Calcutta 23 Walk

How do we become a part of a community? Does living in a particular place makes a person a part of a community by default? Does the period of stay entitle him to be one? Does being in his place by birth makes him a part of a community?

None of these questions have any easy answers but begs a thoughtful consideration. More so in a time when we are living in the midst of hyper nationality without knowing our own immediate local community. And maybe this is what sociologists call alienation.

I woke up to the harsh fact that, though I remained in Kolkata since my birth, barring a few years living away due to occupation, I remained an outsider in my own city. I never knew that within a very short distance from where I live, there is a catholic church that delivers mass not only in English and Hindi, but also in Tamil and Malayalam. This means there is a sizable population of Tamil and Malayali Christians just a few kilometers away from where I live. St. Ignatius’ Church, established in 1911 is in Ekabalpore. Incidentally it is in this year British capital was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
But let me not jump the gun.

It all started when one of my friends suggested ‘Neighborhood Walk @ Calcutta 23’ to be organized by Know Your Neighbor, a voluntary association working for social harmony and awareness, in association with Department of History, Jadavpur University. I got interested and took the plunge.The walk started at 8.30 am on a sunny November morning. Our meeting point was St. Stephen’s Church, Kidderpore. Kidderpore is as old, if not older than Calcutta. Genesis of Calcutta started with the port when Job Charnock landed at Sutanoti, a small swampy village on the banks of river Hooghly, in 1690 to establish a permanent trading post for British East India Company. Kidderpore is the first civilian district after one comes out of Calcutta Port. No wonder Kidderpore has a cosmopolitan population that might bring to shame any modern mega-city. Being a part of greater port area it always had a steady flow of sea-men from all over the world as well as migrant labours. The Anglican church St. Stephen’s was built in the year 1844-46 by the Governor General whose residence was just a stone’s throw away at Belvedere. The church’s rocket shaped steeple was designed as a ship’s lantern which was meant to be visible from the river by the sailors as they passed by.

St. Stephen's Church
1844As the church is next to the port it is also called sea-men’s church. It is now a part of St. Thomas’s Girls’ School compound. Though simple, the interior of the church is elegant with a beautiful stained glass alter, I presume as old as the church itself. On the left of the alter there is a very ancient pipe organ, though I could not ascertain its make, year of manufacture and also whether it is at all functioning. On the right of the alter is a magnificent marble pulpit. The walls of the church are adorned by various plaques mostly in the names of sea-men who died on the sea. This church is visible from Kidderpore bridge, which predates our very own and iconic Howrah bridge. Original Kidderpore bridge was built in 1826 and was the earliest stone-and-iron suspension bridge in India.

Pipe Organ inside the churchJust outside the wall of the church compound, sandwiched between the compound wall and a narrow inlet of river Hooghly, is Orphangunge Market. Though we did not visit the place in this walk, I feel compelled to mention about this market. The name originates from an orphanage that was run by the free school society before even St. Thomas school, the oldest missionary school in Asia, started in the vicinity.


Our next stop was just across the Diamond Harbor Road a little towards south. Maha Laxmi temple is a new born baby if compared to the antiquity of the surrounding historical and heritage edifices. It was built by an industrialist family only a few years back. It is like any other innumerable modern temples that we see being built by a particular business community. No architectural uniqueness, just a concrete high towered edifice with some open space, making it at best, an oasis of open space, in the midst of rectangular monotonous urban buildings.

Next we took a turn into Dr. Sudhir Bose Road. Now a little nugget of information for the foodies, as talk of culture is incomplete without talk of food linked to that culture. As we walk to the first intersection of cross roads our guide showed us a road side small shop on our right, stacked up with huge pots and pans. This is the shop of Sammam Baburchi. His forefathers happened to be the main chef of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. The chef’s expertise was handed down through generations and now the present generation supply Biryani to most of the famous and big name restaurants in Kolkata. I did not find the shop very impressive though, and I was told that they supply only against order.We then turn left and entered into Dent Mission Road. On our left was St. Burnabas’ Church which was built by Sir William Dent in 1867. This was the first native Christian church built, when the then Bishop of Calcutta, Bishop Cotton, requested William Dent to built the same for native christens. Rev. Madhusudan Seal became the first native convert to become the Vicar in this church. There is a St. Burnabas’ School also beside the church, run by the church. Incidentally this area had a high population of Anlgo-Indian community even a few years back. A few buildings away, I was told, there is a kebab shop, known for its authenticity. The shop was closed though, as they open for business in the evenings only.

St.Burnabas' Church
Built in 1867Our next destination was Soloana Masjid and burial ground in Kavi Iqbal Road. I was told a lot of celebrities like A. R. Rahaman come and visit this place to worship. The burial ground is inside the Masjid compound. Interestingly the Masjid is maintained, naturally, by the Walkf Board but the burial ground is maintained by municipality. Also an interesting fact I came to know today is that, in Muslim burial grounds women are not allowed, though there is no bar for them to enter the Masjid. Incidentally, do any of you know who is this Kavi Iqbal in whose name this road was named? – the famous poet who wrote,

“Sare jaha se accha, Hindusta hamara,Hum bulbul hai uski, a gulsita hamara….”
Ekbalpur also happened to be named after him. I must have passed Ekbalpore a few thousand times every year since last couple of decades but never cared to find out. We came to a cross road which was locally called ‘char batti more’ – crossing of four lights. Though sadly the old char batti of the British era is no more but the name remained, reminding a glorious past of the locality. In its place though, a tall marble plaque stands with the iconic song of Iqbal written on it. Sadly and not surprisingly we found assorted garments spread to dry along the plaque’s railing, veiling most of the poet’s writing. We were supposed to go straight along this road towards Ekbalpore Road. On our right, we were told, start generations old bakery shops supplying bakery products in Kolkata for over last few centuries.

Marble Plaque with "Sare Jaha
Se Accha" full song written on it

We walked along Ekbalpore Road towards Ekbalpore crossing and just before we reached the crossing we came to St. Ignatius’ Church on our left. As I have already said St. Ignatius’ Church is the only church in east India which holds their services in Tamil and Malayali in addition to other Indian languages. During last few decades this church has grown, as a lot of Malayali care givers have migrated in the city working for hospitals.

Char Batti More with poet Iqubal's
marble plaque
Our last stop after St. Ignatius’ Church is Tipu Sultan Masjid near Mominpur. Prince Golam Mohammed was the fourteenth and youngest son of Tipu Sultan, and was brought to Calcutta by the British. He had built five Masjids. All are of similar design, but only different in their scale, being smaller in size. This Masjid was built for Tipu Sultan’s daughter, Suhani Begum, in 1850. She also happened to be muttwali (the keeper) of the masjid. This is no mean feat for a woman, however royal born, of a conservative community. Does it reflect the north south cultural divide in Muslim community? She was also buried in this ground.

Tipu Sultan MasjidI realized after the day’s walk that Calcutta was once a very inclusive and highly cosmopolitan city. Diverse communities from all over the world made it their home. Not only Hindus, Muslims and Christians but Jews, Parsees, Sikhs, Buddhists and may be few more I do not know of. By community, Indians, Chinese, Europeans and other Asian nations were all represented in cheek by jowl. It is only after 1947, after much coveted independence, that our beloved city started changing its color, from being a multicolored, kaleidoscopic existence to a drab monochrome, where everything must be similar to survive. We have lost the art of taking pleasure in being different. Hence we have started to lead a ghettoed existence. Kolkata has become the most segregated city, a shadow of the past glory that Calcutta was.

St. Ignatius' Church where mass is read in Tamil & Malayali
A word of thanks and appreciation to Mr. Sabir Ahmed of Pratichi Trust and Mr. Shaikh Sohail of Breakfree Trails accompanied by Dr. Riyaz, a local residence for organizing such a wonderful, informative and exciting program. I wish them success in all their endeavor of life.
Kolkata29.11.19