Seasons of Calcutta

The best part of Calcutta, or Kolkata as it is now known as, is that here different seasons are distinguishable... i stayed in Bangalore for a very long period... everyone says the weather of Bangalore is pretty good... however, i found it pretty monotonous... there are just two seasons.. namely Summer and Winter... on the other hand, in Kolkata, its a different matter altogether... when after the scorching heat of summer, the sky gets covered with dark clouds, it means we are going to experience one seasonal change... when the white clouds start floating against the backdrop of the azure sky after the rainy season, it means we are going to see another season change... it means that the “Sarat kaal’ is approaching.. it means that Gariahaat will be crowded with the enthusiastic people for their puja-shopping... it means that the Bengalis are getting prepared for their puja-holidays... it means the ‘probasi” bengali will flock the railway reservation counter for the puja special trains... and after the puja season gets over, when the morning mist becomes visible in the horizon, when the vegetable market becomes over- flooded with variety of vegetables, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, and what not, when the halogen lights on the roads are switched on as early as 5 o’clock, when the migratory birds from unknown corners of the globe start flocking in different parts of Kolkata, it means that winter is imminent... and bengalis get ready for their winter-visit to their ancestral homes...and after all the happy moments of the winter, when the holi festival is celebrated with fanfare in Kolkata, when the morning temperature gradually goes up, when the A/C buses start plying with their capacity full, when we get mango “chatni” regularly for our lunches, it tells bengalis to get ready for another onslaught of the summer heat....