[vijaythacker]

Originally Posted by btirthankar

What makes Kolkata different is that this is a very 'people centric' city. And the amazing concentration of people in one area though chaotic, has its underlying synergies. Everybody wants things to their conveniences, at their doorstep like the STD Booth, Pan wala, domestic help, janitor or even the vegetable hawker. And this has what created such a complex social network among them that they are resistant to change. Try removing hawkers, or widen roads or remove encroachments and the whole thing roars up. Why? because everybody has vested interests, caused by the complex social network, mentioned just now.

If all of them (people & services) were located far apart as it ideally would in a planned urban sprawl, what would happen is that 'costs' may increase. Costs of commuting, Costs of people's time. Costs of transportation. Cost of physical space. Perhaps this is what brought people so close together, nevermind the inconveniences and kept certain goods and services cheaper than elsewhere.

And it though does applies to many Indian towns, this phenomenon is unique to a Kolkata as it falls under Metro Category.

Now one may wonder why a bustling metro could not expand horizontally like other cities? One reason (apart from its geographical limitations) is surely the weak economic situation of the masses - the lower middle class & the BPL category. Kolkata has been the respite of lakhs of migrants from the surrounding geography. And they remain poor, generations to generations.

Refer to to the Maslow's theory of Needs here. Once the basic needs are fulfilled, humans don't want to egg further. Yes there are voids somewhere in each of the stages in the Maslow's Needs Hierarchy as far as the people of this city is considered, but what the city actually provides is fulfilment of most of those needs. Perthaps that's why they call it the City of Joy, isnpite of the shabbiness, fadedness, discomfort, chaos, imperfections it may offer.

They are happy their own way after all, so what if they are 'monetarily poor'. As someone rightly said - 'poverty breeds poverty'.

absolutely sir, thats exactly what describes kolkatta for, yet shabbiness, fadeness or discomfort it still is known as city of joy, city of madness for sports and music.
I was born in kolkatta and brought up in ahmedabad, yet there's something about this city which always endevour me tobe there.Time does have changed but not to that extent where economical power is showcased, yes economy is booming, markets are hyperieds and chaotics with business modules controlling other states on eastern part as well, but its sad to say that even being the pioneer city for some industrial energy and economy, they couldnot carry that power to extent with acceptence of new technology and changed world may be cause of people's way of taking the things the way they are without need to change it.Still its a good place to be.IMO.

[gajadonga]

Very thought provoking photographs.Might have taken a long time to gather so many photos.I was in Kolkatta in 2007 stayed for 4days these photos really haunting my memories

[btirthankar]

takes 'quality time' and the opportune 'mizaaz'

Updating with my latest captioned 'Drivoexile'.

;-) Guess where it is [Hint: Very well within KMA (Kolkata Metropolitan Area)]

[btirthankar]

I present DRIVOBLOG® | Kolkata Photoblog 2009 Q4

[btirthankar]

some more Kolkata Photoblog 2009 Q4

[ambivalent_98]

I liked the comment "Caffeinated evenings of Kolkata". Thats very original

[akas_chauhan]

As expected very nice pictures of Kolkata and funny notes.

[btirthankar]

Continued: at DRIVOBLOG® | কলকাতা Kolkata Photoblog 2010 [Bumper Edition]

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...r-edition.html

Here is the teaser: