What’s the population of your city?”
This innocent looking question seemingly becomes one of the most frequently asked question in ‘foreign lands’. And if you are live in the west ask this question to an Indian, well I, being an Indian can guarantee you that situation will become humorously awkward in in a few moments. Why? Two reasons… Firstly, we generally don’t remember the population statistics of our cities. On the contrary I (including my friends) find it weird that people in the west actually remember their city’s population. So the most common answer that you would get any of the facial expressions expressing shock and confusion, a strange look, five seconds of pin-drop silence followed by a hesitant ‘quite large’. And I am telling you, he is being modest. Secondly if you meet an exceptional statics-crammer or a person who has faced this situation earlier and learnt from it; well then his answer will most probably blow your mind out. Believe me! Me and my friends have been asked this question many number of times in our short foreign tours and… there have been no exceptions… ‘Shock’ is the only word that can describe the situation of the person who asked the question.
Example required? OK… I am from Kolkata. And the population of Kolkata is… well infinite. No… probably ‘more than infinite’ is a better approximation. You may object to this claim and open up Wikipedia and say that it is ‘ONLY… 14 MILLION’… and then after a gulp, still defend your pride by saying… “Well that’s still not infinite.”
To that I would only say, “What matters is the feeling… Come to Kolkata and you would realise what I mean.” Upon that… it is not the population what matters is the population density. And you CANNOT beat my city on that. People seem to be crammed up in this city. Open up the list of densest cities in the world and you will find 5 out out of the top ten cities to be Indian. What is more surprising is that ALL of these cities are practically in Kolkata. Beat that if you can!
And if you really want to see the population miracle of the city; board the local trains. It would be an astounding experience for the newcomer to realise the various weird angles at which our human bodies can bend when crammed for space. And if you are a young boy; you might very well try hanging out from the doors of a running train. I have tried it (or have been forced to try it) several number of times and trust me… you can never get bored (my parents are not reading the post, right? 😛 ). And if that was not enough, your self-esteem will surely get a severe blow once you see a vendor with a huge basket on his head moving smoothly through a compartment which you thought could not accommodate a single more soul.
But all of this said, Kolkata is a city of its own kind. The cheapest, the vibrant and the nostalgic. quoting from my earlier post. There is something in the city which always captures your imagination. There is something in the city that it has produced so many greats in the world. There is something in the city that I just want to be a tiny drop in the sea of people… forever…
May 11, 2014 at 5:17 pm
Almost 16 million… the population of my city… (although no pride involved while stating this fact :P)
May 13, 2014 at 6:10 am
Well population density is what really matters… and regarding that… welll… 😛
May 13, 2014 at 6:24 pm
hmm… ur city wins..
May 12, 2014 at 6:50 pm
My city has a population of 7-8 million population, half of yours 😛 and I thought Hyderabad was crowded. -_-
On a side note, Kolkata reminds me of Tangas, Paan, Rabindranath Tagore (and our national anthem) and the CROWD ( thanks to bollywood for portraying it perfectly) 🙂
Hope your exams went well 🙂
May 13, 2014 at 6:22 am
🙂 For a Bengali… the bar for calling a group to be a crowd is very high 🙂
Oh Kolkata is unique is so many ways… I guess you forgot to mention Trams 🙂
BTW… do you know that there are places in Kolkata where you can still get a breakfast (puri sabji… unlimited) at Rs. 5? (Beat that if you can 😛 )
Exams were good 🙂 How have you been?
May 13, 2014 at 6:59 pm
Oh yeah trams 🙂
What…What did you say? Sorry didnt hear you properly 😛 lol
I am good Alhamdulilah 🙂
May 15, 2014 at 7:35 am
PURI SABJI FOR RS. 5… Ab sunaai diya? 😛
May 27, 2014 at 1:39 am
HAHA sunai diya 😛
What I can say we are nawabs 😛
May 27, 2014 at 1:41 am
Haha Sunai diya 😛
Now what can I say we are Nawabs 😛
(If u want to know more about the nawabs :http://nawabimusings.wordpress.com/category/reasons-to-love-hyderabad/ )
May 12, 2014 at 11:33 pm
I was quite dumbfound myself when i read that stat in Wikipedia
May 13, 2014 at 6:22 am
🙂
May 13, 2014 at 4:30 pm
Puri bhaji for Rs. 5? Really?! Cool. 😀
Loved reading this post. Kolkatta surely is densely-populated, and such is the charm of city life! I especially liked the local train part and the way you described how it would shock a foreigner who would ever ask an Indian of their city’s population! 🙂
May 15, 2014 at 7:34 am
🙂 Thanks for the comment…
And… Yes… Puri Bhaji for Rs. 5… Chaahiye? 😛
May 15, 2014 at 5:10 pm
Chaahiye. 😀
May 15, 2014 at 4:52 am
Welcome back! 🙂 I always wondered if the density is same as what we see in bollywood movies. I guess it is and more! well hopefully kolkata can accomodate a few more people when I finally decide to come visit. 🙂
May 15, 2014 at 7:32 am
🙂 Well Kolkata has infinite capacity… 🙂 It can always accommodate you 🙂
How have you been? 🙂
May 16, 2014 at 7:16 am
Good to know. I’ve been good, keeping busy. How did the exams go? Please tell me that was the last one. 🙂
May 21, 2014 at 2:04 am
Hahahaha… The exams were good… 🙂 And no… they weren’t the last ones… Big ones coming my way from September… 🙂 Exams never ever leave us… 🙂
May 19, 2014 at 12:43 am
Lol ‘quite large’ seems like the best answer 😛 It was fun reading about the Kolkata’s ‘infinite’ capacity 😛 You talk about local trains ? I have visited many restaurants and places in my country these days and trust me every place was so crowded that it seemed like all people of the city have gathered here.
Tiny drop in the sea of people han ? Na… you can’t be that tiny drop…. you are the sea yourself. Hope your exams and stuff is going fine… Missed you brother ! Best of luck.
May 21, 2014 at 9:36 am
True… Same here about the restaurants… The is a queue to get into the good restaurants (good restaurants… not costly restaurants :P)
Who I am… Either the drop or the sea… that only time will tell 🙂
Exams were good… Will try to post regularly now… 🙂
Missed you too sister!