News — Calcutta/Kolkata

For about a third of the year, Avantika and I call Calcutta our home. I have tried many times to explain to my friends and family back in the States what Calcutta is like. The city houses such a diversity and activity, I find it difficult to grasp on to a core idea from which to explain the place. And I am not sure any one person can. Fortunately, in this age of social media I do not have to rely on my own descriptive faculties. Many of Calcutta's citizens host active Instagram accounts. When taken individually, each account provides...

When all of Kolkata Stops The city shuts down for a week. Traffic is insane. For a month, you see bamboo facades in the most inconvenient intersections in the tiniest of lanes. You curse the city, you curse the traffic, you wish you were out of this hell-hole. Then comes the first day of Durga Puja. There’s a flowery aroma in the air. The hot, humid air gets a twinge of coolness. You hear drums. Huge crowds of revelers choke the streets until 5 am. They 'hop' from one ‘pandal’ to the other. Street hawkers line the sides. Adults dress...