First Time @ College Street Coffee House

---

The first time I went to the College Street Coffee House was in the year 1995. I was thirteen years old then. I went there with my father. Before going to that place, I had heard many things about the Coffee House from my father and other relatives. I had also heard Manna Dey's song 'Coffee House-er Shei Adda-ta' on radio too. So I was really looking forward to visit this place. I kept on asking my father for months to take me to the Coffee House. 

Finally one day he agreed. I was really thrilled. We went there in a cab. In those days the Ambassador cabs of Calcutta were painted in yellow and black colours. My father also had an Ambassador car in those days but he did not take his car to College Street because of parking problems. Anyways as soon as I stepped inside the Coffee House and walked up those ancient stairs, I immediately fell in love with the place. It was a weekday evening but still it was crowded. We were lucky to get an empty table on the first floor. I clearly remember that I had ordered chicken kabiraji and infusion. My father also ordered an infusion and fish fry. I looked all around the huge hall and was mesmerized by it. I also eavesdropped on the conversations that other people were having at the surrounding tables. We spent around one hour inside Coffee House and then left the place. 

Once we came out of Coffee House, we heard rabindrasangeet being played at a nearby shop. We went to that shop and my father enquired about the singer whose cassette was playing there. Most probably the name of that shop was Parlo-Phone. The shopkeeper told us that the name of the singer was Srabani Sen. My father immediately bought the audio cassette. I looked around the shop and saw Anjan Dutta's 'Purono Guitar' cassette. I asked my father to buy it for me. He initially denied my request. Then I kept on insisting and finally he agreed to buy it for me. I still have both the cassettes with me even to this day...

---