Calcutta in December


Two years away from Calcutta is a bit too much for any Bengali. Even for the “not too fond of fish” kind, like yours truly. So when an opportunity for a whirlwind visit to my “City of Joy” came up, I was super excited. Especially since Calcutta is at her best during the month of December. The weather is fantastic and people (irrespective of religion) are in the Christmas mood. And for me the trip meant the ideal mix of business and pleasure, with lots and LOTS of shopping and eating. So here’s a photo blog of the trip and Calcutta captured through the eyes of someone who may be far away in body but has never really left in spirit.

On our way to the city from the airport…a sleepy city slowly getting ready for the day

One of the best new places in South Calcutta for shopping and a quick bite is Byloom in Hindustan Park, where we headed for breakfast. The place has the most awesome fabrics, ready-to-wear stuff, accessories and lots of kitsch stuff. The Byloom Cafe too seems to be a quite a hit.

Darjeeling tea and chilli cheese toast — how’s that for vacation breakfast?
The Byloom Cafe..

Did I mention that we had kept pretty good company at breakfast?

jewelry display

Aren't these red and yellow walls just lovely?

Life in a metro — you can walk, drive, cycle or take the subway!
quite an unique sight

When India (Larsen & Toubro) and the USA (Harley Davidson) merged!

New Town

Wide roads, stylish street lamps, clean and green..oh Calcutta you have come a long way since the 90s!

Posing with a Christmas tree by my side

Next stop — New Market, to check out the Christmas trees and decorations on sale. Brings back fond memories of childhood days..

Lots and lots of bags and wallets!
At Flury’s

Can any trip to Calcutta be complete without visiting Flury’s on Park Street? No Sir!

window display at Nahoum’s

Nahoum’s. The Jewish bakery in New Market which was founded in 1902 and has been at its current location since, wait for it, 1916!

After a long day of shopping, it was time for a Bengali meal, and one of the best places for that dining experience in South Calcutta is Bhojohori Manna. The service is not really anything to write home about, but the food..aah the food…it is simply to die for!

Warming up with chicken cutlets and vegetable chops
One of the best meals of the month

A word here about a typical Bengal meal. Rice, lentils (dal), thinly sliced potato fries (aloo bhaja), mixed vegetable curry, a fish dish and/or chicken curry, followed by something sweet — these usually come as staples on the menu.

Bengali sweets

With the shopping and eating done, it was time to say bye to Calcutta. But not before we made sure that we were carrying mishti (Bengali sweets) back home!

Leaving on a jet plane…with a heavy heart and a promise to back very, very soon…

So, that’s it. My “Calcutta in December” memories. The photos have been clicked by us, so please excuse the amateur quality ☺

Mala Roy

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