Last Sunday even at 7:30 am, though fog shrouded the streets of Calcutta, ten hashers made it to Statesman House. There was such poor visibility that disoriented taxi drivers were driving into the Maidan. Madhuri who was to pick up Siddiqui couldn't see her in the fog and Siddiqui had to walk to the Statesman, as did Francois from the Oberoi Grand. It's lucky he didn't look out the window before stepping out or he may not have made it! I cabbed it with my new house guest Margherita, an intern at the Italian Consulate. She will be in town till end April. Matthias, a French tabla player who comes to Calcutta since the last ten years, would have joined us too, but was at home with a fever. Kristina brought her daughter and a very tall man. Ed and Twila were there, as were the street children and pavement dwellers who were queueing waiting for a Maruti van, to bring boxes of food. *



We piled into two cars and decided to head to Poddar Court for a Chinese breakfast as the Chinese New Year is round the corner. We tried fish ball soup, momos and thukpa and fried chicken drumsticks. Margherita was able to take lots of pictures of the market and the sellers of Chinese cabbages, fish and prawn, and prawn crackers. While making our way to the Sea Ip Church, we saw a man selling export reject scarves for Rs.2 each. Siddiqui, Madhuri, Frandois, Ed, Margherita, Petra made a killing , at do rupiya, and picked up loads of printed silk scarves and the viscose ones of animals like rabbits and monkeys!



While I tried to get more information about the Chinese New Year, the others were being entertained by a squabble in the street which everyone watched from the first floor of the Chinese Church. Margherita tried the divination sticks and the incense sticks. While kristina had to head back we then walked back towards the corner of Canning street to the Jewish Synagogue which thanks to a little bakshish was opened to us. If they are being difficult they ask you to get a written permission from Nahoum's in new Market. Doc called to say he couldnt make it. We remembered George and his prayer in Hebrew.



Madhuri and Siddiqui walked back to the car to head to Anand for coffee. The Millers and margherita and i walked down BBD Bag all the way to Anand past the white washed ABP building.
We didnt have a collection and the Millers who thouroughly enjoyed the walk, actually treated us to the chinese breakfast and outing which came to Rs. 2oo. Coffee came out of hash cash for 2oo7.


Over coffees we decided the next weeks' venues.

Feb 4 Botanical Gardens and Taj Breakfast

Feb 11 Victoria memorial and Taj Breakfast unless we come up with an interesting alternative

Feb 18th Evening hash and dinner at China Town on Chinese New Year



Other hashes to look forward to:

Bonani will try to organise Clive House near Dum dum and Rajesh Poddar must get us to visit the old house across Howrah Bridge with the clocks. We could also do joka and the Gurusaday textile Museum. Abhishek Basu is happy to have us back in north calcutta to visit his house (we only saw a part of it) and maybe other houses in North Calcutta. We can even organise a Weekend hash to Shantiniketan. We can also head to Foolia.



If we organise hashes like these we don't even have to charge hash cash and can just split the costs. Since Taj sponsors breafast anyway we can collect the 1oo from guests to cover tips. Ths way we don't have the headache of accounts and putting money into the bank



We have around Rs.30000 in the bank.

My suggestion is that we spend a third on Hash T shirts and haberdashery like the backpack that madhuri has been asking for a long time. We are now 25 regular hashers. Then we can wear them to the Calcutta Marathon which should be round the corner. Red t shirts with navy trim the opposte of the blue Tsh irt design.

We can use a third to have the Zoria bridge in the Wetlands to Connect with the City or any other eco friendly project

We can use some funds to take the children of the art school on an outing we promised.

Hashers will have to be deputed to take charge of a project.



*Madhuri and Siddiqui feel that some part of the hash funds could go into providing pencils, erasers, and notebooks to street children in the hash areas like in front of the Bhowanipur cemetery, Lindsay street and Wellesley. Previously we have given sports shoes at an annual day function of an NGO for school children in Dashghara.



if we go with the idea to continue to collect hash funds then the suggestion that has been mooted is that we pay a 6 month subscrption of Rs.1ooo which goes directly into the bank. New members pay rs.5oo to join. Visitng Members rs.100. Guests Rs. 200 Children/guests children rs.100


Please emal your ideas and views and come with your suggestions on Sunday to the Botanical gardens.

akar prakar invites you to preview works by ALEX STENGHEL Saturday, 3rd February, 6:30 pm onwards .sarode recital by Sougata Roy Chowdhury with Debajyoti Sanyal, (tabla) will be followed by cocktails. P 238 Hindustan Park, Kolkata 700 029 . +91 33 2464 2617 show continues from 5th to 13th February 2007 3 to 8 pm, (sunday closed)

neela 930014934