Photo Essay of Daily Life in Kolkata Streets
People pictures from Kolkata!
Kolkata, they say is a ‘city of joy’!
Kolkata is nicknamed as the City of Joy after the novel City of Joy a 1985 novel by Dominique Lapierre. People from different walks of life come to this city with dreams in eyes. How many live to see the fulfillment of their dreams! I spent a day walking through few streets of Kolkata, it is bursting with life, everybody going on with their daily routine. Here is a Photo Essay of Daily Life in Kolkata Streets.
Tea! A cup of tea costs Rs.3 if it is taken in a plastic cup, but in a kulhar (baked clay cup) costs Rs.5. and selling tea is the source of living for many in this city.
Kulhads are environmentally-friendly and biodegradable. It is very commonly used in West Bengal and some eastern states of India. But rest of India go with plastic cups or wax coated paper cups.
Since the plastic and paper versions of the cups are cheaper shopkeepers sell tea in them. In fact they are mass produced and easily available too comparatively. Tea definitely tastes better in kulhad though.
Devotion matters. Even if the little shop is on the pavement has no proper walls, the God’s picture is put on the street fence and worshiped at the start of the day.
Photo frame on Street Railing
Kolkata though a metropolis has a very limited road space. The city ranks on top with one of the highest vehicle density ratios. I saw the traffic signals function well but people take risks to cross the roads at odd places.
With limited road space and huge volume of traffic most of it are slow-moving vehicles, the Kolkata traffic police must be having a tough time managing order amidst all that chaos.
Caught in traffic. When I saw them crossing streets I held my breath fearing they would be hit by speeding vehicles.
Kolkata traffic
Traffic in Kolkata Metropolis – Man with push cart
Life goes on with the loads on head along with loads of worries.
People of Kolkata
A shoe shine boy. I saw him earning Rs. 2 for the 10 mins he spent in shining the shoe. A 100ml cup of tea costs more than that. Assuming he is occupied for one whole hour he earns Rs.12 per hour. Make more calculations and you will be depressed. Behind him, a beggar woman taking a bite, her infant sleeping. She paused there for sometime before she was off again to beg.
Shoe shine boy in Kolkata streets
A sweeper in Kolkata streets. When will poverty be swept away from India?!
A sweeper in Kolkata Streets
Shortage of water – road side slum dwellers take bath in the limited water supply available.
Kolkata scene
Ooops… didn’t expect the city bus seats would be thus – so worn out. Time for new buses!
Kolkata public bus
Kolkata Tea shop cupboard (or kulhad board?)
Tea shop cupboard – sold and unsold
Some are lucky to own such shops while some aren’t… see next pic
Hot Snacks straight from pan
…some have to carry their shops around. I just hoped it weighed almost nil when he returned home.
Burden of Making a living – Load of Bread and Butter
Kolkata Cycle Rickshaws
Waiting for customers – above pic
Catching up with news before a customer catches up – below pic
Catching up with news
Mattresses, mattresses, mattresses… the hawker screams in the streets of Kolkata.
Take one for sound sleep and colourful dreams!
Not everything is sad and dull in this City of Joy. There are some who sell sound sleep and colourful dreams.
Colourful mattresses – Daily Life in Kolkata Streets
Traditionally, Bengali women hang a bunch of keys at the end of the pallu draped over their right shoulder. A simple act-but it signifies her role as the keyholder and the most important woman of the household.
Important woman!
A salon in streets of Kokata City. Did you notice the chair to your left in the pic. British invaders have left that for India.
salon in Kolkata
Banks of River Ganges, never crowded, there is space for all.
Kolkata Ganga Ghat
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I really love street photography, and India has so much to see. Lovely photographs.
Picture speaks! I
5 years back I had visited Kolkata, the city of joy! Could not spend many days. I have missed all these views. Other side of city of joy!
reminded me our trip, though I didn’t click much street pics
Loved the photo essay ! showed it to my son too.
Tell tale pictures all. A great effort!
Nice pictures of daily life in Kolkata .
I felt nostalgic when I saw the streets of Kolkata.. Love the city so much. Your photo essay is superb Indrani. I was touched by the man who chose hard work over begging even though it may not be enough for him. I too wonder when poverty will be swept away…
The photographs tell the story!
Amazing
Kolkata is an amazing city ,and you have captured the photos of ordinary people so well.You have rightly brought out their miseries and the hardwork they have to put on to get their bread.
“Inke achche din kab ayenge?
Whoa!
These pictures make up a portrait of ‘everyday Kolkata,’ I guess.
Such telling images, Indrani. 🙂
I love my city and these pictures are just awesome!!! Great work, Indrani… 🙂
This is an amazing post. I admire your observational skills.
Life in the corners of streets and footpaths is willingly ignored by most; forever dark and depressing.
This is such a beautiful post.. it’s wonderful to watch the street scene with a glimpse of the daily mundane life of the people out there! 🙂
Amazing photo essay 🙂
Fabulous pics Indrani! 🙂 How I wish to visit Calcutta soon 🙂
Naturally beautiful and bright snapshots.
Kolkata is one such places which always amazes me with its ever present & omnipresent musings!
Thanks for thsi post!
Very nice post..
A Nice photo tales, Indrani!
A wonderful post, Indrani! Thank you:)
Nice captures and yes some of them are depressing.
Good photographs and valid questions on the future of ordinary citizens in this country…
As a city, I was not too happy with Kolkata. But it has always been the people in Kolkata that has added charm to this city. Glad to see it through your post.
Kolkata has always been alluring different people for a thousand reasons … a city steeped in art, literature, history and culture ! your essay presents an altogether different facet of this multifaceted city 🙂
Hope to get more of it through your lens 🙂
Hard working people around truly form the backbone of any city’s existence and it’s smooth running of day to day life.. You touched the right Topic and accordingly presented a Great Post, Indrani.. Thanks for sharing!
Your pics speak louder than words. Great clicks, Indrani 🙂
Kolkata has it’s own charm. Love the way ladies dress up themselves 🙂 Beautiful shots Indrani..
these are some amazing clicks 🙂
Came from Smitten. This is quite poignant and it's kind of sad to think how some must subsist. Well done.
Fantastic photos of life in the city.
What a wonderful slice of life!
came back to say congrats on your POTW!
These are such fantastic shots Indrani…
Interesting. Quite different from the way people work in the US.
Amazing captures, Indrani!
And so much to see… I like it a lot…
Warm greetings, Anna :-))
Love this series caught from life on streets! It struggles to scroll down the picture of woman with infant on street… l see the spirit of living in these photos despite any hardship.
So difficult to see such poverty but your street photography is excellent, Indrani. Have you featured the shoe shiner before? Perhaps one of your Faces of India?
you bought out the grief, the misery along with the resilience, the colors and the beauty that so seamlessly co-exist on Indian streets
Beautifully captured, I went on a recent walk in Old Delhi, however, I quickly realised how tough a job it is to actually do street photography, I think I came back with no satisfactory pictures, though I think I can learn so much from this post here! Hopefully I will do such a walk again and come back with bettter pictures! 🙂
Loved this post! 🙂
How I love the people of India! Their dignity and pride…even if it is shining shoes for next to nothing!
Every visit leaves me humbled …and I can`t wait to go back! Wonderful pictures in which you show a lot of respect for the simple and poor people.
Nice shots!
Marvelous pictures. Price of tea In Cal varies from place to place. Tea costs around Rs 3 in Khullar in suburban rly staions including Sealdoh station. Volume may vary. In elite areas it is Rs 5.
Very insightful images. I see the beauty and the pain all wrapped together.
Lovely Clicks
A wonderful series of shots.
loved these and the story especially the chai ones 🙂
Agree with Sylvia. I have not been to Kolkata (yet), but will one day, I hope. I have read City of Joy.
Great people post, Indrani! It is a busy city. I hope they stay safe crossing the streets. Thanks for sharing, have a happy week!
Great sequence of shots. You are so good at capturing people and scenes.
Great post!! Boom, Bobbi and Gary.
I very much enjoyed this photo essay on Kolkata Streets. Your camera did an excellent job of capturing the sights, and your words are wise as well.
This excellent, humane post teaches much! Namaste
For those in my country that complain and whine about their lives, I wish they could see your pics for the day!! I'd like to think it would give them a new appreciation and perspective for our lives and our world. Thank you, as always, for sharing, Indrani! Hope your new week is off to a great start!!
A fascinating photo essay. The city is indeed full of life, but like so many cities, it's full of poverty too.
a bustling city of activity, but as you say, lots of poverty, too. bless them.
The streets are familiar and evokes fond memories.The one thing that I carried from Kolkata is that there is relatively no deception.People are honest.It is a city for both the rich and poor.A small packet of of jalmudi with a cup of tea is filling and enjoyed by people from all levels.
I would have liked you to put the pics of trams if plying,the minibuses and the maidhan.