That kolkata had its genesis as the English east-India company HQ in situ is apparent . the city has a strong Victorian stamp.. most of the sprawling, grandiose buildings … mock Georgian or Victorian… some are huge. Some gothic .. are crumbling..
Its basically a secular modern city. strong muslim flavoring. The strident religiosity of other places in the subcontinent is notabley absent. .its more for the dropouts of India not so much its advocates or critics... . it is perhaps the deepest mark the English left here.
If one cant develop some humility wandering in the streets here, then probably one should try another planet.
Walking around the street I passed by mother theresas place on ajc bose road..( many of the roads in Calcutta have 2 names as people disagree on what they should be called .it will have its roots in sectarianism. so they have 2. Perhaps more)
What interest has a political economy blog in mother Theresa? I wouldn’t say nun. ( forgive me sister.)
I first heard about mother Theresa as a primary-school boy .. I had largely forgotten but at that point I think I had promised myself to go to India and be a missionary.. a noble thought.. one a bit too noble for me to have lived up to.. ( not sure how sorry I am to say that.) (one has to be careful what one says.. even silently to ones self.. or especially.. )
This is what I think of mother Theresa now:-
1950 she formed the missionaries of charity after a decade or so in Calcutta. Her movement vowed to help the poorest of the poor.
The poverty here is unbelievable but I believe that the efforts of that one lady from Albania has made a huge difference. I believe she healed the sick and alleviated much suffering. I believe kolkata is a much better place for her having been here. and the world also. A saint.. I believe that India with all its ugliness halts at the portal of her mission, and is there forgiven.
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