Chowringhee Road
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Former name(s) | Chowringhee Road |
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Maintained by | Kolkata Municipal Corporation |
Location | Kolkata, India |
Postal code | 700013, 700016, 700071, 700087 |
Nearest Kolkata Metro station | Esplanade, Park Street, Maidan and Rabindra Sadan |
north end | Esplanade |
south end | Rabindra Sadan (Exide More) |
Chowringhee Road (also spelt Chourangi Road), located in the
History
Arguably one of the first roads in the city, prior to the coming of the
After the British started expanding their settlement outside the Fort area in the mid-18th century, the area around Chowringhee was one of the first expansions. And the same area remained their pride and commercial centre until their departure in 1947. During the early British developments around the Chowringhee area, they built huge bungalows and houses all along the eastern end of the road, thus earning Kolkata the sobriquet - 'City of Palaces'. It was a prosperous era of Kolkata, which came to be the second city of the British empire. Rows of huge palatial houses flanked by gardens and the area along the western edge of the road was a huge open area called the Maidan. The Maidan was intentionally kept open and development-free due to security purposes of Fort William.
Later there were tanks made on the western stretch of the road at each important crossing right from the Lower Circular Road junction (now the Exide crossing) to the Esplanade near Curzon Park. Of these only a couple exist now - the Manohar Das Tarag and the one at the junction of Park Street and Chowringhee. Of the reclaimed tanks, one was where the Calcutta Information Centre and the Maidan Police Station now stand, another one where the Maidan metro station now stands and still a third on where the Esplanade bus-terminus now stand. The beauty of the road no longer exists and can only be seen in drawings and sketches of the bygone era.
With the advent of trams, tram-tracks were laid along the western edge of Chowringhee to connect the southern areas of Tollygunge and Ballygunge to Esplanade. These tracks, also, no longer exist due to trams' slow speed and the advent of metro rail.
Of the grand palaces and mansions of the era, only a few still remain - "the Oberoi Grand Hotel", the "
Chowringhee still remains very much the heart of Kolkata and the place of choice for many large business houses. This saying of old must have been followed by each architect who designed the newer buildings on Chowringhee, showcasing their extravagant self. Examples include the
Places of interest
Chowringhee Road is not only the commercial heart of the city, but also the cultural heart. The Indian Museum and the Government Art College are located here, along with the afore-mentioned The Asiatic Society. The Bishop's House, housing the residence of the Bishop of Kolkata and the St. Paul's Cathedral, is located here.
The
The Tipu Sultan Mosque is at the intersection of Chowringhee Road, Chittaranjan Avenue and Lenin Sarani (formerly Dharmotollah Street).
The huge expanse of the Maidan is busy throughout the year with fairs and political meetings.
Gallery
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Manohar Das Tarag in 2011
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High rises
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Eateries on a footpath in the area
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Hawkers do brisk business on pavement
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Park Street Flyover
References
External links
Media related to Jawaharlal Nehru Road at Wikimedia Commons