A is for Office. This is where the average Kolkakattan goes and spends a =
day hard(ly) at work. If he is in the Government he will arrive at 10, =
wipe his forehead till 11, have a tea break at 12, throw around a few =
files at 12.30, break for lunch at 1, smoke an unfiltered cigarette at =
2, break for tea at 3, sleep sitting down at 4 and go home at 5. It's a =
hard life!=20


B is for Bhision. For some reason most of the Bengalis don't have good =
bhision. In fact in Kolkata most people are wearing spectacles all the =
time. The effects of this show in the city.=20


C is for Chappell. This is the Bengali word for the Devil, for the worst =
form of evil. In the night mothers put their kids to sleep saying 'go to =
bed, or Chappei will come and take you away.'=20


D is for Debashish. By an ancient law every fourth Bengali Child has to =
be named Debashish. So you have a Debashish everywhere and tying to get =
creative they are also called Deb, Debu, Deba with variations like =
Debnath and Deboprotim thrown in.=20


E is for Eeesh. This is a very common Bengali exclamation made famous by =
Aishwarya Rai in the movie Devdas. It is estimated that on an average a =
Bengali uses eeesh 10,089 times every year. (That's counting eeesh and =
other eeesh-ish words).=20


F is for Feesh. These are creatures that swim in rivers and seas and are =
a favourite food of the Bengalis. Despite the fact that a fish market =
has such strong smells, with one sniff a Bengali knows if a fish is all =
right.  If not he will say 'eeesh what feeesh is theesh!'=20


G is for Good name. Every Bengali Boy will have a good name like =
Debashish  or Deboprotim and a pet name like Shontuda, Chonti, and =
Dinku. While every  Bengali Girl will be Paromita or Protima as well as =
Shampa, Champa and Tuki. Basically your nickname is there to kiil your =
good name.=20


H is for Harmonium. The Bengali equivalent of a rock guitar. Take four =
Bengalis and a Harmonium and you have the successors to The Bheatles!=20


I is for lleesh. This is a feeesh with 10,000 bones which would kill any =
ordinary person, but which the Bengalis eat with releeesh!=20


J is for Jhola. No self respecting Bengali is complete without his =
Jhola.  It is a shapeless cloth bag where he keeps all his belongings =
and he fits an amazing number of things in. Even as you read this there =
are 2 million jholas bobbling around Kolkata- and they all look exactly =
the same!=20


K is for Kee Kando. It used to be the favourite Bengali exclamation till =
eeesh took over because of Aishwarya Rai (now Kee Kando's agent is =
trying to hire Bipasha Basu).=20


L is for Lungi. People in Kolkata manage to play football and cricket =
wearing it. Now there is talk of a lungi expedition to Mt. Everest.=20


M is for Minibaas. These are dangerous half buses whose antics would =
effortlessly frighten the living daylights out of Formula 1 race =
drivers.=20


N is for Nangtoe. This is the Bengali word for Naked. It is the most =
interesting naked word in any language!=20


0 is for Oil. The Bengalis believe that a touch of mustard oil will cure =
anything from cold (oil in the nose), to earache (oil in the ear), to =
cough (oil on the throat) to piles (oil you know where!)=20


P is for Phootball. This is always a phavourite phassion of the =
Kolkattan.  Every Bengali is born an expert in this game. The two =
biggest clubs there are Mohunbagan and East Bengal and when they play =
the city comes to a stop.=20


Q is for Queen. This really has nothing to do with the Bengalis or =
Kolkata, but it's the only Q word I could think of at this moment. =
There's also Quilt but they never use them in Kolkata.=20


R is for Rabi Thakur. Many years ago Rabindranath got the Nobel Prize. =
This allows everyone in Kolkata to frame their acceptance speeches and =
walk with their head held high and look down at Delhi and Mumbai!=20


S is for Sardarjee whom Bengalis are very envious of because he is born =
with a semi-monkey cap on.=20


T is for Trams. Hundred years later there are still trams in Kolkata. Of =
course if you are in a hurry it's faster to walk.=20


U is for Ambrela. When a Bengali baby is born they are handed one.=20


V is for Violence. Bengalis are the most non-violent violent people =
around.  When an accident happens they will shout and scream and curse =
and abuse,  but the last time someone actually hit someone was in 1979 =
(and that too by mistake !!).=20


W is for Water. For three months of the year the city is underwater and =
every year for the last 200 years the authorities are taken by surprise =
by this!=20


X is for X mas. It's very big in Kolkata, with Park Street fully lit up. =



Y is for Yastarday. Which is always better than today for a Bengali.=20


Z is for Jeebra, Joo, Jip and Jylophone.=20