Exploring the City of Joy
It is through the act of traveling and reflecting that we gain insights and experiences, just as the disciples’ hearts burned with understanding when Jesus explained the scriptures to them. SSC Juniors’ educational tour to Kolkata, the “city of joy”, was something very similar to us as we explored the city, discovering bitter-sweet realities of life. We were especially moved to see the struggles and hardships of the ordinary people, working hard for their existence and survival. The tour took place from January 27-29, 2025. Father Vinod Soreng SJ (RAN) was the staff coordinator for this tour and Father Ranjit Kumar Horo SJ (RAN) the Assistant Dean, the tourist guide. The travel-plan in Kolkata designed by Father Roshan Tirkey, SJ (CCU), the Principal of St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata.
The first day (January 27) of our arrival in the city was quite eventful. We visited Dhyan Ashram to meet our fellow Juniors of Kolkata and spend some quality time out there. After the initial introduction, the Juniors of Dhyan Ashram and SSC Hazaribag got themselves engaged in a mini-battle of intellectual alertness and curiosity: The Quiz, designed and anchored by Fr. Thomas, SJ, the teaching faculty of DA Kolkata. On the second day of our tour, we actually had a good look at the city and all its resources. We felt that the city and its historicity is very rich and the heritage enormous. We explored four important places of the city, namely, Alipore Zoo, Science city, St. Xavier’s Jesuit University and Eco Park. Our first visit of the third day holds very special place for us: The visit to the Mother House (Mother Teresa Sisters’ Generalate). It was here that Mother Teresa’s mortal remains were laid to rest.
Traveling around Kolkata was a joyful and fun-filled experience. We decided to explore the streets of Kolkata on foot, which made for an unforgettable experience. Our travel of the city on foot and quite often on public transports, gave us new life insights into how ordinary people deal with difficulties of life often travelling by crowded public transports and often waling miles on foot. It helped us discover many existential realities and hardships of life being experienced by people in the margins of our society. We witnessed the stark contrasts between different sections of people, buildings, construction sites, works in progress and plenty of people pouring into the streets of Kolkata to make good fortunes for themselves and their families. The challenge of navigating the busy streets was part of the adventure. One of the most unique experiences was riding the underwater metro beneath the Hooghly River. Traveling across the Hooghly River itself was an amazing experience for us. The local bus rides offered a unique experience as we interacted with the people of Kolkata. When we travelled in one of the oldest means of transports- the Tram, we felt utterly connected with the past. It was indeed and experience of a lifetime. While walking in the streets of Kolkata on foot, we could identify ourselves with ordinary people of the city.
While returning home, we, once again felt in sync with the city of joy we witnessed and lived in for three day, enchanted, saturated, fascinated, moved and affected. We are reminded of the colorful glittering lights in every nuke and corner of the city, the sights of the people of the city of joy- many cheerful, some melancholic, while others pensive and agitated but most of them full of life. These moments, experiences, insights and questions at times will remain etched in our memories for the rest of our lives.
Sch. Ugin Martin SJ (CEN), Junior, SSC Sitagarah, Hazaribag.
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