Ramzan at Zakaria Street (2019 Edition)

Entrance to Zakaria Street/Nakhoda Masjid

I am again writing on Zakaria, as the last post I wrote on Kolkata's Ramzan special Kebab gully in 2017 (Read: Kebab Gully of Kolkata - Zakaria and Phears Lane). Zakaria is now quite famous among Kolkatans and many no-beef people just visit the area to see the grandeur of the Kebab Gully.

For the first timers, the festival of Ramzan focused on Zakaria street, and extends in surroundings including Kolutola Market/Colootola Bazar, Phears Lane, Chitpur and Rabindra Sarani. Many says the celebration is similar to Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, Mumbai’s Md Ali Road, and Hyderabad’s Old Quarters, I can't verify as I visited none of them. For off-Kolkata people Bangalore has a similar arrangement in old Bangalore but my friend confirms that can't match Zakaria by cost or taste! 

3 Days in Wayanad (April 2019)

This is my first tour to Wayanad, a district of Kerala.

It was middle of April, all the forests are closed to avoid risk of forest fire, and falls are closed due to poor water source. Best time to visit Wayanad is from mid September to February/March, that's post monsoon. During monsoon the forests are also closed as this is the mating time of animals.

It's Summer here, and dry hot climate is not suitable for travel. But we got lucky that rain started there and the greenery become livid and naturally enjoyable.

In Wayanad district, there are 3 main towns lying along the main road to south Kerala - Sultan Bathery, Kalpetta and Vythiri. we stayed at Vythiri.

We made this plan - extensive itinerary. 

Taxi Services From/To Barrackpore

Barrackpore is a old suburb on the north of Kolkata with a cantonment area. Here public transport is quite good -extending from train, bus, auto and ferry. However whenever you think about hiring a cab, you need to take a pause. Here there is no cab stand basically but cabs wait at Chiriamore mostly. Few cabs wait at Rail station but ask anything. Yellow cabs here is always a costly option, most of them refuse or ask for a price which could make you speechless enough to argue with the driver.