Riding The Tide
The US endorsement of Pakistan's position on Kashmir bolsters Musharraf's fortunes even as anti-American outrage gathers steam.

Powell And Patience
President Bush's invitation to Vajpayee for a one-on-one in Washington next month makes up for the disappointment in New Delhi in the wake of Colin Powell's visit.

Autumn Of Turmoil
The Northern Alliance waits and watches the US moves in anticipation of a post-US-attack power struggle with the Taliban.
A look at the mood and the ground realities in Kabul.

LIVING: KOLKATA CLUBS

Popular Demand

That leaves a huge chunk of young people — teens, yuppies, middle-level executives — with virtually nowhere to go. "The new clubs recognise this and are cashing in on it," says A.K. Dutt, former president of several of the city's traditional clubs. The facilities they offer reflect this. Space Circle is investing big money in a 7,000-sq ft indoor cricket ground, rollerblading and ice-skating rinks and a two-storey practice rock for mountaineering buffs. The Circle already has never-before perks like an art gallery and a huge children's room equipped with nannies. At Ibiza, members get to try their hand at sports like angling, boating and pool. They could use a kilometre-long, specially designed jogging track that has a cushion of sand and hollow bricks, or a mini driving and putting range. While traditional clubs would balk at the idea of a full-time disco on their premises (most are content with a special "nite" or two), the new clubs can't imagine life without a dancing floor. Some of this is admittedly gimmicky-like the submerged pool-side bar and open-air jacuzzi at Ibiza-but members are lapping it up.

While a ceiling on members seems fair, changemakers feel the traditional clubs need to do some soul searching."If the older clubs don't move with the times, they will lose out to the new ones," says Dutt. The picture already looks grim. Many of the better-known clubs are hamstrung by shortage of space and finances. Most of these clubs are housed in heritage buildings in the city and cannot expand or change at will. Nor do they have the funds to do so, even though members pay a monthly subscription ranging between Rs 300 and Rs 450. The Saturday Club, for instance, has an annual turnover of Rs 3.5 crore. But till April, it was spending Rs 1.75 crore on staff salaries every year. When officials suggested a cutback, a violent union forced the club to shut down for three months. Similarly, the Calcutta Club, which gets about Rs 1.5 crore from its 4,000 members every year, has to spend almost Rs 2 crore on staff salaries annually. Recently, when some members proposed a three-tier underground parking system to generate money, the idea was shot down: it would be against the philosophy of the club to go "commercial".

The new clubs have no such qualms. "Money's not the important thing," says Sushil Mohta of Ibiza. "I offer my members a club and four-star hotel rolled into one." In other words, he runs it like a business.

But does it matter? Deb Kumar Bose, who recently signed up at a new country club, believes the "old-world charm of the traditional clubs" doesn't sell anymore. "I don't care for it," he says. "My children will care even less." That's a warning call to some of the older clubs, says a committee member of Tollygunge Club. "They have to shape up if they have to fend off competition," he says. "If a club is a home away from home, no one wants an outmoded dwelling." Least of all the waitlisted.

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