Table for one? Yes, say Kolkata youngsters embracing solo dates
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Rediscovering the city, one solo date at a time
For many youngsters, solo dating didn't start with a plan; it began when life hit a pause. Friends moved away, relationships ended, and social plans fell through. Influencer Sneha Sarkar recalls, 'All my friends were out of town, so I thought, why not spend time with myself? It felt liberating.' Marketing professional Dhruti Sharma adds, 'It was awkward at first – to place an order and sit alone – but slowly, I started enjoying the solitude.
' For lawyer Ananrita De, it was a conscious decision. 'A date can be just you and your thoughts – no romance required.'
'Don't care about what people think; it's about me, not them'
Once seen as unusual, going solo no longer draws as many stares. 'Solo dates used to feel odd, but I realised it was all in my head. People don't care as much as we think they do,' says Dhruti. Sayan Chakraborty, a banker, agrees: 'You don't have to care about what people think.
Just go out and explore. That's how it starts.' The main takeway? The discomfort fades with time, so take the first step.
Cafés, culture, and confidence
For many, solo dates are now about reflection, rest, and quiet indulgence. Kolkata's café-lined streets, riverside spots, and cultural corners offer ample escapes. From Ballygunge to Salt Lake, rooftop cafés and cosy nooks are drawing solo-goers with their ambient music, warm service, and the welcome absence of social pressure. While some enjoy bustling spots to people-watch, others, like lawyer Ananrita De, seek more soulful escapes – boat rides on the Ganges, theatre shows, museums, and even indulging in delicious food.
Popular solo date spots:
Quaint cafés near city parks with outdoor seating
Independent bookstores with reading nooks and coffee counters
Matinee shows at less-crowded cinema halls
Art galleries or cultural centres
Boutique stores & pop-up markets
Scenic walking stretches like lakesides or botanical gardens
Rooftop eateries with panoramic city views
Libraries and work-friendly cafés
Boat rides along the Ganges during the golden hour
Museum visits, theatre performances, or live gigs
Solo dating allows me time for myself. Everyone should have their space, be it with or without a companion – Dhruti Sharma, marketing professional
Be it planned or spontaneous, don't doubt yourself. You can be good company for yourself – Ananrita De, lawyer
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Time of India
26-07-2025
- Time of India
Cal Club win to add spring in step for swish set's gender parity march
1 2 Kolkata: A day after winning the president's election, Calcutta Club's first woman president Kasturi Raha is still soaking in the congratulatory messages both for herself and her gender. But for most other colonial-era social clubs in the city, complete gender parity is still some distance away. In other premier social clubs, such as Bengal Club, Tolly Club, RCGC, RCTC, Calcutta Rowing Club and CCFC, no woman has ever led the club or contested for the top post, according to members. At most of the premier clubs, women's representation in the committee is either low or non-existent. The proportion of women to the total number of members is below 20% at most clubs. Raha told TOI it was a historical win. "Calcutta Club will have its first woman president in 117 years. To become the president of this club in itself is an achievement. I could not have achieved this without the support of the members who were present there and voted for me. I also had the blessings of those who were not present," she said. At Calcutta Club, the total number of members is 3,850, among whom less than 300 are women. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Undo Gautam Roy, a senior member of Calcutta Club, called the 2025 election a "landmark" one. "This time, not only was a woman elected president at the club but there was also another woman in the committee, Anusua Das, who received the maximum number of votes," he said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The club circuit has been witnessing a slow change over the past few years. While the 150-year-old Saturday Club had its first and only woman president almost 18 years ago, Dalhousie Institute elected its first and only woman president in 2015. Congratulating Raha on her achievement, DI's immediate past president Jayajit Biswas, said, "At Dalhousie Institute, we are especially delighted, having had the distinction of electing Denise Smith as the first woman president in 2015. We currently have four dynamic women on our council." Recalling her days as DI president, Smith said, "It was an honour to be the first woman president of the 165-year-old DI. There were so many illustrious Kolkatans who were DI presidents before me. The progressive spirit embodies our club—from women empowerment to strong cosmopolitan credentials, to quizzing to jazz and more." Welcoming the development at Calcutta Club, the immediate past president of Bengal Club, Sumit Ray, pointed out they, too, were looking at a woman president in the next few years. "We now have two women in our committee. We don't have any election at our club. Here, a member becomes a president on seniority basis. So at one point, a woman will become a president," he said, adding several women had joined the club the past couple of years. "We are now very gender equal," he added. The CEO of Tolly Club, V Ganapathy, and former Tolly president Aniruddha Lahiri lauded the election result at Calcutta Club. "I am really happy Calcutta Club has chosen a woman to lead the club affairs," Ganapathy said. The steward of RCTC and six-time president of South Club, Enrico Piperno, who was also a leading tennis player, pointed out that if a woman could lead a country why not a club. "At RCTC, Smita Bajoria served on the committee for a long time. But historically, RCTC being a racing club, the number of male members is much more," he said. RCGC captain Gaurav Ghosh said, "Unlike many other clubs, we at RCGC, have had woman members for over 40 years." Calcutta Rowing Club secretary Chandan Roychowdhury described Raha's win as a great example of women's empowerment. "CRC is perhaps the only club that has had woman members since inception," he pointed out. Rishabh C Kothari, the president of Hindusthan Club, said it was heartening to see a woman elected to the leadership position at Calcutta Club. "Several clubs in Kolkata, including Hindusthan Club, have witnessed a generational shift in recent years with fresh teams and new ideas coming in. This change is a welcome step towards meeting the aspirations of a younger generation and reflects a growing commitment to inclusivity and gender diversity in club leadership," said Kothari, who is also a member of Calcutta Swimming Club and Bengal Rowing Club.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Time of India
Table for one? Yes, say Kolkata youngsters embracing solo dates
Gone are the days when stepping out solo raised eyebrows. Today, more young Kolkatans are embracing the freedom of solo dates – from cafés and cinemas to city strolls. We speak to the city's solo daters who say it's not just about confidence; it's a personal power move. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Rediscovering the city, one solo date at a time For many youngsters, solo dating didn't start with a plan; it began when life hit a pause. Friends moved away, relationships ended, and social plans fell through. Influencer Sneha Sarkar recalls, 'All my friends were out of town, so I thought, why not spend time with myself? It felt liberating.' Marketing professional Dhruti Sharma adds, 'It was awkward at first – to place an order and sit alone – but slowly, I started enjoying the solitude. ' For lawyer Ananrita De, it was a conscious decision. 'A date can be just you and your thoughts – no romance required.' 'Don't care about what people think; it's about me, not them' Once seen as unusual, going solo no longer draws as many stares. 'Solo dates used to feel odd, but I realised it was all in my head. People don't care as much as we think they do,' says Dhruti. Sayan Chakraborty, a banker, agrees: 'You don't have to care about what people think. Just go out and explore. That's how it starts.' The main takeway? The discomfort fades with time, so take the first step. Cafés, culture, and confidence For many, solo dates are now about reflection, rest, and quiet indulgence. Kolkata's café-lined streets, riverside spots, and cultural corners offer ample escapes. From Ballygunge to Salt Lake, rooftop cafés and cosy nooks are drawing solo-goers with their ambient music, warm service, and the welcome absence of social pressure. While some enjoy bustling spots to people-watch, others, like lawyer Ananrita De, seek more soulful escapes – boat rides on the Ganges, theatre shows, museums, and even indulging in delicious food. Popular solo date spots: Quaint cafés near city parks with outdoor seating Independent bookstores with reading nooks and coffee counters Matinee shows at less-crowded cinema halls Art galleries or cultural centres Boutique stores & pop-up markets Scenic walking stretches like lakesides or botanical gardens Rooftop eateries with panoramic city views Libraries and work-friendly cafés Boat rides along the Ganges during the golden hour Museum visits, theatre performances, or live gigs Solo dating allows me time for myself. Everyone should have their space, be it with or without a companion – Dhruti Sharma, marketing professional Be it planned or spontaneous, don't doubt yourself. You can be good company for yourself – Ananrita De, lawyer
Mint
04-07-2025
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Where to eat hot ‘kochuris' in Kolkata
What is Kolkata's favourite breakfast, especially on a Sunday? For many, it is cha, kochuri and mishti. On my first morning in the city during a recent field trip, I hit two out of the three: a hot cup of milky, sweet tea from a roadside stall followed by a breakfast of kochuri (Bengali for kachori) at Adi Haridas Modak in Shyambazar. If you walk around the city's neighbourhoods in the morning, you'll find a kochuri shop at every corner of the street. For someone raised on a steady dose of the legendary Lucknow-style kachoris, the Kolkata experience is uniquely different. Unlike the wholewheat, dark brown ones of the former, the kochuris here are more delicate and made with refined flour. The khasta-ness—the thin and crumbly top layer that forms upon frying—is identical. Kochuris for breakfast almost comes as a second nature for Kolkatans. It's a staple across age-groups and social class—those heading home after their morning walk, college students, office-goers, and daily wage workers—can be seen enjoying a plate or two. 'People in the east wake up earlier as dawn is around 5am, setting the breakfast time to around 7am, and lunch is usually around 1pm. So, a kochuri-torkari (vegetable side or subzi) keeps us going. It's also affordable, and costs about ₹20 for a plate," says Sanhita Dasgupta Sensarma, a city-based food documentarian. In a scene from the 2015 film Piku, Amitabh Bachchan's character Bhaskor Banerjee cycles across Kolkata, parks at a kochuri shop, and enjoys the dish before heading back home. The next morning, he dies peacefully in his sleep. The scene is like a metaphor; I suppose eating hot kochuris is akin to visiting God's abode. The shop featured in the film is one of the popular ones, Mohan Bhandar in Dharmatala, that recently completed 100 years. It makes the classic hing (asafoetida) kochuri with a filling of split white urad dal, and is served with a runny potato curry that derives its flavour from a tempering of panch phoron or the Bengali five-spice mix. 'Our speciality is the green chilli pickle that you will not find anywhere else," says owner Vikas Jaiswal, whose great-grandfather migrated from Allahabad, and opened the shop in 1925. The pickle is an Allahabadi touch, where they are also served with a sweet and sour tamarind chutney, that is available at Mohan Bhandar ( ₹50 for 4 kochuris). Being over a century old, and visited by Bengali legends, are the two markers of an iconic kochuri shop, and Adi Haridas Modak checks both boxes. The 250-year-old shop was started by Satyendranath Das Modak in 1780, who named it after his son. The kochuris ( ₹36 for 3), are served with mildly-sweet cholar dal or chana dal cooked with diced potatoes on a banana leaf. 'We still make our masalas in the hamam dasta (traditional mortar and pestle) like it used to happen during my forefathers' time," says the sixth-generation owner Indrajit Modak, claiming it was frequented by the likes of Ramakrishna Paramhansa and his disciple Swami Vivekananda during the city's renaissance period in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Kochuri is not a homogenous entity, as it changes flavours, and even shapes depending on who is making it. Apart from the classic hing-er kochuri, there's koraishuti-r kochuri made with green peas during winter, sattu by the Bihari migrants, and club kochuri, which are golf ball-sized from the Marwari community. Like the kochuri, the accompanying potato curry also differs across the city. 'Bengalis originally from West Bengal prefer sweetness in their food, as opposed to those migrated from East Bengal, where more spice or chillies are used. So you will find the torkari in North Kolkata (the older part of the city) to be slightly sweeter," says Dasgupta Sensarma. At Geetika on Sukia Street and Nandy Sweets ( ₹14 for 2 hing kochuris), Goabagan Road, both located in the Manicktala area and run by Bengalis, the torkari is made of potatoes with the skin on, and has hints of ginger, and the unmistaken sweetness that comes from the addition of sugar. In Howrah, the city on the western bank of the Hooghly, too, the love for kochuri is the same. On Dobson Road, two kochuri shops, both run by Marwaris—Lali Chhangani and Vaishno Sweets & Snacks ( ₹36 for)—are jam-packed with people queuing up to get their Sunday breakfast. Both make club kochuri that are puffed up and crispy, with a filling of urad dal. At Lali Chhangani, a branch of the 50-year-old shop located in Bara Bazar, it is served in a large conical bowl made of dried leaves. The torkari here is spicy compared to the shops run by the Bengalis and those from Uttar Pradesh; a layer of red chilli oil on top is an indication. At Vaishno Sweets, it also includes paneer and chole, with a generous topping of sev. The Marwaris migrated to Kolkata in the 19th century as traders and merchants, and brought with them their unique food traditions. At Sharma Sweets and Snacks ( ₹12 per kochuri) in Lake Market, South Kolkata, I found the torkari closer to the one made in Lucknow—flavoured with coriander seeds and fennel. The city is dotted with kochuri shops named Sharma Sweets run by migrants from Uttar Pradesh. 'There's a Bihari version too, which has garlic. One can find it in the Bara Bazar area, or Howrah where there are more Bihari migrants," adds Dasgupta Sensarma. I am a Lucknow kachori fiend, and yet I find Kolkata's kochuri culture unique, with each migrant community bringing its own flavour, and tying it neatly to the city's inherent love for deep-fried breads. Shirin Mehrotra is a Delhi-based food writer and researcher
