Howrah Bridge: The Howrah Bridge has stood the test of time — the Second World War.

          On the way to Butan, we visited Kolkata for a couple of days, in the month of Feb,2005. When we reached Culcutta, it was almost evening.  Our guest house was quite close to Howrah Bridge, and we could see the bridge through the room’s window in awe. From distance, it looked beautiful and majestic and with lot of commotion around it.  I have a fascination for Kolkata for multiple reasons. Since my school and college days, I have developed a taste for many Bengali writers — started with Sharatchhndra Chatterjee and moved to Nirad Chowdary — started with Rabindranath Tagore’s paintings and moved to Shantiniketan’s murals — from Bengali cotton sari to Bengal Dothi — from Rasgoola to fried fish in sesame oil in Bengal Club. After refreshing ourselves with tea and snacks at guest house, we set out to have a better and closer look at the life around. The towering look of the bridge across the Hoogli River was very romantic at dusk, the sun rays adding golden touch to the one side of the bridge structure. Kolkata is very densely populated! When we neared the bridge, we could  feel  that density. Like ants, people were moving on the bridge. With streams of sun rays reflecting on the bluish grey water, the river looked enchanting and graceful dotted with boats and streamers, which were ferrying passengers across the river,offered a visual treat.  Beneath the bridge -- life was in full swing, and it looked like a market place crammed with oily faced people with Bengali accent — the smell of raw-fried fish engulfed us. On small stoves, the fishes being fried,the smell had spread  everywhere. The smell of the close by river and the smell of frying fish fused together had created an unusual aroma therapy for the tourists whether one required it or not. Watching with greedy eyes and watering mouths, dogs and cats too were under aroma therapy near the stoves. From the close quarters, the life of the workers looked naked, bare, and minimalistic. It was a picture of survival.Our visit to Bengal Club was a total contrast to the scene near the Hoogli Bridge.The club housed in a beautiful architecture represented elegance,wealth,class, and tradition. Two sides of life !

                   When I read about Howrah Bridge celebrating its 75^th year, my nostalgic memories unrolled. A big salute to the bridge !  This February 3, 2018, the people of Kolkatta were happy to see that the Howrah Bridge was celebrating its 75^th year.  The Howrah Bridge was constructed in 1943 by the British during their rule in India.  The inauguration of the bridge was a simple affair; a tram traveled from KolKata city to Howrah Railway Station to mark its beginning; the British purposely did not go for the grand inauguration as the war had started. The Howrah Bridge has stood the test of time — the Second World War. The bridge would have collapsed and there would have been no trace of it , had it been bombed during the Second World War as the Pearl Harbour of America. But today, with great pleasure, we all look at this majestic infrastructure which has served people for 75 years. With the coming of the British, India got introduced to some new things like roadways, railways, industries, English medicine, and  western culture,but,at the same time, the colonization created poverty, subjugation,unrest and diffidence.