‘All that is not given is lost’ – so said Hasari Pal, the rickshaw puller in ‘City of Joy’. These effortless words from a person whose life is so much full of painful efforts perhaps sum up the character of Kolkata – truly a generous city. Perhaps the joy comes out indeed from that act of generosity. The city has given so much to the world and especially India. Be it history, culture, sports or intellectual capital, Kolkata has made worthy contributions. The city may not be without a dark side. Which place is. However, the city has a big bright side which more than makes up for its dark side.
Every city is shaped by the people who have lived there for decades. Kolkata is gifted by unique kind of people. The very fact that Kolkata has produced some great talents in variety of fields is a preview of the people of Kolkata. People here debate endlessly on any topic. Even the Bangla language is such that it promotes passionate debating. The language is sweet to listen and easy to learn. It has got an affectionate tone. People here replace an ‘A’ in the words with an ‘O’. Now when you pronounce it, it generates an affectionate and welcoming movement of the lips! The words in Bangla are such that they make prominent and in-depth use of tongue, making it easy for spirited speaking. There are hindi songs translated and played in Bangla language, and it comes as no surprise that most of them are Kishoreda’s romantic songs.
The city buses in Kolkata are a dream comes true for anyone interested in knowing how buses have developed over the years. We have buses right from those made of wood to those running with air-conditioning. However there is one great characteristic in common. Most of the buses have patriotic messages at the back – ‘My India is great’, ‘Chak de India’, ‘I love India’, ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’ etc. Eyes cannot miss these messages and it is not just a coincidence that India’s great fight for independence had started right here two centuries back!
Those who see Kolkata and say it is few years behind are not wrong. Unfortunately, they succeed only in taking their eyes behind, but not their hearts. Yes, Kolkata is years behind because part of it deliberately strives to preserve the old ways. Part of it comes out of helplessness. Otherwise who will want to earn a living by pulling rickshaws. Or travel in trams if it didn’t cost very less. May be this is a place for us youngsters to better understand our previous generation.
Perhaps there was no real Anand Nagar (City of Joy) which Dominique Lappiere based his novel on. But then this City of Joy has spread its existence all over Kolkata. Kolkata is called the City of Joy not because there is more joy here. In fact there are many issues and hindrances. People here can only hope of all the developments happening in other cities. This does not stop them from enjoying wonderful things. Kolkata is called the City of Joy perhaps because people here treasure the real value of joy. We may attribute the general helpful nature of people here to this joy; happiness and satisfaction are essential for being a helpful society. With so much of contradiction coexisting in harmony, may this be the place where ends meet. In English, we have the word ‘shabby’. For many, this word might describe Kolkata. The funny thing is, this is approximately how the pronunciation in Bangla will turn out for the word ‘savvy’! Someone has said ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’!
