How different is PBK from WBC ? I am not from the medical fraternity so cannot decipher the difference between something abbreviated from White Blood Cells with some thing else which is equally Hebrew Greek and Latin to me or maybe all of them combined.
Well what I actually am wondering about after a short blitzkrieg business trip sometime back there is : How different is Paschimbanga’s Kolkata (PBK) from West Bengal ’s Calcutta (WBC) ? Well how much has the DNA metamorphosed in this rechristening effort by the government to shore up the fortunes and the moods of the Bengali bhadralok ? We read it in the press that this alphabetic promotion will do some bit of a change in the fortunes of the state when it comes to attention given to them by the central government. But let us not get into that and let’s get down to the street so to speak.
One of the key changes that I did notice, although it will have nothing to do with the name change, is that the traffic appeared a wee bit more organized, although regular office goers in the city of joy may tear me down to pieces after spending a haranguing hour or two in traffic snarls for this inappropriate comment. Some construction activity is in full swing, be it the East West Metro or the flyovers along arterial roads. The state and city seems to be waking up from some deep slumber poised to run again. I could see a lot of new infrastructural growth signs along the EM Bypass.
I also noticed something else on the streets. The almost omnipresent red flag which used to sway at almost every street corner seems to have either lost its way (pun intended indeed) or have given its place to the now deserving rival. Whether it is the union of the local auto drivers or taxi drivers or whoever seem to have suddenly jumped ship and changed their allegiance. This was indeed visible.
Well if there are things that change , there ought to be things that do not.
It is that time of the year when the most celebrated guest of the city is about to check in with her children and stay with full pomp and grandeur for five days. Pandals are mushrooming almost everywhere , adding one more speed breaker to the already busy traffic. But as like all times, no one complains to this impediment as it is one more homecoming for the Mother.
Be it the Rossogolla or the DuggoPujo , PBK or WBC they are the same as ever.
As we have heard always : What is in a name ?
