My first trip to Kolkata, after a decade,
with my family, meant visiting all the
important tourist spots. One such activity

was the ferry ride on river Hoogly, against
the backdrop of Howrah Bridge. As we waited
for our ferry, enjoying the river’s flow,

and the cool, gentle breeze against our skin,
my son tugged on my arms and drew my attention
towards a gigantic eagle perched on the plank,

a few feet away from where we stood. With fierce,
glittering eyes, the brown wings merging with
the color of floorboard leading to the ferry

point, the eagle was a sight to behold. We took
a few steps back and slowly opened our phones,
watching out for the eagle’s discomfort. We clicked

a few pictures as it stared at us, unblinking.
The ferry honked as it came closer. We kept looking
at the eagle and it continued to watch us, as we stepped

into the ferry. It spread its magnificent wings, shook
its head and soared into the sky. We continued watching
it, till we could see it no more and then enjoyed the ride

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar