CITY OF JOY AS IN DEC 2016

Dear Readers,

I feel I am sharing a part of my life with you, so what’s best than to write it in an archaic format of a letter that we used some two decades back. It still smells of profound nostalgia 🙂

I am writing a blog after ages. When I quit my job as a fashion journalist in Mumbai for my upcoming exams, my designer friend Aarti forced me to start this blog some 3 years back. 3 years in three major cities in Asia. I worked as an Editor in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively and then this year I was in Hong Kong. Once a journalist, always a journalist – I got back into conventional journalism again, so my last assignment was as a Features Editor for an English magazine in Hong Kong.

My days revolved around deadlines and covering assignments in the city, giving voice-overs for Prada and interviewing designers from Gieves & Hawkes, or running to Macau to cover another casino launch – pretty much a journalist’s life, combined with the lifestyle of an expat in Asia’s world’s city. Back home and cooking my meals, since my maid left for the Philippines and I was left alone to try my hands on cooking.

Finally my assignment finished and I took the 5-hour one-way Dragon Air flight back to the city of joy to experience the whole riot of colours and festivity amidst the Durga Puja. I took up this TEFL course for about 3 months as I was already teaching small kids in Hong Kong in Saturdays apart from my full-time journalism assignment, it was a great therapy to enter the classroom filled with small kids and they would look at you with awe. And some of them would look into your eyes in such intense manner that you could give away the world for them. Words fail me, if I have to write the experience.

I finished the course and in between I got lots of invitations in the city of joy, thanks to my old friends like Sana and Prerna who works as PR in Kolkata. I couldn’t attend all of them, but did went to some to even re-unite with the old journalist friends in Kolkata. It’s a great experience, home-coming as we say, to see the city where I started my career in journalism, some 9 years back with The Telegraph, nostalgia seeps in…

Herein are some moments from the city of joy –

Met Sana after long, She is a journalist-turned-PR in the city of joy. She invited me for a wonderful dinner with the cast of upcoming film Kanamachi Bho Bho at Princeton Club in South Calcutta. Can’t express, how good I felt meeting old friends over dinner in Kolkata.

*

This is Amitabh (Bhattacharjee), I met in the dinner at Princeton. He is an actor and lives in Mumbai, he plays a significant role in the film Kanamachi Bho Bho. We chew the fat, and talked about everything from films to his life in Mumbai and bygone days of Kolkata.

*

It all can’t be about the Bongs, right? So here’s Rajneesh (Duggal), all the way from Bombay again. I think I met him almost after 8 years. I met him last when he was like a young charming boy, promoting his first film 1920 in Mumbai. He was a super-model, and once he got into films, have never seen him much in the fashion weeks. Guess, the film fraternity snatched another cute boy from the fashion world, lol. Anyways, Prerna invited me for this lunch at Tulip Hotel wherein Rajneesh came with the entire cast of Saansein, his upcoming Bollywood film. Rajneesh, all I wanna say is that, stay sweet always as you are 🙂

*

I know we look like two lost human beings, lol. This is Neeva (Debnath), my darling in Kolkata. A British-Indian who has made Kolkata her home again, and dazzling the city of joy with her amazing designs. She is a fashion designer, and I am sure, I will do a blog on her latest collection soon that she is showcasing in London in this January. Love xoxo :*

*

I don’t really believe in photoshop, like keeping it as real as possible, lol. This is my Bassam, my best friend in Kolkata. Bassam (Mallick) is a former model who won the MTV Nuon Making the Cut and filled the pages of the fashion books in Mumbai, some six years back. Now settled in Kolkata with some family businesses that he manages, frequently juggling life between Kolkata and Dubai. He is a great cook and no doubt, he has a special place in my heart, thanks to his cooking skills, lol. Love you & keep going babe, you rock xoxo :*

*

I really don’t know what is that expression in Neha’s face. All I know is that when Neha (Kakkar) sings in Mumbai, we can hear it even in Hong Kong. HK is filled with Punjabis and they all love Neha, and so do I. Prerna invited me for lunch at the Park Hotel to meet her and the other singers who performed at MTV Bollyland. Neha, you are too good babe :*

*

So this is DJ Yogi from Delhi. I know he looks more like a school boy whom you want to take home and sit and play video games with, but he is actually a DJ from Delhi and quite a popular one in India. He too was playing in MTV Bollyland with Neha and others in Kolkata. He is a super-sweet desi Delhi munda, very charming…thanks to him, he got me acquainted with the music scene in India. All I wanna say is, rise and shine dear Yogi 🙂

*

It cannot be all glam and no work, right? So, I also visited Mother Teresa, which is a must visit for me every-time I am in Kolkata. This time, with a box of basic medicines and first aid for the kids which would be handy for the kids. I am mostly thinking of going back to Mother Home after the new year and registering as a Volunteer for a month to look after the kids. I am sure, this will be the most peaceful experience of my life and even if I can make an impact in the life of one kid, I would feel worthy as a human being. Thank you!

*

So, with that note, I conclude my this blog post. Wishing everyone a great new year ahead, and promising to write more as often I can. Thanks and Big hugs to all my lovely readers 🙂

Yours Sou 🙂