বাংলায় পড়ুন
Winter approaches Kolkata with hesitant steps, but we Kolkatans go all out to welcome it. The love affair may be brief; but the passion, no less intense.
The colourful woollens have come out, sunned and dusted. Shawls, jackets, pullovers, mufflers and the ubiquitous monkey caps, all are out of the closets for this brief encounter. You can hear the cry of the itinerant `lep' (cotton stuffed blanket) maker in almost all the localities. They add to Kolkata's old world charm. At Kolkata's Wellington, people are making a beeline for the makeshift Tibetan stalls selling woollens. The stallowners are all smiles and praying for the winter to last a little longer.
The love for the great outdoors surge in us Kolkatans during the winter. Starting with the Alipore zoo, every place of tourist interest is receiving visitors - local as well as tourists - in droves. Eateries everywhere are doing brisk business, irrespective of their size and cuisines they offer. Sweetmeat shops cannot make enough sweets with nolen gur (jaggery made from the juice of dates).
Another attraction of winter in Kolkata is the numerous exhibitions and fairs all over the city and its outskirts. Handloom and handicrafts are the biggest crowdpullers right now. But, very soon in January, the `Boi-Mela', the famous Kolkata Book Fair will take centrestage.
My Kolkata, our Kolkata is just the place to be in, this winter. Jiyo Bangla will keep you abreast of all the exciting events that are taking place across the city. Stay tuned dearies.
