Welcome to a new column in its third week! You will enjoy this if you are a Calcuttan (there can never be a ?Kolkatan?!). You don?t have to be a quiz junkie to relish this column. We will bring you nuggets of our favourite city under any of the ?Cal? categories each week. So there could be Gastronomi-Cal, Histori-Cal, Topi-Cal, Comi-Cal, Physi-Cal, Typi-Cal, Politi-Cal, or even Lexi-Cal. This week, let?s get Histori-Cal and Gastronomi-Cal.

QUESTIONS

Histori-Cal

1. Calcutta has many famous buildings. Here is a question on one of them. The foundation stone of which famous building did King George V, then the Prince of Wales, lay on January 4, 1906?

2. Here is a little- known fact about a very well-known Bengali. The 'transfer' of which famous Indian is often regarded as the only known submarine-to-submarine transfer of a human during World War II?

3. How well do you know the national flag? Try this. The evolution of the Indian national flag is usually traced back to one that was hoisted in August 1906, in Parsee Bagan Square in Calcutta. Which two words were inscribed on this flag?

Gastronomi-Cal

4. Here is something for the vegetarians! Which vegetable is referred to as gachh pata?

5. Now for some mishtimukh! What is unique about a sweet named Jalbhora?

6. Finally, an authentic Calcutta drink to wash it all down with! Which Calcutta institution has launched a substitute for aerated drinks named ?Cola-hol?, sold in earthen cups, in orange, lime, mango and sweet-and-salt flavours?

topi-cal

Typi-Cal The present logo of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation was adopted on February 22, 1961. Among other things, it features a Mayurpankshi boat. The boat depicts the erstwhile naval trade of southern Bengal, a reminder of the times when Calcutta was a bustling commercial hub to reckon with. Many of us are still waiting for a return to the glory days of Calcutta as a top-notch business centre.

ANSWERS

1. The Victoria Memorial; it was formally opened to the public in 1921; 2. Subhas Chandra Bose; 3. The words Vande Mataram; 4. Green jackfruit, or enchor; 5. It is a hard (kora-pak) sandesh that is filled with syrup; 6. Jadavpur University