According to Wikipedia, “couch- surfing” is the practice of moving from one friend’s house to another, sleeping in whatever spare space is available, floor or couch, generally staying a few days.
In other words, if you like travelling but can’t afford to stay for a week in, say, New York, you get in touch with fellow members of a couch- surfing website who live in New York, and who would be willing to put you up for a few days. In return, you are also expected to provide help to fellow couchsurfers. No exchange of money involved.
The practice of couch- surfing, however, need not always be about letting strangers stay in your house. Its meaning has also evolved to social networking – not on the Net, but hanging out with friends in the real world. And the tribe of couchsurfers, who meet up regularly or organise fun get-togethers once in a while, is growing in Calcutta.
Elise Collins likes to play board games. After she shifted to Calcutta from Adelaide for a year in January, she posted a note on the Calcutta group of couchsurfing.org, inviting everyone to an afternoon of board games. She expected five-six people to turn up, but was taken aback when more than a dozen did.
“I used to organise board game afternoons back home, in Adelaide, but I never expected so many people to turn up for the first meet (in Calcutta),” said the 25-year- old, who is pursuing a masters degree in applied anthropology and participatory development.
Rimi Basu, an Indian-origin singer based in Washington, is working on her first Bengali music album in Calcutta. A number of couch- surfers turned up to encourage her at the shoot of a music video for one of her songs after she posted a message on the site.
“It was so nice to see some couchsurfers turn up for the shoot,” gushed Rimi. “This is my first Bengali album, so it was great to have the support.”
A CS meeting can be just be plain fun, even bordering on the outré. In March last year, a message on the CS Calcutta group by a traveller called Magnus invited people over for a pillow-fight outside Victoria Memorial. It was for “anyone who likes to play, is fun and has a happy attitude.”
The community of couch- surfers in Calcutta meets every week at some pub, café or restaurant. Every time, there are new faces and friendships are often forged over over a pint of beer or a cup of cappuccino.
IT professional Sanjay Paul, who is a regular at the meets, says he’s met travelling CS-ers during Durga Puja a number of times. “Last year, there were six of us. We had them experience what Durga Puja is all about – right from wearing a sari on Ashtami to pandal-hopping.”
It seems there was never a better time for travellers from across the world to experience Calcutta up, close and personal.