Arrived in Bhubaneshwar this morning and it seems that the place is pretty full. Tried about 5 hotels before I could find a room which is a bit more expensive than I wanted. So, today is a day of rest till I go on a tour tomorrow. I thought this a good time to put together a short movie covering the events and people in Calcutta.Naturally, one from the hoards of taxi drivers at Howrah station (Calcutta) muttered that the ferry across the mighty Hoogly River was closed but taking no notice I was soon steaming down river to Babu Ghat where I had chosen to get started in Calcutta. Sudder Street is the place where all the cheap accommodation is to be found and I was doing ok walking for about 20 mins when I happened to see a rickshaw puller idling on the other side of the road. It was my first ride on such a contraption which can, as far as I know, only be found in this bustling city.
I took advantage of the Metro which is by far the cheapest way of getting around, though be it just a bit crowded. Monday in Calcutta was the pre ordained day for a political rally demonstrating against the US/Indian nuclear deal. Even though it would for certain help to solve the dire energy needs that are here, it has been manipulated into a political issue simply to drag one govt down and be replaced with another which doesn’t have any better ideas for energy production. Anyway, it was a massive crowd that gathered in a large square called Esplanade, near the centre of the city. Some estimates as high as 100,000 which is not exactly an impossibility here in a city like this.
I meandered through the side streets near M G road where I was constantly asked to take pictures of perfect strangers along the way and then later, it was time to head back to Howrah station. It isn’t difficult to imagine what Babu Ghat was like with many of the people at the rally heading back too. I think I waited about 45 mins before the frequent ferries became less than utterly full to over capacity. The number of times I have heard of overcrowded ferries turning over didn’t leave much to the imagination.
A pleasant evening was had at Howrah before my train departed. The lights on the bridge made this huge British construction quite hypnotic.
Cheers Derek
PS What does M G stand for in India?
