HOME COMING by Rishita Dey
“Home is where all journeys begin...”
The moment we say ‘travel’ the image that conjures up in our mind are tickets, luggage and the mode of transportation with the ultimate sense of reaching a place never or not-so-often visited before. But how many of us have really ‘travelled’ the place of our birth and felt amazed at minute details that escape our pleasures of discovery due to everyday mundane chores of our lives. Often we take our own city of birth for granted. But only when we are far away from home, like me do we realise the potent attraction of our roots calling out to us.
Studies and work had kept me away from my hometown, Kolkata for way too long. It’s been more than thirteen years that took me to realise the greatness of what my city holds for me. Kolkata or formerly known as Calcutta is the capital of West Bengal, India. Also known as the City of Joy it possess an abundance of magical surprises to offer to everyone. Here, one shall always find something to satisfy his five senses.
So determined to unwrap and take few steps backwards in my childhood, I decided to revisit every places from my childhood memory of the city. It was a long process as I did not visit the city as a tourist but rather like an old friend doing some catching up after a long gap of time. Jogging down my lane I chalked out some obvious and not-so-obvious tourist spots that define the city. It took me few years to cover everything on my wish list. Most of the places I visited were after a span of twenty years or more. Each one of them flooded me with happy memories and took me back in time when I had visited them with my grandparents or parents. Seen through the eyes of a little girl and perceived by the mind of a thirty year woman, Kolkata once again became alive.
Enriched both traditionally and culturally this city is the hub of various activities since its formation ages ago. Situated at the banks of river Ganga, Kolkata has pages of history to tell those willing to hear. Stories ranging from eminent people like Mother Teresa, Tagore, Satyajit Ray etc to the magnificent places like Indian Museum, Belur Math, Howrah Bridge and many that were built.
Despite being the evident target of the encroaching modernity because of its geographical, economical and social proximity to the rest of the world, Kolkata has unperturbedly held high its yester year’s glory. It is one of those places where modernity has struck a harmonious chord with the past and together they bring out the best of the two worlds.
Although it took me days to go back and revisit each and every places that bejewelled my beloved city, the joy of travelling and discovering Kolkata in new light flooded me with renewed vigour. Every nook and corner of my birth city brought up an image of awe and wonder. It made me feel humbled that I was privileged to born and belong to this beautiful city. I would love to come back again and again to the City of Joy.