Small Town Chronicles

Small Town Chronicles ta abar ki?

You must be wondering about this additional page on my Blog. Well I have been writing for quite some time now. Nah not any book or any serious articles. They are ‘mere’ posts on Facebook (FB) which have got rave reviews from family, relatives and friends and yes, even strangers! I have received messages from them appreciating my posts, requesting for more and yes friend requests as they are unable to comment on my updates. I appreciate their feedback but I couldn’t add them. It’s too personal a profile. 

The red circle in Sundargarh district is Rourkela

Well, now to get back to where I started! Small Town Chronicles started when we relocated from Kolkata to a small steel township called Rourkela in Western Orissa. Not many have heard this name. I have had people asking me whether it’s near Kerala (implied by the Kerala in Rourkela) or have I written it wrong and it should be Roorkee! I have always been familiar with this place as Baba during his tenure with Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) would often travel to Rourkela (RKL) on work. He was also given the option to shift but couldn’t as it meant living behind his family in Durgapur. You see our second language was Bengali and a shift to RKL would mean studying either Hindi or Oriya as a second language. 

The shift from Kolkata to RKL was a huge change in our lives. It was a shift from a big metro to a small town, from the state capital to an almost non-entity! This meant lot of changes in the lifestyle we were accustomed to. The initial days were tough.

There are no multiplexes here which meant we- the movie buffs cannot catch any of the new releases. I spend my time these days reading reviews, listening to friends raving about them on FB, or simply counting my days to go to Kolkata and watch any movie which is running in the multiplex. Sounds pretty sad right?

A map of Rourkela; a ready reckoner for you

Wait there is more!

There are no shopping malls. Hence no variety of options for shopping. Also we have no place during the weekend to hang around. None of those huge buildings with multi brands, flashy logos and smart salesgirls are to be found here! Such a sorry state we are in!

No flashy restaurants which means we are deprived off multi-cuisine! 

In one sentence it was a huge shock to all of us, more for the husband and the boy! See I shouldn’t be complaining much as I was born in Asansol (a place I am passionate about) and I spent my childhood and teens in Durgapur. But college and work took me to big metros which changed my perception of life.

After days of cribbing and frustration it suddenly dawned on me the futility of such a ‘sad and sorrowful’ existence. I decided there was lot of reasons for living life ‘sunny side up’. Since then I have been on the look-out for all those reasons and be happy thereon!  

I have been writing snippets about Small Town Chronicles and believe me it seems I have a life which many of my friends in Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore and even USA would love to exchange!

Small Town keno?

I have never been conscious that I come from a ‘small town’ called Durgapur or that I love this ‘small town’ called Asansol. Yes I was always aware that we don’t live in Kolkata. Kolkata, then known as Calcutta or Cal (if one tried to sound a bit posh) was like a shopner feriwala (the dream seller if translated loosely)! She was the city of my dreams, just like Mumbai is to many! It meant the latest in fashion, swanky cars, huge buildings and renowned brands. It was a shopper’s paradise then!

The first time I was labeled a ‘small-town’ girl was when I joined work in Kolkata. I had requested leave for three days as I had to travel to Asansol to meet my grandparents. The VP (Vice president) was in town for a client meeting and wanted to know the reason behind my leave. This is how the conversation went with her. 

VP: ‘Ok, what’s the name of that place you mentioned’?

Me:’ Asansol’!

VP: ‘Ass-an-sole…’? She repeats the name again in the way I have mentioned emphasizing the ass!

Me: I hesitate and then affirm. ‘Yes it’s Asansol’ (I pronounce it as Us-un-sol)

VP: She gives me a bored look and then proceeds ‘now where is this ass-an…whatever the name is’?

Me: Trying to be polite to her I inform her ‘in Jharkhand. One hour from Durgapur’.

VP: ‘What? Dug-ra-pore’?

Me: ‘Yes it’s Durgapur’.

VP: ‘Ohhh! These small towns…such weird names they have! Tell me why would anyone want to live there’?

Assuming it to be a rhetorical question I inform her that I need two days of leave. She gives me a questioning look and I give her some more information.

Me: ‘Its four hours away from here. I will be taking a bus from there. And you know the buses often get caught up in traffic snarls’.

VP: Looks exasperated and exclaims ‘I don’t understand. You will take a bus and you travel for four hours. I simply don’t get the small-town mentality’.

This conversation about small town and its mentality would have gone on; I would have surely lost my cool and then my job. Thankfully the branch head stepped in time to save me. 

The conversation ended but the term ‘small town’ kept ringing in my head. I liked the ring in it. And since then with every opportunity I got I declared that I am a ‘small town girl’.

Finally here I am with my Small Town Chronicles (STC)