The grandeur of America, the charm of India

The twelve-lane interstates with its Mercs and Beemers, the winding alleys with its Puchka and Sweet shops. The vastness of Wal-mart, the warmth of the friendly Neighborhood Tea Shop. The colors at Macy's, the din of New Market, Kolkata. The sprawling university campus, the quiet solitude of ramkrishna misson. The venerable professor on his mac, the local unemployed "genius" with his Navy Cut. The roar of the Ford Mustang, the light-hearted humming of the Hero Honda. The lip-smacking bitterness Godiva dark chocolate, the full-mouthed sweetness of the Rasogolla. The quiet whiteness of Christmas, the lights and sounds of Durga Puja. The splendor of Las Vegas, the beauty of the Himalayas. The skyline of Manhattan and Chicago, the mangroves of the Sunderbans. The engineering wonder that is the Golden Gate bridge, the memories that surround the Howrah bridge. The convenience of coffee at Starbucks, the aroma that Darjeeling tea leaves behind. The white sands of California, the gentle breeze beside the Ganga. The show and pomp of the ladies at Hollywood, the bubbly but beautiful college girl who later became my Wife. The glint in the eyes of Investment Bankers, the soulful eyes of my grandmother. The grandeur that is America, the charm that is India.

Why I yearn to return to good old India

Coz, I hate washing dishes at 10 o'clock at night. Coz I hate having to cook a concoction, after washing the dishes, which I gulp down close to midnight. Coz I feel like pulling out a "monkey cap", a detested item of my childhood, everytime I walk on the streets. Coz I hate eating "sweet" chicken dishes. Coz I have eaten enough lettuce to last me a life time. Coz I miss my mom's delicacies, my dad's preachings, my bro's obnoxious demands, my grandom's tales of the yesteryears, my friend's kicks on my butt at least once every year, the street vendors and their wares, the din of Howrah station, the opulence of Eden Gardens, the chicken tikka pizza of pizza hut (instead of the horrible barbq chicken I get here), coz I miss leading a decent life.