Comments on: Kamla Puchka

By: Slyvester

Slyvester — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:01:21 +0000

After many years abroad, I returned to Kolkata recently for a visit. I purposedly took an early morning ride from Tangra to Old Chinatown in Tiretti Bazzar for a Chinese Breakfast.

While I was taking pictures of surroundings and sampling some of the food, I became interested when I found an Indian man making and selling Chinese fried donuts (round and long type). To my surprise, just beside him, there were four men making/frying small aloo puri – the familiar food that I used to enjoy as a teen. On looking carefully, I saw a face of Kamla look-a-like and I instantly asked if he was Kamla’s junior and he acknowledged. So, I took a picture and sampled his puri/bhaji food.

I asked Kamla’s junior if there is still a puchka stall in Central Avenue where the family live, next to the Kali Temple, i.e. the one I used to visit as a child and he said yes. Also, with all Chinese disappeared in Black Burn/Phears Lane, the daily evening puchka stall had now moved from Balck Burn Lane to Chattawala Gully, right behind Welland Gouldsmith School. Further, on every Sunday, Kamla would take his stall to Tangra to provide his puchka food to the Chinese folks there. Unfortunately while I was in Chattawala Gully in the evening, I only saw him making puchka but did not try for fear of disturbing my stomach with the kutta.

I also went to Nizam’s for kathi rolls – khiree and beef. Unfortunately, Nizam’s don’t have both as they now only serve chicken and button and also not in rolls. I sampled that with mutton biryani and returned the next evening to sample from UP, the shop next to Nizam’s, for their kathi khiree and beef rolls. The food was OK.

One morning in Tangra before leaving Kolkata, I ate too many kathi rolls in one shot to a point that my stomach starts to feel unwell. I realize it’s the greasy oil from parathas that caused it.

I learnt that you need to eat within limits no matter how much you like the food or how good the food is.

By: ycl1688

ycl1688 — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:41:33 +0000

Kamla let me down when I had a chance to visit him on mid december last year, i was told he went back to his village, looks like the reason is either too high of potatoes price, he could not make enough profit or he has earned too much not to bother with business for a while. There is always next time.

By: vivek

vivek — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:52:21 +0000

Hi Stephen
fond memories are priceless, Specially the precious one’s cannot be forgotten. I still like to visit the place that i loved, when i was young, cant express how i feel, It has been part of my life and growing up. It has made me the person im. Stephen you should visit your place to recollect the past. You will definitely feel great.

By: stephen

stephen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:28:59 +0000

Thanks Bill, for the link.

Nice article on food, even made me wants to go back, those amazing moments of the past are only memories. wonder when will i be lucky again.

By: Bill

Bill — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:39:07 +0000

Today’s Telegraph has an article talking about Calcutta’s representative food. Puchka headed the list and Eau Chew Restaurant also made the list.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091120/jsp/entertainment/story_11761112.jsp

Enjoy, Calcuttan. Makes me want to go back for a visit.

Bill

By: vivek

vivek — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:03:29 +0000

Hi alex, you are right, how come I never thought of that, Now I should head for Mars that is where I belong.
I feel like asking my mother, she must have found me on the roadside and adopted me.

By: alex

alex — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:51:32 +0000

Hi vivek, i can explain why you start towards the east and end on the west.
very simple proceed straight towards the east without turning left or right, and you can only reach west. interesting what do you think ?