In late 2009, as I walked down many a Calcutta street, past the ubiquitous image of flowers springing in the grass, it increasingly appeared that there was barely a neighbourhood in Kolkata where the Trinamool Congress did not have a presence. The TMC was everywhere:
On walls of homes along quiet lanes, keeping a young man company on the steps warming to the morning Sun,
Or looking over the shoulder of an elderly lady knitting on the steps of an old dwelling in Kalighat,
Better still, fluttering in the breeze in streets leading to the Esplanade,
Everywhere,
Except at the Writers’ Building.
It was still Red.
Bright, brilliantly Red.
Strikingly Red. Forebodingly Red.
Only until the middle of 2011, that is. The year Kolkata, and West Bengal went to polls.
And Trinamool Congress finally came home to the Writers’ Building. The lease is new, for now.
The grass is still green, and the flowers fresh. Jora Ghas Phul.
9 comments:
Explain the red? The Writers' building is beautiful.
A nice burst of color and sun for me on this gray day! Thank you.
Nice post, Anil P. I like the pictures. The Writer's Building looks quite impressive in that bright red color.
I don't altogether understand your references here, but your pictures are marvellous as ever, and I realise I have little idea what the city of Kolkata looks like.
Lynn: It's quite a striking building.
The Red refers to the Communist Government that ruled West Bengal for several decades until it was unseated by Trinamool Congress this year, no mean feat.
Riot Kitty: Nothing like a bit of colour to brighten up the day.
Daisy: Thank you.
Lucy: Thank you. For a long time, the Reds, as Communists are sometimes referred to, had an iron grip on power in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Trinamool Congress fought them in the streets and came to power in the Assembly Elections this year, eventually ascending to the seat of Government housed in the Writers' Building.
It's the Secretriat.
Dislike graffiti on walls. It kinda destroys the architecture and its charm. Pix are brilliant as usual. The reds look oddly charming and calm on the bldg not fiery at all.
Red: True, not fiery in representation, but fiery for the symbolism of Leftist rule over the decades.
Anil: yup bang on target.
the popularity of bengali sweets Rasgulla, Sandesh and Mishti Doi is anything to go by...and Writers building is definitly one of the reasons to visit Kolkata.Superb picture ..it reminds me of my trip to Kolkata.
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