Sohail Shaikh tells us what Calcutta means to him!

When in 1985, the then Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, declared Calcutta a dying city, he was being oblivious to a truth. This city was born and reborn even when it was declared dead. A city or even a Nation is not made up of just buildings, or places or physical boundaries. It is made of People.
And the birth of which denotes the birth of the very place.

1985 is the year when I was born here, in Calcutta. And we are now into the 26th winter since then.

It is not easy to lay in words the feelings that prevail in ones heart. It becomes even more difficult as I’m not poet, nor a philosopher. I have always believed that Love is an emotion which is best understood without the burden of words. Yet, one tries.

It might be unacceptable to many that this city could be loved and that there are people who still want to live here though they have a choice. In this big junkyard of a glorious past. A cup that is filled to the brim on all its sides and overflowing with people. The streets are almost all the time crowded and appear to be too narrow. There is far too much of traffic than it can afford. You would find open
air garbage dumps all over the place. Almost every month we have one political party or the other claiming a part of it by calling a strike and paralysing the city. Yes, there are indeed many reasons for it to be deserted and branded a dying city.

But it becomes even harder to let go off the bond that is formed once you have discovered the many layers that lye underneath the obvious. It is the soul. And its existence can be felt all across.

One could say that almost all of India could be found here. Although Bengalis are the largest community, we have people from various communities living here since decades. And they feel at home as much as anyone else. Although, Durga Puja is the occasion when everybody celebrates together, one would also find himself in the midst of a Christmas or a Diwali or Holi or an Eid celebration with no differences. The passion that is displayed during a sports match is equalled only by the love of food that we share so intimately. It is while growing up here I learned that differences could also be settled by an exchange of words and not always have to be put to a physical test. It is here that I realised being wealthy does not necessarily mean to be rich. It is indeed not a coincidence
that almost all the Noble Laureates this country has produced are associated with this city. In order to gain respect here you need not be powerful or very rich. Just the way it should be. Again, not a coincidence that it became the adopted home of Mother Teresa. There are many such layers that
form the inner body of this city.

But the way I see it, my city is fighting. Against invaders that threaten to destroy the very layers that form its core. Along with the benefits of Globalisation, come the trappings. The most prominent of all. Ironing out cities and nations on its way and turning them into a placid characterless Ice sheet with no warmth. It is this Identity of ours which needs to be protected. And we are the resistance.

Above all the other things that she means to me, Calcutta means Home to me.