*The Khana Coolies of Calcutta*

*The Khana Coolies of Calcutta* _A Taste of the City I Love_ Before apps tracked our every craving, there were the Khanna Coolies of Calcutta — bicycle - riding food porters who brought lunch with soul and dinner with character, in a city that once danced to the rhythm of jazz and jhalfrezi. *_The City That Swung_* There was a time when Calcutta dressed for work — and for dinner. The 1970s and ’80s were the city's golden decades, when blue - chip companies like Brooke Bond, Dunlop, Reckitt & Colman, and ITC dominated the business skyline. Secretaries, especially the elegant Anglo - Indian ladies who trained at Suffee Commercial College on Wellesley Street, typed at dazzling speeds and knew how to carry a pencil skirt and pearls with effortless grace. Come evening, Park Street shimmered to life. At Trincas, Blue Fox, and Moulin Rouge, crooners like Pam Craine, Eve and Usha Uthup serenaded the city, while elegantly clad Calcuttans at the city's many clubs engaged in polite conversations with the clink of cocktail glasses. There was music, magic, and a distinct flavour of modernity woven into the old - world charm. BUT!! There Was No Time to Cook!! Women worked. Families rushed. There were board meetings, social evenings, and everything in between— but little time to cook! That’s when they arrived: the Khanna Coolies — Calcutta’s original food delivery men carrying lovingly cooked home made meals. They weren’t just delivery boys. They were lifelines. On sturdy bicycles, they pedalled across the city, balancing aluminium tiffin carriers strapped tightly in metal frames. They brought meals from quietly efficient home kitchens – usually run by women – directly to homes and offices. They knew who liked what. They remembered dietary quirks. They delivered not just food, but a working woman's dream come true!! *_The Art of the Three - Tiered Tiffin Carrier_* Each tiffin carrier was a small ceremony in itself: ```Top Tier – The Showstopper``` • Chicken Jhalfrezi with caramelised onions and crisp capsicum. • ⁠Minced Lamb Cutlets wrapped in banana leaf with a hint of lime. • ⁠A bold Fish au Gratin flavoured with kasundi, the perfect East - meets - West. ```Middle Tier – The Companion``` • Cauliflower Mornay with a sprinkle of garam masala. • ⁠Chhana Paturi – Spinach Roulade, marrying local and continental notes. • ⁠Stir - fried seasonal vegetables with sultanas and cashew. ```Bottom Tier – The Soul``` • Tomato Soup with curry leaf croutons. • ⁠Lentil Mulligatawny, creamy and smoky. • ⁠A comforting meatball broth, rich and peppery. Evenings brought heavier delights — • Stuffed Peppers with mince/ bandel cheese and raisins, served alongside panch phoron fried rice • ⁠Roast Chicken with rosemary and mashed aaloo posto • ⁠Or the eternal comfort of Mutton Stew, slow-cooked to perfection Each meal was carefully composed, unfussy, and deeply satisfying — a quiet celebration of Calcutta’s multicultural palate. ```The Men Who Carried Memories``` The Khanna Coolies from Sultan and Guzmonds – to name a couple of the most popular ones didn’t need apps or spreadsheets. They knew their customers personally. “No egg for Mrs. D’Souza today.” “Extra gravy for Bobby Babu.” "Vegetarian for Anjali Sharma madam", "2 'isspesal' (special) with caramel custard on Sundays for Sandy baba". They knew it all!! Food delivered with clockwork precision and a sense of pride. They were part of the family without ever crossing the threshold. Their arrival with the _tring tring_ of the doorbell heralded joy!!! Nana or aunty would be ready with the containers to empty out the tiffin carrier, give it a quick wash with a mixture of vim powder and clean ash from the wooden chulha. All so much fun!!! ```When I Think of Calcutta``` Now, as I watch young riders zipping through traffic, thermal bags slung across their shoulders, I smile at the memory of those simple tiffin carriers. Not as efficient, perhaps. But far more human. The Khana Coolies didn’t just deliver food. They carried care. They connected kitchens to boardrooms, working women to home - cooked love, tradition to modernity. They carried a Calcutta which some of us still remember......... *Nostalgic memories* *_ by aneeta brooks_* *_June 2015_*