Showing posts with label Kolkata. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kolkata. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2007
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Infosys Bengal
A few days back I read in the paper that Infosys pulled out of its 100 acre campus in Kolkata. Infy wanted 100 acres to build a campus employing 5000 people in it. The West Bengal government was unable to acquire the land and finally offered land to Infy near Vedic Village. The land owning body (part of the government) asked Infy for 2 crores (approx) per acre which was too high for Infy because they pay an average 15L an acre. The irony is that private promoters were ready to pay 10 crore per acre. So why did the government at all offer 2 crore, making a 80% loss. Well there is lot to it than just the money. Infy is the biggest brand name in IT in India and to have a Infosys campus in West Bengal will add a lot of brand value to Brand Bengal. Other companies will be attracted to Bengal to set up operations and this will provide employment to thousands directly and indirectly.
When I was discussing this with a friend of mine, he said its good that the Bengal government did not to agree to 15L price, as Infosys was trying to extract much more just because of its brand value. He also found that 100 acres employing 5000 people was a waste of space, although he agreed that Infy campuses are lavish with swimming pool, gym and what not. Well its one way for Infy to attract "bright" engineers. Most of the entry level engineers hired by Infy get attracted to the brand name and the facilities it provides. I found nothing wrong in that. Every company has a strategy. Also indirectly the Infy facility would be providing employment to many others. For example, there would be people employed indirectly for maintaining the campus, the security, the catering facility, the sports facility, the transport facility. Then these 5000 well paid employees will splurge their salary in shopping malls and multiplexes. So the campus would have done a lot of good to Bengal.
But now that was one side. What about the private developers, developing the same land and building housing complex, office space, shopping centers. This would have also generated a lot of employment. But still it would miss the Infy brand name. Thankfully Buddhadeb babu understands this. He has now offered Infy 100 acres (read to occupy immediately) at 15L per acre at Kalyani about 60 kms from Calcutta. This is a good move. Since the land is ready to occupy, Infy could kick off its campus building almost immediately. Secondly government gets a good deal because a town near Calcutta will get developed and other IT companies may follow suit. Lets see how it goes. Infy hasn't yet accepted the offer. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
News about Infy pulling out in Times of India
News about Buddhadeb Babu again offering land to Infy in Economic Times
When I was discussing this with a friend of mine, he said its good that the Bengal government did not to agree to 15L price, as Infosys was trying to extract much more just because of its brand value. He also found that 100 acres employing 5000 people was a waste of space, although he agreed that Infy campuses are lavish with swimming pool, gym and what not. Well its one way for Infy to attract "bright" engineers. Most of the entry level engineers hired by Infy get attracted to the brand name and the facilities it provides. I found nothing wrong in that. Every company has a strategy. Also indirectly the Infy facility would be providing employment to many others. For example, there would be people employed indirectly for maintaining the campus, the security, the catering facility, the sports facility, the transport facility. Then these 5000 well paid employees will splurge their salary in shopping malls and multiplexes. So the campus would have done a lot of good to Bengal.
But now that was one side. What about the private developers, developing the same land and building housing complex, office space, shopping centers. This would have also generated a lot of employment. But still it would miss the Infy brand name. Thankfully Buddhadeb babu understands this. He has now offered Infy 100 acres (read to occupy immediately) at 15L per acre at Kalyani about 60 kms from Calcutta. This is a good move. Since the land is ready to occupy, Infy could kick off its campus building almost immediately. Secondly government gets a good deal because a town near Calcutta will get developed and other IT companies may follow suit. Lets see how it goes. Infy hasn't yet accepted the offer. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
News about Infy pulling out in Times of India
News about Buddhadeb Babu again offering land to Infy in Economic Times
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Punctuality and Calcutta
This post was long overdue. But as usual I felt lazy to write it. Wish there was some sort of machine which could store whatever I though in some electronic form from where I can copy paste it. Ok enough of my wild thoughts. This post is about my trip to Calcutta (I still like the old English name, in Bengali it was always called Kolkata).
I had gone to Calcutta for the weekend (and Monday) to attend a marriage. In this trip I was expected to go to my Aunt's house as I had not gone to her house for more than 2 years now. So I decided that I will definately go to her house. Her house is about 25 Kms from my house. Me and my sister decided that we will leave early (10AM) so that we reach latest by 12.00 noon. That day Mamata Banaerjee decided to call for a Rasta Roko type of a thingy. Guess what, a strike or procession has been called is not unusual to me, what was unusual was that this road blocking exercise had a precise time - 11.00 AM to 12.00 Noon. So the major roads would be blocked by her supporters only during this time.
Well I didn't really care about the timings. But my sister was calculating how we could avoid all this and reach. Anyways next morning we left the house, I really didn't understand the calculations my sister did but still followed her. We got up in a Jadavpur Airport mini bus and would be getting down at LakeTown.
I was getting up in a bus in Kolkata after a long time. The last few years when ever I had come I used to go out in my Dad's office car. After retirement, it was back to the bus. So we boarded the bus and in the beginning everything was normal. Luckily the bus was not too crowded. Then after some time the bus driver was driving the bus like a motor cycle. Well It was fun in the beginning and then he went real crazy. Now I didn't understand that he was also doing his mental calculation to bypass the road blocks. Anyways the funny part is the bus was driven by not one person, but three people. One, the real driver, the man behind the wheels. Second one was the conductor, who was making sure that the passengers bought bought the ticket and got down at the right place. (Note: only passenger's getting down). The third guy was a helper, who made sure that the passengers boarded the bus and guess what .... he would shout and make the small cars, taxis, auto's move out of the bus' way so that the driver could drive the bus like a two wheeler. In his enthusiasm he sometimes actually forgot to drop the passenger. When the conductor realized this, he said that seems like all that passengers would have to get down at the airport only, the last stop. The helper realized his folly and cooled down a bit.
Then the inevitable happened. We got stuck in the road block at one intersection. The time was 11.45 AM. There was another side road, which would enable us to bypass the crossing, so I told the driver why not take it. The driver replied that this would get over soon. I got irritated, all it would take us would be 5 minutes and this guy was actually saying that these protesters actually followed time. In a state which is notorious for its work culture and punctuality, people were actually expecting that the protesters would follow time. Now my sister pitched in and told me why not wait and watch. Well she actually believed that the protesters would honour the timings. Wait and watch it was for me. Then the even more surprising thing happened. The roadblocks got cleared at 11.55AM (on time) and everything started to move.
For the last 10 years I have been living outside Calcutta. When I left, it was called Calcutta and I still had that image of Calcutta. But I realized it has changed. Processions, strikes and other forms of peaceful protests religiously follow the timings. Every one is now more proactive to avoid these and go to their work. I guess Buddhadev babu's reforms have definitely changed the mindset of some of the people. I hope he or his successor ( don't know if he (Buddhadeb babu) is going to get re elected looking at all the violence happening in Nandigram and elsewhere) can carry on the reforms.
I had gone to Calcutta for the weekend (and Monday) to attend a marriage. In this trip I was expected to go to my Aunt's house as I had not gone to her house for more than 2 years now. So I decided that I will definately go to her house. Her house is about 25 Kms from my house. Me and my sister decided that we will leave early (10AM) so that we reach latest by 12.00 noon. That day Mamata Banaerjee decided to call for a Rasta Roko type of a thingy. Guess what, a strike or procession has been called is not unusual to me, what was unusual was that this road blocking exercise had a precise time - 11.00 AM to 12.00 Noon. So the major roads would be blocked by her supporters only during this time.
Well I didn't really care about the timings. But my sister was calculating how we could avoid all this and reach. Anyways next morning we left the house, I really didn't understand the calculations my sister did but still followed her. We got up in a Jadavpur Airport mini bus and would be getting down at LakeTown.
I was getting up in a bus in Kolkata after a long time. The last few years when ever I had come I used to go out in my Dad's office car. After retirement, it was back to the bus. So we boarded the bus and in the beginning everything was normal. Luckily the bus was not too crowded. Then after some time the bus driver was driving the bus like a motor cycle. Well It was fun in the beginning and then he went real crazy. Now I didn't understand that he was also doing his mental calculation to bypass the road blocks. Anyways the funny part is the bus was driven by not one person, but three people. One, the real driver, the man behind the wheels. Second one was the conductor, who was making sure that the passengers bought bought the ticket and got down at the right place. (Note: only passenger's getting down). The third guy was a helper, who made sure that the passengers boarded the bus and guess what .... he would shout and make the small cars, taxis, auto's move out of the bus' way so that the driver could drive the bus like a two wheeler. In his enthusiasm he sometimes actually forgot to drop the passenger. When the conductor realized this, he said that seems like all that passengers would have to get down at the airport only, the last stop. The helper realized his folly and cooled down a bit.
Then the inevitable happened. We got stuck in the road block at one intersection. The time was 11.45 AM. There was another side road, which would enable us to bypass the crossing, so I told the driver why not take it. The driver replied that this would get over soon. I got irritated, all it would take us would be 5 minutes and this guy was actually saying that these protesters actually followed time. In a state which is notorious for its work culture and punctuality, people were actually expecting that the protesters would follow time. Now my sister pitched in and told me why not wait and watch. Well she actually believed that the protesters would honour the timings. Wait and watch it was for me. Then the even more surprising thing happened. The roadblocks got cleared at 11.55AM (on time) and everything started to move.
For the last 10 years I have been living outside Calcutta. When I left, it was called Calcutta and I still had that image of Calcutta. But I realized it has changed. Processions, strikes and other forms of peaceful protests religiously follow the timings. Every one is now more proactive to avoid these and go to their work. I guess Buddhadev babu's reforms have definitely changed the mindset of some of the people. I hope he or his successor ( don't know if he (Buddhadeb babu) is going to get re elected looking at all the violence happening in Nandigram and elsewhere) can carry on the reforms.
Monday, April 10, 2006
70 reasons to stay in Calcutta
1.. Phulkopir Shingara: samosas don't stand a chance against these.
2.. Phuchka: gol-gappas aren't a patch on phuchkas. Try Bengal
Lamp/Dakshinapan.
Karaishutir Kochuri: a seasonal favourite, have it with "alur dam".
3.. Luchi: puri and phulkas - no comparison.
4.. Alurdom: the world's best. Try the offering at Vivekananda Park.
5.. Jhalmuri: a unique concoction, with nothing to equal it.
6.. Telebhaaja: these and jhalmuri are like 'made for each other'.
7.. Chanachur: many have tried unsuccesfully to steal the formula, MNCs
included!
8.. Alukabli: where will you get something like this?
9.. Ghugni: again, chana is not the same at all.
10.. Radhaballavi: try it with alurdom or cholar daal.
11.. Chanmp: even Pakistani cricketers have sampled these, in Chitpur.
12.. Rezala: out of this world, just out of this world!
13.. Paradiser Sharbat: there is one which is green, and another, pink. No
college student from Presidency or the University has failed to sample
these!
14.. Lere Biscut: needed to make the batter for chop-katlet.
15.. Chicken Kabiraji: an unbelievable variation on the chicken cutlet.
16.. Moton Afghani: an equally innovative presentation of the mutton
cutlet.
17.. Dimer Kalia: again, where do you get something like this?
18.. Kasha mangsho: it has become an institution now.
19.. Roll: the ubiquitous mutton, chicken or egg roll. Unquestionably
superior to any variants (Frankies 4 that matter) in any other city of the
world. And also....
20.. Coffee houser coffee ar adda: try the float with ice cream.
21.. Bharer chaa: on the Maidan, from shining brass vessels on a rainy day.
And not to be missed in all this,
22.. Pan unmatched, even in Benaras or Lucknow. Honestly!
The sweeter side
23.. Roshomalai: a creamy, mouth-watering delight!
24.. Jilipi: smaller than the jalebis and tastes quite different.
25.. Lal doi: is an experience by itself!
26.. Sada Doi: have it @ the shop, "Mithai"
27.. Kamala bhog: a pale yellow orb, delicately sweetened.
28.. Notun gurer sondesh: a winter speciality available in no other city.
29.. Rosogolla: simply needs no introduction.
30.. Natun gurer Rosogolla: the latest innovation. There are many, many
more traditional favourites.
and also...
31.. Shitabhog: pure white, sweetened to just the right extent.
32.. Mihi Dana: golden yellow, saffron scented.
33.. Maalpoa: rich brown pancakes, dripping in sugar syrup.
34.. Ranga alur pithey: another traditional favourite in winter.
Up fashion street
35.. Fashions keep changing. But the dhuti-panjabi and tangail look never
becomes out-dated.
36.. Dhuti with extra broad borders: the finest and most elegant available
here.
37.. Dhutis in red or black! The latest sensation in Calcutta.
38.. Giley kara Panjabi: those with the improbably crinkled sleeves.
39.. Tangail Sari: the best in these all-time favourites can be found here.
and the other marks of distinction are...
40.. Bidyasagari choti: you still get them here.
41.. Kabuli Chappal: another old favourite.
42.. Garader Sari: ideal with pujo bari, shankher awaaj.
Sights and sounds
One wakes up in the morning and hears their voices drifting through the
air. So typically do they say their bit...that it is difficult to
forget....and even more so ...to imitate...
43.. Shil katowala: they chip the stone slabs which grind masalas.
44.. Chhuri Kanchhi Shaanwala: sharpens knives, scissors and anything with
an edge.
45.. Lep Shelaiwala: they make those cotton quilts which warm you up in
winter.
And early in the morning, before Durga Pujo, who can forget the strains of
46.. Mahalayar mahishashuromardini
Other things, quaint and very special
48.. Chinese Food in China Town: an early morning breakfast here is an
experience.
49.. Metro Rail: spick and span, and the trains are dot on time.
50.. Maidan: the ideal p lace to be on a sleepy, winter morning.
51.. College Streeter Boipara: bookworms buzz around this place morning,
noon and night.
52.. All Night Music Conference: you won't find a minute to yawn.
53.. Circular Rail: see the river all along as you travel on the train.
54.. Ganga te nouko bihar: either in a country boat or a steamer or on
hover craft!
55.. Dolphins in the Ganga: if it's your lucky day, you might catch a
glimpse of a frolicking shoal.
56.. Morning tram to the Maidan: see how green and fresh the city looks.
57.. East Calcu tta Wetlands: our very own eco-system regulator - just on
the outskirts.
Travel in style
58.. Rickshaw: still the preferred form of transportation for some,
especially children and the elderly.
59.. School van: it's to be seen to be believed.
60.. Tram: if you have time on hand, you can see the city glide by.
Calcutta's passion
61.. Roker adda: Calcuttans are an adda baaj lot.Mohan Bagan & East
Bengal: prices of ilish or chingri go up, depending on who wins the
day.
62.. Jatra: who says it is all melodrama?
63.. Durga pujo: the pomp and pageantry, reserved each year for the 'mother
of all festivals'.
64.. Little magazine: you still find devotees of this publishing wonder.
65.. Book Fair: when the fair is on, you are there - whether you love books
or not.
66.. Cricket match at the Eden: cricketers and cricket lovers the world
over treasure the experience.
City's own
67.. Hydrant: there's a move by the CMC to revive the practice of ashing
the streets with Ganga water from the hydrants
68.. Italian Saloon: road side barber joints, where you sit on a piece of
brick (it).
69.. Chinese dry cleaners: do a very clean job, indeed.
70.. Darjees of Metiabruz: are a cut above the rest. Even if they cut
corners at times!
Now, Tell Me Is There Any Other Place Better Than Kolkata On Earth?
2.. Phuchka: gol-gappas aren't a patch on phuchkas. Try Bengal
Lamp/Dakshinapan.
Karaishutir Kochuri: a seasonal favourite, have it with "alur dam".
3.. Luchi: puri and phulkas - no comparison.
4.. Alurdom: the world's best. Try the offering at Vivekananda Park.
5.. Jhalmuri: a unique concoction, with nothing to equal it.
6.. Telebhaaja: these and jhalmuri are like 'made for each other'.
7.. Chanachur: many have tried unsuccesfully to steal the formula, MNCs
included!
8.. Alukabli: where will you get something like this?
9.. Ghugni: again, chana is not the same at all.
10.. Radhaballavi: try it with alurdom or cholar daal.
11.. Chanmp: even Pakistani cricketers have sampled these, in Chitpur.
12.. Rezala: out of this world, just out of this world!
13.. Paradiser Sharbat: there is one which is green, and another, pink. No
college student from Presidency or the University has failed to sample
these!
14.. Lere Biscut: needed to make the batter for chop-katlet.
15.. Chicken Kabiraji: an unbelievable variation on the chicken cutlet.
16.. Moton Afghani: an equally innovative presentation of the mutton
cutlet.
17.. Dimer Kalia: again, where do you get something like this?
18.. Kasha mangsho: it has become an institution now.
19.. Roll: the ubiquitous mutton, chicken or egg roll. Unquestionably
superior to any variants (Frankies 4 that matter) in any other city of the
world. And also....
20.. Coffee houser coffee ar adda: try the float with ice cream.
21.. Bharer chaa: on the Maidan, from shining brass vessels on a rainy day.
And not to be missed in all this,
22.. Pan unmatched, even in Benaras or Lucknow. Honestly!
The sweeter side
23.. Roshomalai: a creamy, mouth-watering delight!
24.. Jilipi: smaller than the jalebis and tastes quite different.
25.. Lal doi: is an experience by itself!
26.. Sada Doi: have it @ the shop, "Mithai"
27.. Kamala bhog: a pale yellow orb, delicately sweetened.
28.. Notun gurer sondesh: a winter speciality available in no other city.
29.. Rosogolla: simply needs no introduction.
30.. Natun gurer Rosogolla: the latest innovation. There are many, many
more traditional favourites.
and also...
31.. Shitabhog: pure white, sweetened to just the right extent.
32.. Mihi Dana: golden yellow, saffron scented.
33.. Maalpoa: rich brown pancakes, dripping in sugar syrup.
34.. Ranga alur pithey: another traditional favourite in winter.
Up fashion street
35.. Fashions keep changing. But the dhuti-panjabi and tangail look never
becomes out-dated.
36.. Dhuti with extra broad borders: the finest and most elegant available
here.
37.. Dhutis in red or black! The latest sensation in Calcutta.
38.. Giley kara Panjabi: those with the improbably crinkled sleeves.
39.. Tangail Sari: the best in these all-time favourites can be found here.
and the other marks of distinction are...
40.. Bidyasagari choti: you still get them here.
41.. Kabuli Chappal: another old favourite.
42.. Garader Sari: ideal with pujo bari, shankher awaaj.
Sights and sounds
One wakes up in the morning and hears their voices drifting through the
air. So typically do they say their bit...that it is difficult to
forget....and even more so ...to imitate...
43.. Shil katowala: they chip the stone slabs which grind masalas.
44.. Chhuri Kanchhi Shaanwala: sharpens knives, scissors and anything with
an edge.
45.. Lep Shelaiwala: they make those cotton quilts which warm you up in
winter.
And early in the morning, before Durga Pujo, who can forget the strains of
46.. Mahalayar mahishashuromardini
Other things, quaint and very special
48.. Chinese Food in China Town: an early morning breakfast here is an
experience.
49.. Metro Rail: spick and span, and the trains are dot on time.
50.. Maidan: the ideal p lace to be on a sleepy, winter morning.
51.. College Streeter Boipara: bookworms buzz around this place morning,
noon and night.
52.. All Night Music Conference: you won't find a minute to yawn.
53.. Circular Rail: see the river all along as you travel on the train.
54.. Ganga te nouko bihar: either in a country boat or a steamer or on
hover craft!
55.. Dolphins in the Ganga: if it's your lucky day, you might catch a
glimpse of a frolicking shoal.
56.. Morning tram to the Maidan: see how green and fresh the city looks.
57.. East Calcu tta Wetlands: our very own eco-system regulator - just on
the outskirts.
Travel in style
58.. Rickshaw: still the preferred form of transportation for some,
especially children and the elderly.
59.. School van: it's to be seen to be believed.
60.. Tram: if you have time on hand, you can see the city glide by.
Calcutta's passion
61.. Roker adda: Calcuttans are an adda baaj lot.Mohan Bagan & East
Bengal: prices of ilish or chingri go up, depending on who wins the
day.
62.. Jatra: who says it is all melodrama?
63.. Durga pujo: the pomp and pageantry, reserved each year for the 'mother
of all festivals'.
64.. Little magazine: you still find devotees of this publishing wonder.
65.. Book Fair: when the fair is on, you are there - whether you love books
or not.
66.. Cricket match at the Eden: cricketers and cricket lovers the world
over treasure the experience.
City's own
67.. Hydrant: there's a move by the CMC to revive the practice of ashing
the streets with Ganga water from the hydrants
68.. Italian Saloon: road side barber joints, where you sit on a piece of
brick (it).
69.. Chinese dry cleaners: do a very clean job, indeed.
70.. Darjees of Metiabruz: are a cut above the rest. Even if they cut
corners at times!
Now, Tell Me Is There Any Other Place Better Than Kolkata On Earth?
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Bengali Sweets
Trying to post for the first time using HELLO. Its a neat idea but I am disappointed, I can only post one picture at a time. Ok I will live with it now.
BTW the picture above are bengali sweets. The yellow liquid one at the bottom of the picture is Rasho Malai. The brownish one is Chanar Payesh and yellow coloured rasgulla is called kamala Bhog.
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