Oh my beautiful Calcutta,
What a wonderful feeling it must have been,
To stand on the banks of the holy Ganges
Over the ages,
With a futuristic vision in your eyes
And, a collective smile over your faces,
During the pre- and post-union era
With flanking Sutanuti and Govindapur villages

From the distant past you have been here,
With the Goddess Kali of Kalighat,
The ever-graceful and compassionate mother of all!
Numerous pilgrims come here from far and near,
To assemble in your courtyard seeking favors;
And, never have you allowed one to go empty handed,
From your courtyard way back home

Eternal are your teachings,
That keeps on joining numerous souls,
Making a tolerant society unique in our world
Time and time again many a great souls
Have joined you joyfully under your cover,
Drawn by your grace in opportune times,
To spread the sacred wisdom that you hold so dear
On the ultimate goal of a human soul

Here came Mother Teresa, for instance,
To take care of your destitute souls,
And offer hopes to millions around the world
Showing how to care for the poor by own example:
In a scale rare in the history of mankind

Oh my great Calcutta,
You are the Spirit of charity and charm;
Since you satisfy the needs of those
Who sincerely pray for them
People from all sectors alike,
The Pathans, Mughals, British, French and the like
Came either to trade or to conquer
While some remained anchored thereafter
And many returned home in harmony
Following inspiring trades with their belongings

For many a centuries you have been here
Collecting your rare wisdom
While filling up your precious treasury;
Thus, decorating yourself joyfully in those gems
You have been marching forward in peaceful grace!

You rejoice new events each month of a year,
In order to share your inner joy
That is your very nature
And ignoring the differences in color and creed,
And rich and the poor alike
You are immersed in the celebration of each festivity.

Forever holding the flag of your universal culture
You are marching forward all together
Always striving to reach your higher nature
Thus, being in the forefront
You shine at the core of this great pilgrimage.
Sri Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and Sri Ma-Saroda
Became the household names in your care,
And in similar fashion you had drawn
Many a souls to their highest prominence
Thus, you kept creating a garland of great talents
As an unrivaled asset for human welfare
The magnificence and glamour of which
Is now echoing the world over

You are a pillar of our great Indian culture.
How proud am I to be born in your bosom!
Oh Calcutta, my eternal Calcutta, I salute thee!!

*Dedicated to Revered Mamta Banerjee; the Chief Minister of West Bengal, India