From Paikpara’s Lanes to Titagarh’s Bazaar—My Food Memories

 Hello, I'm a food lover born in Paikpara, Kolkata. From 1957 to 1996, I grew up in the lanes of Paikpara, and now I live in Rahara. My love for food comes from my father. When I was a kid, he took me every Sunday afternoon to a restaurant in Paikpara called Park Café. There, I ate fish kaviraji, mughlai paratha, and pudding. I was in Class Four back then, and those flavors still linger on my tongue. Today, I:m sharing some food stories from my life—from Paikpara’s lanes to Titagarh's bazaar.

Paikpara's Flavors: Kanai, Joydeb, Kaliya, Kshetra

I lived at 7, Raja Manindra Road. Right next door was 8, Raja Manindra Road, a big house with lots of shops downstairs. Two of my favorite shops were Kanai and Joydeb. A little further, if you went down Shimlai Para Lane, you'd find Kaliya and Kshetra's shops. The food from these four was so special, I never found anything like it in north, central, or south Kolkata.

Joydeb's Mughlai Paratha: This was something else. It had spicy mutton keema, beaten egg, finely chopped onions, and green chilies mixed in. Fried crispy in deep oil, it was served with a dry potato curry. I used to call out my order from my house's window, and the hot paratha would arrive in my hands.

Kanai's Kachori and Luchi: Kanai's shop had kachoris stuffed with smashed urad dal-flavored moong dal and fluffy luchis. They came with a potato-pumpkin curry that was unforgettable once you tasted it.

Kaliya's Dalpuri: In Shimlai Para, Kaliya's shop made dalpuris stuffed with chana dal. The mix of panch phoron and cumin powder gave it a taste like nectar.

Kshetra's Khasta Kachori: Kshetra was also in Shimlai Para. His kachoris had a spicy kick, similar to Kanai's but with a unique flavor that stayed with me.

Sadly, these shops are gone now. Two years ago, I visited Paikpara, but those lanes and flavors are no longer there. Still, the memories are etched in my heart.

Park Café: Sunday Memories with My Father

In Paikpara, there was a restaurant called Park Café. Every Sunday afternoon, my father took me there. I was in Class Four (the 1960s). We ate fish kaviraji—crispy bhhetki fish fillets coated with egg and breadcrumbs. There was also mughlai paratha and pudding, probably a creamy custard style. Holding my father's hand and eating there was the start of my food journey.

Now, fish kaviraji isn't available in Rahara or Titagarh. But when I go to north Kolkata, I eat it at a shop near Girish Ghosh's house. That taste brings back memories of Park Café.

Titagarh's Bazaar: Today's Flavors

Now I live in Rahara, and I enjoy food with my wife. We’re both food lovers. Often in the evenings, we hop on Abdul's rickshaw and head to Titagarh Bazaar. The vegetables there are cheap, and the food stalls are a delight:

Masala Dosa: On B.T. Road and in the lanes, there are a few dosa stalls. The masala filling has potatoes and a spicy kick. I don't remember the names, but the taste is amazing.

Aloo Tikki: Crispy potato tikkis with chaat masala and tamarind chutney. They fill your heart with joy.

Flavored Soda: Near Titagarh Station, just outside Platform 1, there's a shop with lemon, mint, and cumin-flavored sodas. They're super refreshing. You can also get lassi there.

Fuchka: In Titagarh Bazaar, fuchka stalls serve tangy tamarind water and spicy masala that cool my soul.

Dangapara's Delights

Besides Titagarh, we go to Dangapara. There's a shop there where we get:

Lote Fish Chop: Made with fish mince and spicy masala, it feels like Paikpara's old days are back.

Arun's Ice Cream: Vanilla and mango are my favorites. Perfect for hot days.

Elaichi Chai: The same shop serves tea with cardamom flavor, which pairs wonderfully with my daily Annapurna Elaichi Toast Biscuits.

Why This Story?

Nobody has written about these stories before. You won't find Kanai, Joydeb, Kaliya, Kshetra, or Park Café on the internet. Same goes for Titagarh Bazaar and Dangapara’s shops. I want these memories to live on. From holding my father's hand at Park Café, calling out to Joydeb from my window, to riding Abdul’s rickshaw to Titagarh Bazaar—these are the flavors of my life.

If you love Kolkata's food or want to know our stories from far away, tell me—what food memories do you have? Maybe you've eaten kachori in Paikpara's lanes or enjoyed fuchka in Titagarh. Share with me!

From Sea to Sapiens: The Epic Journey of Life’s Evolution

 Around 4 billion years ago, Earth’s oceans churned with the raw ingredients of life. In this primordial soup, simple organic molecules formed, sparked by lightning, volcanic heat, or solar radiation. These molecules clumped together, eventually giving rise to the first single-celled organisms—tiny, self-replicating specks in a vast, salty sea. This was the dawn of life, fragile yet tenacious.

The First Life: Microbes in the Deep The earliest life forms were prokaryotes, simple cells without nuclei, thriving in extreme conditions like hydrothermal vents. They metabolized chemicals like sulfur or methane, eking out an existence in a world without oxygen. Fossils from 3.5-billion-year-old rocks in Australia hint at these microbial pioneers, possibly cyanobacteria, which began photosynthesizing and slowly oxygenated the oceans.

Over eons, these microbes diversified. Some developed membranes, others rudimentary genetic systems. By 2 billion years ago, eukaryotic cells emerged, with complex structures like nuclei and mitochondria. This leap allowed for greater specialization, setting the stage for multicellular life.

From Sea to Shore: The Cambrian Explosion

Fast-forward to 541 million years ago: the Cambrian Explosion. Oceans teemed with strange, multicellular creatures—trilobites, anomalocarids, and early chordates. These organisms, fueled by rising oxygen levels, evolved hard shells, limbs, and sensory organs. The sea was a crucible of innovation, where predation and competition drove rapid diversification.

Around 375 million years ago, some fish-like creatures, like Tiktaalik, ventured onto land. With lobe-like fins and primitive lungs, they adapted to shallow, oxygen-poor waters and muddy shores. These pioneers gave rise to tetrapods—four-limbed vertebrates that colonized terrestrial habitats. Amphibians, reptiles, and eventually mammals followed, each adapting to new environments.

The Rise of Mammals and Primates

Dinosaurs dominated for millions of years, but their extinction 66 million years ago cleared the way for mammals. Small, shrew-like creatures evolved into diverse forms, including early primates around 55 million years ago. These tree-dwelling animals developed grasping hands, keen vision, and larger brains—traits suited for navigating complex forest environments.

By 7 million years ago, our lineage split from other primates. Early hominins like Sahelanthropus walked upright, a trait that freed hands for tool use. Over time, species like Australopithecus and Homo habilis crafted crude tools, while Homo erectus mastered fire and spread across continents. Brain size ballooned, driven by social cooperation and environmental challenges.

Homo Sapiens: The Thinking Ape

Around 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens emerged in Africa. Our ancestors combined large brains, language, and symbolic thought, enabling art, culture, and technology. They hunted, gathered, and eventually farmed, sparking population growth and complex societies. Migrations out of Africa, starting around 70,000 years ago, led to human populations adapting to diverse climates, from icy tundras to tropical jungles.

The Thread of Evolution

The journey from seawater microbes to humans spans billions of years, marked by chance, adaptation, and resilience. Each step—photosynthesis, multicellularity,

terrestrial life, primate brains—built on the last, driven by environmental pressures and genetic innovation. Today, we carry the legacy of those ancient oceans in our cells, a reminder of life’s shared origins.

As we ponder our place in this saga, the story continues. Evolution isn’t done with us—or with life on Earth. What’s next? Only time, and the relentless churn of nature, will tell.

Sources: General knowledge of evolutionary biology, fossil records, and paleontological studies up to 2025.