More about Kolkata-3-Shahid Minnar (Monument)

Monument- Kolkata- With Large Ground

Recently the Chief Minister of West Bengal one of the provinces of India has declared that Sahid Minar (Monument) will be decorated by digital light. This is grate! On coming December of this year this lighting work will be completed. But due to insufficient source of energy supply, this lighting show will be conducted on special days like India’s Independent day, Republican day, etc.

The height of the Kolkata- Monument is about 157 ft.  In the year 1828, this beautiful memento was constructed.  It was made and dedicated in the name of Sir David Octerlani who was the Major General of British India Company. Major General Sir David Octerlani won a tough fight against Maratha in the year 1804 and also he won the fight against the Anglo Nepalis.

Mr. J.P.Parker was designed such a wonderful thing Monument. It is situated at the center of the city Kolkata.  The structural style of plinth of this Monument was like Egoists architectural. The pillar or column of this Monument was made by following the Syrian architectural style. The top of this Monument was made by following Turkey architectural style. To reach at the top of this Monument there are 223 stair-steps.

But this is very unfortunate that the total cost of construction of this Monument was nearly fifty lakhs of Indian money and that was forcibly collected from common people by the British Rules of India.

There is a large open ground surrounding of this Monument. There were held various meeting, gathering in earlier days and still the same have been going on. In the year 1931, the famous Bengali Poet Rabindra Nath Tagore had also arranged one meeting and had given his valuable speech addressing to that meeting and had protested strongly against the Hijli Massacre by the British Ruler of India.

Earlier this Monument was open for all and was no need of permission and the view of the entire city are just beautiful and so attracting; but in 1997, one person were jumped from the top of the Monument and died, thereafter, the entry was restricted by the State Government of Bengal. Now only those can enter inside of the Monument with the written permission. 

 In the year 1969, the last left Government was renamed of this historical Monument as “Shahd Minnar” and was dedicated to the freedom fighters of India who were died for the freedom of India.

A short Tour to Kolkata- Part-2

Victoria Memorial

Victoria Memorial: Victoria Memorial is situated just opposite to Rabindra Sadan. It was built within 1906-1921. This memorial was constructed and dedicated by the Indian British Ruler to the Queen of England. This is a magnificent building made of white marbles surrounding such a big garden with various trees and colorful flowers and a big pond. There is a museum hall with different sections like weapons of that time; Queen’s usable items, etc are kept for common people to see.

Mohor Kunja-Kolkata

View of  Mukta Mancha-Kolkata

 Mohor Kunja: This garden is situated beside of Victoria Memorial and just opposite to Rabindra Sadan. Earlier it was called ‘Citizen Park’. There is an open stage for performing cultural programs and dramas by any amateur/professional group. There is a artificial fountain which is the main attraction of this park; in the night, this fountain looks alive with various colors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-Ajitesh Bandyopadhyay

  

Academy of Fine Arts

Academy of Fine Arts: This is an art exhibition platform for all painters. In the year 1933, Lady Ranu Mokherjee was started such painting exhibition and then it was centered in a hall of Indian Musium. Thereafter in 1950, she selected this place and shifted such effort from Indian Musium to this present place with the patronage of West Bengal first Chief Minister Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy and India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jwaharlal Nehru. Then there only was shown the paintings of all painters. In 1984, the first amateur theatre festival was taken place. Thereafter, this is also the second attraction of the Academy of Fine Arts.

St. Paul’s Cathedral Church

St. Paul’s Cathedral Church: This is situated behind the Academy of Fine Arts. It was erected by the East India Company and this magnificent state-of-art was built within the year 1887. This is the third oldest church in Kolkata after Armenian and old Mission Church.

Birla Planetarium-Kolkata

Birla Planetarium (Tara Mandal):  This is also a state-of-art. This planetarium is one storied building. Its structural art is very magnificent. It was inaugurated on 2nd July 1963 by the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This type of Birla Planetarium also exists in Chennai and Hyderabad.

Statue of Indira Gandhi

Indira Uddyan: Indira Uddyan was situated just opposite footpath of Birla Planetarium. This park is situated on the side of Jawaharlal Nehru Road. This is a small park but richly decorated by flowers, small trees, etc. It is regularly maintained by the Kolkata Corporation. There is a statue of the former Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi. It was inaugurated on 26th January 2003 by the former Chief Minister Mr. Budhyadeb Bhattacharya.






21se July Shahid Uddyan: This Uddyan is also situated on the side of the Jwaharlal Nehru Road. This park was inaugurated by the present Chief Minister of west Bengal.

Elliot Park- Kolkata

Elliot Park: This Park is situated just opposite footpath of Tata Center Building. This park is suggested as a green piece of oxygen within the city. This park was inaugurated on 22nd November 2004 by Mr. Sujay Chakaraborty, ex-police commissioner of Calcutta Police.

A short Tour to Kolkata- Part-1

Statue of Rabindranath Tagore

Last month of this year my friends were came to me from Deheradun. They were came Kolkata with their families and two wishes, one is to see Durga Puja which is world famous and second one is Kolkata Tour. Their first wish was fulfilled.

Their second wish was to ‘Kolkata Darshan’( visit to Kolkata). Kolkata, this name is not very old, during the time of leftist Government ruling in West Bengal, especially at the time of Mr. Budhyadeb Bhattacharya as the Chief Minister of Bengal, he renamed this “City of Joy’ ‘Kolkata’. Earlier about 300 years it was known as ‘Calcutta’ for the world.  This is an old city which was established by the British Ruler as this city was their capital of their colonial country. In the year 1857, a history famous battle was fought between Shiraj-Ud-Doulla, Nawab of Bengal and British Army Chief, Lord Carzon at Palasi battle field of Murshidabad. That battle had changed the fate of India and the administrative baton was transferred from Desi Nawab to British Rulers. Thereafter, the British Rulers were won entire India gradually.

One of my friends of Kolkata has a car rental agency. I told him to arrange one big vehicle where 12/13 persons can be accommodated easily and also a driver who knows Kolkata properly. That friend of mine kept his word and arranged as per my requirement. 

We were started our Kolkata tour from Excide More. This is the junction, from where anybody can get transport for any part of the city.

Calcutta Club- Kolkata

Calcutta Club: This is the first Bengali club which was established in the year 1907 and the first president was Mr. Nriependra Narayan, the Maharaja of Cooch Bihar of North Bengal. Lord Minto, the Viceroy of British Government was the first white member of this club. The most noticeable matter is that, before 2007, only men were permitted for membership as per the constitution of the club; after 2007, which point was changed and women are allowed for membership. This is situated on A.J.C.B. Road, Kolkata-20.

Gagendra Nath Shilpa Pradarshanshala

Gagendra Nath Shilpa Pradarshanshala: This is an Art Gallery for Art Exhibitions. It is situated on A.J.C.B. Road, Kolkata-20 and opposite to Calcutta Club.

Sisir Mancha- Kolkata

Sisir Mancha: It is situated on A.J. Bose Road, Kolkata-20 and adjacent to Gagendra Nath Shilp Pradarshanshala. This is an auditorium which was dedicated to the famous Bengali Stage Actor Sirsir Kumar Bhaduri. This auditorium was inaugurated in the year 1978.

Nandan-Kolkata

Nandan: This is also an auditorium for Film and Cultural Programmes. It is situated beside of Sisir Mancha. This auditorium is sponsored by the West Bengal State Government. It was inaugurated on October 1985.

Rabindra Sadan- Kolkata

Rabindra Sadan: This is a famous auditorium for cultural and theatre center. This is situated beside of Nandan. It was inaugurate by the former Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the month of October 1967. This auditorium was dedicated in the name of the world famous Bengali poet, Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore.

Sundarban: A great place to visit-3

Largest Mangrove Trees- Sundarban

Our two days were passed with the villagers and their stories. Next two days we will pass in the forest and inlets area of the Sundarban. This part of our trip was very adventurous and dangerous too. Because tigers on the land and crocodiles in the water, as a whole we were covered by death, any tine anything could be happened.

Before enter into the forest, Bipul was arranged two villagers who had vast knowledge about Sundarban. They were our path-finders. According to them, we moved very carefully and very consciously, because any time tiger can attack us and then nobody will alive, tiger will not spare anybody. We followed those two villagers and watched the beauty of the forest. Birds were chirping on the banks of trees and watching us very curiously. Then we found a villager who was arranging to collect honey standing under a tree. We observed his activity how to collect honey from honeycomb. That man fired under the honeycomb and huge smoke were created which can’t tolerate by honey bees, they were fled away; in the mean time that man broken the honeycomb and put into his bucket. But during our one day forest trip, we couldn’t find the sign of tigers and we became very frustrated. We went back to nearest Bungalow; two rooms of this bungalow were already booked in our name, before went there we booked these two rooms of the bungalow. 

Next day was full moon day. We have planed our trip calculating this matter of full moon. Because of full moon Sundarban looks very pleasant and charming, moonlight was fallen in every places of Sundarban. Generally, in winter the day becomes smaller than summer day, at 6 pm, the entire area were covered by night darkness. Bipul came to us with the news that Vutvuti-boat is ready for journey. Bipul was managed one person who had vast knowledge about the inlets paths of Sundarban.

We started our journey. The entire area was bright lighted by full moon. A dreaming sequence was created at the both sides of the inlets. The Vutvuti was proceeding very slowly and we were watching both sides of Sundarban. Entire night we moved on most of the inlets and enjoyed much. That night I will never forget in my life.

Sundarban is very near to Calcutta. This is ideal for weekend trip. If anybody wants to go without package, then first take train from Sealdha South Station for Canning. From Canning will get conveyance upto Ferrighat. There is arrangement of Launch, Vutvuti, Boat, etc to go Sundarban. There is the system of taking permission from forest department and entry fees. After completing, there are two options, either stay at lodge, Village or at Bungalow. In non-package program, the entire arrangement will have to done by the concern person. That might not be the problem for local visitors; but this might be the problem for any foreigner. In that case, this is better to contact with any travel company or West Bengal Tourism Department. The will take total charges as per their package and entire tour will be conducted by them only. So there is no headache for travelers and the trip will be very comfortable.

In my next blog I will try to give more information about better tourism companies of Bengal in details.

Eagle catching fish- Sundarban

Sundarban: A great place to visit-2

Launch-Sundarban

Winter season is the right time to visit Sundarban. In winter, the temperature of Sundarban is around 10*C and in day time it raises up to 25*C-30*C. from October to February is the right time to visit Sundarban. My three other friends and I were made a plan to visit such adventurous forest trip for four days. Though two days is enough for Sundarban tour, but another two days we spent within the villagers to know about them.

We visited Sundarban many years ago, then my age was around of twenty-five and my friends were like me. Earlier tour to Sundarban was not easy, especially transportation system. Now we can book steamer from Calcutta (Kolkata) direct to Sundarban. But we took the train from Sealdah South Division Railway station for Canning Station.  From Canning I took three wheeler-Cycles Rickshaw for Ferrighat. Before starting this trip to Sundarban, we have taken necessary permission from the West Bengal State Government.
 
First two days we spent within the village. One local man helped us to get accommodation in village. In these two days we had talked with villagers who were linked with the forest. Earlier, in British period, there were no strict rules that prevent local people to enter inside the forest. That local man who helped us to get the accommodation was taken our guide for this trip. He charged a very nominal cost from us. The name of that man so far my memory is concerned was Bipul. Bipul took us a area where had no male persons, only widows and children. We had heard their stories; all stories are almost same; their husbands were honey collectors from Sundarban. It was their only earning source as they had no much land for cultivations. Generally the honey collectors are used one man mask behind their head; thus they assuming that tiger will think that the man is looking at the tiger.

Before leaving for the forest they would worship their Goddess ‘Ban Bibi’. Because they would think that Ban-Bibi will protect their lives. Most of the time it would not happen and the innocent villagers were killed by the tiger.

Women and children of the villages are engaged in fishing the kids of shrimp.  This is also another source of their earning. But get down into the water of inlets of Sundarban is also very dangerous, because of crocodiles. Any time they can attack and eat human body. Thus huge villagers are being food of crocodiles.

Within two day of our tip, we met various villagers and heard their practical stories of their life which is closely related with Sundarban. They always live with a fear that any time they can be the food of tigers and crocodiles. Still their lives are move on and on. Bipul was taken us an open concert area where the villagers were singing and dancing with full of joy. We watch their programs whole night. And in the morning we went to bed, because another two days of our trip will pass at density of forest and inlets.

Royal Bengal Tiger -Sundarban

Sundarban: A great place to visit-1

Royal Bengal Tiger-Sundarban

Sundarban means the Beautiful Forest.


Sundarban is a great attraction place of West Bengal which is one of the provinces of India. This is very adventurous place in India. This is the place of the great Royal Bengal Tiger. Sundarban is famous for three things; one is Mangrove Trees, second is Sundari Trees and third is Royal Bengal Tiger.

Sundarban is an inland on Bay of Bengal which is distributed in two parts, the major part of this forest is under the Indian Territory and remaining part is in adjacent country Bangladesh. From this point of view, Royal Bengal Tigers have common corridor for two countries. They don’t need passport to move within these two countries. I am joking. Sundarban is covered by canals and these canals are connected with the estuary of Bay of Bengal that is very nearby of this forest.
Other than Royal Bengal Tiger, there is very dangerous type of crocodiles. These two types of animals are very clever in nature and both of them are man eater. Some time, tigers are use to across the canals and reach to the nearest villages for their food. Generally tigers reach at the villages with the target of domestic animals of the villagers and they do it very cleverly; but when villagers try to protect their domestic animals, then tigers attack the villagers. Crocodiles are mostly eat fishes of the canals and dead animals which thrown to the canals by the villagers. Some time, they also eat those villagers who get into the water of canals for fishing.

There are different types of dangerous animals also exist in Sundarban area. Though they are generally eat withered flash which was left by the tigers. But they are very harmful for human, as they get chance they can attack people also.

Various types of birds also exist in Sundarban. This is also another attraction of Sundarban. Apart from that, in winter season, various types of guest birds use to come here from various part of the world. They generally stay at Sundarban for two-three months and during this time they hatch and take birth of new kids of them.

The natural beauty of Sundarban is very unique especially canals part. There is a common water transport called ‘Vutvuti’. Such name comes due to the sound of such vessel and this sound comes from the engine of the vessel. It has different size, small, medium, big and the fare of this boat is also different according to the size. If anyone wants to enjoy the beauty of the both side of the inlets properly, he has to book one separate vutvuti and pass through the inlets of Sundarban. The beauties of inlets are increased to a maximum number in full moon day. We are lucky that we had got chance to visit Sundarban in a full moon day. Throughout the night we stayed in such medium vutvuti and floated in most of the inlets of canals and watched the soundless atmosphere of both sides of the Sundarban. Our experience was very amazing.

In next blog I will try to write our tour plan and other information who to conduct an adventurous tour to Sundarban. 

More About-Kolkata-New Edition: 02

Birla Planetarium

 Birla Planetarium: The shape of this planetarium is round. This one storied building. The style of structure of this planetarium is like Buddhist art of stupa. It is situated just opposite footpath of Victoria Memorial. This planetarium is largest in India and 2nd largest in world. Birla Group is one of the eminent and famous business groups of India. They have built lot of famous establishments in India such this planetarium. There are also another two planetariums in Chennai and Hyderabad.  It is called by the common people “Taramandal”. On 2nd July 1963, this planetarium was inaugurated by the former Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This is an astronomy gallery which contains huge fine paintings. The entire ceiling of the auditorium is specially designed like an umbrella which is full of stars and solar world. This is actually a big space world. The show is generally conducted within 12.00 PM to 7.00 PM and different regional language with Bengali. Huge spectators are come here from various parts of the country and as well as from various parts of the world. This is also another attraction of Kolkata.

Nandan Auditorium: This is a state Government made auditorium. This is build for the  development of film and culture of Kolkata. Many film festivals were held here since opening. In 1980, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal was laid the stone of such auditorium.
 
Rabindra Sadan: This auditorium is situated adjacent to Nadan. On 5th August 1961, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first and former Prime Mister of India was inaugurated this Rabindra Sadan. This auditorium is dedicated in the name of world famous Bengali poet and lyrist Kabiguru Rabindra Nath Tagore. This is also a state of art of Bengal.


Academy of Fine Arts: Academy of Fine Arts was earlier established in the year 1933. Earlier it was a single room within the India museum. Later on in 1950, it was shifted to present place and this was possible for Lady Ranu Mukherjee, former Chief Minister Mr. Bidhan Chandra Roy and the former Prime Minister of India Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru. It is situated on the Cathedral Road of South Kolkata. There are preserved different paintings of famous painters.

Saint Paul’s Cathedral Church: This is an island of attraction of Kolkata. this building was started by the Bishop Daniel Wilson in the year 1839 and the same was completed in the year 1847. This church is made of Gothic Revival style. One British Military engineer Major William Nairm Forbes was designed this church with the assistance of Mr. C.K. Robinson. It’s all windows is made of stained glass.

More About-Kolkata-New Edition: 01

Victoria Memorial

The name of the city- Kolkata is newly changed. Earlier the name of this city was Calcutta. It was the capital of British India. Near about 200 years, India was under the ruling of British Queen. On 15th August 1947, this country became independent.

Victoria Memorial: British Government was ruled in India in the name of Queen Victoria. Victoria Memorial was built by the Indian British ruler as the magnificent monument with the glassy white marble acquiring huge area of land. The most remarkable thing of this Memorial is that at the a revolving statue of angle with Bugle blowing. It moves automatically any of the four sides according to the wind blow. Its indicate the trend of side of wind blow.  This is the one of the attraction of this place. This Victoria Memorial is situated at the center and surrounding this monument, huge green grass covered field, gardens, big pond, etc. it can be suggested a piece of fresh breathing within the busy city. It has two parts, one is the glassy marble made Victoria Memorial Palace and next one is its beautiful gardens with pond and different types of colorful flowers. Inside of the memorial, there is a museum where various and different types mementos of British period are kept for showing to the visitors. There are so many different types of long and high trees surrounding this monument. Earlier, most of the people would come here for morning walk. Then there was no entry fee for the garden are. But now it is implemented due to control unwanted rush and keep the area of this place clean. Now the entry of common people within this area is restricted by time of entry; form garden, the time is 5.30 AM to 7.00PM and Museum entry time is 10.00AM to 6.00PM. The contact number is: +91033-2223 8109. The nearest Airport is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and airport is just 16 km far from the Victoria Memorial. Hotels which are nearby of this monument of Art, Grand Oberoi, Taj Bengal, these are 5 stars hotels. Other than these hotels, there are many 3 starts and ordinary hotel near this Victoria Memorial.

Elliot Park -Kolkata

Elliot Park: Elliot Park is just behind of Victoria Memorial. This is a public park. This is very beautiful place of freshness and pleasing park in the city. This park is covered by trees, decorated bushes and there is also a beautiful fountain. At the night this fountain looks very beautiful for its different color changing lighting. Here has food stalls. This place is perfect for picnic.

Musical Fountain- Mohor Kunja

Mohor Kunja Park: Earlier it was Citizen’s Park. Thereafter it’s name was change to Mohor Kunja Park. This name was kept in the honor of famous Rabindra Sangeet Singer Kanika Bandyopadhyay. It is also famous for its musical fountains and for musical open stage for singers, dramatists, etc.