Kali Ghat, Kolkata.

Sunday, March 09, 2014

Kali ghat was a name I had heard since childhood, what was it famous for if you ask me I can't quite put my finger on it, but the associations were that of mystical roots, of culture, of real oldness and real history, I associate stories about mystical saints and ofcourse Kali the goddess and that it is a ghat, which means a bank of a river. And with Dithi Mukherjee calling it her favourite part of the city, to say I was looking forward to seeing it was putting it mildly. Kali ghat was all of the above. But more than anything else it was alive, in a way few other places are. It was alive with activity, it was alive in its happy interested and interesting people. Alive in all the little many many temples dotting the street, so much so that that there was hardly difference between a shop and a temple. So happily and easily would the locals sit in front of 100 year old deities and idols and make conversations. Astrology was a thriving business, and below age old trees were more open air temples where people performed poojas. If living in a city like Mumbai tricks you into thinking that religion is not central to an Indian's life, a few hours spent in Kalighat can change that. Amid tea sellers and shops cleaning and gearing up, kali ghat was waking to another busy day.
 Sindoor is big business here. Kali loves red and she loves them in all shades.
It is prasad, what you offer to god and she offers back. And it is what you wear in your hair parting, signifying your marriage.
 We were drinking tea & we saw this happening right next to us.
 Kullar Chai, is essentially tea in an earthen cup. Disposable. Eco friendly. And traditional.

 If Sindoor is big, then Laal Joba is bigger. As we walked around the tiny streets crammed with shops, we saw many shops selling Laal Joba which is offered to the goddess. (If you are curious to know more about this flower and its significance in worship, this beautifully written post by Dithi is all you need to read)


 

Sindoor in all forms, in every kind of packaging.



 Like how can this man look at me taking his picture with this expression? He doesn't even know me. I was realising this is a special place.

 So here I was shooting signages, typography, idols that were old and beautiful and Dithi was chatting with this gentleman. At this point Dithi says you have to hear this, I don't understand bengali, so Dithi explains that this gentleman was telling her that his hair was not naturally matted but that he had purposely set it like that, and thereafter he proceeded to explain to Dithi that to get your hair to matt, you had to part your hair in sections, apply gel and then leave it uncombed through many washes. What??? :) By this time he had all our attention in which he was basking. He said he is not actually a priest, but a dramatist.  We were charmed and played along. Whereupon he said he would demo a Pooja for us.
He went home, and turned into a passage that was nothing short of stunning. It has the Puri Jagannath painted on its walls. And he came out with his accessories, incense, bells.
 And here he gets into his act. In all sincerity.
So were were all standing looking at him putting up this show he said he would put up for us. He was chanting loudly, the incense did the rounds of the deities on the wall, the bells rang on cue, we were laughing, clicking pictures, And for a second I shut my eyes. And it all felt very REAL to me. That was disconcerting. What did this mean? Maybe it does not matter whether you intellectually know that what is happening is a sham, what you feel is real for you and is more about you than what is really happening. So strange. But true.
Then I opened my eyes again.
And were all together having fun. We were in Kalighat. And here was this man whose innocense let him tell us his truth so easily and simply and who went on to show us his prayer routine which was as real as it was an act. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. - See more at: http://www.awakin.org/read/view.php?tid=255#sthash.GwJvJkRQ.dpuf
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. - See more at: http://www.awakin.org/read/view.php?tid=255#sthash.GwJvJkRQ.dpuf
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. - See more at: http://www.awakin.org/read/view.php?tid=255#sthash.GwJvJkRQ.dpuf

Kalighat is not a place that I can wrap in one post. Stay tuned for the part 2.

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