Kolkata, Calcutta and Bengali Culture

[sourav123]

Hi,

This is thread I am starting to discuss all about Kolkata, Calcutta and Bengali culture. From Ilish (Hilsa) to Mohun Bagan, from City Center to Coffee House, from Bookfair to Nandigram, discuss everything you want to discuss about Kolkata or Bengali's.

Starting with a list of Bengali restaurants that I had posted in another thread. I am reposting this in a more meaningful thread:

Bengali:
======
1. Bhojohori Manna - Gariahat/Saltlake/Hazra/Hatibagan
2. Kewpie's Kitchen - Elgin Road
3. Nola - Lake Town/Lansdown/Baguiati/Keshtopur
4. Oh! Calcutta - Elgin Road
5. 6 Ballygunge Place - Ballygunge

Chinese:
=======
1. Mocambo - Park Street
2. Chung Wah - Central Avenue
3. Hong Kong Chinese - Kankurgachhi
4. Kowloon - New Alipore
5. Lord's - Ultadanga
6. Mainland China - Gurusaday Road
7. Mouline Rouge - Park Street
8. Red Hot Chilli Pepper - Salt Lake
9. Trincas - Park Street
10. Waldorf - Park Street

Indian/Continental/Mughlai:
=======================
1. Zeeshan - Park Circus
2. Sourav's - Park Street
3. Royal Orchid - Ultadanga
4. Shiraz - Salt Lake
5. Orkos - Salt Lake, City Center
6. Peter Cat - Park Street
7. Magnolia - Park Street
8. Haka - Salt Lake, City Center
9. Hatari - Deshopriyo Park
10. Honey Da Dhaba - Ultadanga
11. Grain of Salt - Camac Street
12. Dilli Darbar - Ultadanga

And some in salt lake:
====================
1. BB's Multicuisine - Sector V
2. Guchhi - JA Block
3. Mishra's - DG block
4. Red Hot Chilli Pepper - Sector V
5. Zest - BE Block

Let's keep this thread going. Dada, lege thakun!

P.S: I did not find a thread similar in nature. So I decided to create this. Let me know if you think otherwise.

[abhijit_reddevil]

Nola is also in the Star Theater complex in Hatibagan.

[sourav123]

Originally Posted by digitized

Nola is also in the Star Theater complex in Hatibagan.

Yes, I have already written that.

So, I have never been to Nola. Have you been there? How is their food? I heard they have a upmarket ambience.

[dreamcatcher]

crap..nola is rubbish..me and my frnd had gone to have some food..there was not a single item below 100...had fried rice at cofee house then..

dude..shiraz is not in salt lake..then to we have to write bangur avenue too..its in park street..and in salt lake add abcos food plaza..

[sourav123]

Yes, I know Shiraj is actually all over the city. So, making a comprehensive list is difficult.

By the way Abcos is in which block?

[dreamcatcher]

its beside suraksha..dunno the block but the food is awesum...also add the restaurant at the top of charnock..its pricey but yummy..

[praka123]

does kolkata and bengal get over with the economic stagnation?while other small cities in India like Banglore and all arises!

When I was a child(~1980's),I remember most products,be it health care products to almost everything came from Kolkata apart from bombay .Now,Calcutta under commie govt is slowly going the right way? with opening and promoting private investments like the one with TATA.
I also feel Bengal needs more employment oppurtunities generated via pvt corporations?
the one happened at nandigram is bad.but...with more companies,more employment,fight against poverty

communist party is slowly changing.they are awakening from a "labour party" to the one which cater to state's needs,be it bengal or kerala.
Just wanted to know what is happening in Bengal

do share your views

[dreamcatcher]

^^^aah..u r rite..its goin the rite way...but still alot of difficulties..the opposition parties hardly get along well and strife among themselves..a tooth off the hook by the left parties results in a strike..the IT industry is booming great guns..but will need time to convert into a revelation...all in all..good progress..but much more to be done..

[int86]

Bengal was glorious until 1940.
I also would like to know what went wrong there.
But anyway I like calcutta much.

[praka123]

^no,it is until 1960's and until mid 1980's Calcutta was the "Centre"

[dreamcatcher]

its moving on guys..commercially many big names have joined hands and more industries will be coming up shortly..the entertainment sector has grown with lots and lots of malls and multiplexes churning up..real estate is at a boom with ambuja and dlf running overtime with their multimillion projects..and guess what..we have a very own BMW showroom for ourselvess..

[gauravakaasid]

^^yea....the cars are absolute droolmaal

@Sourav...good initiative dude....but put in places to visit too, and what is it about Kolkata that we Bongs cant stop blabbering about its not only the food

[praka123]

well,I read that developments in bengal still limited to Kolkata city and suburbs only?

[sourav123]

Originally Posted by gauravakaasid

^^yea....the cars are absolute droolmaal

@Sourav...good initiative dude....but put in places to visit too, and what is it about Kolkata that we Bongs cant stop blabbering about its not only the food

I know Gaurav. I am a hardcore North Calcuttan.

More things coming your way.

@praka,

In my view, Kolkata today has progressed a lot. It was in the 90's that economic progress slowed down and lots of companies closed due to strikes and non co-operative govt. But soon left parties realised their mistake. The turning point was when Budhdhadeb was selected as the Chief Minister. Also now the whole party works towars economic growth.

Having said that, there are a lots of things to do, especially in the small towns and villages outside Kolkata. I think now Kolkata has reached the point where it can go on its own. Govt. should put more emphasis on villages and small towns.

Cheers to the beautiful and charming queen of cities, the City of Joy.

[praka123]

^ what about unsolicited immigrants from Nepal and Bangladesh?are they flooding the city still?

well,if Bangladesh should be the part of India,Bengal is a big state with power!
BAD!Moslems want unity and made east pakistan aka bangladesh chasing poor hindus from their motherland
...and now allowing this bangaldeshi immigrants,it is simply not worth for India

[gauravakaasid]

^^People will flock wherever there are better opportunities, so we have to live with that. Your comments remind me of one politician from Maharashtra (you may have guessed who).

[Rahim]

Originally Posted by praka123

does kolkata and bengal get over with the economic stagnation?while other small cities in India like Banglore and all arises!

Its not easy to bring any change in this world. Recently the Govt is trying to "modernise" or portray themselves as "Industry freindly" but thats a myth.
Of course many big names have invested here but its sporadic and uneven. Just look at the Singur fiasco. Land grabbing in the name of SEZ are rampant all over the country. Even a bunch of road side roddents can call bandhs here
The development is slow, no doubt, but its rather late than never situation for Kolkattans.

As about the immigrants, tell me has the forces in J&K been able to stop Pak-sponsored terrorism coming from the Borders?
No govt can solve this problem of terrorism
Your comments on this part was a little insentitive

[dreamcatcher]

well..cross border immigration has been on a high recently...but theres little the government can do about it... a strife berween bangladesh may lead to suicide bombing and other dangerous repurcussions.but i m happy in a way for kolkata as it is..at least we dont ahve to worry bout al qaeda or laskar to blow us up..theres always delhi and mumbai for the purpose first..kidding..

we have some of the best sporting facilities in india..the eden ardens,the salt lake stadium ane few of the best grounds in india...

someone said that the develpment is only in kolkata..well..as in the rest of india...u cant say that places outside the metros have devoloped much..districsts likee durgapur and bardhaman are seeing rapid growths..with huge housing projects taken up and given shape..the tata factories have resulted in more traffic in area like singur...kharagpur..well..where theres an iit.. a new sector coming up,named rajarhat, shall see some of the best brands coming up to shw their chraisma..a few of the largest hotels and malls would come up there adding to the brand value of kolkata...


on the other..if anyone had been to kolkata 5 years back.will find a radical change in the tansport facilities available now...sure..we still are the most notorious traffic system in thw world..and we still break rules and have accidents..but it more unlikely now..the govermnment however..has done its bit in transforming the roads of kolkata..now we have flyovers running like snakes all over the city...as a result..there are less jams..and flow is smoother...

night life is at its best when it comes to kolkata..unlike delhi or mumai where girls are subjected to harrasment more often than not..kolkata has held its had high as one of the safest places in india..a girl returning home alone is still a cakewalk when compared to the other metros..

be free to ask anything..

[karnivore]

a strife berween bangladesh may lead to suicide bombing and other dangerous repurcussions.

Kolkata is the safe heaven for all extremists. This is their transit city, a city to R&R, store their deadly wares, plan and plot blasts. Only an insane will be trying to explode bombs here. No one pisses on the plate, one is eating from. And only a naive will be "happy in a way for kolkata as it is".

we have some of the best sporting facilities in india..the eden ardens,the salt lake stadium ane few of the best grounds in india...

Joking.......right.

someone said that the develpment is only in kolkata..

30 yrs of mock revolution and "alternative budgets" have reduced Kolkata to nothing more than a large TOWN, towns into mofusils, mofusils into village squares. As with best brands that are coming to Bengal, i have seen enough to be overjoyed. Let 'em come, start production, then i shall see. The eternal leech called UNIONS would be licking their lips right now.

on the other..if anyone had been to kolkata 5 years back.will find a radical change in the tansport facilities available now...has done its bit in transforming the roads of kolkata..now we have flyovers running like snakes all over the city...as a result..there are less jams..and flow is smoother...

Agree with flyovers. But transport system has changed ??????? Damn it. I must be living in another Kolkata on Planet Utopia.

night life is at its best when it comes to kolkata..

Not a nocturnal person, so don't care about night life.

[dreamcatcher]

^^^umm..dont u think ur being a bit too harsh..cummon..eden gardens is the best ground in kolkata..just look at the turf.forget everything else..

salt lake stadium is by far the largest stadium in asia with a seating capacity of more than a lakh..india hardly has any soccer stadiums to talk about..

trffic has greatly improved..earlier it was a pain to cross ajc bose..now with the flyovers is much easier..the vip-saltlake flyover was the turning stone to the city's renovation..

[abhijit_reddevil]

^^^Speaking of flyovers, one is definitely needed at Ultadanga Hudco crossing. Be it 8AM or 10PM, there is always a long wait (more than 20 minutes) at Hudco crossing due to excess traffic. The stretch from Telengabagan to Hudco is always hell.

[dreamcatcher]

dude..if they start building a flyover there..just imagine what it would be like to actually cross that area when the flyover will be under construction..

[Rahim]

Originally Posted by amd64_man2005

we have some of the best sporting facilities in india..the eden ardens,the salt lake stadium ane few of the best grounds in india...

Paagal ho gaya hai kya.
Just go to Eden and look for the "high quality facilities" provided by CAB. Taps are leaking, flood lights can be down at any moment (saw that when matches are on in IPL), food is terrible, the Giant Screen works randomly.
The pride of Eden has long been gone and it is one of the worst stadium in India apart from the atmosphere generated ny passionate supporters.
WTH the Mohali Stadium is much better than Eden. The donkeys officials and egostic officers have ruined the Dream Stadium.
Sirf emarat khadi kardene se baat nahi banti, achchii facilities bhi honi chahihe.
Just imagine going to Inox filled with flys around and if you complain the owner will say,"This screen is the best in Kolkata and just forget about everything else and enjoy your movie." You will surely love it that way.
I pray IPL matches turn the wheel of revival and bring back the glory that this amazing stadium deserve. Amen.

[dreamcatcher]

i agree that eden has long lost its glamour..but its not CAB which is to be blamed..the eden..touted to be the best ground in india..is never given an ODI or a test to host..once in a while..the bcci looks through the map and identifies the place and dumps 1 or two matches there..if there are no mathces played then where do CAB get the revenue from..it has the lushest outfield and the giant screen..well..is not always erected..and please..when the screen is there..it works..at least in the number of matches i have been to..

egronomics may be bad..but water supply and other facilities are the work of the PWD(pulic works department)..now if the left governemtn wont look to that..nuthin much that the CAB can do but stare at the ruins..

[Rahim]

Taali do haathon se bajti hai mere bhai. A lay man could give a dinkey for who is to be blamed. The fans with their bottle throwing incidents have also contributed with less matches hosted at Eden. Talk about shooting in your foot.

[mrbgupta]

Hello rahim, nice to see you here.

Please pay a visit to my thread Harassment! What's Going On?
That's another aspect of this otherwise beautiful city. Please don't take me otherwise, I am the biggest Kolkata fan. Will take me the max time to leave this city!

[sourav123]

Originally Posted by amd64_man2005

dude..if they start building a flyover there..just imagine what it would be like to actually cross that area when the flyover will be under construction..

Hey, my house is in Ultadanga, near the state transport bus depot. I can tell you the problems in that area.

Some years ago, when I was in school, that Ultadanga underpass was not there. It used to take 30 minutes to go from our side to the other side of the rail bridge. I can say that it is still better now with the underpass. Also, even sometime before that, the peerless footbridge (near Capital Electronics) was not there and people used to cross roads dangerously which used to give more traffic jams. Certainly the situation has changed now.

I think, the bus stop after the rail bridge should be moved a bit further to reduce the bottleneck congestion after the underpass. Also auto-wallahs are a menace on the other side.

[Rahim]

Originally Posted by mrbgupta

Hello rahim, nice to see you here.

Hello dada, and i have applied for the plan change,will get activated next month