coffee that change destinites in the city of joy

i was glad to see our old 'coffee house' intact and happening as usual. the first day of the new year - 01.01.11 (see the pix) was no cause for ambitious resolutions such as dumping this antique cafe and move on to smarter street side glass-paned eateries.

web searches will sieve out hundreds of pictures of this small incubator where our city's budding intellectuals spend (yes spend, not invest) hours to discuss possible dimensions of polarity of the remaining world.

I remember myself being here in the past, many times...initially during college days discussing entrepreneurial possibilities with friends...one of them is now a country head in some still developing economy (strange but true: most economies that were taught to us as 'developing' are still developing...still to over come 'thresholds') for a communication company. A second usual visitor to this cafe is now no less than a computer scientist (just short of a phd). A third experimenting cinematography. A fourth in the West, a resarcher with some reputed institute. Few others holding top managerial positions in happening indian cities. And I am a journalist.

Hundreds of Kolkata's youngsters irrespective of their intellectual classification (yes intellectual classification is still a part of our growing population...you are classified an intellectual depending on the college you belong to, no matter how structured and organised you are mentally) come to this coffee house and then move on. This sarai offers halting facility to all the musafirs before they move on with the caravan of globe-trotting youngsters.

Like me, there are many more who opted to hang on in the city of joy. It's like holding time still, with the rest of the world on the move and yet being a part of it. A cup of coffee, like one at this coffee house, is strong enough to prevent millions of destinies from changing. For good or for better. The choice is practically yours...with coffee as a catalyst.