Life in a new city- Kolkata

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It all started from the day my parents left me here on 6th August 2011 under the supervision of another family, complete strangers to me... Yes, that was my first day in Kolkata!!!! Timid, shy and ignorant I was of the way life goes on over here... Being from an industrial town, little did I know of the decorum of the place.
On my way to college, I started observing people, trying to figure out, I knew not what... But that was the best possible thing I could have done, to get acquainted with the city from its people.But my college friends were awesome.


Initially I could not walk fast (so got occasional pushes from people behind me) and cross the roads. I mean why did they move in such a hurry????? I could not get up a bus.... I lost my way to the place I stayed....I had an odd dressing sense...I could not prepare my own Maggie... I could not walk carefully without tripping over a thing or two and stamping over mud or dung....and on top of all accepted the family of my landlady as my own.


I often wondered how could people walk with earphones plugged to their ears...( I mean what was so musical about walking??????). How could they doze off in metros and yet get down at the right stoppage?? How could girls be so stylish glossed with severe makeup from head to toe with such tight outfits? Did not they feel uncomfortable in this humid weather, exclusively found in Kolkata? How could people be so boring bearing the same expression on their faces all day long? How could people go for multiple dating keeping their relationship status single??? Why did the shops open so late and close so early??Why did the city seem dead on Sundays? Why did the roads stink like hell? Why was the landlady so obsessed with money? I had so many questions indeed!!!!!!


Slowly and gradually I gave up pondering so much and began looking at the city for what it was—the epitome of beauty, culture and heritage....the way people helped each other...the determination on each face...the struggle of the people dwelling on the streets...the bonding...the feeling of oneness....the acceptance... made me grow independent..made me fall in love with it, Kolkata in its own unique sense is indeed the true 'Tilottoma'.

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