A handful of thoughts

Here’s to the peaceful and everlasting memory of Coffee Pai Cafe. This chic little cozy cafe on Camac St. Kolkata used to be the favorite haunt mostly for students from all neighboring colleges. On this little haven with whitewashed walls with snaps of coffee beans, many a heart have broken, revelled, revealed its passion and also found new refuge. But Coffee Pai Cafe was not like the run of the mill cafe chains that have now flooded the city. Its wrought iron furniture, chequered table cloth and white walls, gave it a Mediterranean flavor. The coffee counter with its bottles of exotic flavored syrups, looked to me somewhat like the shelf of a black magic practitioner.

The menu too, broke away from the usual sandwiches, salads and muffins. I mean those were there too, but you could also get a vareity of stuffed parathas (read, potato, cabbage, paneer, onion, radish stuffing) served with pickles and sweetened yoghurt, pasta, cookies and brownies and hot and cold beverages. We even at times got a second helping of yoghurt or a plate of cookies complementary.

However, this Coffee Pai Cafe, is now a garments store. My story ends here. I choose to preserve my silence, in the sacred memory of this place, a pilgrimage of my memories.