Memorial of Daulat Hossain, Park Circus

Memorial of Daulat Hossain

Park Circus

Shaikh Daulat Hossain the name is definitely unfamiliar. He is no celebrity but a memorial stands in his memory in a remote corner of Park Circus. Strangely the memorial also seems to be have been forgotten. It lies is utter neglect and is heavily encroached upon.

Daulat Hossain Memorial

Shaikh Daulat Hossain was shot dead by dacoits in Park Circus area when he tried to prevent their decoity attempt. He died on the spot on 7^th October 1932 aged only 18.

Nafar Chandra Kundu Memorial, Chakraberia Road (South)

Nafar Chandra Kundu Memorial

Chakraberia Road (South)

Nafar Chnadra Kundu, the name is quiet likely to sound unfamiliar because he is no celebrity he is just a common man on the street who did something extraordinary 114 years ago (in 1907). Although no longer remembered but his act of extraordinary courage was enough to turn him into a legend and an icon which today’s India needs more than ever.

Nafar Chandra Kundu Memorial

It was the month of May 1907 Nafar Chandra Kundu was walking down the streets of Chakraberia when heard shouts and desperate plea for help. He noticed a small crowd had gathered round a open manhole and the screams came from inside the manhole.

Maa Phire Elo, Durga Museum, Rabindra Sarobar

Maa Phire Elo

Durga Museum, Rabindra Sarobar

Durga Puja in Kolkata is often considered as the Greatest Carnival of Earth. The festivities of the four day long Durga Puja often extend over a week and turns the entire city into a temporary art gallery.

Panoramic view of the interior of the Maa Phire Elo, Durga Museum, Rabindra Sarobar

Hundreds of pujas are held all over the city and each is a virtual art gallery with elaborate design often following a theme. The theme can range anything from environmental conservation to women empowerment.

Shwetambar Jain Temple, Gouribari, Kolkata

Shwetambar Jain Temple

Gouribari, Kolkata

With the Battle of Plassey Calcutta transformed from a trading outpost of East India Company to the capital of British India. Soon the city transformed into the second city of the mighty British empire and become the hub of business activities in Asia.

Temple of Sitalnath, Shwetambar Jain Temple Complex, Gouribari

As the city and its economy grew it started attracting prople from not only different parts of India but from the entire world. The Britishers were already there they were joined by the Jews, Armenians, Portuguese and Greeks.

Headquarters of South Eastern Railway (SER), Garden Reach, formerly Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR)

South Eastern Railway (SER) Headquarters, Garden Reach

formerly Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR)

The opening of the Mumbai-Thane line in 1853 marked the beginning of railways in India. The Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) was formed in 1887 for the purpose of upgrading the Nagpur Chhattisgarh Line and then extending it via Bilaspur to Asansol, in order to develop a shorter Howrah-Mumbai route than the one via Allahabad.

Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) Office, Headquarters of the South Eastern Railway (SER), Garden Reach

The BNR main line from Nagpur to Asansol was opened for goods traffic on 1 February 1891. It was only after Kharagpur was linked from the west and the south that it was connected to Howrah in 1900.

Bhukailash Temple, Khidirpur

Bhukailash Temple

Khidirpur

Khidirpur or Kidderpore located south part of the city is home to India’s oldest river port. Apart from the still functioning port the area also houses athe Fancy Market, known for cheap electronic goods and not to mention the amazing Mughlai Food.

A panoramic view of the Bhukailash Temple Complex, Khidirpur, Kolkata

But unknown to many Khidirpur also houses one of the oldest temple of the city with giant shiva linga. The huge temple complexes also houses a huge rajbari. The Bhukaliash Temple Complex housing two huge temples have remained unknown to most of the citizens of Kolkata.

Ghare Baire (The World, The Home and Beyond), 18th – 20th Century Art in Bengal, Old Currency Building, Kolkata

Ghare Baire (The World, The Home and Beyond)

18th – 20th Century Art in Bengal

Old Currency Building, Kolkata

2019 saw the opening of several themed based museums in Kolkata. They include the I am Calcutta (আমি কলকাতা) Museum in Metcalfe Hall, Icon of Nationalism Museum at the National Library, Reserve Bank of India Museum and the Theatre Museum in Salt Lake.

Old Currency Building housing the Ghare Baire, 18th – 20th century art gallery of Bengal

The beginning of 2020 was marked with the inauguration of a Bengal Art Gallery by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the historic Old Currency Building. Titled Ghare Baire (ঘরে  বাইরে) The World, The Home and Beyond the museum focuses on 18th – 20th century Art in Bengal.

Kolkata’s very own Museum, Metcalfe Hall

Kolkata’s very own Museum

Metcalfe Hall

Museum – a series of artifacts arranged in rows with placards describing each of them. This has been the idea of a museum for most of the people. Over the years, like all other things, museums have also evolved.

Metcalfe Hall, Kolkata

Today museums are not just a display of artifacts. It comes in with audio visual effects creating a movie theatre like atmosphere. The visitor gets a real life feel of the artifacts as he moves from one gallery to the other.

Rasbari Garden House of Belur, Revisited

Familiarization (FAM) Tour of Rasbari Garden House, Belur

Also see: First visit of Rasbari Garden House, Belur

My first visit to Rasbari was almost a year back and things have changed a lot. The clock tower have been renovated and the clock has started ticking.

The lit up Rasbari Garden House Complex, Belur, Howrah

The number of two beaded rooms have increased from two to four. The old white pavilion shaped building remains the same with the two for bed rooms and the big drawing room.

Reserve Bank of India Museum, Kolkata

Reserve Bank of India Museum

Kolkata

Do you know, long before the introduction of money food grains, salt, replicas of tools, cowries and even giant donut shaped stones served as a medium of exchange? The newly opened Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Museum provides an extensive insight into the history of money and banking.

An installation showing the evolution of money, RBI Museum, Kolkata

Opened on 11 March 2019 this is the second RBI museum in the country. It came 21 years after the inaugural one opened its gates at the Mumbai headquarters.