Sights & Sounds of Calcutta

A few days back, we went to Lake Market (a market near Lake Gardens, which apparently is predominantly occupied by South Indians) to get Gingely oil. We needed that oil for our cooking and for the altar lamp but could not find it anywhere in the supermarkets around our house. All they had was MUSTARD OIL. (which I understand stinks). The day we ventured out to Lake Market, I wish to hope was an isolated instance of complete darkness. There was a power cut and the entire area was pitch dark, the only light around being headlights that were on high beam.

Roads were potholed (not like its any better elsewhere, this was just really bad) and stallkeepers trying to attract you to their stall. After much asking around, we managed to find the oil we needed, bot some flowers and fruits and headed home. Thank god for the driver and the car, our misery in Lake Market was shortlived. Feels great to be chauffeured from place to place. Speaking of chauffeur, I must tell you that the streets in Calcutta are on sensory overload. Everyone moves around one another - all driving here is based on a dare. Whomever is going faster or looks crazier has the right of way. Just like ydy, when my husband who was driving the car tried to make a turn and a taxi refused to budge. End result, we suffered some scratches on our Chevy. No serious damage but its amazing how such bumps and grazes are considered the norm. When you drive, you share the street with bullock carts, bicycles, cows, packs of wild dogs, lots and lots of people trying to cross the road or simply strolling along the road, buses, trucks, trams, hand rickshaws, bike rickshaws, motor rickshaws, motorcycles, mopeds, scooters, handpulled carts overloaded with goods going to market, construction materials, etc. ... (I might have missed a whole lot more modes of transportation for all you know). No one ever uses a lane (I mean I dun blame the drivers coz the god damn lanes are not even marked)

Drivers use their horns constantly. (This applies to all of India anyway) and I am so glad even my hubby who has nvr driven in India before has learnt how to use the horn in appropriate and inappropriate occasions. If you think the roads are disastrous, you really should look at the side streets. A 2 way road will consist of 3 lanes of onward traffic and 1 lane of the opposite. And by the way, I managed to cross a busy road full of trams, dogs, cars, etc etc etc etc etc safe and sound!! Hurray!!

Today I am due to go to the foreigners registration office in Calcutta to register myself. I dun really know why I need to do that but the rule says I have to so I do. I hear from my hubby that the people there are a bunch of 'unemployed' fellas who just sit and chat with each other. No different from the scene at the Automobile Association of India, Bangalore. People were just sitting around watching one another, talking on the phone or simply staring blankly into the air. Well, let me go the office and judge for myself. I hope this trip will not be an arduous one.

Till then, Sheela OUT!