Kolkata Chronicles: From Middle Class to Cat Parties
The other way of having a kitty party
Welcome to the wild and wacky city of Kolkata, where the rich flaunt their riches, the poor strive for a better life, and the middle class, like me, try to find their place in this colorful chaos.
Today, I’m going to take you on a rollercoaster ride through my life, filled with contrasting family tales, my toxic dad and a hilarious twist involving kitty parties that you won’t want to miss!
Growing up in Kolkata, my family was firmly rooted in the middle class. But here’s the kicker , not all our relatives followed the same script.
In every poor family, there’s that one shining star who escapes the clutches of generational poverty. In my family, it was the complete opposite.
My great-grandfather and all of my grandfather’s siblings not only climbed the social and financial ladder but also left behind a trail of generational wealth for their kids, my father’s cousins included.
My grandfather was a high-ranking government official in the Income Tax Department of India. Prestigious benefits, a fat paycheck, and a bundle of perks.
Sounds like the perfect recipe for financial stability, right? Wrong! He never saved a dime for himself and barely spent on his wife and son – my toxic father.
Ah, my father, the eternal scholar, always eager to flaunt his education and knowledge.
Unfortunately, he neglected the small matter of earning enough to take good care for his daughter – that’s me! So, I grew up in true middle-class fashion.
Occasionally, I’d visit my aunt’s lavish apartment in a swanky high-rise building. Her kids attended one of the city’s most expensive schools, and my father couldn’t stop talking about their educational choices.
Did he think to send me to such a school? Nope! I was just a bewildered teenager who assumed they were mega-rich, making me feel utterly inferior. Little did I know that confidence and wisdom would come knocking later in life!
It’s bizarre that we, a community with numerous Nobel laureates, still feel ashamed of not mastering Bengali. Here, English proficiency measures education and financial status.Looking back, it’s downright comical!
Now, let’s talk about "kitty parties." I never attended one, nor do I want to. The term implies cute little kittens, but it’s just a lavish affair for wealthy women. Movies and TV shows love portraying these gatherings as the pinnacle of luxury.
Recently, my guy had a business meeting with a client whose wife was a kitty party enthusiast. When he learned about the weekly expenses these ladies incurred, he was gobsmacked.
To put it in perspective, their weekly expenses matched my entire month’s salary! I wasn’t surprised, and my mom remained silent. But then, he made a prediction — that I would soon join the ranks of kitty party hosts.
Mom and I exchanged glances, both unhappy with the prediction. But just when we were about to protest, he declared, "I guarantee she’ll throw parties for all the kittens in the city – literally!"
We couldn’t help but burst into laughter. That’s how the three of us hatched a plan to host a "purrfect" party with cat food for all the neighborhood’s furry residents.
Life in Kolkata is a whirlwind of contrasts, from family fortunes to societal biases. And in the midst of it all, we discovered that sometimes the craziest ideas bring the most joy.
So, if you hear about a "kitty party" in my neighborhood, don’t be surprised if it’s filled with actual kittens enjoying a feast fit for feline royalty!
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