ODE: "KOLKATA, A THEATRE OF TIME" BY SOMDATTA MITRA

My city Kolkata is resplendent in sempiternal bliss,

Its ancient numinosity attracts visitors from afar;

Quintessentially rhapsodic, its exuberance

Has christened it “The City of Joy.”

With open arms, she embraces everyone,

Who seeks to dwell within her sanguine warmth;

Here, life effervesces cheerfully, like morning tea,

While smoke curls heavenward from the earthen bhaad.

Here, like-minded souls gather in soothing, effulgent adda,

Where conversations bloom like untamed jasmine;

And the astonishing splendour of Howrah Bridge

Envelops every wandering heart in its luminous divinity.

The Hooghly River reminds us of consistent conversations,

That truly keep alive the city's eternal liveliness;

The city aglows with an ancient philosophy of caregivers,

Where compassion breathes through every benevolent heart.

The tram bells awaken the sleeping smiles,

Of a lost night that had enamoured sensibility;

They echo through the streets with nostalgic tenderness,

Reviving memories that linger in the corridors of time.

Every childhood here breathes through Rabindranath Tagore's songs and dance,

Rosogolla and jhalmuri enthrall the taste buds;

With biryani and rabri, the moments seem to be a rhapsody,

While payesh graces the best of birthdays and festivities.

The pride of Calcuttans—a divine, deep-rooted charisma—

Turns every head towards an artistic vision,

Where cultural diversity blossoms resplendently,

And creativity becomes the soul of the city.

Once the capital of British India until 1911,

Its historic feat stands like an indelible monument, upon the pages of history.

College Street argues passionately with the afternoon,

Durga Puja dresses the city in crimson laughter.

The old streets whisper the names of the dead,

The rickshaw pullers silently ferry the city's weary heartbeat.

While sitting in Nandan or beside the lake in Southern Avenue,

Nostalgic childhood reverberates in our minds.

In narrow lanes hide the crowded solitude,

Chaotic harmony and peaceful turmoils;

The city has unfolded its vibrant melancholy,

Even in the Bengal riots, Bengal became a torn tapestry of humanity.

Kolkata is a theatre where history never lowers the curtain,

Where revolution once learned to speak,

Today it is an ancestral fire glowing in the hearts of generations.

© SOMDATTA MITRA 

- India

26.08.2026.

(August 24 th 1690 is widely remembered as the birthday of our city of joy Kolkata. This year 2026 , I thought of sharing a tribute to this great and ancient city through my poetry.)

“KOLKATA, A THEATRE OF TIME” by Somdatta Mitra is a celebratory and commemorative poem that pays tribute to Kolkata by presenting the city as a living repository of history, culture, memory, and human connection. The poet portrays Kolkata as the “City of Joy,” emphasizing its welcoming spirit, warmth, and ability to bring people together through traditions such as adda, tea culture, and everyday communal interactions.

The poem moves through Kolkata’s cultural and historical landscape, celebrating landmarks such as the Howrah Bridge, Hooghly River, College Street, Nandan, and Southern Avenue. It also evokes the city’s artistic and literary heritage through Rabindranath Tagore, while its culinary identity emerges through references to rosogolla, jhalmuri, biryani, rabri, and payesh. The tram bells and old streets become symbols of nostalgia, connecting present-day Kolkata with memories of childhood and the generations that came before.

Beyond its beauty and cultural richness, the poem acknowledges the city's complicated history, including British colonial rule, revolution, and the Bengal riots. By juxtaposing joy with sorrow, celebration with remembrance, and chaos with harmony, the poet presents Kolkata as a city whose identity has been shaped by both triumphs and wounds.

Ultimately, the poem depicts Kolkata as a “theatre of time” where history continues to perform through its streets, people, traditions, memories, and cultural practices. It is both a heartfelt ode to the city and an exploration of how a place can preserve the spirit of generations while continually creating new memories.