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Longing, Belonging: An Outsider at Home in Calcutta
‘Calcutta was no longer an old piece of furniture in the attic. It was an antique whose value I had realised.’ With these words Bishwanath Ghosh embarks on an exploration of a city that, as a probashi - non-resident Bengali, he has only recently fallen in love with. He probes the lives of its inhabitants - some famous and others faceless - and at the same time strolls along the Hooghly, wanders in and out of Park Street, College Street, Kalighat, Kumartuli, Sonagachhi, even ending up in a dance bar in Salt Lake.With his adventurous spirit and undeniable wit intact, Bishwanath Ghosh pieces together his own unique idea of a unique city.
372 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
22 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Bishwanath Ghosh
8 books104 followersBishwanath Ghosh is a writer, journalist and poet, born on 26 December 1970 in Kanpur. After spending much of his working life in Chennai, he is now settled in Calcutta, where he presently serves as an associate editor with The Hindu newspaper. His books include:
1. Jiyo Banaras (जियो बनारस), a collection of Hindi poems on Banaras, published January 2022;
2. Aimless in Banaras: Wanderings in India’s Holiest City (2019);
3. Gazing at Neighbours: Travels Along the Line That Partitioned India (2017);
4. Longing, Belonging: An Outsider at Home in Calcutta (2014);
5. Tamarind City: Where Modern India Began (2012), which is a portrait of Madras, now known as Chennai.
6. Chai, Chai: Travels in Places Where You Stop but Never Get Off (2009), which The Telegraph (Calcutta) called "a delightful travelogue with a difference".
He also contributed two stories to Urban Shots, a collection of short stories published in 2010.
1. Jiyo Banaras (जियो बनारस), a collection of Hindi poems on Banaras, published January 2022;
2. Aimless in Banaras: Wanderings in India’s Holiest City (2019);
3. Gazing at Neighbours: Travels Along the Line That Partitioned India (2017);
4. Longing, Belonging: An Outsider at Home in Calcutta (2014);
5. Tamarind City: Where Modern India Began (2012), which is a portrait of Madras, now known as Chennai.
6. Chai, Chai: Travels in Places Where You Stop but Never Get Off (2009), which The Telegraph (Calcutta) called "a delightful travelogue with a difference".
He also contributed two stories to Urban Shots, a collection of short stories published in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 17, 2016
Picked this up hoping to trace some connection to the city as a fellow Probashi. Sadly 100 pages into it, the narrative still only talks of aimless walks on Park street, the masked and other times open flaunting of prostitute's dens, the blatant newspaper classifieds for escort services and even more sadly does not seem to be leading into any kind of concrete plot. I refuse to believe that a travelogue of the City of Joy can be so one dimensional and soulless. What about literature? Culture? Political motivation? Arts and cinema? No matter how hard I try not to, it makes me want to judge the writer's taste of how he would spend his days in a city that (even though I have no memory of) has so much to offer. Remains to be seen what the writer has to say in the other 2/3s of this book. So far he has managed to put me off royally.
I've given it another 50 odd pages. Well, I tried . I really did.
I've given it another 50 odd pages. Well, I tried . I really did.
March 15, 2018
A Calcutta travelogue. It is a nice blend of history( without going too deep- which I am not a big fan of), interviews with eminent and other people, and details + trivia about all the major places and aspects that define Calcutta. He has tried to capture the essence of Calcutta: Its politics, literature, Durga Puja festivities, adda ( chit-chat ) culture, foodie nature of its people and its ethos in general, without making it something like a Wikipedia entry on each topic. Bengalis/Calcuttans may not find much they didn't know. Also, I am not sure how people who have never been to Calcutta would find this. I have spent close to a month there in 2 trips, and I have been to most of the places he discusses and so it was easy forming a mental image and I like Calcutta a lot more than Chennai which is my hometown. So I found it to be fun. Only miss I felt was he didn't interview any of IT people or the 90's generation which would have added another perspective. And I felt it was slightly lightweight unlike something like Maximum city: Mumbai lost and found. Recommended to people who love travelogues.
November 24, 2017
I was born in Calcutta and still regard it as home, even though I have been staying out of West Bengal for the last 25 years or so. This is a lovely book on Kolkata and whenever I am home sick, I read the book. Mr. Ghosh has taken up all the major aspects of the city, from Durga Puja, Mother Theresa, to K.C.Das sweets, trams, the bars of Kolkata and even a film shooting.
He’s clever, witty, entertaining, and his research is on show here, producing insight, wisdom and startling nuggets of information. The author travels through Kolkata weaving the City of Joy and its inhabitants into lovely, heart warming incidents. The author mixes right amount of history, and economics.
He’s clever, witty, entertaining, and his research is on show here, producing insight, wisdom and startling nuggets of information. The author travels through Kolkata weaving the City of Joy and its inhabitants into lovely, heart warming incidents. The author mixes right amount of history, and economics.
June 27, 2016
A very light read. Even though I found it in the travelogue section and was seized by the urge to read it because I was missing home, it is more of a personal story. I liked snippets of conversations with Sunil Gangopadhyay and Asim Dasgupta. But apart from that a pretty ordinary account of Calcutta full of cliches that the author desperately tries to mask by adding run-ins with pimps, fake lesbians and govt. registered escort services.
November 7, 2014
If the words Longing and Belonging have to be associated with one Indian city, it has be Calcutta. No other city has as many passionately loyal residents as Calcutta and non-residents of no other city pine for their hometown as regularly as Calcutta's.
Bishwanath Ghosh mixes the dispassionate outlook of an outsider (he is from Kanpur, now working in Chennai) with the erudition and charm of an insider (he is a Bengali, married to a Calcuttan) in this lovely book.
He looks at Calcutta's best known tropes - politics, football, literature, nostalgia, history, food - and takes a leisurely stroll around them. This is not a history book and the research is more context-setting than in-depth. Ghosh never lets go of his bemused curiosity or his measured affection for the city, painting a canvas with dabs from a wide palette.
The result is a beautiful mix of fact and opinion, past and present, happiness and melancholy, human and divine, modern and archaic, longing and belonging.
Bishwanath Ghosh mixes the dispassionate outlook of an outsider (he is from Kanpur, now working in Chennai) with the erudition and charm of an insider (he is a Bengali, married to a Calcuttan) in this lovely book.
He looks at Calcutta's best known tropes - politics, football, literature, nostalgia, history, food - and takes a leisurely stroll around them. This is not a history book and the research is more context-setting than in-depth. Ghosh never lets go of his bemused curiosity or his measured affection for the city, painting a canvas with dabs from a wide palette.
The result is a beautiful mix of fact and opinion, past and present, happiness and melancholy, human and divine, modern and archaic, longing and belonging.
June 11, 2020
Very poorly written book . Research about the city is lacking. It feels more like random experiences put together into a few pages . Was a struggle to finish it.
October 20, 2021
Okayish
Nothing compared to Chai Chai and gazing at neighbours. It goes into too much depth and tends to ramble on especially in the latter half.
Nothing compared to Chai Chai and gazing at neighbours. It goes into too much depth and tends to ramble on especially in the latter half.
October 22, 2016
I really wonder how Mr.Ghosh could read my mind. As a recent (first time) visitor I was amazed by the beauty of the city. When I say 'beauty' of Calcutta, it has a wider meaning and one book wouldn't be enough for explaining that. Thanks Mr.Ghosh for taking us through the soul of Calcutta. I don't think I can ever read any other travelogue on the city.
I completely disagree with one statement said by one of Ghosh's friend in the book: 'You can't fall in love with the city if you visit for just 2-3 days'. I had been to Calcutta last August just for 3 days, still I not only fell in love with the place but also have an urge even to runaway to Calcutta. I always had this inclination towards Bengal. Anything related to Bengal would fascinate me.
I have alomost lived through the stories of Tagore's in my dreams. May be because of that I always wanted to visit Calcutta (and that too alone). As a part of official trip I had an opportunity to visit the city for a two days workshop. The day I arrived happened to be Tagore's Death Anniversary. I could see how the love for Gurudev is still so strong in the air of Calcutta. This made me visit his also. When I stood at the entrance of his house I just wanted myself to be buried there.
The city embraces you which such a warmth that you get addicted and it keeps calling you back.
For those who love Calcutta, this book is a must read.
I completely disagree with one statement said by one of Ghosh's friend in the book: 'You can't fall in love with the city if you visit for just 2-3 days'. I had been to Calcutta last August just for 3 days, still I not only fell in love with the place but also have an urge even to runaway to Calcutta. I always had this inclination towards Bengal. Anything related to Bengal would fascinate me.
I have alomost lived through the stories of Tagore's in my dreams. May be because of that I always wanted to visit Calcutta (and that too alone). As a part of official trip I had an opportunity to visit the city for a two days workshop. The day I arrived happened to be Tagore's Death Anniversary. I could see how the love for Gurudev is still so strong in the air of Calcutta. This made me visit his also. When I stood at the entrance of his house I just wanted myself to be buried there.
The city embraces you which such a warmth that you get addicted and it keeps calling you back.
For those who love Calcutta, this book is a must read.
December 8, 2017
The first capital of India - Calcutta (Kolkata)-
1) Apart from introduction,the book is divided into the following five sections -
* Spring
* Summer
* Autumn
* Winter
* Spring again
2) The book is a travelogue and the author's interaction with people and various aspects of Kolkata.
3) The language of the book is awesome and very easy to read.
4) The reader will get information about various aspects of Kolkata like - from it's foundation by a East India company merchant by combining three villages i.e. sutnauti,kalikata and govindapur. He also explored various streets of kolkata( park Street , college street ) ,and how durga puja first celebrated in a place called Shobha bazar Rajbari in 1757 and soon the festival became from private to public, his visit to the Asia's largest red light area (sonagachi) and the status of women living their, history of rasogulla and the man who invented it by the name of nobin chandra das, victoria memorial, shantiniketan, Rabindra Sethu, and also about kazi Nazrul ( The national poet of Bangladesh) and finally his own interaction with the people of kolkata.
5) The author had done a good job and the way he expressed his interaction with the people of kolkata, will make your reading more enjoyable.
6) I will surely recommend to reader you can go for this book , because it offers some hidden facts about Kolkata and also some paradoxes of the first capital of Hindustan.
I hope u like the review,thanks for reading, Jai hind.
1) Apart from introduction,the book is divided into the following five sections -
* Spring
* Summer
* Autumn
* Winter
* Spring again
2) The book is a travelogue and the author's interaction with people and various aspects of Kolkata.
3) The language of the book is awesome and very easy to read.
4) The reader will get information about various aspects of Kolkata like - from it's foundation by a East India company merchant by combining three villages i.e. sutnauti,kalikata and govindapur. He also explored various streets of kolkata( park Street , college street ) ,and how durga puja first celebrated in a place called Shobha bazar Rajbari in 1757 and soon the festival became from private to public, his visit to the Asia's largest red light area (sonagachi) and the status of women living their, history of rasogulla and the man who invented it by the name of nobin chandra das, victoria memorial, shantiniketan, Rabindra Sethu, and also about kazi Nazrul ( The national poet of Bangladesh) and finally his own interaction with the people of kolkata.
5) The author had done a good job and the way he expressed his interaction with the people of kolkata, will make your reading more enjoyable.
6) I will surely recommend to reader you can go for this book , because it offers some hidden facts about Kolkata and also some paradoxes of the first capital of Hindustan.
I hope u like the review,thanks for reading, Jai hind.
January 3, 2020
Every city has a particular language attached to its arts, cultures and traditions. Any composition regarding the city, be it appraisal or be it censure, that one particular language gets the emotion best. For Kolkata, it has always been Bengali, which made me believed that there can be no other language which can connect me with the city more that Bangla! Well, untill now I wrong! On the urge to discover the city through literature, I came up with several books, but I didn't expected any piece to be so present and totally written in English, with which My belief that only Bengali has the potential to connect to Kolkata turned out to be wrong. A senior deputy editor at The Hindu, and also author to several books, like 'Chai Chai', 'Tamarind City', 'Gazing at Neighbors', and most recently 'Aimless in Banaras', Bishwanath Ghosh has beautifully delivered his experience and emotions attached to this city in his book, 'Longing Belonging: an Outsider at Home in Calcutta'.
An expatriate brought up at Kanpur, Ghosh has several memories of visiting his maternal relative's house at Calcutta during his childhood. Belonging to a family with several branches offered him the disgust of being compared to his cousins, who soon became IAS officers. His last visit as a child was too sort of a bitter experience. Thus Kolkata to him became a place he better not remember! But fate was something else. From Kanpur, to Delhi, and finally resting his feet at Chennai, Ghosh already became a Journalist, and got married in the city, which one must not expect of, Kolkata! Being his in-laws, the city again became a frequent destination to him. He quotes "Annual visits began all over again; sometimes more than once a year. I began to like the city. It smelt of my childhood. The dishes were all too familiar, so were the habits and mannerisms of people. The local language was no longer just background sound — which happens to be the case for me in Chennai — but my mother tongue. At the same time, it bore comforting similarities with Chennai: simplicity, absence of ostentation, pride in culture, spiritual bent of mind, worship of knowledge. I felt rooted." It mesmerizes him, as well as the reader that how once a place one wishes to forget, now becomes the place close to his heart, as he says "Calcutta was no longer an old piece of furniture in the attic. It was an antique whose value I had realised."
The book has a rush of mixed emotions while Ghosh strolls along Strand Road, or experiencing the old Calcutta at Bagbazar-Ahiritola. Staying at his in-laws at Salt Lake, he allows the reader to even get the taste of the most recently developed region and the IT hub of Kolkata. His walks at the Central Park, his morning tea with Telegraph, or even his "only two pegs, Maa!" brings us the best deliverance of how unique the life at Calcutta is. Interviewing some well known faces, like Sunil Gangopadhyay, Kalyani Kazi, Sanatan Dinda, again discovering and exploring around the small lanes, and strangers with newer experiences everytime is something totally 'Quintessentially Kolkatan'! Befriending a taxi driver at Sonagachi, or coming up with a military colonel at the Oxford Book Stores, Park Street, who was Ghosh's fan and his ticket into the Fort Williams, is just any urban adventure one seeks for!
The book again mesmerizes me in ways I was awwstrucked, like names of the chapters. The whole book eveolves around the incidents from 2011 to 2013. And thus the chapter names goes from 'Spring', 'Summer', 'Autumn', 'Winter' and ends at 'Spring Again'. Interestingly, when he quotes "At the same time I could not think of relocating to Calcutta, mainly for the fear that its charm may begin to wear off once I had become a resident. Surely there must be other ways of knowing a city where I could not be born but would like to die—someday—to eventually be one with the soil that had given me my surname?", I can totally feel him.
The book, though kind of a travelogue, it surely is much more than that. Really a piece that fills one with total nostalgia if Kolkata has ever been a part of their life. 371 and a half pages of pure emotions connected to this Kolkata! From Durga Puja to Christmas, from Maddox Square to Park Street, the book takes us every place Ghosh went. And being from Kolkata, I get to live every second that Ghosh has lived in the whole book!
An expatriate brought up at Kanpur, Ghosh has several memories of visiting his maternal relative's house at Calcutta during his childhood. Belonging to a family with several branches offered him the disgust of being compared to his cousins, who soon became IAS officers. His last visit as a child was too sort of a bitter experience. Thus Kolkata to him became a place he better not remember! But fate was something else. From Kanpur, to Delhi, and finally resting his feet at Chennai, Ghosh already became a Journalist, and got married in the city, which one must not expect of, Kolkata! Being his in-laws, the city again became a frequent destination to him. He quotes "Annual visits began all over again; sometimes more than once a year. I began to like the city. It smelt of my childhood. The dishes were all too familiar, so were the habits and mannerisms of people. The local language was no longer just background sound — which happens to be the case for me in Chennai — but my mother tongue. At the same time, it bore comforting similarities with Chennai: simplicity, absence of ostentation, pride in culture, spiritual bent of mind, worship of knowledge. I felt rooted." It mesmerizes him, as well as the reader that how once a place one wishes to forget, now becomes the place close to his heart, as he says "Calcutta was no longer an old piece of furniture in the attic. It was an antique whose value I had realised."
The book has a rush of mixed emotions while Ghosh strolls along Strand Road, or experiencing the old Calcutta at Bagbazar-Ahiritola. Staying at his in-laws at Salt Lake, he allows the reader to even get the taste of the most recently developed region and the IT hub of Kolkata. His walks at the Central Park, his morning tea with Telegraph, or even his "only two pegs, Maa!" brings us the best deliverance of how unique the life at Calcutta is. Interviewing some well known faces, like Sunil Gangopadhyay, Kalyani Kazi, Sanatan Dinda, again discovering and exploring around the small lanes, and strangers with newer experiences everytime is something totally 'Quintessentially Kolkatan'! Befriending a taxi driver at Sonagachi, or coming up with a military colonel at the Oxford Book Stores, Park Street, who was Ghosh's fan and his ticket into the Fort Williams, is just any urban adventure one seeks for!
The book again mesmerizes me in ways I was awwstrucked, like names of the chapters. The whole book eveolves around the incidents from 2011 to 2013. And thus the chapter names goes from 'Spring', 'Summer', 'Autumn', 'Winter' and ends at 'Spring Again'. Interestingly, when he quotes "At the same time I could not think of relocating to Calcutta, mainly for the fear that its charm may begin to wear off once I had become a resident. Surely there must be other ways of knowing a city where I could not be born but would like to die—someday—to eventually be one with the soil that had given me my surname?", I can totally feel him.
The book, though kind of a travelogue, it surely is much more than that. Really a piece that fills one with total nostalgia if Kolkata has ever been a part of their life. 371 and a half pages of pure emotions connected to this Kolkata! From Durga Puja to Christmas, from Maddox Square to Park Street, the book takes us every place Ghosh went. And being from Kolkata, I get to live every second that Ghosh has lived in the whole book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2018
Another brilliant book by Bishwanath Ghosh where he looks into the soul of Calcutta and what made it Calcutta - from the origins of the Kalikata village to the people that make it Calcutta now - whether it is Rossogulla or football or CPM/Mamata Bannerjee. The story of Calcutta is narrated through it's notable residents - past and present - walking though it's lanes and quite literally walking down the lanes of history.
The rise of Calcutta from the villages of Kalikata, Gobindpur and Sutanuti to centre of the British Indian Empire to the eventual stagnation once the capital moves to Delhi. In the book we meet the heirs of inventors of the Rossogulla, a famous Mohun Bagan player, an indie film-maker, CPM ideologues, the prostitutes of Sonnagachi, Durga puja organisers and the tram drivers.
A beautiful slice of life of Calcuttans, delivered in a cogent narrative with witty prose. Even if you have not been to Calcutta, you will long to belong here like the author.
The rise of Calcutta from the villages of Kalikata, Gobindpur and Sutanuti to centre of the British Indian Empire to the eventual stagnation once the capital moves to Delhi. In the book we meet the heirs of inventors of the Rossogulla, a famous Mohun Bagan player, an indie film-maker, CPM ideologues, the prostitutes of Sonnagachi, Durga puja organisers and the tram drivers.
A beautiful slice of life of Calcuttans, delivered in a cogent narrative with witty prose. Even if you have not been to Calcutta, you will long to belong here like the author.
November 19, 2015
It definitely keeps you engrossed.
Informative and precise.
A well edited book.
I fell in love with my favourite city all over again.
Informative and precise.
A well edited book.
I fell in love with my favourite city all over again.
October 12, 2020
Calcutta was just another dot on the map of India before i stumbled upon this beautiful book. Reading it has been like savouring a dish- a perfect blend of history and personal anecdotes, with a dash of humour, and which leaves a tingling aftertaste of nostalgia. Next time i visit the city, I'll definitely be seeing it in a new light, being more appreciative of its rich history and culture.
December 19, 2017
I read this book before traveling to Kolkata. The book undoubtedly enriched my trip by providing a historical background to the city and many famous sites that people visit but have no idea what place it has in the city and India's history. It also helped me identify several places to visit which I normally would have missed. In the end, it gives the reader a new perspective to look at the city which was at one time the center of India's intellectual and scientific enlightenment.
While at places, it seems Ghosh is talking too much about himself, it is just enough not to digress from the task at hand. Afterall, he makes it clear in the beginning that the book is as much about the city as his of search for a sense of identity in the metropolis. And while there will always be more to know, he covers all the essentials with a pace that would never makes you put the book aside.
While at places, it seems Ghosh is talking too much about himself, it is just enough not to digress from the task at hand. Afterall, he makes it clear in the beginning that the book is as much about the city as his of search for a sense of identity in the metropolis. And while there will always be more to know, he covers all the essentials with a pace that would never makes you put the book aside.
May 17, 2018
It's one of those books which serve as a refined travelogue of the city of Calcutta. Set in the 21st century, the author takes a trip around the city to rejuvenate his romance for the Calcutta that he has read and learned about. A book with a perfect blend of history and travel , it stirs your travel genes to pack your bags and explore the streets of Calcutta.
May 18, 2017
A very entertaining book, perhaps save for a few very long interviews which somehow didn't fit in, in my opinion ...
September 13, 2020
Kolkata! Calcutta! "The City of Joy!" "Tilottama" - these are just a few of the myriad different names which the capital of West Bengal has - but for me - it means something a bit more - it means home!
Over the years there have been some great books by some of the great authors about Kolkata - due to it's place in history and it's importance in pre-partition India - as well as the blots which have spotted the city - coming in waves ever since! I have however read precisely none of them! I don't know why! I never asked myself that question!
But now - so many years later when I ask myself that question - I think it is a combination of many things! It's partly because of the fact that I sort of expected a visceral account - one filled with a list of all that is wrong with the city - and believe me - you could list a lot many! It's also about the fact that when you're living your life in a city - you feel that you already know everything there is to know - what could a book teach you about your home?
But only when you have spent a decade away - plus it's a volume written by your current favorite travel author - Bishwanath Ghosh - you can hardly resist it now can you?
"Longing Belonging - An Outsider At Home In Calcutta" is the author's take on Calcutta or Kolkata as it called now - authored at a time when he was still a visitor the city - albeit a regular one and with a connection stronger than a simple passing traveler!
He actually captured perfectly why I may have delayed reading a book on my city for so long! At the very end of the book he says -
" .. There is always a Bengali who knows better .... "
If you're not a Bengali - and not been a resident of the city - you have no idea of how true that statement is! And that is why I had maybe even unconsciously stayed away from reading a book on MY city - because simply put - "I knew better"!
Coming back to the book - it is written with the skill which by now I have come to associate with the author - easy to read, flows really well and difficult to put down - which becomes a problem especially in the middle of the work week! It's a book which is especially close to me as I haven't been home for a year or longer - and with the current shutdown and ongoing pandemic - not sure when I will be able to - not anytime soon for sure! So the book was definitely a walk down memory lane - as well eye-opening observations about how the city is viewed by someone who hasn't grown up and spent their life there!
It was a refreshing book and an amazing read which draws a fine balance between the past and the present! About the richness of culture and the abject poverty which goes on hand to hand in this city! About history and about the present - a mix of the modern and the historical!
This book is very different from Bishwanath's book on Chennai - 'Tamarind City'. This one is more personal - more diverse and more about the people rather than just the city - it's landmarks and it's history. It's less glamorous - there is no talk about the movie superstars - but there is about the sculptors who for year after year create the idols used for Durga Puja across the city. It's much more grassroots - much more connected - gives a much closer feel to the reader!
Or maybe it is just because I feel so - with my roots and my sense of belonging! As the author rightly called out - "A Bengali will always know better"! But even if you don't know the city - even if you don't feel belong - yet - do take a read! Maybe it will give you a reason to visit - and gain a sense of belonging!
Read the full review and my other reviews at my Blog: https://www.uprootedbong.com/blog
Over the years there have been some great books by some of the great authors about Kolkata - due to it's place in history and it's importance in pre-partition India - as well as the blots which have spotted the city - coming in waves ever since! I have however read precisely none of them! I don't know why! I never asked myself that question!
But now - so many years later when I ask myself that question - I think it is a combination of many things! It's partly because of the fact that I sort of expected a visceral account - one filled with a list of all that is wrong with the city - and believe me - you could list a lot many! It's also about the fact that when you're living your life in a city - you feel that you already know everything there is to know - what could a book teach you about your home?
But only when you have spent a decade away - plus it's a volume written by your current favorite travel author - Bishwanath Ghosh - you can hardly resist it now can you?
"Longing Belonging - An Outsider At Home In Calcutta" is the author's take on Calcutta or Kolkata as it called now - authored at a time when he was still a visitor the city - albeit a regular one and with a connection stronger than a simple passing traveler!
He actually captured perfectly why I may have delayed reading a book on my city for so long! At the very end of the book he says -
" .. There is always a Bengali who knows better .... "
If you're not a Bengali - and not been a resident of the city - you have no idea of how true that statement is! And that is why I had maybe even unconsciously stayed away from reading a book on MY city - because simply put - "I knew better"!
Coming back to the book - it is written with the skill which by now I have come to associate with the author - easy to read, flows really well and difficult to put down - which becomes a problem especially in the middle of the work week! It's a book which is especially close to me as I haven't been home for a year or longer - and with the current shutdown and ongoing pandemic - not sure when I will be able to - not anytime soon for sure! So the book was definitely a walk down memory lane - as well eye-opening observations about how the city is viewed by someone who hasn't grown up and spent their life there!
It was a refreshing book and an amazing read which draws a fine balance between the past and the present! About the richness of culture and the abject poverty which goes on hand to hand in this city! About history and about the present - a mix of the modern and the historical!
This book is very different from Bishwanath's book on Chennai - 'Tamarind City'. This one is more personal - more diverse and more about the people rather than just the city - it's landmarks and it's history. It's less glamorous - there is no talk about the movie superstars - but there is about the sculptors who for year after year create the idols used for Durga Puja across the city. It's much more grassroots - much more connected - gives a much closer feel to the reader!
Or maybe it is just because I feel so - with my roots and my sense of belonging! As the author rightly called out - "A Bengali will always know better"! But even if you don't know the city - even if you don't feel belong - yet - do take a read! Maybe it will give you a reason to visit - and gain a sense of belonging!
Read the full review and my other reviews at my Blog: https://www.uprootedbong.com/blog
April 24, 2019
3.5/5 I havent visited Calcutta, but what I have read and watched about it has fascinated me. From its history, its politics, the language, the sweets/food, the culture, its love for sport, the image of its work-ethic and as a reader, the immense respect for its literature which is miles ahead of any other state in India in modernity. I wanted to read a travelogue for a long time but kept postponing as I didnt want to pick up one written by a foreigner or by some1 with a strong ideological bent.
I picked this one immediately after finish the author's Tamarind City: Where Modern India Began on Chennai which I loved. This one was different in structure but equally satisfying. Almost all the above aspects of the city have been covered very well in lucid, elegant language. Most travelogue authors err in providing either too much commentary or too much conversation, but the author gets the balance right.
And I think Bishwanath Ghosh is the best Indian writer of travelogues today. Will be reading more by him.
I picked this one immediately after finish the author's Tamarind City: Where Modern India Began on Chennai which I loved. This one was different in structure but equally satisfying. Almost all the above aspects of the city have been covered very well in lucid, elegant language. Most travelogue authors err in providing either too much commentary or too much conversation, but the author gets the balance right.
And I think Bishwanath Ghosh is the best Indian writer of travelogues today. Will be reading more by him.
August 13, 2020
Kolkata as a city has always intrigued me. The rich culture and the magnetic pull has been a subject of many a books. While I have tried to read some of those books, none of them has been as enriching as this one.
Written a by a non resident son in law of the city, Longing Belonging is Biswanath's attempt to unravel the culture of Calcutta. Divided into seasons, Ghosh travels to some of most well known parts of the town and writes down fables around those. In each season he goes to the busiest parts during that season like Park Street during Christmas.
He meets some of the city's most prominent residents and the sees the city through their lens. The book is full of Fables and anecdotes about Kolkata of yesterday and today
A light read and a must read if you have been intrigued by Kolkata too.
Written a by a non resident son in law of the city, Longing Belonging is Biswanath's attempt to unravel the culture of Calcutta. Divided into seasons, Ghosh travels to some of most well known parts of the town and writes down fables around those. In each season he goes to the busiest parts during that season like Park Street during Christmas.
He meets some of the city's most prominent residents and the sees the city through their lens. The book is full of Fables and anecdotes about Kolkata of yesterday and today
A light read and a must read if you have been intrigued by Kolkata too.
December 30, 2019
This is the 'tale', or adventures, or experiences of Bishwanath Ghosh, a Bengali who grew up in Kanpur, and how he discovered (in a sense) Calcutta.
He has a keen journalist's eye for detail but does manage to bring in a fair amount of insight and humour into his writing.
I have lived in Calcutta for a few years, and do relate to much of what he writes and says. His adventures, of course, go much beyond what I experienced! Especially the stuff with the various Bengali women, of whom he seems to be quite fond.
The structure, from spring to winter, is very good. However, the addition of the second spring adventure did spoil the book somewhat for me. I felt it was one season too many, and an indulgence that could have been dispensed with.
Read the book. It's good.
He has a keen journalist's eye for detail but does manage to bring in a fair amount of insight and humour into his writing.
I have lived in Calcutta for a few years, and do relate to much of what he writes and says. His adventures, of course, go much beyond what I experienced! Especially the stuff with the various Bengali women, of whom he seems to be quite fond.
The structure, from spring to winter, is very good. However, the addition of the second spring adventure did spoil the book somewhat for me. I felt it was one season too many, and an indulgence that could have been dispensed with.
Read the book. It's good.
January 20, 2019
Bishwanath Ghosh is a writer worth reading and following. I have read all his works, mostly travel related, and out if which this one deserves special mention. Longing, Belonging...is his Kolkatta experience. Even though a Bengali he spent most of his time outside Kolkatta. Kolkatta is a city every Indian should visit once in his/her lifetime for tons of reasons. This book takes you to a wonderful trip to the city and its enchanting life. The author's observation is amazing and amusing. We can't stop reading it. If you love travel and more so Kolkatta, I recommend this book. No other books on Kolkatta has impressed me at such a passionate degree as this book has done. Kudos to the aithor.
November 17, 2022
I really liked the book. Being in Kolkata for last 40 years and an explorer of historical places I could relate to many places I have travelled to and the situations I have experienced. The author's keen observation of whatever or whoever he comes across is praiseworthy. This is like a text book for a person who would know about Kolkata.
Longing Belonging is a travelogue-cum-personal experience book.
Longing Belonging is a travelogue-cum-personal experience book.
October 8, 2019
It is hard to be indifferent to Calcutta. I have never been there but it has always held a glittering charm for me. The trams, the open references to and instances of sex, the food, the politics, life on either side of the Howrah bridge...Ghosh's book offers fascinating glimpses of the new and old in this city of opposites.
March 17, 2020
One of the best book on a city that I have read still now. The writing is great and it pulls you in and makes feel like you have known Calcutta personally for many years. This book made me realize the true history of the city and its heritage. I plan to visit Calcutta soon as this book has made me a fan of the city.
September 7, 2024
It's on based of history of Calcutta their was some history of Calcutta
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2025
I found it quite unreadable, I’m afraid. No insights, nothing interesting, in fact in parts it threatens to get a little smutty. Just weird in a boring way
February 17, 2016
Disclaimer: ‘Longing-Belonging’ is not a book on Kolkata; it’s a book based on Kolkata. This is about Kolkata but not all about Kolkata.
Above is not to criticize author but to caution reader not to generalize about people and society of Kolkata. In-fact author humbly submitted the same in concluding remarks of the book.
Geographical gradient of Kolkata is well taken care with right dose of history. Old-Kolkata, Salt Lake City, New Town - appears with their distinctive character. Park Street, College Street, Ferry Ghat, Neemtala, Ahiritola, Dalhousie Square, Writers Building, Kumar Tuli, Victoria, Boubazar, Race course, Presidency College, Medical College, Coffee House, Eden Gardens, Fort William, Sonagacchi, trams - all gets the mention.
Also personalities who define the fabric of Kolkata like Sunil Gangopadhyay, Tagore, Parar Dada, Najrul, Satyajit Ray, Kumbhars of Kumartuli, Anjan Dutta, Mother Teresa, Jobes Charnok, Maa Kali, Taxi drivers and porters of borobazar, Jyoti Basu, Mamata Banarjee, Dr. Bidhan Roy are all present. Interactions with Sunil Gangopadhyay, daughter-in-law of Kaji Najrul, Asim DasGupta open new dimensions.
Festivals-of-Kolkata like Durga Puja, Boimela, Borodin, which give the city its texture – all present in full glory. However football (religion-of-Bengalis) is missing from its Macca, baring a mention of Mohanbagan and its shield win or an interview with Subroto Bhattacharyaya.
However the book is completely devoid of gastronomical experience of Kolkata. No description of Kolkata can be complete without its street food - Egg-roll, chowmin, chilli-chicken, tele-bhaja, dimer-chop, mochar-chop, vegetable chop, ghugni, jhal muri and many more. It gives a feeling that he sees Kolkata from the windows of Flurrys to Flotel, but missed to see it through the windows of Basanta Cabin, Amina and Shiraj. Atleast a talk with Unnati (house-cook in author’s in-laws house) would have given many clue about food.
Apart from food, other notable misses are Nandan, Alipore Zoo, Planetarium, Science City, metro rail, Metro cinema, madhyabitto-sikhito-bhadrolok, Sourav Ganguly, Tollywood.
At later part of the book, author totally depended on tried tested pillars of 'Bengali-Identity' (mind you it's not exclusive identity of ‘Kolkata’ alone) - the Durga Puja, cliche - Rossogolla (I wonder why people don't write about kala-kand, kheer kadam)
Also I find the last chapter (Spring Again) a little drag-on. The book could have ended as it was originally planned. That would have kept the reader longing for more once it was over – that ‘sesh hoeao hoilo na sesh’ feeling got spoilt with the addition of the last chapter.
About author: He is a good observer and better weaver. By his own admission, to observe Kolkata one needs to have good ears along with good eyes. I think one need to have good taste-buds also. Wish he had good appetite and more willingness to try non-vegetarian food. One thing about Bishwanath is that he never misses any chance to paint the picture of a railway station be it Howrah or Baghbazar or any other one - seems 'first-love' at play.
Above is not to criticize author but to caution reader not to generalize about people and society of Kolkata. In-fact author humbly submitted the same in concluding remarks of the book.
Geographical gradient of Kolkata is well taken care with right dose of history. Old-Kolkata, Salt Lake City, New Town - appears with their distinctive character. Park Street, College Street, Ferry Ghat, Neemtala, Ahiritola, Dalhousie Square, Writers Building, Kumar Tuli, Victoria, Boubazar, Race course, Presidency College, Medical College, Coffee House, Eden Gardens, Fort William, Sonagacchi, trams - all gets the mention.
Also personalities who define the fabric of Kolkata like Sunil Gangopadhyay, Tagore, Parar Dada, Najrul, Satyajit Ray, Kumbhars of Kumartuli, Anjan Dutta, Mother Teresa, Jobes Charnok, Maa Kali, Taxi drivers and porters of borobazar, Jyoti Basu, Mamata Banarjee, Dr. Bidhan Roy are all present. Interactions with Sunil Gangopadhyay, daughter-in-law of Kaji Najrul, Asim DasGupta open new dimensions.
Festivals-of-Kolkata like Durga Puja, Boimela, Borodin, which give the city its texture – all present in full glory. However football (religion-of-Bengalis) is missing from its Macca, baring a mention of Mohanbagan and its shield win or an interview with Subroto Bhattacharyaya.
However the book is completely devoid of gastronomical experience of Kolkata. No description of Kolkata can be complete without its street food - Egg-roll, chowmin, chilli-chicken, tele-bhaja, dimer-chop, mochar-chop, vegetable chop, ghugni, jhal muri and many more. It gives a feeling that he sees Kolkata from the windows of Flurrys to Flotel, but missed to see it through the windows of Basanta Cabin, Amina and Shiraj. Atleast a talk with Unnati (house-cook in author’s in-laws house) would have given many clue about food.
Apart from food, other notable misses are Nandan, Alipore Zoo, Planetarium, Science City, metro rail, Metro cinema, madhyabitto-sikhito-bhadrolok, Sourav Ganguly, Tollywood.
At later part of the book, author totally depended on tried tested pillars of 'Bengali-Identity' (mind you it's not exclusive identity of ‘Kolkata’ alone) - the Durga Puja, cliche - Rossogolla (I wonder why people don't write about kala-kand, kheer kadam)
Also I find the last chapter (Spring Again) a little drag-on. The book could have ended as it was originally planned. That would have kept the reader longing for more once it was over – that ‘sesh hoeao hoilo na sesh’ feeling got spoilt with the addition of the last chapter.
About author: He is a good observer and better weaver. By his own admission, to observe Kolkata one needs to have good ears along with good eyes. I think one need to have good taste-buds also. Wish he had good appetite and more willingness to try non-vegetarian food. One thing about Bishwanath is that he never misses any chance to paint the picture of a railway station be it Howrah or Baghbazar or any other one - seems 'first-love' at play.
May 9, 2015
This is the best travelogue I've ever had the pleasure to read- I wish I had started on the book well before my journey to Calcutta, not afterwards, regrettably. His clear and concise descriptions of his surroundings, the people he met, even the food that he ate made me feel like I was right next to him, smelling the spices in the air, listening to his non-intrusive interviews of the locals, all while pointing out curious spots for his trusty notebook.
An absolute must-read for those longing to belong in India.
An absolute must-read for those longing to belong in India.
September 18, 2015
There is an overwhelming sense of immediacy and engrossment that keeps one glued to Biswanath Ghosh's writings even if they lack a certain enduring substance. And that's the pull of Longing Belonging, like his other books. Though on balance this one is the best, compared to Chai Chai and Tamarind City.
May 25, 2015
Calcutta and is many tiny places are covered beautifully.
This is not a book that talks anything negative about the city, it is simply written to fall in love with a new city and believe me it aids perfectly in doing so.
This is not a book that talks anything negative about the city, it is simply written to fall in love with a new city and believe me it aids perfectly in doing so.
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