[Appeared on the last day of 2005, Saturday, December 31, 2005] As 2005 draws to a close, here’s an opportunity to mull over issues that affected Kolkata most in the past year. Opinions would vary, but perhaps few will disagree that Sourav’s unceremonious omission from both captainship and playing eleven should rank at the top. […]
Early barley
[First appeared on Tuesday, December 27, 2005] At the risk of venturing on non-Kolkata subjects once too often (that’s what a few viewers told me), I want to share a piece of good news that appeared in today’s newspaper (The Economic Times, Kolkata, Dec 27). The FDA of US has in a communiqué informed that […]
The lucrative trap of ITES
[First written on Monday, December 26, 2005] On Dec 24, the VC of Jadavpur University said the mushrooming of call-centers and BPO outfits representing big transnational companies do not augur well for aspiring candidates in the long run. Speaking at the 50th convocation of the university, he cautioned that in return for handsome salary and […]
Schools extraordinaire?
[First posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005] Some time back I was called upon to design the website of an upcoming elite school. The businessman-owner I spoke to had earlier run a computer institute. To give an essence of what the website should be like, he explained that ‘his’ school would be a ‘center of […]
The groping tale
[First posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005] This story is about a ‘groper’ in a crowded Osaka-bound train in Japan who eventually died after being chased by a group of co-passengers. Lest there be any ooh-aahs, let it be said that this problem is not theirs alone. Feeling about the contours of woman passengers has […]
The game of abarodh
[First posted on Thursday, December 22, 2005] Not a single day passes when you don’t hear tales of abarodh. If you’re a frequent traveler on local trains, you would’ve never missed being a party to abarodhs, mostly on losers’ side. The game of abarodh has been perfected to such a finesse that in most cases […]
The cauliflower story
[First appeared on Thursday, December 22, 2005] Ferrying of cauliflowers is a common sight these days near any big market. Heaps of them come and go in all kinds of movers, be it a matador van or poor man’s van-rickshaw. Cauliflower tastes good and can make sumptuous fare. That is the reason we love to […]
Multiplex vs single-screen
[First appeared on Saturday, December 10, 2005] After ‘Fame’ at Hiland Park, the latest to join multiplex bandwagon is the proposed ‘Hind Plaza’, which will be a makeover for the Hind Cinema, located at Ganesh Avenue – Nirmal Chandra Street junction. In fact, Hind Plaza will have 2-screens, each sitting 400 viewers, plus add-ons like […]
She is chimtiing me!
[First appeared on Tuesday, December 06, 2005] Here then is a round or two of mothers’ chat on a mini-bus early afternoon. Daily chores half-attended at home, the mothers can barely conceal irritation of journeying on a rickety bus. But duty it is, to fetch their young ones from school. Dressed in matter-of-fact way, this […]
Winter calling..
[First posted on Sunday, November 27, 2005] The chill is never a threat in this part of world. To most, the cold is rather tame. Except for that cocktail of fog and pollutants that hang heavy every morning, winter in Kolkata is eminently enjoyable. Temperature hovers in teens during nights, and a colorful evening is […]