Nostalgia- Fond Remembrance of Your City

Kanpur Delicacies

Hometowns for sure carry too much of nostalgia with them. The memories attached to them make us want to revisit the place time and again. Their memories are amazingly transportive. Just a thought and the sentiments attached to even the smallest thing of that wonderful place take us down the memory lane from where we are, to where we wish to be. I belong to the city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Known for its leather throughout the world, it also offers great food, especially sweets. I am a big time food lover and an explorer. To my memories, food has the greatest contribution. The intersection of food and nostalgia is not only for me but also for the anthropologist and other scientists, a popular topic. Whether it is immigrant’s homesickness for their cultural food ways or the emotional distress that may underlie poor but comforting food choices, one’s mind always has a strong connection between nostalgia and food.

As the city lies in the great indo-gangetic plains, it has a wide range of temperature variation - the hottest summers and cool winters. Food here too varies with the seasons. The nostalgia of the hometown is so strong that wherever eat lime-ice, just a lick takes me back to the days when we ran through the hot streets barefoot to stop the vendor selling what we call “makku” or “baraf ka gola”. Summer days just wouldn’t feel complete without we friends licking lime ice together in the middle of a summer afternoon. The city has in store a sack full of delicious sweets to offer. The world famous ‘Banarsi ke Laddo’ is the cities gift to us; it melts in your mouth to give a lasting happiness. Trust me; just one won’t help curb your sweet tooth pangs.            

 

The memories of steeling these from my grandmother’s secret cupboard will always keep these laddos close to my heart. To give you a sigh of relief from the scorching heat of the sun there also exists the very famous ‘kulfi’- “The Badnaam Kulfi” or “Thaggu ki kulfi” as we call it. As a child we were awed by the way he made kulfi (the Indian ice-cream) with milk without freezing it in the refrigerator. A man used to churn milk kept in a container, kept inside a box full of ice and salt which was churned and churned to give us this wonderful delicacy.

The city has so much in store, to all of which I have uncountable memories attached, that anyone would want attend at least once for its food. The lip smacking ‘chaat’, is another thing to which not only I but a whole lot of Kanpur-ites will have nostalgic connections. Nostalgic evocation through traditional cuisine is one thing we all natives have predominantly.

We as children, as soon as our vacations began, sat together to make a list of which dish we would eat on each day. Our list was extensive and it was so much fun eating it together. Those were the days of no stress and only enjoyment. During summers essentials on the list were ‘pani puris’, ‘kulfi’ and ‘makku’, and for the winter list we had ‘Malai Makkhan’, ‘Hot Jalebies’, ‘ hot kebabs and biriyani’ and the like.

Malai Makkhan is one thing found only in a few towns of U.P. It is meticulously prepared during foggy dawns. It has been my favorite ever since vendors sold it on a cart, moving around the lanes, singing its name in a tune which is still the same. I can clearly recall. As soon as we heard his voice echoing from a distant corner of the lanes, early on winter mornings, we ran out of our beds, throwing the blankets away. With eyes half open, we stood in the lane waiting for him to arrive with a glass in our hand for the chilled milk he brought in limited quantities. My dad always grabbed an extra serving for me to eat latter in the day. All the children in the neighbourhood stood together waiting for the vendor, and after eating comparing how much each ate.

The list of nostalgic connections to my hometown is very exhaustive. Having spent 20 long years of my life in that city, there is a special importance that the place holds and will continue to hold in my heart, no matter how small a place it is on the world map. It has varies place which make me proud every moment. My alma-mater, The St. Mary’s Convent, is one place in the city I will always be obliged to. The city has grown over the years, just like us but for the years to come it will continue to contribute to my treasure.

-Varija Khanna

Batch 2013-18

Nostalgia- Fond Remembrance of Your City

Rewari, Haryana

Rewari that’s the name of the place where I belong to, place where I spent my childhood, place where I spent 18 years of my life, place that instilled in me good qualities, place that made me what I am today.

When I came to Symbiosis and my fellow mates asked me which place I belong to, my answer “I am from Rewari, Haryana” got me blank expressions from them because nobody has ever heard the name of the city called Rewari. So now, here I am telling everyone about my city.

Rewari is one among the 21 districts of Haryana State. It is located in south-west Haryana 82 km (51 mi) from old Delhi and 51 km (32 mi) from Gurgaon. It was founded by Nand Ram, an Ahir. It remained a part of Gurgaon district until reorganization in 1972 saw it transferred to Mahendragarh district. Further changes, in 1989, led to the creation of the Rewari district.

Rewari is famous for lots of things like “Rewadi” a sweet-dish as the name says metalwork industry in brass, copper sheets and utensils, ornamental shoes (Tilledar Jooti), festival of Teej and many more but the most famous and known place is The Rewari Heritage Steam Locomotive Museum.

Rewari Heritage Steam Locomotive Museum is  is the only surviving steam loco shed in India and houses some of India's last surviving steam locomotives. It was built in 1893 and was the only loco shed in North India connecting path with Delhi to Peshawar.

After steam engines were phased out by 1990, the loco shed remained in neglect for many years before it was decided by Indian Railways in December 2002 to recuperate it as a heritage museum. The restoration of loco shed from the lost, ruins and unremembered to its present considerable condition has been a long process and a result of lot of time and dedication by many people. The loco shed was renovated as a heritage tourism destination and the refurnished heritage museum was opened in 9 October 2010. The engines are also available for live demonstrations.

This place has many visitors from India and outside India who just come to see a steam engine and see how it works. It’s a great, joyous and memorable experience for everyone who visits there. Lots of films have been shot at the Rewari Steam Locomotive Shed like Gadar, Veer Zara, Rang De Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

On the whole it’s a great place to visit with historical significance and the only place in India to see Steam engine and their live demonstration.

-Aashi Agarwal

Batch 2014-19

Nostalgia- Fond Remembrance of Your City

The Doon Valley

Dehradun loves its spicy street treats. Even though multi – cuisine restaurants make their presence felt in the city, there’s no dearth of street food lovers who prefer snacking at their favourite stalls.

Usually, the word ‘street food’ conjures up images of chaat in an Indian’s mind. But in Doon valley, street food means momos, along with the desi version of dishes like spring rolls, gravy rolls, chowmein, soups, bun omelette, bun tikki, vegetarian kebabs and many more.

They form an indispensable part of Doonite’s regular appetite with each being able to name at least one spot they have visited time and again to have the same dish. They love it because of the taste, the feel, the air of Doon, and most importantly, the prices.

There is an Indo – Chinese restaurant, which boasts of good ambience and is mostly crowded at weekends. Its special ‘devil momos’, ‘noodles’ and ‘soups’ are delicious, mouth – watering, appetizing and tasty. There are places that give 10 momos for 10 bucks. There are many road side shops known as Maggi points which serve hot and spicy Maggi noodles. The pocket – friendly rates are what enable groups of usually cash – trapped students to eat frequently.

Evenings are all about taking a stroll down the road and relishing the spicy street food that Doon’s umpteen roadside stalls offer. For us the real pleasure lies in having momos and gravy rolls from the sadak – wali dukaane. For they have contributed in making solid memories for us, as shops and malls kept popping up and disappearing in the ever changing landscape around us.

Another thing that makes having these momos on roadside shops such a joy for Doonites is their perfect combo with Doon’s cool and pleasant weather. Come evening and the roads are flooded with people bending over their steaming bowls.

Apart from the hustle bustle of Doon’s markets, quaint military areas and the street side food spree, Dehradun is a forward looking town of people who understand the world order. It is a place of people who have a hunger for education and are striving to grow.

And Mussoorie, ‘The Queen of the Hills ’, which has lush green hills and varied flora and fauna is just a hop away and is very popular among the tourists.

Thus, if one wants to enjoy a mouth watering street food journey with the bliss of cool and pacifying weather, Dehradun is undoubtedly the ultimate choice.

                                      

 -Rudrakshi Joshi

Batch 2014-19

Nostalgia- Fond Remembrance of Your City

Aamar Shohor Kolkata

Home, as they say is where the heart is. Home is where mother wakes you up in the morning, screaming of your uselessness and yet rumpling your hair and cooking you food. Home is where father tells you to wake up because the sun is up and the day is new. Home is where sister listens to your incessant opinion about everything that is going on in this world and beyond. Home is where your heart is because your heart consists of the people you love. And for me, home is Calcutta.

One of the oldest cities in this country, Calcutta has an inexplicable charm and beauty of its own. It is surrounded by its old world charm as well as modernity. It is a place where women don’t mind wearing vermilion powder on their forehead and ‘shakha’ and ‘pola’ on their wrists to symbolize their married status while teaming it up with denims and a t-shirt. It is a place where the women wear western clothes and a sari with the same sort of élan. It is a place where you know you’ll never get lost because there will always be this one person smiling and guiding you to your destination.

Calcutta is the most beautiful city on this planet, according to me. You enter the city, you see the Howrah Bridge over the Ganga. You will never want to leave the place if you happen to simply glimpse the Ganges flowing beneath you. For a relatively non religious person like me, I do go to Dakhshineshwar and Belur Math religiously simply to sit by the ‘ghat’ and look at the flowing ganga. The amount of peace that one gains from it cannot be put down in words.

Calcutta is a beauty, it is magic. You wake up to the songs of the birds; you get to see sparrows perched on the balconies. Neighbours greet each other through the kitchen windows whereas some greet at early morning walks too. It is a place where everyone is ‘kaku’ or ‘kakima’ or ‘ dada’ or ‘didi’. Everyone is related, it seems, but in reality everyone is respected.

Calcutta is a place where a six year old will be taught how to ride a bicycle by everyone in the ‘para’ (locality), it is a place where everyone celebrates one person’s success and everyone mourns one person’s grief. Calcutta is a place where you can go for an early morning tram ride to work because you just felt like it and realize midway that you’re terribly late. It is a place where if a young girl feels dizzy or unwell in a crowded metro station, people actually notice it without her having to say it and they go out of their way to help her. It is a place where if you are outside your home after ten at night, the only thought that will haunt you is your parents’ scolding. It is a place where you can go to the local grocery shop in your shorts and bathroom slippers and the only weird thing will be your haste to get home so that at least someone cares.

Calcutta is defined by ‘Balwant Singh ka Dhaba’ where people go to eat religiously. Oh, and if you ever go there? Don’t leave without having ‘ doodh cola ‘. Yumm. Calcutta is ‘mishti doi’ and ‘roshogolla’ and ‘phuchka’ and ‘shutki machh’. Calcutta is both love and ‘bhalobasha’. Calcutta is people getting all awkward if two people hug in the middle of the road and yet smirking, looking away and walking off and letting them be.

Calcutta is Victoria Memorial and Alipore Zoo and the various families who plan their picnic there on the first of January every year. Calcutta is Princep Ghat and the lovers who happily plan their future there, a place where nothing seems to matter and everything so insignificant apart from the person one is with. Calcutta is New Market on Christmas and New Year where the entire city does their Christmas shopping from, regardless of whether they are Christians or not. Calcutta is Park Street all decked up where people go to party like crazy. Calcutta is Arsalan’s mutton biriyani and cewai and halim on Eid irrespective of what faith you belong to. Calcutta is Durga Pujo and the many beautiful women that you can see on those five days. It is the many love stories that are formed or sown in those five days, of which people speak to their grand children with moist happiness in their old eyes. Calcutta is Kumartuli, where the idols are made; it is an artist’s paradise. Calcutta is that one last flick of wrist which renders Maa Durga’s third eye complete. Calcutta is the red and white sarees that the women wear on Dashami and the Sindur Khela that ensues. It is the Pushpanjali on Durga Ashtami.  Calcutta is a place where everyone celebrates every single festival irrespective of the religion that they follow.

Calcutta is Nahoum’s plum cake and Flury’s for breakfast. Calcutta is Narayan’s kachauri for a delicious Sunday breakfast and the phuchka you get in front of Globe theatre. Yumm again.

Calcutta is where you don’t need to worry about losing yourself anywhere because some way or the other everything is linked. Calcutta is Saraswati Puja being the Bengali Valentine’s day. The one day when boys and girls dress up in their Indian best and go to school.

Calcutta is your neighbours telling you to continue your riyaaz at four in the morning because it’s a good start to their day. Calcutta is everyone being concerned about your board results and coming to your home with sweets to know your results. Calcutta is Pujo shopping and Pandal hopping. It is about family lunches every Sunday and dinners at ten every night. Calcutta is Red Road on Republic Day and Eden Gardens on any day. Calcutta is about every insignificant thing that one can think of in life. All those little things that make up life? Well, that is just one day in the City of Joy, Calcutta.

It doesn’t matter who you are and where you’re from, if you live in Calcutta, the city will embrace you with open arms. Calcutta is a place where everyone is family. Calcutta is the rickshaw pullers knowing exactly where you live; it is all those late night Dover Lane music conferences. It is about all those strong, Bengali, independent and argumentative people who are highly intellectual and fiercely protective and passionately loving. Piece of advice? Never, ever pick a verbal fight with a Bengali, you won’t even know how, when and why you’ve lost.

Calcutta is the best place and the worst place. It is slow, irritating, noisy, hot and humid; but it is beautiful, passionate and fiery too. You might want to run away from there because you don’t want the overdose of excess love that you’re bound to be embraced with in there. But once out of that city, you’ll want to go back.

It is that one place where you can argue politics anywhere and everywhere without your opponent keeping any hard feelings after the argument. Most of such arguments happen at social gatherings like family lunches or a wedding or a birthday party even. You can argue politics with your father but keep in mind, when you’re just on the brink of winning, your mother will call you for dinner. It is a city with which nothing else can match.

Calcutta is home for the people, for the silent buildings who have for centuries now smiled at first loves, smirked at lover’s tiffs, laughed at children’s idiocies and grieved at a good soul’s leaving the earth. It is that one place where no matter what, people will care. It is that one place where people will come to your home with food and stay there by your side at odd hours of emergency.

Calcutta is a beauty which is incomparable because it includes everything. The food, the people and their compassion, the transport system, the slow city life. The afternoon naps and the brilliant dates at Princep Ghat. Calcutta is home to me not because that is where i was born, but because of what the people there have given me and because of what I learnt in my time there – Hope, strength, happiness and an overdose of excess love. It has taught me to love, to hope and to instil hope in others as well.

‘Amar shohor Kolkata’ (My city Calcutta) will always be mine forever. You can take me out of Calcutta but not Calcutta out of me. That is home, and home as they say is where the heart is. 

-Sohini Bardhan

Batch 2014-19

Nostalgia- Fond Remembrance of Your City

Namma Chennai

Chennai is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu. Well, to me Chennai is more of an emotion than a city. Having been born and brought up there, the sights, sounds and smells of the city have become a part of me. A city which is branded as "boring" or "uncool" by many outsiders, it does have a lot to offer. Be it long walks on the sands of the Marina (which also happens to be the second longest beach in the world) or visiting the ancient temples in Mylapore, everything in Chennai gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling of acceptance and calmness. Even though Chennai has only three climatic conditions, hot, hotter and hottest, when it does rain the entire city looks so bright and colourful that it injects a wave of energy into you and refreshes you completely. Yes, the people can be a little down to earth, but that's what it means to be a Chennaiite. We have that imbibed in our culture.  And in line with our studious nature, we also have the huge, seven- storied Anna Centenary Library. Filled with books on each and every topic a person could think of, it truly is a research scholar’s heaven.

If a survey is conducted among Chennaiite as to which place they love visiting the most in the city, everyone regardless of their economic background would say it‘s the beach. There is something about the sand and the vast blue expanse that just calms people down. Every step taken barefoot on the sand helps a person break free from the shackles of everyday life and they have some time just for themselves. From children who are splashing around in the water or playing football to couples who are totally lost in the company of each other (yes, the beach somehow manages to overpower Chennai’s epic conservativeness as well) to gatherings of old people who reminisce about their glory days, the beach has something to offer for everyone.

When it comes to culture, look no further than Chennai because it's still home to the finest traditional dance and music of the South. The month of Margazhi truly is amazing. The entire city almost bursts with an abundance of classical music concerts. In fact, it is so famous that people living abroad mark the dates on their calendars and make sure they are in Chennai to attend the concerts. Attending the concerts truly is an enriching experience.

Next on the list is food. Chennai is home to two of the best things South India has ever introduced to the world. The chain of Hotel Saravana Bhavan restaurants and ‘filter kaapi’. Hotel Saravana Bhavan is home to the best South Indian food in the country. And this is not only my opinion given the fact that there are branches all over the world! Yes, our very own Idli-Sambhar excites the taste buds of foreigners as well.  ‘Filter kaapi’ is like Chennai’s version of Starbucks. Given the fact this can be made at home anytime during the day, this cup of coffee has achieved cult status in the city.

You know you’re home when you start to see the coastline from your flight. The long white line of the sands of the Marina is always the first sight of home. Also, seeing Chennai by night from the top is a surreal experience. The whole city will seem to twinkle in happiness because you’re coming and is the first taste of the hospitality you will be experiencing. The newly built Kathipara Flyover can truly be appreciated only from a bird’s point of view. At night when it is completely illuminated, it looks like something from the maps Grand Theft Auto has come straight into the real world.

I haven’t really written much about my wonderful city. Only when you visit Chennai do you realise that the city fills you up with more than good memories and fun experiences and that it enriches you on a higher level and everything about Chennai becomes a part of your life. It is after all Namma Chennai (Our Chennai) so you’re always welcome.

-Aditya Rajesh

Batch 2014-19