Back to Kolkata, Then Back Again
Notes on flights, high-rises, food, and the strange inertia of coming back from 'home'.
My recent trip to Kolkata (or more precisely - Howrah) was a mix of familiar comforts and unexpected observations. As always, the journey itself was an experience, starting with some interesting characters on my flight.
Before we begin: Ordinary Analysis is my notebook of random-but-reasoned observations. It’s free, always will be, and you can get it in your inbox with a single click - subscribe.
Flights
Five or six Deloitte consultants from Kolkata were on my flight to Hyderabad, likely for a brief visit to the Indian HQ. While we were waiting to board, one of them caught my attention. He kept joking about the recent Air India crash1, which I found a bit irritating right before a flight. He repeated, "If it is a Boeing, then I am not coming," a few times.
He sat diagonally in front of me (mine was E, while his an F), and just as the plane was about to take off, I saw him perform a small prayer. This gesture suddenly made his earlier comments make a lot more sense. It wasn't just a joke; it was may be his way of coping with a real fear. Or that’s how I see it.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/a-hindu-man-praying-88623581-5a038da2b39d030019dd3820-5ba2760246e0fb0050f02e72.jpg){kind=link}
The return flight was just as eventful. I saw similar pre-takeoff prayers. Is this a common thing? Does this happen quite often? Or the Air India incident has made a mark?
Later, due to turbulence, our landing took longer than expected, which worried most of the passengers. I was oblivious at first, listening to a podcast, but then I noticed the couple next to me holding hands tightly. It was then I realized something was off.
High-Rises
High-rise buildings are a great way to increase population density2, and Kolkata’s newer areas like Rajarhat and Newtown have some of them. This time, I noticed one being built in my old neighborhood, and when I asked about the price, it was mind-bogglingly expensive. Specially for Kolkata standards.
The quoted price was higher than most buildings in Telangana's Ranga Reddy district, which is one of the richest districts of India by per capita income. 9/10 out of 40 floors were already sold out. I think a few factors explain this:
The supply of high-quality apartments in that area is very low.
The location is a premium spot, just 500 meters from the Howrah Bridge.
The Indian real estate market is completely broken3.
Food & Fitness
My diet always goes for a complete toss when I'm home, and this trip was no different. My goal was less sweets and more activity, but it was almost a complete disaster. I only exercised for two days, but that's still two more days than I usually do when I'm there.
I went to the India Restaurant for the first time in five years. I have always ordered from there whenever I am back home, but this time I went in person. It's amazing how they've maintained their quality over the years. The Biryani is great, but their Galawati kebabs and Laccha parathas were heavenly.
On another day, I visited the much-hyped D Bapi. My friend had been raving about it, but the experience was underwhelming for all of us. We waited for an hour, and the biryani was just "mid." This explains the polarizing views I hear about this place and its competitor, Dada Boudi. The quality control just isn't there. Some days are diamonds, and some days are stones.
Most of my home meals were high in protein, but I did have Luchi (Puri) four times in 15 days, which is probably more than I’d had in the previous four months.
The weather also made it tough to be active outdoors. It was either raining or incredibly humid, so going for a walk was not an option.
The Inertia of Returning from ‘Home’
The first few days after getting back from home are always tough. When you live alone, you go from socializing and talking daily to almost not talking at all. I don’t hate it that much, but the shift is real. The other big change is going from doing nothing at all back home to having to do almost everything once I am back. The inertia is quite a thing.
Every Kolkata trip feels like a mix of opposites. Shiny high-rises in a city that still moves at its own slow pace, food that’s either unforgettable or plain average, and the switch from constant chatter at home to silence once I’m back. Maybe that’s why the city, and these visits, stick with me the way they do.
Ordinary thoughts, shared with hope. Pass it along if it resonated.