Amita Roy

Kalikata to Kolkata

Not from Kolkata by birth though
the city holds an incandescent lure
affinity for the city sprawled
in the dream of an awestruck kid
skimming the city of palaces and
bustling streets on rare visits.

Now at the turn of half a century’s inhabiting
my skin smells of swamp clogged pores
overlapping footprints of Charnock in villages three
discovering, deconstructing, fixing
shards of past and present,
wayfaring land by Adi Ganga a pilgrimage
the myth of Sati becomes moist inhaled
in breath-taking wonder, the sunset liberates
in Maidan green Kadambari Devi astride
riding through dawn of Renaissance.

The Deer Park long buried in Burial ground road
rebirths in car park and mid night mirth
a new address ‘Park Street’ oxygenates with aroma
of exotic Swiss savouries, and foodie’s delights-
temples, churches, mosques, synagogue, gurudwara
a labyrinth of coexistence weave through
century old lanes and roads, sprouting shanties.

Orphaned buildings become traceless evoke smell
of fresh paint and room fresheners in place
a mini India gloriously abides and thrives
in mixed chaat of idli, phuchka, biriyani, dosa, thepla
and the iconic Kolkatar Roshogolla

College para the bibliophile’s Mecca, buzz in
ubiquitous musty cubbyholes, book shops, sizzle
in coffee pot inviting adda and academics
placid flows the river like milk of lactating mother
the silt and salt nourish and nurture births
from a port to promenade, the Outram Ghat
at sundown arches a lover’s paradise
From beyond the sea, a spice trader
ends his trajectory in lip smacking jhal- muri!

“Scoop”-ing morsels of happiness on my perch I conceive
The soul of my city oscillating between glow-worms and neon.

Glossary:
Adi Ganga: one of the streams of Hoogly river
Sati: Hindu goddess
Kadambari Devi: wife of Jyotirindraath Tagore
Adda: A session of chat
Scoop: An ice-cream parlour in Outram Ghat, Kolkata

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