Taratala Environment Park or the Mudiali Fisherman’s cooperative - Taj

On 28th August 7 of us met in front of Taratala Environment Park or the Mudiali Fisherman’s cooperative as it’s also called. The gate keepers let us in and Pradeep set off on his run while the rest of us decided to take a long hike through the trees following a forest trail by the lake “bunder” whacking as Zoria put it as she took the lead blazing a trail getting cobwebs in her face.
Bonani bringing up the rear got caught by the people in the office who probably couldn’t understand what the orange Taj T shirt hash group was doing there so early on a Sunday morning. A call was put through to their office head who was woken up and made to speak to Bonani who explained in Bengali that we were a bird watching group who had come for a walk and to see the fishermen!

Walking over the mulch and trying not to step on the turds we finally came to a factory where the trail ended. After spotting some dahu fowl we walked back to the entrance following the Taratala main road, passing the giant logs brought from Malaysia according to Bonani. We walked into another abandoned textile factory and Zoria and Carl would have gone on but they were called back.

We came back to the entrance of the park to find Pradeep sopping wet after his run. We made him walk around the main park with us again as Zoria and Carl had hared off to see the deer and pigs, while Peter went to show Rosie the small fish etc. Bonani and I did it at a much slower pace stopping to talk to the keeper of the sheep and turkeys. Pradeep wrung his T shirt dry and Bonani said he should have done it near the deer for they love salt water… We admired the brakt mushrooms on the tree stumps that were growing all around the trail looking like brown clouds in Tibetan art. After doing a full round of the Park and noticing all the bins there for the picnickers and chow mein vendors.

Back at the Taj after a long gap, the waiters were extra attentive to us and we enjoyed our breakfast and adda session.

Pradeep and Bonani are off to the Amazon jungles for 5 weeks. Zoria will be going on holiday soon. Howard and Shanti will be back in October. Delphi who enjoyed the Nottinghill Carnival in London will be back with us in November.We hope to welcome some new hashers into the group like Francesco from Unicef and Henry from the US consulate.

Central Park - Mishra's

9 of us walked around the Central Park Salt Lake and the children’s park beside it with the rabbits in the cage. Zoria was in an adventurous mood and took us across the wet grass as the garden paths were very slippery. We climbed up to the slide or look out point and as there were millions of millipedes only Peter slid down while Carl attempted to walk down the slide and may have done it on his hands and legs… Zoria’s adventurousness didn’t extend to sliding down with creepy crawlies and we walked back the ramp instead. We were later joined by Bishwajit whose suggestion it was to try out Mishra’s for breakfast.

We had an adequate breakfast of dosas, uttapams, idlis, cheese omelets and toast washed down with a coffee so light we had to add more. Though it couldn’t compare to a Hyatt breakfast that Zoria was advocating, Peter’s comment was “The breakfast was um, but the company was excellent.”

Peter and Rosie were full of details about the Monsoon Ball and it was quite something with Opera Singer, Viennese waltzes etc. etc. Congratulations to the organizers. It was Parsi new year so we wished Gherdie and wished there could be a Parsi restaurant in Cal. Tangerine has been having a Parsi food Festival. Gherda, Doc, Peter, Rosie and I are quite keen now to start a sort of Diner’s Club or Culinary Calcutta where we’ll meet in the evenings to sample Calcutta specialties that we locals can help the foreigners discover. As Doc is an expert on food as well as everything under the sun, I suggest we start with Bengali cuisine at the Bhajo Hari Manna on Hindustan Road come September.

Independence Weekend Mysore Nash Hash/ Horticultural Gardens & Ahalya hilsa luncheon cruise

We were 6 from Calcutta amongst the 164, but we certainly made our presence felt at the Independence Weekend Mysore Nash Hash. Check out some of the pictures on www.hasher.net/india

The Calcutta Hash Group met on 14th August and went to the Horticultural Gardens. Then some of the hashers went on the Ahalya that had organised a Hilsa luncheon cruise.

So, now that we’ve had a taste of hashing in distant lands, I’m all for Carl and Zoria’s idea of moving further a field for our hash mornings. They suggest a hash at Central Park, Salt Lake. Meet there at 7 am. Have breakfast at Stadel or Hyatt then move on towards Panihati to discover an outlying area. Who’s on?

Botanical Gardens

Dear Hashers,

It was a small crowd at the Botanical Gardens onSunday with Pradeep, Bonani, Zoria, Carl, Rajesh Poddar and co. I was partying with Patricia Saturday night so we didn’t manage the early morning walk on Friendship Day. Did meet up with Nitish and Rachna for their son’s birthday party in the afternoon to see the magician and his magic tricks!

I met up with Peter and Rosie at Cocoon lifestyle store last evening and after a few calls to Zoria and Carl, it was decided that the hash would meet in front of the Horticultural Gardens at 7am on 14th August. Since Peter and Rosie don’t have the doc to give them a lift, they preferred a venue that’s practically on their doorstep. As it was their 30+ wedding anniversary this week, please make sure they are happy to walk hand in hand amongst the flowers like Pradeep and Bonani did in Darjeeling according to Nayana who accompanied them. As it was also the venue for Nitish and Jolly’s wedding reception, I’m sure everyone will have a very romantic monsoon walk followed by breakfast at the Taj. Please order some of the heart shaped waffles with maple syrup…

This weekend I’m off to Mysore for the Nash Hash to uphold the Calcutta Hash Group standard in my floppy hat!

Carl will ask Mr. Mullick at the British Club if we can do Marble Palace the weekend of 21st August which is just after the Monsoon Ball on Saturday for those who are going. Suggested meeting time 7:30 in front of the Statesman House as we don’t want to disturb the family too early in the morning. Breakfast in North Calcutta.

See you when I get back from the Nash Hash.
Neela 9830014934