KOLKATA: Class XII student Rajesh Sen was supposed to go on a vacation to Digha beach with his friends on Sunday. However, with incessant rains caused by Cyclone Nada unlikely to stop and the Metereological Department warning people to stay away from the coast, Rajesh has a long face.
"We had planned for a trip during Durga Puja. This untimely rain has washed away all our plans," said Rajesh, a resident of a south Kolkata suburb Naktala.
Like Rajesh, IT professional Arnab Roy was to go to Sundarbans on a family trip. "I had even booked an entire boat through a tour operator for Rs 16,000. All that is waste now," Arnab, a resident of the uptown Rajarhat said.
However, Rintu Das, an organiser of a Jagaddhatri Puja in Chandannagar, refuses to budge to the rains. "Despite the rains, locals and even people from Kolkata are coming to visit our famed Jagaddhatri
Pujas of Chandannagar," Rintu said.
Though incessant rains over the past few days have caused water logging in several areas of the metropolis, including central Kolkata areas such as Mahatma Gandhi Road and Bhowanipore and low-lying areas in eastern Kolkata suburbs, it has failed to dampen the spirit of the city.
Office-goers were seen braving the water logged streets to reach their offices. Major railway stations Sealdah and Howrah were a sea of black umbrellas as commuters from suburban towns thronged the
metropolis to attend office.
"Unfortunately, our company does not give 'rainy day' holiday," chuckled 34-year-old Niladri Mitra from Bagnan in Howrah district, exposing his paan-stained teeth.
For many others like Himadri, life has to go on despite the rains. "It's difficult to wade through the water logged streets of Burrabazaar and MG Road but I can't help. I have to attend work. The
Marwari owner will cut my salary," said Souvik Biswas, cashier in a small store in Burrabazaar.
Rains are likely to continue for the next two days, as Cyclone Nada turns towards our eastern neighbour for landfall.
The 4 cm rains in south Bengal districts including Kolkata have caused a lot of havoc but failed to keep both helpless and the passionate Bengalis indoors.