The word adda is synonymous with Bengali culture and tradition. The picture that immediately comes to mind is that of a group of young men sitting on a narrow platform outside their house (rok), in the park or their college or office canteen, deeply engrossed in a serious discussion over a cuppa. It’s an undeniable fact that the unemployed youth mostly constitute these addas, but these sessions are so addictive that they can never come out its clutches. Even after getting employed, they would continue meeting at their favourite spot at the appointed time.

Addas are, however, not limited to men. Women have similar sessions at home with friends, cousins or other family members. These innocuous chats are usually carried out in suppressed voices and used as a platform to vent their intellectual self. In fact, it is at these addas that many a famous intellectual of Bengal was born. Their favourite spots are now a part of Bengal’s folklore.

An august personality like Nirad C Choudhuri is believed to have been a regular participant in the adda at the Prabasi (Bengali magazine) office of ABP, while the C R Avenue Coffee House was the favourite haunt of film maestro Satyajit Ray. The other remarkable adda joint is the Coffee House in College Street, which has nurtured many well-known writers and poets over the years. The topics of discussion — yes you guessed it right — would invariably revolve around the world of literature and art.

There’s another form of adda that take place during morning and evening walks, taken part mostly by the elderly and the retired. Along the Dhakuria lake and several other parks, they go on with their rigmarole of debating on contemporary political issues, Sourav Ganguly’s performance at the latest test match, or the sharp decline of values and ideals among youth, and reminiscing their bygone days.

Indeed, these addas comprise talking — an art of the finest degree which is not everybody’s cup of tea. To be an active member, one has to possess a gift of the gab and be informed, besides possessing promptness of mind and clarity of thought.

Famous Kolkata addas include the Coffee House on College Street. Though mostly frequented by college students, many go there merely for the sake of a mindless chat. It continues to be a paradise for poets, artistes, literatti and people from the world of art and culture. Several literary magazines owe their origin to the inspiration from the adda sessions at this historical house.

Nandan/ Rabindrasadan premises is where budding actors and directors are usually found, along with ardent lovers of theatre or parallel cinema. It is the venue for song festivals, poetry festivals, fine-arts or little-magazine festivals all year round. The Coffee House in Jadavpur was founded not so long ago for the students of Jadavpur University. However, the local youth has joined the flock for the sake of a sprightly adda.

At the Academy of Fine Arts, many artistes and creative people hum around to critically discuss the plays and exhibitions held here. Rabindra Sarovar is frequented mostly by the elderly from south Calcutta along with young couples looking for a spot of privacy. The proximity of Nazrul Mancha, Rabindra Sarovar stadium and the adjacent swimming clubs has helped emerge some addas sporadically.

The more westernised population, however, used to opt for Big Max off Park Street, Flury’s on Park Street or Scoop by the river Hooghly — usually to date their beau. While the Jadavpur University lobby steps would be the haunt for both the Shakespeare and the Bob Dylan fan. The green benches near the back gate of St Xavier’s College is another such adda joint, not to mention the famous Presidency College canteen.

But, thanks to a more consumerist Calcutta of today, the modern youth prefer to sit around the Café Coffee Day outlets or the Barista coffee shops. Arambagh’s new Adda Bites lures quite a big chunk of the adda-loving young population of the city, while The Chai Shop at the City Centre is a favourite with the Salt Lake crowd.
The addas too have evolved over the years: from engrossing discussions on the latest release of Harry Potter, the latest gadget in the market to the funkiest accessories’ store in town.

The lounge bars that have mushroomed in the past couple of years, The Tea Table (T3) also on Park Street and of course, the food courts at the malls are equally popular destinations for shopaholics and movie buffs to tickle their intellect.