First into our trusty ambassador car- still same old 1050's design- aren't they gorgeous....Kalkota is steamy yet I was filled with intrigue by it, Praveen and I decided we could put up with the heat fro a chance to come back and look around some more...love the way the jungle is bursting through everywhere!
Definitely India, but a very different side [Mombai which is steamy hot as well did not have this allure for us?]
good highway to get out of town and so much less traffic than Delhi for the first leg of our journey...
Not long and we were in farming land and many small villages, most of the building is mudbrick with thatched roofs- charming but also indicative of a poor population....
It was a shock to come across very dry vistas amongst pockets of jungle like ones...this is a big rice growing area and so waiting for the monsoons to get onto planting...talking to locals though they commented on having no rain the last month or so and so the land is too dry to start and prepare- what to do?
local farm transport
Pockets of forest were a charing surprise...I did not realise how used I had become to desert scenery, to drive amongst trees and smell the difference was such a difference....so lovely and green
Mrs Khatun and her family- what a treat of works to see....as you can imagine we added to our stash of Pukka Finds!
see better pictures on facebook and email me for more info.
I am planning on putting the info and pics on my website Our Pukka Place/ Finds but am having internet problems or possibly computer sulking due to heat and everything is taking such a long, long time to happen!! that's life for you...
I met Mre Khatun some time ago and was impressed with her work...I have since checked out a number of other kantha producers and am still impressed with her innovation and quality...nice family.
After pulling out all the work they had to show, they casually said would you like a little rice for lunch before you go? To be polite we said yes...in India traditionally many different groups/castes/religions don't eat togther and we did not want to seem like that...so even though we should have been hurrying out the door we said yes and what a treat!!
Muslin people have a great generosity to the traveller, it is a custom to always see they are fed- well this family certainly lived up to that!!
A little rice- forget it, a mountain of rice, tangy, tasty coaked chicken, ridged gourd, potao/onion vegeatable, homemade tamoto chutney, the flakiest, crispiest parantha oyu can imagine....ohh wonderful!!
Shukriya, shukriya, shukriya and a bif thank you thrown in!!
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