Enjoy a delicious vegetarian food tour of Kolkata ideal for tasting, taking photos, and savoring each bite. This is my favorite handpicked itinerary from morning snacks to evening feasts:
Ganguram’s (Bhowanipore) breakfast: Start with a vintage taste of “luchi-aloor dom” accompanied by jalebi. Enjoy vintage charm bite by bite.
6 Ballygunge Place (At Ballygunge) lunch: Enjoy a Bengali veg thali that speaks for itself, featuring “shukto,” “begun bhaja,” and “chhanar dalna.” Heritage in a dish.
Sweet Ride at Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick (various locations): Indulge in their “nolen gurer sandesh” and “aam doi” these sweets are verse. Grab one for the road and the other for posting on social media.
Flurys High Tea (Park Street): Step into colonial nostalgia with flaky mushroom puffs, sweet pastries, and a piping hot pot of Earl Grey. It’s an old-world sojourn.
Kusum Rolls Evening Bites (Park Street): Relish a crispy paneer roll or an eggless kabab a flavor burst with a streetfood twist.
Fly Kouzina Dinner (Salt Lake): End your gastronomic journey with an “international flight” of veggie preparations, including Indian, Continental, and a touch of Thai.
Final Scoop at Pabrai’s Fresh & Naturelle (Southern Avenue) : Don’t miss their tender coconut or sitaphal ice cream light, fragrant, and surprisingly underrated.
I have recently completed reading “Caged: Memories Have Names” by Gulzar. It’s an 1st autobiography in verse translated by Sathya Saran. Quote: “होगा कोई ऐसा भी, कि ग़ालिब को न जाने शायर तो वो अच्छा है, पर बदनाम बहुत है!”
A Tapestry of Remembrance: There are books that tell you things, books that amuse—and and then there are books that roll over you like a worn, comforting shawl. “Caged: Memories Have Names” by Gulzar is such a book, a lyrical journey across memory, love, and heartbreak. It is more than an anthology of musings, though. It is a tribute to the individuals who have peopled Gulzar’s life, their presence still lingering like vibrations in an empty space.
Summary: This is not a traditional autobiography. Rather, it reads like random pages torn from a diary—every memory alive, intimate, and profoundly personal. In poetry and prose, Gulzar draws us into his world, reliving moments with personalities such as Om Puri, Premchand, and poet Sukhbir. Some of the memories are melancholic, others humorous, but all of them have a quiet tenderness.
From a musing over the simplicity of Premchand’s telling to visualizing Om Puri discovering his “permanent bakery” in the hereafter, “Caged” is a series that succeeds through the beauty of fleeting moments—ones that would otherwise fall by the wayside. Gulzar’s genius is in his capacity to bring alive emotions with words. He does not tell us about people. He brings them back to life. His poetry is rain soft, rhythmical, sad at times, but always revitalizing. Every poem is a whispered secret, every memory a threshold to another era.
The translation of the book by Sathya Saran should get humongous credit. Keeping the essence of poetry intact while moving from one language to another is no easy task. But Saran manages to keep Gulzar’s words as deep, subtle, and captivating as before.
“Caged” is different in that it will get you thinking about your own personal patchwork of memories. Have you ever experienced someone who altered the trajectory of your life? Ever yearned for a chat that never stood any chance of taking place? Gulzar’s lines evoke such feelings making them feel almost yours to claim.
Why It’s Worth Reading: Poetic Elegance: Language use by Gulzar turns mundane conversations into art. Emotional Resonance: Human relationships are captured in the book with decency and sincerity. This Book Is A Tribute to Timeless Figures: Every chapter in this book is like a personal portrait, rendering popular personalities vivid. A Celebration of Nostalgia: This book is for those who value the strength of memory.
What Left a Mark : Gulzar’s power of discovering poetry in the ordinary is hypnotic. A shared cup of tea, an implied goodbye, a momentary glimpse that stays with you—each is transformed into a poetic object. The book never lingers over grief. But instead locates remembrance as love.
Final Rating: “Caged” is not a book; it’s an experience. For all those who cherish lyrical narratives and descriptive writing. This book gets a 4.5/5. A must-read for all poetry enthusiasts and seekers of subtle beauty.
“Whispers of the Blue Ghost” by Pratikshya Panda is a beautiful and heartwarming collection of poems. As a poetry lover, I found these poems gentle and emotional. They don’t ask attention to their feelings, rather they speak tenderly, like a whisper inside your heart. She uses simple and ordinary words that will impact a reader for a longer period. Panda wrote about identity, grief, loneliness, memory, longing and pain in such a way that a reader will be able to connect themselves with each and every line. The author shows us that our precious memories never really leave us, they change with time and become a part of us, and express themselves at the most unexpected time. And we have to accept these memories, to live a peaceful life. This book made me think about my dreams and thoughts, reflect on them, and feel connected to my own memories. If you enjoy poetry that feels connected to your heart, then this is a collection you won’t want to miss.
Anita Bose’s “Festivals of South East Asia” delves into the region’s numerous and celebratory festivals in an interesting manner. The book delves into traditions, meaning, and social life of a range of festivities. From the colorful Thai Songkran water festival to the enchanting Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival. Bose’s lucid narration provides a rich historical context that allows readers to understand how each festival is significant and influences cultural identities.
Bose’s writing is informative but at the same time engaging, making the book an ideal companion of every culture enthusiast. Her deep research and vibrant tales adequately enlighten each of the festivals such that the readers are able to relish the scene, sound, and feel of the festivities. The book possesses a neat composition, with seamless transitions in places and countries with their customs.
Positive aspects of this book: “Depth of Cultural Understanding” is an in-depth look at the customs, traditions, and values that accompany Southeast Asian festivals. “Thoroughly Studied and Organized” – Bose’s thorough research guarantees that each festival is studied in context. Offering the reader historical context and significance in the contemporary world.
“Vibrant Imagery” – The descriptive images and stories in the book captivate readers. Transporting them into the mood of each celebration.
What I Liked about this book: The most evident characteristic of the book is that it succeeds in evoking an atmosphere of merriment and joy. The affection Bose bears towards cultural stories shines through and every festival becomes intimate and within reach instead of a study for study’s sake. Her ability to relate practices with their underlying meaning makes her book all the more enriching to the reader’s perspective of how these festivals foster community bonds. The book not only explains but also inspires better respect for these cultural customs. making this book a thoroughly gratifying read.
A must-read for everyone who wants to uncover the vibrant essence of Southeast Asia’s holidays and celebrations. Rating – 4.4/5 Star.
Each morning dawns in silent beauty, A cup by my hand, a steady walk. Through trials harsh, through joy we feel, We proceed on with the burning of “zeal”.
Whether on the hustle and bustle of city roads or the persistent quiet of dreams, “zeal” is the flame that ignites our day-to-day quest.
Amid quiet nights and limitless dreams, “Yearning” murmurs like the ocean’s flow, A powerful desire, a shining spark, Unyielding hope that continues to grow.
In uncharted depths, she rises high, A “Xenolith” that rebels against the sky. An unwavering strength, immune to time’s sway, She carves her own destiny—free and magnificent.
Warrior !! She stands where shadows do not dare, A warrior tempered in fire, not fear. No fear can move, no storm can hold, Her combat lives in her mind.
She carries her scars like steel tempered, Each wound a story, each pain made flesh. Yet in her walk, the earth gives heed, A force of will, a soul released.
Not shields nor swords her battle mark, But burning fierce and bright, courage’s spark. She does not sway, she does not yield, A warrior born, she forges her path.
She stands tall, her spirit aglow, A Vibrant power in boundless night. No fear can fright, no fetters bind, She remakes the world in fierce alignment.
By storms wild, by blazing heavens, A fierce storm where energy abounds. No doubt can drown, no wave can shatter, She conquers all for her own will.
Her strength lies not in battles fought, But love she asserts, the work she’s wrought. She does not bend, she does not sway She worships her voice today.
With the head held high, with limitless grace, She builds, she governs, she finds her place.
By fire and stone she carves her path, Utopia stands where fierce hearts last. No chains can bind, no raging storms can drown, A queen remains unbroken, she wears no crown. She speaks in love, in strength, in light, Her dreams set the endless night alight.
