KKR, it was more than a nightmare. What else can I say! Although I am a fan of my home team and love to see KKR win matches and ‘dada’ hitting sixes, still I cannot dream of the team making it to the semi-finals, when they played so BADLY.
When all the teams are trying hard not to leave an inch to the opposition, the KKR bowlers were allowing the batmen to score boundaries and over-boundaries (with their superb bowling skills). They need to do a lot of hard work in terms of fielding and bowling. Just when we need to restrict the runs, the bowler were giving scope to the rival batsman to hit sixes and fours! It really a shame to see the team losing 50% of the matches ‘just like that’, when there was every chance of winning a match.
Every one who knows the game of cricket is well aware of the fact that ‘accidents’ can happen, but come on, not in this way! Sourav Ganguly, the captain of KKR himself has admitted that there are serious flaws in bowling and fielding. It is common sense that some teams will win and some others will loose, but please you should at least show that stamina and drive to lead your team to win.
The match between KKR and Punjab where KKR made 200 runs, but still lost the game because of Jayawardhane’s lovely batting, or the match between KKR and Delhi, where in spite of taking some early wickets of Delhi, we failed to get victory – all these points out to just one thing: we simply don’t have that inner zeal to shatter the rival team and take away the game. The KKR batsmen are just horrible, getting out early and lacking consistency.
When everything seems to be going in its favour, suddenly one simple miss calculation or bad hitting or trying to hit a ball, when it is going to be ‘wide’, leads KKR to lose a match. Why will this happen always with Kolkata Knight Riders? All of us know, every team starting from IPL season 1 has at least made to the semi-finals, just leaving KKR. They have played so poorly that all our expectations and praises have gone in vain. Never ever have they at least showed that hard work and dedication to win a match easily.
Only once or twice (once in a blue moon) has the Kolkata fans got to see that rare sight – KKR winning a game very comfortably and playing brilliantly (like the match played yesterday).
Yesterday’s match between KKR and Mumbai Indians had the feast for the eyes, with some beautiful knocks from McCollum and Ganguly to look out for. The captain also took 2 great catches and got good applauds from the Eden Gardens crowd.
However, it’s really sad to see our team – KKR bid adieu from this season of IPL 3. While seeing the team win the match yesterday, I was only thinking – had they played a nice game with Chennai or Punjab or Delhi, we could have made it to the semi-finals.
But, yes enough is enough. KKR must wake up from its dreams and finally make the team ready for the coming year’s IPL season 4. They should learn from their mistakes and take the ‘good’ match-winning lessons from other IPL teams.
What has Mr. Dav Whitmore (KKR’s coach) and Mr. Wasim Akram (KKR’s bowling coach) has to say on this!
When all of us were thinking that it was Punjab who will win, Dhoni showed his real talents. Like a brave soldier in the battlefield, he started to bang Irfan Pathan in the last over, thus sealing his team’s victory. Chennai needed 25 runs of the last 2 overs and they easily made up that.
However coming back to Kolkata Knight Riders or KKR, it was more than a nightmare. What else can I say! Although I am a fan of my home team and love to see KKR win matches and ‘dada’ hitting sixes, still I cannot dream of the team making it to the semi-finals, when they played so BADLY.
When all the teams are trying hard not to leave an inch to the opposition, the KKR bowlers were allowing the batmen to score boundaries and over-boundaries (with their superb bowling skills). They need to do a lot of hard work in terms of fielding and bowling. Just when we need to restrict the runs, the bowler were giving scope to the rival batsman to hit sixes and fours! It really a shame to see the team losing 50% of the matches ‘just like that’, when there was every chance of winning a match.
Every one who knows the game of cricket is well aware of the fact that ‘accidents’ can happen, but come on, not in this way! Sourav Ganguly, the captain of KKR himself has admitted that there are serious flaws in bowling and fielding. It is common sense that some teams will win and some others will loose, but please you should at least show that stamina and drive to lead your team to win.
The match between KKR and Punjab where KKR made 200 runs, but still lost the game because of Jayawardhane’s lovely batting, or the match between KKR and Delhi, where in spite of taking some early wickets of Delhi, we failed to get victory – all these points out to just one thing: we simply don’t have that inner zeal to shatter the rival team and take away the game. The KKR batsmen are just horrible, getting out early and lacking consistency.
When everything seems to be going in its favour, suddenly one simple miss calculation or bad hitting or trying to hit a ball, when it is going to be ‘wide’, leads KKR to lose a match. Why will this happen always with Kolkata Knight Riders? All of us know, every team starting from IPL season 1 has at least made to the semi-finals, just leaving KKR. They have played so poorly that all our expectations and praises have gone in vain. Never ever have they at least showed that hard work and dedication to win a match easily.
Only once or twice (once in a blue moon) has the Kolkata fans got to see that rare sight – KKR winning a game very comfortably and playing brilliantly (like the match played yesterday).
Yesterday’s match between KKR and Mumbai Indians had the feast for the eyes, with some beautiful knocks from McCollum and Ganguly to look out for. The captain also took 2 great catches and got good applauds from the Eden Gardens crowd.
However, it’s really sad to see our team – KKR bid adieu from this season of IPL 3. While seeing the team win the match yesterday, I was only thinking – had they played a nice game with Chennai or Punjab or Delhi, we could have made it to the semi-finals.
But, yes enough is enough. KKR must wake up from its dreams and finally make the team ready for the coming year’s IPL season 4. They should learn from their mistakes and take the ‘good’ match-winning lessons from other IPL teams.
What has Mr. Dav Whitmore (KKR’s coach) and Mr. Wasim Akram (KKR’s bowling coach) has to say on this!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Poila Baishakh Madness
Tomorrow is the Bengali New Year, 1417. For every Bengali, this day is a time to rejoice and leave behind an old year to welcome the new one. Earlier Bengali families used to prepare various kinds of Bengali delicacies to satisfy appetite.
But in today’s fast and hi-tech age, who cares spending long hours in the kitchen. Instead many Bengali couples head towards various luxurious restaurants that offers mouth-watering, traditional Bengali food such as “bhetki macher paturi”, “aam sorbot”, “doi illish” or “pabda macher jhol”. There are a lot more to this – desserts like rabri and payesh to end a yummy lunch or dinner.
Bengalis are always known to be foodies and when it comes to any festival, we always like spending time eating out and giving uninterrupted “addas” with near ones. Its fun altogether to manage a break in the midst of hectic work schedules of daily life.Just like any other new year, this year will also see Bengalis hopping to the jewellery shops, saree shops, etc to get a large packet of sweets and a bangla calendar. People take pride in going out in the evenings to some shops that have invited them to come on this auspicious day, with family and kids.
Tomorrow you will get to see huge rush from afternoon onwards, when people will flock to shops beating the heat and having a fine glass of cold drink and sweets. Wearing new dress seem a bit uncomfortable particularly during this unbearable summer weather, but nobody shows the slightest of uneasiness, when it comes to merry-making or getting ready for an occasion. We are Bengalis – totally mad about anything and everything!
Subho Poila Baishakh to all of you. Bengalis rock!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Travelling by Metro: A Living Nightmare
I usually travel by metro and most of the time it’s really hectic and tiresome. The reason been the excessive crowd that metro pulls during and after office hours. Most of the office goers prefer reaching office and home by metro, as it saves a good amount of time. And it didn’t create any problem, at least some times back. But now the picture has changed with the introduction of 4 more new stations after Tollygaunge (now named Mahanayak Uttam Kumar).
With metro railways expansion policy, new rakes should have been happened, but that is not the case and it is herein that lies the trouble. Orders to build new rakes have already been given to railway coach factories located within India, but they are delaying in supplying additional rakes on time.
Only a few days ago, it came in the newspapers that its hard to say whether by September this year the rakes will be available or not. Such is the situation! And as always, it’s the innocent office goers and common people who are scapegoats. Just like me, hundreds of Kolkatans and people living outside the city in the nearby districts hire the trains everyday to get quite comfortably at office on time.
But now the word 'comfort' is missing from the metro railway dictionary, as everyday loads of people jostle and fight to get accommodated in the compartments. Addition of 4 new stations has led to the increase of metro population, but compared to this, there is lack of additional space and compartments to lodge these people.
Hence, the biting truth – men, women, and youngsters pushing each other and often falling on each others back to get into the metro compartments on a first come first serve basis. And, you will get to see a beautiful picture during the weekday’s office time, at about 9 am to perhaps 10 or 11am in the morning and at the time from about 6 to 8:30 in the evenings.
It’s very likely that at any moment some major accident might happen, since no body is willing to leave space at any cost – just to get back home first, and it leads to unnecessary pushing and stamping one’s feet. During the earlier times, travelling by metro was so comfortable and a hassle-free journey, but now it has become the worst nightmare, I have ever dreamt of. I get nervous whenever time comes to get back home and I have no other option but to hire metro railway. Hope everything goes of well with metro and I happily reach home as always.
With metro railways expansion policy, new rakes should have been happened, but that is not the case and it is herein that lies the trouble. Orders to build new rakes have already been given to railway coach factories located within India, but they are delaying in supplying additional rakes on time.
Only a few days ago, it came in the newspapers that its hard to say whether by September this year the rakes will be available or not. Such is the situation! And as always, it’s the innocent office goers and common people who are scapegoats. Just like me, hundreds of Kolkatans and people living outside the city in the nearby districts hire the trains everyday to get quite comfortably at office on time.
But now the word 'comfort' is missing from the metro railway dictionary, as everyday loads of people jostle and fight to get accommodated in the compartments. Addition of 4 new stations has led to the increase of metro population, but compared to this, there is lack of additional space and compartments to lodge these people.
Hence, the biting truth – men, women, and youngsters pushing each other and often falling on each others back to get into the metro compartments on a first come first serve basis. And, you will get to see a beautiful picture during the weekday’s office time, at about 9 am to perhaps 10 or 11am in the morning and at the time from about 6 to 8:30 in the evenings.
It’s very likely that at any moment some major accident might happen, since no body is willing to leave space at any cost – just to get back home first, and it leads to unnecessary pushing and stamping one’s feet. During the earlier times, travelling by metro was so comfortable and a hassle-free journey, but now it has become the worst nightmare, I have ever dreamt of. I get nervous whenever time comes to get back home and I have no other option but to hire metro railway. Hope everything goes of well with metro and I happily reach home as always.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Whom to Blame??
The Stephen Court fire may have died down, but its horrifying memories will remain afresh in the minds of many Kolkatans for the years to come. It’s just like another great heritage building that stands tall in the city of joy. The beautiful, big 150-year old building with wooden staircase and royal architecture used to speak high of the by-gone British era in the then Calcutta.
But, now it has turned to ashes, with the great fire that broke on 23rd March afternoon. The fire destroyed the building and left many residents homeless. There used to be quite a few offices, which were brought down by the devastating fire.
Indeed a tragic moment for all people who lived there and who worked there. Most of the persons hardly got time to escape and were charred to death. I really hated to read the newspaper for the first couple of days, with pictures of relatives crying and narration of the burned and how it feels losing dear ones.
Father lost his child, mother crying over the death of her only son or daughter, relatives blaming the police or fire brigade for the intensity of the mishap – who is the actual culprit in the Stephen Court House case?
Well, everyone knows that every coin has two sides. Hence, just like the fire brigade and police is to blame for reaching quite late and not having adequate measures to combat the huge fire at Park Street, the Stephen house owners and Kolkata Municipal Corporation cannot be left behind.
How come KMC has given permission to erect floors number 5 and 6, without any valid documents? A leading Kolkata daily has quoted the caretaker of the house saying these 2 floors were started to be constructed much before the owners got the permission from the corporation to do so.
Loose wires were seen hanging from the walls and near the meter boxes, which were many in number. Why was no step taken to address the matter?
The terrace remained locked everyday, why was it so? The residents and office people have said that they repeatedly told the caretaker to hand over duplicate keys to them, but nothing has been done. Had the terrace remained open, at least some could have escaped death.
The Fire Minister, Pratim Chatterjee is a person well known for speaking out of the world in specific situations. He is still “learning” from the lessons of fire breakout in the city and is now suddenly awake from his dream to make arrangements to bring the skylift from Salt Lake and Behala to central Kolkata, where most of the high rises happen to be situated.
It is really a shame to see these kinds of figures holding such prestigious posts in the West Bengal government. Men like him hardly repent for the fault that lies with his department; instead he has entered into the dirty game of politics, blaming KMC for not looking after houses in hazardous areas.
The CPI-M government will never learn from its lessons, and this is not the first time that a fire of this magnitude has broken in Kolkata. Earlier also we have seen occasions were the fire brigade has failed to take adequate steps to save life and property in different parts of the city.
The fire brigade hardly reaches a place on time! And, there are always excuses ready for things not falling on the right place. The fire men came without any rubber masks, only with gumboots and without any nets to save lives of those who might jump from the high rise to save their lives. Later, it was known that they have carpets and no nets ready in hand!
What a lovely picture of such an important, emergency department of every government in the world!! The fire brigade station is located just a few blocks away from 18A Park Street (address of Stephen House) but still it took nearly an hour to make proper arrangements to start life-saving operations.
Truly I wonder, what will happen to this city and to the people like us, who reside here! Is anyone listening?
But, now it has turned to ashes, with the great fire that broke on 23rd March afternoon. The fire destroyed the building and left many residents homeless. There used to be quite a few offices, which were brought down by the devastating fire.
Indeed a tragic moment for all people who lived there and who worked there. Most of the persons hardly got time to escape and were charred to death. I really hated to read the newspaper for the first couple of days, with pictures of relatives crying and narration of the burned and how it feels losing dear ones.
Father lost his child, mother crying over the death of her only son or daughter, relatives blaming the police or fire brigade for the intensity of the mishap – who is the actual culprit in the Stephen Court House case?
Well, everyone knows that every coin has two sides. Hence, just like the fire brigade and police is to blame for reaching quite late and not having adequate measures to combat the huge fire at Park Street, the Stephen house owners and Kolkata Municipal Corporation cannot be left behind.
How come KMC has given permission to erect floors number 5 and 6, without any valid documents? A leading Kolkata daily has quoted the caretaker of the house saying these 2 floors were started to be constructed much before the owners got the permission from the corporation to do so.
Loose wires were seen hanging from the walls and near the meter boxes, which were many in number. Why was no step taken to address the matter?
The terrace remained locked everyday, why was it so? The residents and office people have said that they repeatedly told the caretaker to hand over duplicate keys to them, but nothing has been done. Had the terrace remained open, at least some could have escaped death.
The Fire Minister, Pratim Chatterjee is a person well known for speaking out of the world in specific situations. He is still “learning” from the lessons of fire breakout in the city and is now suddenly awake from his dream to make arrangements to bring the skylift from Salt Lake and Behala to central Kolkata, where most of the high rises happen to be situated.
It is really a shame to see these kinds of figures holding such prestigious posts in the West Bengal government. Men like him hardly repent for the fault that lies with his department; instead he has entered into the dirty game of politics, blaming KMC for not looking after houses in hazardous areas.
The CPI-M government will never learn from its lessons, and this is not the first time that a fire of this magnitude has broken in Kolkata. Earlier also we have seen occasions were the fire brigade has failed to take adequate steps to save life and property in different parts of the city.
The fire brigade hardly reaches a place on time! And, there are always excuses ready for things not falling on the right place. The fire men came without any rubber masks, only with gumboots and without any nets to save lives of those who might jump from the high rise to save their lives. Later, it was known that they have carpets and no nets ready in hand!
What a lovely picture of such an important, emergency department of every government in the world!! The fire brigade station is located just a few blocks away from 18A Park Street (address of Stephen House) but still it took nearly an hour to make proper arrangements to start life-saving operations.
Truly I wonder, what will happen to this city and to the people like us, who reside here! Is anyone listening?
Monday, April 5, 2010
A Troubled Wed-Lock!
A new drama has started revolving around the wedding of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik. A girl named Ayesha Siddique has claimed of her already held marriage with the former Pakistan cricket captain.
Shoaib Malik is denying his “nikahnama” with the Hyderabadi girl, who at present is in the city to meet his fiancée, Sania. However, the Siddique’s will not let Shoaib go so easily and as her father has lodged a FIR with the local police to make the cricketer accept the wedding.
Now this news has become a regular feature in almost all leading newspapers of the country. I don’t understand what’s so special out there for the media to get itself glued to the otherwise private affair of a celebrity life and wedding. Indeed, it appears to be a very juicy issue and how can a reporter let the news go just like that! Starting from the day it was revealed that Sania has chosen Malik as her future husband, rumours and controversies has started pouring in.
Now, as normal citizens, we don’t know who is sane and who’s lying. The girl’s family claims that the Pakistani has married their daughter ‘legally’ and now he have to divorce her in public. They will then have no issues of him tying knot with Mirza on April 15th.
But the fact that Malik is refusing from day 1 that he has whatsoever not married Ayesha has made many to raise their eyebrows.
The whole thing seems confusing, with the qazi stating in a daily newspaper that both the parties have signed the “nikahnama”, but the marriage is not legal since you have to be in the country where you belong and Ayesha was at that time in Sharjah.
Anyways, I guess, there are only a handful of people, excluding the media barons who are really bothered – what’s going to happen next in this so-called high profile marriage of 2010.
Let's hope whatever happens, happens for good only!
Shoaib Malik is denying his “nikahnama” with the Hyderabadi girl, who at present is in the city to meet his fiancée, Sania. However, the Siddique’s will not let Shoaib go so easily and as her father has lodged a FIR with the local police to make the cricketer accept the wedding.
Now this news has become a regular feature in almost all leading newspapers of the country. I don’t understand what’s so special out there for the media to get itself glued to the otherwise private affair of a celebrity life and wedding. Indeed, it appears to be a very juicy issue and how can a reporter let the news go just like that! Starting from the day it was revealed that Sania has chosen Malik as her future husband, rumours and controversies has started pouring in.
Now, as normal citizens, we don’t know who is sane and who’s lying. The girl’s family claims that the Pakistani has married their daughter ‘legally’ and now he have to divorce her in public. They will then have no issues of him tying knot with Mirza on April 15th.
But the fact that Malik is refusing from day 1 that he has whatsoever not married Ayesha has made many to raise their eyebrows.
The whole thing seems confusing, with the qazi stating in a daily newspaper that both the parties have signed the “nikahnama”, but the marriage is not legal since you have to be in the country where you belong and Ayesha was at that time in Sharjah.
Anyways, I guess, there are only a handful of people, excluding the media barons who are really bothered – what’s going to happen next in this so-called high profile marriage of 2010.
Let's hope whatever happens, happens for good only!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)