Hot damn. I’m doing a little research this morning, looking for photo references for the comic. I was specifically looking to see if Google Maps had taken a pic of our road (Manicktola Street) or not (they hadn’t). My backup was finding other typical 3 story homes instead.
Naturally because the internet is involved this became a bittersweet rabbithole. It all started with the map:
It’s weird but cool that a Google Map exists of something that I only had in memory. I found our house pretty easily. I recall the names of a bunch of places:
- Hedua Park, where a relative insisted that a giant octopus lived in the pond
- Vivekananda Road, which I recall being busy as fook – and where I learned to cross roads
- Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy – the best mishti shop around
- Scottish College, which we’d walk by on the way to..
- Beadon Street, where some relatives lived
- the YMCA, where they had 1 poorly inflated basketball, depriving me the chance of being the best player on the court for once
I haven’t been to Kolkata since 1996 and I feel a big sense of loss. I’m not sure my grandmother will get to meet my kids in person. I feel pretty damn out of touch with a place that’s a collection of memories.
When I do finally make it back, after going to the house I’m making a beeline for the sweet shop (though I’m pretty certain there will be mishti waiting for us). I think the shop moved, I recall them being pretty close to the house on Vivekananda Road but perhaps that was a small branch.
Confectioner’s shop image source: Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy (56, Ramdulal Sarkar Street, near College Street Hedua park)
