Bardhaman, West Bengal, India
From one industrial town to another. But this time, there are no memory lanes to travel down. Its just a convenient pit stop; that's all. I am in Durgapur, at the edge of India's steel and coal belt.
By now it seems a familiar sight. Right outside my hotel is a swank five storey mall. Big Mac, Pizza Hut, and the usual clutch of Nikes and Benettons; they are all there. Imagine Mrs Chatterjee forsaking her macher jol for Fish O' Fillet ! There's clearly a retail revolution that has happened in India, while I was sleeping. I thought it was all only in the main metros, but by now, every mid size town I have passed by has a big mall.
Today was a short simple drive of just 250 kms. Taking a breather before two days of really tough and very long drives that are in store. The tarmac has run out now. From now on, the road will do complete justice to the title of my blog. In fact the brackets around potholes should come off !!!
Equally, internet connectivity is starting to be a challenge. Internet cafes have to be found. Today , as I type this post from an internet cafe, I am feeling the full weight of Ramamritham's attention. I have to prove my ID, enter details in a prescribed register, swear not to view porn or indulge in terrorism, not do anti national things on the internet,etc etc. Curiously, I am also not allowed to connect my laptop to the internet port - I have to use the PCs of the internet cafe !! Not sure what Ramamritham is protecting the nation against.
Want to say a big thank you to all who are reading and commenting. Not only am I touched, but I also feel as if I am traveling in a group. Hurray !!
PS : Anne/ Thomas - the title of the post means Internet is not working !!
PPS : Just noticed that Travelpod has no clue as to where Durgapur is :) The map shows it completely in the wrong place !!
Internet cholbe naa dada
Friday, February 06, 2015
Bardhaman, West Bengal, India
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Comments
2025-05-23
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shreshar
2015-02-06
Amazed at your spirit of driving alone and recording it without fail. Now, clearly, NE states seem to be on your radar. Anyways, will wait to hear more. Wishing all the potholes are covered and you have a safe and smooth ride. All the best!
Vincy Joseph
2015-02-06
Though your original intention is to cross as many rivers as possible, looks like you are coming across more Malls than rivers.
And yes you have a reason to feel that many of us are travelling in spirit with you - I am delivering a training today at a location almost 2000 kms away from my base location and during lunch I was wondering if you are journeying safe.
Take care and will nwo pray that you get the right connectivity both roads as well as internet.
Deepa
2015-02-06
Woohoo - Are you indulging in local foods or playing safe since its a long trip? :) I see you've covered a lot of ground.
Feeling insulted! ;)
2015-02-06
You have finally given the translation of the gibberish that you have as the title for this ... and to add salt to that awful injury, you write that the translation is for Anne and Thomas. Like I don't matter to you? And I thought I was your bestestest friend!!! ;)
I suppose you have the choice to go at it alone. I am glad that you didn't choose that and, instead, have opted to include you in this journey by blogging.
Sometime if you meet with my father, again, you can engage him about these places ... his career started in the Ranchi/Rourkela/Calcutta/ part of the world about sixty years ago! your first person narration of how things are there now will get him all excited.
Continue to enjoy and continue to blog, even if you have play by Ramamirtham's rules at the internet cafes ...
indigoite
2015-02-07
@Asha - Thanks very much. Its such wishes that keep me going on a tough day.
@Vincy - Awww. I am so honoured. And yes, malls are everywhere
@Deepa - You are asking ME about local food ??? Farthest from my mind. Food doesn't interest me at all !!
@Multi handle man - Shame on you !! You were in Bengal once; can't you remember something as basic as cholbe naa ?????????? I'll take back your PIO card if you carry on this way :)
Would be delighted to have that conversation with your father. I've been to all those places many times in my early career.
Sandhya Sriram
2015-02-07
Wow Ramesh, how much you have travelled in 4 days. amazing. even flying down to Haldia and Durgapur can be tiring for one and you have driven down. amazing.
such a paradox this country is - sometimes it just feels so simple to debottleneck some very simple problems like better roads just if someone used the money meant for it for the same purpose and at the other end, there you have malls and shopping complexes springing up every where offering the latest of every thing almost ever where in a country.
PIOed off ;)
2015-02-07
Ahem, I don't have any PIO card. I travel to India with nothing but the passport and the Indian visa.
So, treat me like the American that I am, dammit! And like any American, I barely know English to begin with ;)
BTW, did you have any rasgollas and, if you did, well, did you think of me as you took a bite? "enakkoru vaay, en friendukku oru vaay" ;)
indigoite
2015-02-08
@Sandhya - Yes, India is full of paradoxes, isn't it ???
@ Multi Handler - OK American ( I would have said Yankee, but you are in the other end of your blessed country. No rasogollas at all, but all this trip, its for you too my friend .......
Suja
2015-02-09
Dekhchi apni bangla bolen? khoob bhalo! bangla ei rokom kichu koshto noi!
sab jaigate mall aaj-kal, na? aami ek dom bhalo bhasi naa..purono bajaar gulo maler theke beshi bhalo.
indigoite
2015-02-09
@Suja - Ha Ha. Yes, I have a Bengal connection, but nowhere in your league - you are a born, brought up , and now, permanently Bengali :):)
I never learned Bengali as Hindi would do just fine. I don't have a flair for learning languages - its far too tough for me.
Vinod
2015-02-10
Amazing to know you are blogging from an icafe! While you make it sound fun, i can imagine how much Ramaritam is throwing at you. Wishing you safe travels.
indigoite
2015-02-11
@Vinod - The internet cafe experience is an interesting experience by itself. Mostly by the others who come and what they want to do. Might do a post on that.