Reminds me very much of the salon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_(gathering)
Adda as a Way of Life
11–20 of 36 posts
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#12Brings back memories of my grandpa. We used to roam around the streets of Kolkata and surprisingly he had a tonne of friends nearby. Just a walk with my grandpa to the local tea store would take 2-3 hours. Because he would be busy with adda. Topics used to range from why Buddhadeb (Chief minister of West Bengal, India ) was not working upto the mark to why Tendulkar is the greatest cricket player alive. Things also u…
Kind of a same experience, my nana (maternal grandfather) use to sit on his front patio every day in the evenings. He would talk to people passing by on the street and sometimes a group of people would gather around him and they would just chat away drinking tea and eating biscuits that they would buy from a hawker passing by.
Living in the US, thats what I miss most about India, the social experience. Though the quality of life is much better here. Articles like this incite that nostalgic melancholy that I have learnt to suppress very well.
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#13A similar phenomenon exists in the UK though I don’t think it has a name (crack/craic is close: “what’s the crack?”), and is more related to how you (and your friends) are wired, though it is a common occurrence in pubs across the country. North America (Canada specifically) is much less open to these kinds of discussions, though that could just be my social circle (or lack thereof) and it feels kind of lonely. The c…
I think one point here is that people in India aren’t shying away from politics and religion. Robust conversations about fundamental questions are the norm. (Spoken as an non-Desi with a bit of travel and work experience in south India).
Yep, discussion of politics is probably the second most common topic, first one being Cricket. Friends and neighbors agree to disagree though it has been getting quite polarized these days.
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#14Don't most cultures in the world (outside of the US) engage in these kinds of discussions? I lived in Italy for a few months and as I was walking around the city I'd often come across groups of 2 to 4 men standing on a corner engaged in a passionate conversation. I might see them as I entered a store to shop and when I came out 30 minutes later they'd still be at it.
I'm kind of envious - it's really something we don't have in the US because we're such an isolated culture.
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#15A similar phenomenon exists in the UK though I don’t think it has a name (crack/craic is close: “what’s the crack?”), and is more related to how you (and your friends) are wired, though it is a common occurrence in pubs across the country. North America (Canada specifically) is much less open to these kinds of discussions, though that could just be my social circle (or lack thereof) and it feels kind of lonely. The c…
> North America (Canada specifically) is much less open to these kinds of discussions, though that could just be my social circle (or lack thereof) and it feels kind of lonely.
The US particularly is so hyperindividualistic and isolating.
> Granted, a major driver of this when I lived in the UK was boredom
Nothing wrong with boredom that leads to long walks and discussions. I think we need more of that kind of boredom in the US.
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#16Don't most cultures in the world (outside of the US) engage in these kinds of discussions? I lived in Italy for a few months and as I was walking around the city I'd often come across groups of 2 to 4 men standing on a corner engaged in a passionate conversation. I might see them as I entered a store to shop and when I came out 30 minutes later they'd still be at it. I'm kind of envious - it's really something we don…
It happens in the US, but the physical structure of cities makes it much harder. With dwindling downtown areas and a preference to commute by car you have few opportunities for the happenstance meeting with others (strangers and friends and acquaintances).
The places I've experienced it in the US were on college campuses, in older east coast cities with a different structure than the normal US city, and smaller towns with a still existing downtown (which is not all of them, many downtowns in the US are strictly places of business, or worse declined to just a couple government buildings).
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#17I wish "adda" existed here in the states. In some ways online forums are an online version of "adda" but in-person, thought-provoking conversations can't be replicated online. It makes me miss college life where you could pop into so many interesting discussions whether in the dorms or on-campus. Clubhouse tried to replicate this but the users can't really participate in a fluid conversation. I'm just wondering if there's anyway tech could enable these organic mind meetups?
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#18Argentinians do this a lot. We don't have a name for it other than "juntada" (lit. gathering). Maybe is the Italian cultural influence.
We just get together and chat, in parks, cafes, houses, wherever. We even incorporate strangers into these conversations. It's a great way to meet people.
I always assumed this was quite common in all/most cultures.
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#19Don't most cultures in the world (outside of the US) engage in these kinds of discussions? I lived in Italy for a few months and as I was walking around the city I'd often come across groups of 2 to 4 men standing on a corner engaged in a passionate conversation. I might see them as I entered a store to shop and when I came out 30 minutes later they'd still be at it. I'm kind of envious - it's really something we don…
It's very rare in the US. Adda is quite literally wasting time on conversations. It cannot thrive in an environment where time is money and money is sacred.
Re: Adda as a Way of Life
#20> Adda is a beloved pastime that's unique to Kolkata
As others have pointed out. The idea of Adda isn't that uncommon. Even the specific word, Adda, is just as native to Bangladesh. The Bengali ethnicity extends beyond the Indian border. Wish the author had mentioned that.