Bagbazar (also spelt Baghbazar) is a neighbourhood of
North Kolkata
North Kolkata encompasses the northern part of Kolkata, including the city's oldest neighbourhood.
Shyambazar, Bagbazar, Kumartuli, Shobhabazar, Posta, Jorasanko, Rajabazar, Phoolbagan, Maniktala, Kankurgachi, Ultadanga, Chitpur, Belgachia, ...
, in
Kolkata district
Kolkata district (formerly known as Calcutta district) is a district in the Indian state of West Bengal, headquartered in Kolkata.
History
Long before the British came to India, the ''zamindari'' (land lordship) of all lands from Barisha to ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
. The area, under
Shyampukur
Shyampukur is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. As a neighbourhood, it covers a small area but its importance is primarily because of the police station.
Et ...
police station of
Kolkata Police
The Kolkata Police Force (KPF) is one of the two presidency police forces of the Indian state of West Bengal. Kolkata Police has the task of policing the metropolitan area (apart from Bidhannagar and New Town, which are served by the Bidhannag ...
, has been, along with neighbouring
Shyambazar
Shyambazar is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata
North Kolkata encompasses the northern part of Kolkata, including the city's oldest neighbourhood.
Shyambazar, Bagbazar, Kumartuli, Shobhabazar, Posta, Jorasanko, Rajabazar, Phoolbagan, Mani ...
, the citadel of the
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
aristocracy.
[Nair, P. Thankappan in ''The Growth and Development of Old Calcutta'', in ''Calcutta, the Living City'', Vol. I, edited by ]Sukanta Chaudhuri
Sukanta Chaudhuri (born 1950) is an Indian literary scholar, now Professor Emeritus at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. He was educated at Presidency College, Kolkata and the University of Oxford. He taught at Presidency College from January 1973 ...
, p. 17, Oxford University Press, .
Bagbazar has played an active role in growth and development of Kolkata.
Origin of name
The name, Bagbazar, is derived from two words put together from old Bengali literature: "bagh" meaning ''flower garden'' and "bazaar" meaning ''market''. So it refers to a place where flowers are abundant.
History
As
Kalikata
Kalikata was one of the three villages which were merged to form the city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in India. The other two villages were Gobindapur and Sutanuti. Job Charnock, an administrator with the British East India Company is tradit ...
became settled,
Sutanuti
Sutanuti was one of the three villages which were merged to form the city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in India. The other two villages were Gobindapur and Kalikata.
See also
* European colonies in India
Colonial India was the part of th ...
was gradually abandoned by the English as a place of residence. There remained, near its northernmost corner, Perin’s Garden, a pleasure resort, where once it was the height of gentility for the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
’s covenanted servants to take their ladies for an evening stroll or moonlight fete. However, it was little frequented from around 1746 and by 1752 was sold for Rs. 25,000. Captain Perin was owner of several ships. In 1754, Colonel C.F. Scott began manufacturing gunpowder at the garden.
Bosepara
Bosepara, which now forms part of Bagbazar, was set up by the Boses and Pals migrating from Hooghly district. Nidhuram Bose is believed to have arrived before the British came to Sutanuti. The Bagbazar High School is a very old school there.
Nandalal and Pasupoti Bose's house
The house is located on the North side of Bagbazar Street. Late 19th century Bengal found this house as one of the hub for nationalist politics. Many important meetings were held in this house during the course of anti partition politics in 1904-5. The famous procession to raise protest against partition of Bengal led by Rabindranath and other eminent persons started from Federation hall and ended at this house.
Bagbazar Ghat
Bagbazar Ghat, on the
Hooghly River
The Bhagirathi Hooghly River (Anglicized alternatively spelled ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli'') or the 'Bhāgirathi-Hooghly', called the Ganga or the Kati-Ganga in mythological texts, is the eastern distributary of the Ganges River in West Bengal, Indi ...
is an old one. It was once called Rogo Meeter’s Ghat after Raghu Mitra, son of
Gobindram Mitra, the black zemindar, and once one of the wealthiest and most influential natives of Kolkata, in the early days of the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
.
There is steamer jetty next to Baghbazar Ghat, ghat in Bengali is a paved staircase. Steamers carry passengers to the opposite bank of the river, as also the office localities around
B.B.D. Bagh
B. B. D. Bagh, formerly called Tank Square and then Dalhousie Square (1847 to 1856), is the shortened version for Benoy-Badal-Dinesh Bagh. It is the seat of power of the state government, as well as the central business district of Kolkata in ...
,
Esplanade
An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cle ...
and
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
. The old ghat is used by bathers, people collecting Ganges water for religious ceremonies, for performance of religious ceremonies, and for such mundane tasks as unloading country boats carrying various materials.
Battle with Siraj
Bagbazar has also seen battle - on 16 June 1756, a small force under Ensign Piccard repulsed an advance guard of
Siraj ud-Daulah
Mirza Muhammad Siraj-ud-Daulah ( fa, ; 1733 – 2 July 1757), commonly known as Siraj-ud-Daulah or Siraj ud-Daula, was the last independent Nawab of Bengal. The end of his reign marked the start of the rule of the East India Company over Beng ...
from the north, but two days later Kalikata fell in the
Battle of Lal Dighi.
Association with Sri Ramakrishna
Possibly the first visit to a house in north Kolkata by
Sri Ramakrishna
Ramakrishna Paramahansa ( bn, রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস, Ramôkṛṣṇo Pôromohôṅso; , 18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886),——— — also spelled Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, born Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya,, was an In ...
was in 1877. He visited the ancestral house of
Kalinath Bose, then numbered 40 Bosepara Lane (presently 47B, Ma Saradamani Sarani). It was here that he first met Harinath Chaterjee (later
Swami Turiyananda
Swami Turiyananda or "Hari Maharaj" as he was popularly known as, was a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna, the 19th-century Hindu mystic from Bengal. He was one of the earliest missionary to be sent by his leader and brother disciple Swam ...
), Gangadhar Ghatak (Gangopadhyay) (later
Swami Akhandananda
Swami Akhandananda (1864–1937) was a swami and direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, a 19th-century mystic. He was the third president of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Early life
Initial Years
Akhandananda was born as Gangadhar Ghatak (Gang ...
) and
Girish Chandra Ghosh
Girish Chandra Ghosh (28 February 1844 – 8 February 1912) was a Bengali actor, director, and writer. He was largely responsible for the golden age of Bengali theatre.Kundu, Pranay K. ''Development of Stage and Theatre Music in Bengal.'' Publ ...
, the noted playwright. The
Ramakrishna Sarada Math
Ramakrishna Sarada Math is a religious monastic order, considered part of the Hindu reform movements. It was established in 1929 at Bagbazar, Kolkata.''Swami Nirmalananda- His Life and Mission'' – Ottapalam Ramakrishna Ashrama.
History
In 19 ...
is housed at 10, Ramakrishna Lane, Baghbazar.
Sister Nivedita
Sister Nivedita ( born Margaret Elizabeth Noble; 28 October 1867 – 13 October 1911) was an Irish teacher, author, social activist, school founder and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She spent her childhood and early youth in Ireland. She was ...
came and lived in 53/1 Bosepara Lane. "Bagbazar in the northern part of Calcutta had its own fascination for Sri Ramakrishna’s devotees. On one side stood
Balaram Bose
Balaram Bose (December 1842 – 13 April 1890) was one of the prominent householder disciples of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He was the son of Radhamohan Bose. He is often referred in ''The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna''. Ramakrishna often visited his ...
’s house, the ‘Calcutta Citadel’ of Sri Ramakrishna, where his disciples repaired for rest. On its north-east is the huge family mansion of
Girish Chandra Ghosh
Girish Chandra Ghosh (28 February 1844 – 8 February 1912) was a Bengali actor, director, and writer. He was largely responsible for the golden age of Bengali theatre.Kundu, Pranay K. ''Development of Stage and Theatre Music in Bengal.'' Publ ...
. A little to its north was the Holy Mother’s house. All these houses were encircled by the Ramkanto Bose Street and Bosepara Lane, whose very dust was trod upon by Sri Ramakrishna." She opened her school formally on 13 November 1898 at 16, Bosepara Lane, in the presence of
Sarada Ma,
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intro ...
,
Swami Brahmananda
Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used eith ...
,
Swami Saradanandane. The office of ''
Udbodhan
''Udbodhan'' is the only Bengali publication of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, started by Vivekananda in January 1899, with Trigunatitananda as its founding editor Over the years, it also grew into a publishing house, and remain ...
'', the magazine founded by Swami Vivekananda, is also located in Bagbazar.
Geography
The old Chitpur Road (renamed Rabindra Sarani) was for many years the life line of Bagbazar. It followed the same track as the old pilgrim path built by
Sabarna Roy Choudhury
Sabarna Roy Choudhury was a Zamindar family of Mughal Bengal. They controlled significant swathes of territory, including what would later become Kolkata, prior to the sale of zamindari rights in 1698 to the East India Company.
Zamindari
E ...
from
Halisahar
Halisahar is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
History
Halisahar is believed to have existed from ...
to
Barisha. Tram tracks along Rabindra Sarani came to Bagbazar in 1904 and being renewed in 2007. Finally Tram service closed along Rabindra Sarani in Bagbazar since 2017 due to construction of
Kolkata Metro Line 2
Kolkata Metro Line 2, also known as the East-West Metro and Green Line, is a rapid transit line of the Kolkata Metro in the Indian state of West Bengal. It currently consists of an operational section between Salt Lake and Sealdah, and will eve ...
. While Rabindra Sarani cuts across Bagabazar from north to south, Bagbazar Street cuts across from Bagbazar Ghat in the west to
Bidhan Sarani
Bidhan Sarani (formerly known as Cornwallis Street) is a principal north–south thoroughfare in north part of Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It was named after the first Chief Minister of West Bengal, Bidhan Chandra R ...
in the east. Girish Avenue is an extension of
Chittaranjan Avenue
Chittaranjan Avenue, more commonly C.R. Avenue (Formerly Central Avenue), a principal north-south thoroughfare in Central-North Kolkata. It starts from Beadon Street (Dani Ghosh Sarani/Abhedananda Road) crossing (Girish Park) in the north and ...
. When it was built in the 1930s, a portion of the house of
Girish Chandra Ghosh
Girish Chandra Ghosh (28 February 1844 – 8 February 1912) was a Bengali actor, director, and writer. He was largely responsible for the golden age of Bengali theatre.Kundu, Pranay K. ''Development of Stage and Theatre Music in Bengal.'' Publ ...
was spared and stands in the middle with the two flanges of the road on both sides of the house. There are numerous lanes and bylanes in Bagbazar.
Culture
''
Alaler Gharer Dulal
''Alaler Gharer Dulal'' (Bengali: ''আলালের ঘরের দুলাল''; published in 1857) is a Bengali novel by Peary Chand Mitra (1814–1883). The writer used the pseudonym ''Tekchand Thakur'' for this novel.
The novel describ ...
'' (The Rich Man’s Spoilt Child) (1857) by
Peary Chand Mitra
Peary Chand Mitra (22 July 1814 – 23 November 1883) was an Indian writer, journalist, cultural activist and entrepreneur. His pseudonym was Tek Chand Thakur. He was a member of Henry Derozio's Young Bengal group, who played a leading role ...
has an interesting piece of women's conversation centred on Bagbazar, possibly when they went for a bath in the
Hooghly River
The Bhagirathi Hooghly River (Anglicized alternatively spelled ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli'') or the 'Bhāgirathi-Hooghly', called the Ganga or the Kati-Ganga in mythological texts, is the eastern distributary of the Ganges River in West Bengal, Indi ...
:
:: "Some are speaking of their oppressive sisters-in-law, some are cursing their tyrannical mothers-in-law, some are tired of life because of the kicks they receive from their daughters-in-law, particularly when their sons are too timid to intervene; some complain of the intolerable behaviour of the wives of their husband’s brothers and some say how keen they are to get their ten-year-old sons married."
Bagbazar has been home to many a creative person.
Nagendranath Basu
Nagendranath Basu ( bn, নগেন্দ্রনাথ বসু; 6 July 1866 – 11 October 1938) was an archaeologist, encyclopaedist and a nationalist social historian of Bengal.
Early life
Nagendranath was born in the village of Mahesh ...
(1866 – 1938) took twenty years to edit the 22 volume ''Biswakosh'', Bengali encyclopaedia. He lived and worked at 8 Biswakosh Lane in Bagbazar. Kolkata Municipal Corporation renamed it Biswakosh Lane. This is possibly the only road in the world named after a book.
Mohanchand Basu, who lived in Bagbazar in the 19th century and was a disciple of Nidhu Babu, introduced ''kheur'' in Bengali ''akhrai'' songs.
Bhola Maira (18th-19th century), the renowned
kaviyal (verse-contestant) had a sweet-meat shop on Bagbazar Street.
Two auditoriums, side by side on Bagbazar Street, still testifies to active cultural life of Bagbazar. Girish Mancha, opened in 1986 has over 900 seats. The auditorium of Paschim Banga Jatra Akademi is next door.
However, the 125 year-old Bagbazar Reading Library is not in good shape because of paucity of funds.
Bagbazar Durga Puja continues to a major crowd puller with its deity of traditional design and innovative decoration.
Transport
Buses ply along Rabindra Sarani, Girish Avenue (Khirode Vidyavinode Avenue) and Bagbazar Street in Bagbazar.
Shyambazar 5-Point crossing is also located nearby.
Bagbazar (Khirode Vidyavinode Avenue) is connected to
Chitpur
Chitpur (or Chitpore) is a neighbourhood in North Kolkata in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Sometimes, the entire area along Chitpur Road is referred to as Chitpur, although the various localities have distinctive names.
Hi ...
and
Cossipore
Kashipur (also spelt Cossipur, Kashipur) is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. One of the oldest neighbourhoods of the metropolis, it has a police station.
History
The East India Company o ...
(Cossipore Road/Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa Dev Sarani) with Chitpur Bridge over a canal. The bridge was firstly inaugurated in 1937.
Bagbazar railway station
Bagbazar railway station is a small railway station in the neighbourhood of Bagbazar. It serves the local areas of Bagbazar in Kolkata, West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern porti ...
on
Kolkata Circular Railway
Kolkata Circular Railway, also known as the Kolkata Chakra Rail (), is a long railway loop line operated by the Sealdah division of the Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways, encircling the city of Kolkata.
Services
The line begins and term ...
line serves the locality.
Kolkata Station
Kolkata railway station (formerly known as Chitpur station) is the newest of the five intercity railway stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the others are Sealdah station in Kolkata and Howrah station, Shalimar station and in Howrah. ...
, one of the major railway hub stations of the city, is also located nearby.
Gallery
image:Kolkata Girish Mancha.jpg, Girish Mancha
Girish Mancha is a theatre auditorium located in Bagbazar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The auditorium was inaugurated on 1 July 1986 by Chief Minister of West Bengal (at that time) Jyoti Basu. The auditorium was named after Girish Chandra Ghosh ...
image:Kolkata WB Jatra Akademi.jpg, Auditorium of Paschim Banga Jatra Akademi
image:Kolkata House of Sister Nivedita.jpg, House where Sister Nivedita
Sister Nivedita ( born Margaret Elizabeth Noble; 28 October 1867 – 13 October 1911) was an Irish teacher, author, social activist, school founder and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She spent her childhood and early youth in Ireland. She was ...
started her school in 1898
image:Kolkata Girish Avenue.jpg, Girish Avenue. At the time of the construction of the road, a portion of the house of Girish Chandra Ghosh
Girish Chandra Ghosh (28 February 1844 – 8 February 1912) was a Bengali actor, director, and writer. He was largely responsible for the golden age of Bengali theatre.Kundu, Pranay K. ''Development of Stage and Theatre Music in Bengal.'' Publ ...
was left in the middle.
image:Ramakrishna Math, at Bagbazar, Kolkata.jpg, House of Balaram Bose, now Ramakrishna Math
Ramakrishna Math is the administrative legal organization of the Ramakrishna Order, considered part of the Hindu reform movements. It was set up by sanyasin disciples of Ramakrishna Paramhansa headed by Swami Vivekananda at Baranagar Math in Bar ...
image:Kolkata Bosepara Lane2.jpg, Bosepara Lane in Bagbazar
image:Kolkata Bagbazar Ghat2.jpg, The Steamer Jetty as seen from Bagbazar Ghat
Image:Mayer Ghat Entrance - Baghbazar - Kolkata 2017-04-29 1921.JPG, Mayer Ghat Entrance on Rabindra Sarani, Bagbazar
image:Bom Kali Mandir - Rabindra Sarani - Baghbazar - Kolkata 2017-04-29 1832.JPG, Bom Kali Mandir on Rabindra Sarani, Baghbazar
image:Gaudiya Maath.jpg, Gaudiya Math, Bagbazar
File:Galiff Street Bird Market.jpg, Galiff Street Bird Market, Bagbazar
image:Bagbazar sarbojonin Durgapuja.jpg, Durga Puja
Durga Puja ( bn, দুর্গা পূজা), also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and is also celebrated ...
at Bagbazar which was started in the year 1918
image:Kolkata Bagbazar Pandal 2006.jpg, Exterior decoration and lighting for Durga Puja 2006 - one of the earliest Barowari
Barowari ( bn, বারোয়ারি) refers to the public organization of a religious entity, mainly in West Bengal, India. ''Barowari'' has significance associated with the Durga Puja festival, in which the Hindu Goddess Durga is worship ...
Pujas in Kolkata
image:Bagbazar railway station.jpg, Bagbazar railway station
Bagbazar railway station is a small railway station in the neighbourhood of Bagbazar. It serves the local areas of Bagbazar in Kolkata, West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern porti ...
References
External links
{{coord, 22.603, N, 88.366, E, display=title, region:IN-WB, format=dms
Neighbourhoods in Kolkata