It was terrible when we were growing up in the 70s and 80s in Kolkata. There was such malice circulating in the air at that time. The dog in the manger political attitude had decided to destroy and mangle all things bright, beautiful, showing prospect, showing possibility, promise, one after the other in a systematic way. And Kolkata, the pride of India, was gradually being reduced to a travesty of its true self.

There was a hushed tension gripping society. Industries moved out one by one.  Bright and talented people moved out of Kolkata in search for greener pastures. The Bengali people, always known for their progressive and liberal views and expressions and artistic and cultural freedom, lost their unique voice. People became afraid to express their views openly. The Bengali middle class first became critical of what was happening and later became silent and discreet, avoiding everything “political”. There was a feeling that politics was not for the ‘bhadraloks’. The once powerful Bengali intelligentsia became a silent observer of the social ‘tamasha’ carried out in the name of politics and so-called ‘social and cultural development’. Kolkata went on losing its place of glory in India.

When people grow up in chaos, they become sensitive creatures; hyper vigilant of what is going on around them. However, they fail to see things in their proper perspective. It was so for us when we were growing up through our teenage and early adulthood years. Neither could we understand what was good for us nor had a clear vision of our path ahead but had a sense that what was happening was not good and desirable. Our educational institutions once hailed as great seats of learning in the Eastern hemisphere, came to be controlled by political goondas with an iron grip under the aegis of the omnipotent PARTY. Slowly and steadily, renowned educationists, researchers, experts in different fields started to move to better places.  We realized how ineffective our education and our basic training were to meet the challenges of the day. When things were continuing this way Liberalization dawned at the horizon. Suddenly we were exposed to two major concepts: that of “choice” and “cost”. Our straitjacketed, one track, single-channeled lives were suddenly filled with “choices”. We could choose channels, brands, flavors, services, service providers…but everything came with a price tag. We, who had grown up leading austere lives, dreading loans and debts of all kinds and shameless flaunting of material possessions, were suddenly brought face to face with an “EMI” culture that cared two hoots for such things. A flamboyant life could now be led measured in equated monthly installments.

Everything changed. The houses, markets, offices, people, colleges, comrades, clothes, language, ads. There was aspiration all around. We were in the midst of it all, like sensitive galvanometers in our labs, registering the changes. We were at the crossroads. There was so much we had observed, felt, understood and realized.