C and C in CalCutta

“Dada, ekta cha diyo toh!”

“Spesaal diye debo, saar?”

“Dao, saathe ekta milds o diyo.”

Calcutta, oh Kolkata, known for its artistic and literary flair is also now known to be among the top three cities in India where almost seventy percent of the people smoke. Through many a census, people have reached a consensus that it is almost impossible to find a Bengali who does not smoke and it is ironic that nobody ever did a survey on the other cousin of cigarette. If it were done, then perhaps Kolkata and in all probability all of Bengal would have left every other place behind by miles. The subject of speculation is tea or ‘cha’ as called by one and all.

In almost every corner of this city, on every pavement it will be a rare sight if it is not occupied by a tea stall. These make-shift tea stalls are as much a part and history of the city as is the Ambassadors plying on its roads since time immemorial. The inseparable duo of tea and cigarette has made its way into the hands of almost every office goer, businessman and labourer alike.

From dawn to dusk, the one business that experiences no slowdown or setback is the sale of the two ‘C’s – cha and cigarette. Health issues aside, it is over this combination that most people start their day, catch up at or at the end of the day try to rejuvenate themselves. It is perhaps that invisible string that binds people together, that imperceptible force that keeps life going. It is perhaps one love saga that will not see an end!