Happy Holidays

It's one of the those times of the year when I miss being home..

I remember some of my most memorable X'MAS spent at Jamalpur and Calcutta while growing up. We would eagerly practice for the annual school concert where me and my sister sang for the School Choir and then wait for the month long winter break after that..

Winter vacation meant basking in the sun, reading books, fooling around and visits to friends and families and all the plum cakes and wine. Jamalpur, a small quaint little railway settlement created by British had a good bit of Anglo Indian population and so did Calcutta. I still remember the trips to the beautifully decorated New Market in Calcutta and to the bakeries- M.X D'gama and Nahoums and also the wait for the night drive to St Paul's Cathedral for the midnight mass in Calcutta or the celebration at Aunty Robert's house at Jamalpur.

Years have flown by but the memories still linger ( wonder why as my previous post says !!) ..

I baked myself a big Chocolate cake this time and enjoyed it all on my own while the carols played on the stereo ....

Enjoy the holiday spririt !!

Here's one of the songs that would play endlessly on the radio..

Comments

Subhadip said…
Happy Nostalgia :)

Any Calcuttan can relate to your post - it's so typical of Calcutta this time of the year. Enjoy the spirit.
8:51 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

On the Road Again - Around the ruins

Image
On the last Friday of 2007,the new year weekend, I wanted to head out of the city to a quiet place away from the madding crowd, away from the media hype, away from the usual Bollywood music blasting all around that led me to ask around and found two of my team mates wanting to head out. We thought of going for a trek but the couple of options we thought of didn't seem feasible with the last minute decision and with no tents/bookings in hand. We took to the road in my good old car and headed to Hampi since I knew we could find some place to stay for sure with all the options available having spent my last year end there. On the way, we took a break for lunch at a Dhaba at Chitradurga. The drive on the NH from Chitadurga had stretches of windmills on top of the hills around and sunflower fields to give us company.We reached the river side just before Hospet in time for a beautiful sunset. Hampi : It was dark by the time we reached Hampi , after maneuvering through the dark and na
Read more

Into the Wild

Image
" Into the Wild . By Jon Krakauer " - This is one of those book's that has had an everlasting impression on me. It was probably about a decade back when I first read it when my mum lent it out from the library. I had never heard or read about Christopher McCandless till then. It was really difficult to get a copy of the book those days, but my mum did surprise me with a copy of the book in the coming days,something I treasure till this day. Chris, was an intelligent young man ( He graduated in June 1990 from Emory University in Atlanta, where he distinguished himself as a history/anthropology major and was also offered membership in Phi Beta Kappa, but declined it, insisting that titles and honors were of no importance) . He was also an accomplished athlete, and a veteran of several solo excursions into wild, inhospitable terrain. After graduating he donated the entire amount of $20,000 in his account , to Oxford Famine Relief Fund. Then, without notifying any friends
Read more

Ekla Chalo Re...

"Ekla chalo re.." - Rabindranath Tagore ---------------------------------------------------- Jodi Tor Dak Soone Keu Na Asse Tobe Ekla Chalo re Ekla Chalo Ekla Chalo Ekla Chalore Jodi Keu Katha Na Kai Ore Ore O Abhaga Jodi Sabai Thake Mukh Firae Sabai Kare Bhay Tabe Paran Khule O Tui Mukh Fute Tor Maner Katha Ekla Balo re Jodi Sabai Fire Jai Ore Ore O Abhaga Jodi Gahan Pathe Jabar Kale Keu Feere Na Chay Tobe Pather Kanta O Tui Rakta Makha Charan Tale Ekla Dalo re Jodi Alo Na Dhare Ore Ore O Abhaga Jodi Jharr Badale Andhar Rate Duar Deay Ghare Tobe Bajranale Apaan Buker Panjar Jaliey Nieye Ekla Jalo re "Ekla chalo re.." meaning just walk alone... So here you go with the english translation: If they answer not to thy call walk alone, If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall, O thou of evil luck, open thy mind and speak out alone. If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness, O thou of evil luck, trample the thorns under thy tread, an
Read more