THE CITY OF JOY - REVISITED

I am from a developing city (Visakhapatnam), my family is now at Hyderabad and I am working in Bangalore! Of course I was born in Nagpur! I also worked in Bhubaneswar for a short period.

Recently I had an opportunity to roam all major metros within a short span of time on official work. After finishing our official work at Pune and Mumbai, I along with my senior colleague landed in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata by 11:00 pm. We surprised to see long queues for prepaid taxi service controlled by Kolkata police, while the branded taxi service counters were empty. Even international travelers were seen in the long queues and none of them even tried the other services. I looked at my colleague, he glimpsed to stay in the queue only. Suddenly there was a commotion at the counter and two passengers were shouting at each other for a place near the counter. I wondered whether we were in airport or bus stand. After few minutes the counter was temporally closed due to shortage of taxies. Few people left our queues and lined up for other branded taxi services. Again I looked at my senior colleague, still he signaled me to wait as we were in different queues. Finally we got the taxi slip by paying Rs.350/- and boarded the taxi assigned to us. 

First I didn't like the ‘yellow taxi’ with diesel stinking smell inside. Even though I came to Kolkata several times before, I still don’t have the complete idea of the city. All those were sightseeing trips with family, everything arranged by travel agents, we never felt the pain and the perspective was different. I asked the driver, how much time it will take to reach Alipore (Taj Bengal), he simply said 45 to 60 minutes. At night 00:20AM that too nearly empty roads, 45min means a long journey. Then Rs.350/- is nothing, even an Auto Rickshaw in our cities will charge more. The same situation in Bangalore/New Delhi/Hyderabad will cost you not less than Rs1000/-, of course with a neat AC car. These types of cars also available in Kolkata. But in other cities, there is no other option for common man. You have to cough up more in the name of development. Then I understood why all preferred yellow taxi which is also safe! I also observed on all taxies ‘NO REFUSAL’ caption prominently painted (see picture) means the taxi driver should not refuse to a passenger whenever the taxi is on the road. It’s a great service to the common man, who usually gets exploited in all major cities. But in Kolkata, I observed the common man is always protected. Transportation, Food, Accommodation and Clothes are always cheap in Kolkata when compared to any city in India! The public transport fares in Buses, Trams or even Metro are peanuts when compared to Bangalore. The common man is protected in the Kolkata system. You can see Love, Care and Humanity in all aspects; there is no looting in the name of development. The high class people also happily utilizing the facilities, as I observed the queues near prepaid taxies. 

The next day, we asked the receptionist to arrange a taxi by 7.00AM, then he suggested ‘Sir, just walk for few feet to the left of the hotel, you will get plenty of taxies with normal fares, If I call them here, they will charge more!’ What an advice! Is it honesty or injustice to his profession? I call it as ‘being human’ Here people won’t cash your situation! Just recalled the same situation in Pune, where we have to cough up extra Rs.200/-. We roamed around the city with those yellow taxies as per meter reading, once the meter showed Rs.41/- when I am searching for that one extra rupee, the driver said, Rs40/- enough. Have you ever paid below Rs.100/- fares for taxies in any other cities? The poor, middle class are protected from exploitation by public and private transport systems.

Another small but clear indication of differences among these cities. A ‘Sweet Pan’ in Pune costs Rs.20/- where as in Kolkata it costs Rs.10/- only. The best and affordable food available for all kinds of people in ‘Haldirams’. Of course KFCs, McDonalds are also there.

Really those two days, I have seen a different world, which I never thought of in a metro city like Kolkata. I have seen the ‘Love, affection, care and the human touch’ which we are missing in the so called developing/developed/metro/mega cities. That’s why long before the famous author and historian Dominique Lapierre called Kolkata as ‘The City of Joy’. The people of ‘The City of Joy’ and their tragedies will move you, but their faith, generosity, and most of all, boundless love will lift you, bless you, and possibly change your life. Yes the people live here with ‘Joy’! It certainly changed my perspective on several aspects. 

Finally, when we reached the airport and waiting for our Bengaluru flight, we were informed by the ‘Haldirams’ vendor about the yesteryear popular heroine ‘Moon Moon Sen’ who smoothly rejected our request for snap, but allowed to do so, once she came to know that we are from Andhra Pradesh and reminded her about her legendary Telugu film ‘Siri Vennela(1986)’ by well known Director K.Viswanadh. Bengalies won’t disappoint you!