Metropolitan Building, Calcutta

“That magician whom I brought from Rangoon is a clever fellow. He has toured all over India as a circus conjurer. The bullet-proof jackets were bought at Whiteaway & Laidlaw’s stores, one rupee eight annas each. They are costing me a pretty penny, I can tell you.” 

– U Po Kyin, a Burmese character in George Orwell's "Burmese Days"

The graceful but poverty-stricken existence and existential conditions of the massive, palatial Metropolitan Building, architecturally and artistically one of the most prominent and underrated of Calcutta’s iconic landmarks, at the corner of Esplanade Square has for the past few years become a concurrent theme for the city’s heritage enthusiasts’ unwavering devoted adoration and unequivocal criticism over lamentable governmental neglect and unsound conservation and maintenance principles – recently given a bright coat of dazzling white paint with glittering golden highlights for its numerous Victorian features, the handsome building that started out as one of the most well-renowned of colonial-era structures in the subcontinent couldn’t have seen worse days – portions of it, including the stained glass atrium, have collapsed and the striking structure has been declared unfit for human occupation while simultaneously being subjected to ever-deteriorating standards of maintenance with the removal of its original exorbitant Italian marble, damage due to water seeping to the expensively replaced woodwork and modifications in the interior layout – the only aspect that has probably remained unchanged in its history thereof is that the majestic structure has always housed a departmental store except for a brief interlude in recent past – it is a little known fact that the building began as Asia’s biggest departmental store in the form of headquarters of the famed Whiteway, Laidlaw and Co., dealers in the latest in English fashion apparel and renowned among the European community of the entire subcontinent (and the Anglicized native population who professed to an unabashed attraction towards European-style fine dressing), today it houses on its huge ground floor the Big Bazaar store, a retail outlet with branches in almost every Indian city promising to inundate the domestic lives of customers with cheap daily-use accessories as well as hundreds of thousands of billboard and print promotional advertisements. 

Regally spread over two massive floors and custom-built by Calcutta-based contractors Mackintosh Burn Ltd. for their clients Whiteway, Laidlaw and Co., the building’s stately Victorian appearance is completed by the presence of three domed cupolas at the corners with clocks embedded in them, tall Corinthian pillars and impressive triangular facades mounted in the center of each face – at present the majestic domes, the ornamental urns that define the rooftop and the Acanthus leaves surmounting the pillar capitals have been drenched in a coat of glistening golden paint that contrasts with the dazzle of the rest of the building’s understated white to create a flamboyant appearance that in no way appears to be unharmonious to my untrained eyes – yet great hue and cry was raised, to no effect, when the visual modification was first perpetrated over the erstwhile all-white color scheme of the structure. Just as it might seem difficult to imagine the Esplanade square without the building majestically seated at its present prominent location, it has become equally difficult to imagine the building now without its glittering highlights. Having glossed over old photographs of the building, I find the present color scheme more heartwarming than the original grey-white monotonous appearance. I just earned several enemies in Calcutta’s heritage circle by confessing so! Nonetheless, as Mr. Ratish Nanda who heads the Aga Khan Trust's much-appreciated conservation-restoration work at Delhi's Humayun's Tomb complex once pointed to me – the purpose of restoration is not to enforce a color scheme or add features that you see fit, but to return to the original design and artwork after removal of such modifications and additions to go back to the artist/architect's original conception. Though I adore the new appearance and find it in general more attractive and eye-catching than the original, I cannot, in any case, support this highlighting on a heritage building since it goes against all laid-down principles of restoration and might well be equivalent to opening a Pandora's box with conservation and landscape architects giving free rein to their own wills of fantasy and beliefs regarding the monument/structure's appearance and layout.

Calcutta's pride

Jocularly christened as “Right-away, Paid-for and Co.” over its principle of not lending credit, Whiteway, Laidlaw and Co. derives its name from the two enterprising Scotsmen who started it in 1882 and ran an impressive business conglomerate with merchandise outlets at Calcutta, Shimla, Madras, Lahore, Burma and Shanghai; the much glossed over Calcutta outlet was the most popular one stop shopping center for British soldiers and administrative officers posted anywhere in south-east Asian colonies and was considered uber-posh and classiest amongst all the centers; the Co. was one of the first pioneers of the concept of "sale days" and introduced "Rupee Friday" in its Indian branches were customers could purchase several items each for one rupee; the accounts however began to dry up after India gained independence following the long and tenuous freedom struggle and the Co. was forced to shut shop and sell the beautiful building to Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. which explains the present nomenclature. At present, the building is owned by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the Big Bazaar operates out of the ground floor and the upper floors, referred to as Victoria Chambers when they housed Whiteway, Laidlaw and Co.’s administrative and official staff, have been quartered and given over to numerous tenants. Imagine my surprise when I first arrived at Calcutta by bus and deboarded at Esplanade (which happens to be one of the largest state bus terminals and an important metro station) and came face-to-face with this striking architectural specimen that most Calcutta residents have come to take for granted – never having read about it since it isn’t generally included in the list of important colonial-era landmarks and not understanding what such a princely structure is doing in the midst of the city, I ended up asking the passer-bys about it, most of whom themselves knew little or nothing! My eyes might have almost popped out of my head due to utter astonishment and surprise on learning that the handsome Victorian building is “just” another Big Bazaar store – thankfully my friends brought me out of my contemplation and we explored the entire area in much detail and observed all the happenings almost all day long. Since then, I have been to Calcutta numerous times and almost every single time end up clicking the building – usually the same shot over and over again – somehow the building, because of its antiquity, gracefulness and immaculately magnificent appearance despite all the loathsome modifications it has been subjected to and the irreverent maintenance conditions that have been heaped on it, attracts me to itself – in its miserably forgotten and ignored state full of gloominess and dejection over its future existence, and yet possessing an air of unparalleled stately splendor and unmatched glamour, the building represents Calcutta – antiquated, much modified from its original pristine state and struggling against its existence in a world that has galloped far ahead in times and yet claiming its fair share of admirers and enthusiasts who are forever willing to wage battles if their beloved is subjected to a single modification – be it the addition of the golden highlights to the building, or the enforcement of the white-blue color scheme for the city. 

Though there isn’t much info available about Mr. Whiteaway, I did chance upon some interesting trivia about Mr. Robert Laidlaw who happened to be a philanthropist and a Member of the British Parliament and donated profusely to charitable establishments and schools throughout the country. He funded and helped maintain numerous World War I relief operations being run by Red Cross and several other charities.

Location: Esplanade (Coordinates: 22°33'48.8"N 88°21'05.9"E)

How to reach: The building is immediately opposite Esplanade bus stop and at a stone's throw from the metro station. Buses and taxis can be availed from different parts of the city.
Timings: Sunrise - 9 pm

Entrance fees: Nil

Photography/Video charges: Nil

Other landmarks located nearby - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Indian Museum
2. Pixelated Memories - Sacred Heart Church
3. Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan Mosque

Suggested Reading - 

1. Flickr.com/DBHKer - Whiteaway, Laidlaw & Co., Calcutta
2. Kolkataonwheelsmagazine.com - Metropolitan Building
3. Telegraphindia.com - Article "All that glitters.." (dated July 18, 2010) by Soumitra Das
4. Telegraphindia.com - Article "Jurassic Park-II" (dated April 4, 2010) by Soumitra Das
5. Telegraphindia.com - Article "Save it from Goldfinger" (dated Sep 10, 2010)
6. Thehindu.com - Article "Laidlaw generosity" (dated Jan 14, 2013)
7. Wikipedia.org - Robert Laidlaw

General Post Office, Calcutta

"Driving southward down the western side of Dalhousie Square we have the General Post Office and some magnificent commercial buildings on our left. The dome of the Post Office is one of the most conspicuous land-marks of Calcutta. The building was designed by Mr. W. B. Granville, and completed in 1868. The flight of steps at the corner formed by Koila Ghat Street and Charnock Place (i.e., the western side of Dalhousie Square), and the spacious Corinthian Colonnade scarcely fall short of being impressive."

- Rev. Walter K. Firminger, "Thacker's Guide to Calcutta"

“Calcutta?? What’s there to see in Calcutta??”
I’ve lost count of how many times my friends have exclaimed this statement in astonishment, especially when I mention having visited some monument/structure that not even most Calcuttans would have heard of. For most Indians, it would be either Victoria Memorial or Howrah Bridge or the Durga Puja celebrations that define Calcutta – that’s the very problem with Indian tourism – by letting one or two monuments/places to become the representatives of a city/state, we relegate the rest of the architectural heritage that city/state might possess to obscurity. But can a couple of places define Calcutta’s art & architecture in its entirety – what then of the famous St. John’s Church Complex where Calcutta’s history, in the form of the mortal remains of Job Charnock (the guy who established the city as a bastion of British supremacy in India), is buried?? Or the gigantic Tipu Sultan Mosque close to the Esplanade Square that was built by the exiled family of the mighty sovereign of Mysore? The invisible Chinese clubs of Tiretta Bazaar & Thai monasteries of Tangra that bring to the fore the flavors of Asia in this ancient city? But, the most endearing thing about this beautiful city is that here the heritage is not hidden from the masses, it isn’t the exclusive of tourists – Calcutta’s interesting & equally amazing history is part & parcel of the city’s everyday life – the city breathes its history, it knows how to live it. In fact, the city folk have amalgamated the city’s architectural & cultural heritage so integrally into their daily life that structures such as the Church of St. John or the General Post Office (GPO) haven’t been turned into isolated tourist spots that remain only skeletons of their erstwhile magnificence & glory; instead these structures still serve the city’s population in their original capacity, be it administration, relaxation or worship.

Calcutta General Post Office, view from Writer's Building

I agree that at times it is hard to appreciate Calcutta’s beauty; the city has turned into a congested mess with its traffic & crowds – the whizzing yellow taxis, the people scurrying to reach their destinations, the hawkers & the beggars – nobody is ready to stop for even a minute; leave alone photographing a structure without swarms of people buzzing around it, at times the milling crowds make it difficult to even get a full view of a structure. But though now dilapidated, these structures still bring to the front the glory the city enjoyed first as the headquarters of the mighty British East India Company & later as the capital of entire Indian subcontinent when it had been colonized by Britain.

The GPO, a magnificent white building, with a huge dome gracing its front end & Corinthian columns (slender fluted columns, topped by decorative leaves & scrolls) along its sides, is a brilliant example of the simplistic Edwardian architecture that was prevalent in Britain from 1901-14. What attracted me to the post office?? Didn’t I tell you of my interest in philately?? What better place to buy stamps to satiate my philatelic appetite than one of the oldest post offices in the country, one that reeks of history from each of its crack & crevice. The building was designed by Walter L. B. Granville (1819-1874), the same architect who also designed the Indian Museum (refer Pixelated Memories - Indian Museum), Calcutta High Court & the University of Calcutta (later destroyed). I have added links to the architect’s life history as well as the museum that I had visited on an earlier occasion in this article’s footer. The construction of the GPO started in 1864 & it was handed over to the postal department in 1868. It was commissioned by the British Government of Bengal to ease the administration of the postal & telegraph network of the province of Bengal; it has since then served as the chief post office of Bengal. 

Believe it or not, that magnificent dome looks small but is actually 220-feet high!!

Sadly, the crowd at the GPO began thinning after the advent of modern lines of communication such as email, telephones & SMS texting – the GPO has fallen on bad times & the bulk of post passing through it has reduced drastically, the structure remains more of a tribute to the glorious past. It stands at the centre of all posts passing through Calcutta, but also as a memorial to the city’s erstwhile position at the world stage. The GPO also has further gory history associated with it – it is built at the site of Fort William, the British outpost at Calcutta, that was the site of the “Black Hole Tragedy” of 1756 AD – a singular event where several British men & women were imprisoned in a small dungeon by then Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah, leading to several deaths by asphyxiation & panic – an action that provoked the army of East India Company led by Robert Clive to attack the Nawab & impose heavy sanctions on him. The Company then became the virtual rulers of Bengal (of course, now the scale of the tragedy & the motives behind Clive’s attack are also under dispute – see post Pixelated Memories - Black Hole Memorial for the complete details). Along one of the staircases of the GPO, brass plates have been embedded in the floor to mark the dungeon where the “Black Hole” incident took place – however not many people are aware of this aspect of the GPO’s history. This is where the British rule in India started, sadly the brass plates are imperceptible & difficult to spot, just like the country’s history remains remote to the masses.

The plaque & the brass lines added to remind visitors of the Black Hole Tragedy (Photo courtesy - Rangandatta.wordpress.com)

Standing in the courtyard of the GPO, one can see history writ all over its newly whitewashed walls, the massive pillars seem to reflect pride & might at having carried the weight of the huge dome as well as the load of the entire communication service of Calcutta. The GPO has spawned an entire class of traders around its premises – there are some who sell envelopes, first-day covers, post cards & currency coins (the Reserve Bank is situated next to the GPO), others read & write letters for the uneducated, many others would perform legal paperwork & prepare documents for their patrons, some would even bring along their makeshift offices (consisting of rickety wooden tables & chairs) along with typewriters to draft letters for those who aren’t so fluent with the language of official communication.

One can see the GPO’s 220-feet high dome, complete with the big clock that graces its face & the Sanchi three-lion motif (the emblem of Indian state) from across the large water tank (locally known as “Lal Dighi”) that separates the GPO & the magnificent Writer’s Building (office of the Chief Minister of Bengal, refer Pixelated Memories - Writers' Building). Along with Writer’s Building, St. John’s Church (refer Pixelated Memories - St. John's Church) & the Raj Bhavan (residence of the Governor of Bengal), the GPO has become one of the defining landmarks of BBD Bagh Area, an old locality boasting of colonial architecture complete with pillars, idols, & imposing facades. 

I'm in love with this place!! - The Philatelic Bureau associated with the GPO building

On the inside, the GPO is much like any normal government office in India – clerks manning their stations, bundles of files stacked on & around their tables, many of these covered with thick layers of dust, gunny bags filled with papers & documents stacked along the corners, slow-rotating fans that creak more than they rotate, long queues of visitors lining up to get their work done. A Postal Museum was added to the GPO in 1884 & has on display a collection of stamps and postal artifacts such as letterboxes & seals. The GPO also boasts of a Philatelic Bureau which is a stamp collector’s delight, it was here that I bought stamps & first-day covers worth Rs 500 (as an indicator, except for the stamps, the entire trip cost me Rs 300, including Rs 200 for travel from Durgapur!!). The place is decked up with stamps on all sides, even the walls are adorned with large replicas of newly issued stamps, posters & information bulletins about Indian postal system.

It has even featured on a stamp.. (Photo courtesy - Indianpost.com)

Postage stamps worth 40 paise depicting the GPO were also issued by the postal department on its centenary celebrations in 1967 & 68. Several of those stamps I have in my possession, which brings me back to the question that my friends always pose to me, I answer it with another question - Isn’t it worth visiting a building that has been commemorated on stamps & still stands as a living testimony to the postal department’s establishment & continuing tradition of service to the citizens?

Location: Crossing of Netaji Subhas Road and Koilaghat Street, B.B.D Bagh Area. Ask your way around to Writer's Building from Esplanade Bus/Metro Station (refer Pixelated Memories - Writers' Building for identification). Traverse the pathway running along the tank opposite the Building to reach the GPO. Don't forget to photograph the ducks & swans that waddle in the tank!
Nearest Bus & Metro Station: Esplanade
Timings: 9am - 5pm
Entrance Fee: Nil
Photography/Video Charges: Nil
Relevant Links - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Black Hole Memorial
2. Pixelated Memories - Charnock's Tomb
3. Pixelated Memories - Howrah Bridge & Railway Station
4. Pixelated Memories - Indian Museum
5. Pixelated Memories - Nam Soon Chinese Club
6. Pixelated Memories - Sea Ip Chinese Club
7. Pixelated Memories - St. John's Church
8. Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan Mosque
9. Pixelated Memories - Victoria Memorial
10. Pixelated Memories - Writers' Building

Suggested Reading - 

1. Indianpost.com - Stamp information: CALCUTTA G.P.O
2. Kolkataonwheelsmagazine.com - GPO
3. Victorianweb.org - The General Post Office, Kolkata
4. Victorianweb.org - Walter L. B. Granville (1819-1874)
5. Wikipedia.org - Edwardian Architecture
6. Wikipedia.org - The Black Hole tragedy of Calcutta

Diwan-i-Khas, Red Fort, New Delhi

On April 1, my Holi vacations came to an end & I returned to Bengal from Delhi. The same night, a thief broke the window of my friend's hostel room & made away with my & my friend's laptops. Along with the laptop, I lost all my research regards this blog, travel & otherwise, & also all my photographs, internship projects & certificates. It has been a difficult time & I have been miserable & mostly sulking since then. But the loss also helped me set right my priorities & aims. I realized I will have to start over everything anew, but start I had to. I compiled this post after borrowing a friend's laptop. Hopefully I shall soon buy a new laptop & get back to writing again. Do let me know what you think of this post, would appreciate that.

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If there is one structure which could perfectly describe India’s story since the time of the Mughal emperor Shahjahan (ruled AD 1628-58) till now if it could speak, it would definitely be the Diwan-i-Khas palace within the Red Fort complex. Built of polished white marble, covered with a layer of fine pearl dust & richly ornamented with jewels of multiple hues & shapes & sizes – the Diwan-i-Khas was constructed with the sole aim of overawing the visitors to Shahjahan’s fabulous fortress. The palace, functioning in the capacity of the emperor’s private audience hall, was so splendidly decorated the craftsmen who worked on its construction were instructed to inscribe on one of its walls a couplet by the legendary poet-historian-composer Amir Khusroe that reads –

"Agar Firdaus bar rue-i-Zamin ast, Hamin ast, Hamin ast, Hamin ast” 

(“If there be heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here”) 

The palace was also referred to as the Shah Mahal (“Royal Palace”) & Daulat Khana-i-Khas, & it was here that Shahjahan recieved select ministers & nobles of the highest ranking & discussed matters of state, security of the frontiers, administration, revenue & such. Standing on a high plinth, the rectangular structure is surmounted by a chattri (dome-like structures mounted on thin pillars) on each of its four corners & has five arched openings on its front face & three arched openings each on its shorter sides. The fourth side used to face the river Yamuna (which has since diverted its route) & is engrailed with elegantly carved jalis (“stone latticework”) that helped keep the interiors airy by providing ventilation & letting in cool breezes from the riverside. It was from this side that the emperor, sitting on his throne, would look down the currents of the river & make up his mind about issues concerned with the empire’s administration.

Diwan-i-Khas

Old paintings show how the palace used to be covered with red shamianas (“tents”) that contrasted with its brilliant white lustre, fine rugs & carpets were strewn around the place to complete a picture of lavish & laid back life. The picture was also that of nomadic traditions – the Mughals, once nomads & used to a life in the vast & arid plains of Afghanistan still found it difficult to live in closed buildings & instead preferred structures that resembled tents with arches & openings instead of walls. The courtyard outside the palace was divided into two portions by means of colonnaded pavilions. The pavilion close to the emperor’s seat was screened by red curtains & marked by gold railings – it housed high-ranking ministers & generals. The other pavilion, the one further away, was marked by silver railings & had no distinction as such for it was here that the lower-rung nobles stood in attendance waiting for the emperor’s commands. 

Diwan-i-Khas - Painting by Ghulam Ali Khan (1817) (Photo courtesy - www.columbia.edu)

The walls of the palace were encrusted with jewels & pietra dura work in stunning designs & patterns, while the roof was built of silver & gilded with gold. It is said that just the roof was built at a cost of Rs 39 lakhs (3.9 million). James Fergusson, a European traveller, was forced to write in his chronicles about the palace “If not the most beautiful, it is certainly the most highly ornamented of all Shahjahan’s buildings.” The Nahr-i-Bihisht (“Stream of Paradise”) canal that Shahjahan conceived of as an imitation of heavenly brooks flows through the centre of the palace, adding further grace to its royal appearance.

The main attraction of the palace was the famed Takht-i-Tavus (“Peacock Throne”) which was built entirely with solid gold in which were hewn gems, rubies & emeralds of all shapes & sizes. The throne was flanked by two large, solid gold peacocks with huge rubies for their eyes & other adornments. The entire piece was built at an enormous cost of a hundred lakh (10 million) rupees. The emperor would sit on the throne wearing the magnificent 186-carat Koh-i-noor diamond (“Mountain of Light”) on his ring, the scene must have been that of a spell-binding lustre & exorbitant pleasures. Court fawners & poets described the throne in glorious words, often stating that the earth had become short of gold on account of the amount of it used to build the throne.

Notice the marble dias on which the Emperor's throne used to be seated

During the Mughal rule, the palace played a very important role in court politics & was the main arena for a number of scenes involving wars, battles, gore & mischief as well. Sadly, the very reasons that made the palace a central part of these incidents also proved to be its downfall.

The Persian emperor Nadir Shah invaded Delhi in 1739. After overrunning the Mughal armies, Nadir Shah marched to Red Fort & occupied the Peacock Throne, reducing the then emperor Muhammad Shah "Rangila" (ruled 1719-48) to a state of supplication & fear. For the time Nadir stayed in Delhi, the palace was his home. Here he met visitors, accepted tributes from the Mughal princes & local landlords, entertained girls & dictated the terms of defeat to the Mughal emperor. Though the people of Delhi initially welcomed Nadir Shah’s armies with showerings of flowers & virtually offered him a red carpet, the mood soon turned sour. Eager to make profits, many merchants started quoting higher prices for basic neccessities to the Persian soldiers leading to many scuffles & quarrels. One particular day, a scuffle turned into a big fight that saw many of Nadir Shah’s soldiers being killed or decapitated by Delhi’s population. Nadir Shah’s presence at the Sunehri Masjid (“The Golden Mosque” at Chandni Chowk street, refer Pixelated Memories - Sunehri Masjid) gave the impetus required to magnify the hostilities, an archer tried to kill him but failed. Enraged at the loss of his soldiers’ lives & the attempt on his own, Nadir Shah unleashed his forces with vengeance on the people of Delhi, himself signalling the beginning of the Qatl-i-Aam (“massacre”) from the ramparts of the mosque. In a span of 6 hours, the Shah’s men heckled down over 20,000 citizens, including even women, old folk & children. In the end, a cowering Muhammad Shah had to go to the Diwan-i-Khas & beg Nadir Shah to spare the lives of his subjects. The Great Mughal was reduced to a shivering beggar in his own private court. A few weeks later, Muhammad Shah married one of the daughters of his own line to a son of Nadir Shah. Before departing Nadir Shah decided to deprive Muhammad Shah of his most valuable ancestral possessions & forced him to give up the Peacock Throne & the Koh-i-Noor diamond. The throne has since been broken down & no trace of its parts have ever been found, while the diamond passed on from the Iranians to the Sikhs & then to the British & is now part of the Queen’s crown along with several other jewels taken from India. Over time, many Indians have demanded that the British government return the diamond, or rather whatever remains of it since it was cut to increase its brilliance – but I don’t think that could or should happen because of several reasons. Firstly, the diamond is an integral part of the history of British imperialism & the colonialization of India. It represents what India lost as a result of its internal squabbles & bickerings. Secondly, if England went about returning everything it took from its former colonies, it would be broke. Third, many parties – the Sikhs, the Pakistanis & even the Iranians have made demands for the diamond to be returned to them. Placating them all at the same time would be an issue. & finally, the diamond is supposed to be cursed. Its owners have always met bad fortune – the Rajas of Gwalior, Mughals, Iranians, Afghans, Sikhs & the British were all defeated & vanquished soon after they came into the possession of the diamond. We certainly do not want it back, do we?? Let the Brits have it!!

The Koh-i-Noor diamond (Photo courtesy - famousdiamonds.tripod.com)

Back to Diwan-i-Khas, the Empire ran out of its share of mighty Emperors & was so weakened after Nadir Shah’s invasion that the Mughal rule did not extend much beyond the boundaries of Delhi. The king remained a nominal head, unable to defend his own frontiers agains the attacks by Marathas (Hindu revolutionaries from Central India, chiefly Maharashtra), Rohillas & Jats (a sub-caste of Hindus, they once formed parties of brigands who looted & plundered the countryside around Delhi & Haryana). Each of these attacks took its toll on the Red Fort, the Diwan-i-Khas was also plundered. The jewels that adorned its walls were chiseled out with knives, its exquisite interiors were spoiled & its subtle grace destroyed.

Ravaged!!

By the 1760s the Mughal house had fallen severely from its position of supreme power & had to put up with invasions from the Afghans on the Northern frontiers & from the Marathas on the Southern frontier. The Afghans & Marathas took turns to plunder Delhi & other provinces & humiliate the Emperor, the Afghans even captured most of Punjab & Kashmir. In 1760, the Afghans led by Ahmed Shah Durrani invaded India, the then emperor Shah Alam, unable to defend the empire, had to ask his arch-enemies, the Marathas, for protection against the invaders. As payment for their help, the Marathas took all the treasures from the fortress & even melted the silver-&-gold roof of the Diwan-i-Khas to pay for war expenses. But the combined Mughal-Maratha army was also defeated by the Afghans & they then proceeded to take whatever the Marathas had left. The entire fortress was thus emptied of all its riches & stood only as a skeleton of its previous self.

Again in 1788, the Rohillas overran Delhi & their chief Ghulam Qadir Rohilla reduced the aged Shah Alam to a prisoner in his own fortress. Holding court in the Diwan-i-Khas, Ghulam Qadir ordered the Emperor to surrender all the treasures & valuables to his men. The treasury was already empty & the royal family too did not have much in its possession. Enraged, Ghulam ordered his men to gouge out the eyes of the old king. Shah Alam beseeched the invader that for several decades his eyes had seen nothing but the pages of the Quran & so they be spared (The state of affairs of the Mughal lineage had become such that even the emperor was forced to copy pages of the Holy Book & sell them to sustain himself. The tradition of doing so was started by the powerful yet pious Aurangzeb, but he would have never have foreseen that one day his family would fall so low that the emperors would be forced to carry on the practice out of compulsion). Ghulam Qadir spared the emperor, but had his men kill his family members instead in front of the emperor’s eyes in the Diwan-i-Khas. So horrible were the killings that the Emperor broke down & again begged Ghulam Qadir – only this time he wanted to be blinded in order to escape watching his family being butchered mercilessly. Ghulam Qadir complied & had the Emperor’s eyes cut out immediately. Ghulam then dug up the marble floor of the Diwan-i-Khas expecting to find treasure buried below, but alas! there was none to be found in the entire fortress. But the Rohilla mercenaries carried away whatever they could find & the Diwan-i-Khas was shorned of all its ornamentation & reduced to a state even more pitiful than before.

Gone are the gems & the stone..

As the Mughal power dwindled, another force made its intentions to control the Indian sub-continent known. The British East India “Trading” Company had arrived, it started controlling its own territories, commanded a superior army & began generating its own revenue from the territories it was granted by the Mughals. Slowly, the Company started following an expansionist policy, subduing smaller kingdoms & local landlords & seizing their domains too, amassing huge profits in the process. Everything was going smooth for the Company, but in 1857 it committed the blunder of introducing rifle cartridges smeared with the fat of cows & pigs. So far divided by their religion, Hindu & Muslim soldiers of the Company immediately joined hands in the resistance against the British policies. Thus began the Sepoy Mutiny aka the First War of Independence. The soldiers marched into Delhi from all over the country, butchering English men, women & children & destroying British magazines, armouries & other institutions. The soldiers marched into the Red Fort & in this final act of the Mughal empire too, the Diwan-i-Khas formed the backdrop. Emperor Bahadur Shah “Zafar” II was declared the king of a united India, Hindus & Muslims swore allegiance to him & carried his banner in the battles & skirmishes. Despite their proclamations, in reality the soldiers paid no heed to the Emperor’s commands & premonitions & he was simply a minor player in the whole affair. The British swore vengeance against the Indians & soon retaliated with their guns & cannons. The Indian forces were defeated, most of the soldiers killed or hanged, Bahadur Shah Zafar was imprisoned in his own palace & his sons & grandson were shot in cold blood by the British commander Major Hodson near the Khooni Darwaza of Old Delhi (refer Pixelated Memories - Khooni Darwaza). Betrayed by his relatives & acquaintances, Zafar was charged with treason, attempt to overthrow the British government & murder. His trial was conducted in his own court, the Diwan-i-Khas, & he was sentenced to be exiled to the faraway land of Rangoon (Myanmar). The British overtook the fortress, destroying many of the Mughal palaces & pavilions & converting the rest to barracks & soldiers’ quarters. The Diwan-i-Khas too was turned into an Officers’ Mess & suffered on account of the demolition of the associated arcades that once housed the nobles. Although each party of invaders indulged in loot & plunder, the British took it a step further – institutionalizing the whole process by employing special “Price Agents” who evaluated the value of every item confiscated from the fortress as well as the houses of the nobles & the merchants. These items were then sold in market or gifted to the officials of the British government. Such was the greed of the British that they took even that which the previous waves of invaders & brigands had left behind – including the gilded domes of the chattris of the Diwan-i-Khas.

Half a century after they had occupied the palace, the British started waking up to the excesses they committed & the amount of damage the people as well as the structures suffered during their rule. This was the period of the Nationalist movements, & sensing an upheaval in the public mood, the British started taking remedial measures. Though the damage could not be fully repaired, they did make considerable advances in restoring the structures within the Red Fort to their glory. Among these measures, one was to paint the wooden roof of the Diwan-i-Khas to replicate its original gilded designs. This was carried out in the year 1911.

Flora!!

After India gained independence from the British rule, the Indian Army continued to be stationed in the fort complex till the year 2005. After that the Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I) got the charge for the protection & upkeep of the structures within the grand complex. Continuing with the Mughal policy of not allowing random visitors to the Diwan-i-Khas premises, the A.S.I keeps it barred by means of rope barriers. The visitors can adore the intricacies of the designs & perfection of the architecture from outside, but its story of anguish & the fall from glory would resonate in the hearts of the multitude of citizens who feel pained at the loss of India’s power & prestige at the world stage.

Location: Red Fort, New Delhi
Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk Station
Open: All days except Monday
Timings: 10 am - 4 pm
Entrance Fee: Rs. 10 (Indian), Rs. 250 (Foreigners)
Photography Charges: Nil (Rs. 25 for video filming)
Relevant Links -

1. Pixelated Memories - Khooni Darwaza
2. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort
3. Pixelated Memories - Sunehri Masjid

Suggested Reading - 

1. Famousdiamonds.tripod.com - Koh-i-Noor Diamond
2. "Times of India" article (Dated Dec 9, 2012) - "Throne of Contention"
3. Wikipedia.org - Peacock Throne

Curzon Gate, Bardhaman

The documented history of the province of Bardhaman (aka Burdwan) in Bengal goes back over 2,500 years when the last Jain Tirthankar Vardhaman Mahavir stayed at a small hamlet known as Astikagram during his lengthy sojourn – the hamlet was immediately christened as Bardhaman in his honor and continued to exist in its simplistic, pristine state for over a millennium while the world around it changed and developed, emperors and local lords came and went, and territories changed hands. In 1657, when the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (reign AD 1627-57) ruled over the vast subcontinent, Sangam Rai Kapoor migrated from Lahore (present-day Pakistan) to Bardhaman under express command of the emperor to take over, expand into a local stronghold and manage the affairs of Bardhaman. But that is not where our story begins – it fast-forwards two and a half century to when Maharaj Bijoy Chand Mahtab (ruled 1887-1941, under regency from 1887-1902 since he was only six at the time of crowning) ascended the throne of Bardhaman province and immediately ordered the provincial administration, lukewarm and largely undecided in transferring its loyalty from the ousted Mughals to the British colonists, to leave no stone upturned to serve and appease the British administration that had overtaken the country following defeat of the native forces in the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny/War of Independence – it is difficult to ascertain the primary reasons behind the Maharaj’s capitulation to the foreign forces but he could have been guided by sensitivity towards his subjects who would have benefited greatly, financially, academically as well as socially, by assisting the subcontinent’s masters in their entire capacity against localized revolts and freedom struggle outbreaks, or by the lure of personal achievements, monetary, social as well as statutory – either way, in his bid to keep his colonial masters content and satiated, the Maharaj, who was no more than a local well-paid and extremely affluent revenue collector (“zamindar”) enjoying a title (“maharaj”) that was under no circumstances hereditary, turned away from the freedom movement that was gradually gripping the country in a fervent and united stance – he was bestowed with the title of “Rajadhiraj” by Bordillian, the then Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, in 1903 and “Maharajadhiraj” by Lord Minto, the then Viceroy of the subcontinent, in 1908 in recognition of the valuable assistance he provided against the revolutionaries and the revenue his province generated annually to keep the coffers of British treasury overflowing. The Maharaj’s chivalry and courage was hailed when he saved the life of Sir Andrew Fraser, the Lieutenant-Governor, from Bengali revolutionaries intent on assassinating the latter and he was awarded with further titles of KCIE (Knight Commander of the Indian Empire) and Indian Order of Merit (class III).

The splendid gateway and the bazaar adjoining it

The Maharaj commissioned the grand Curzon Gate (also referred to as Bijoy Toran, a play on the Maharaj’s name since it could be translated both as the Maharaj’s gateway or “Victory gateway” (Bijoy literally translates to victory), when Viceroy Curzon visited Bardhaman on August 16, 1904 as part of a tour to Bengal. The magnificent gateway, a huge Gothic-inspired structure, looks slightly out of place at the head of the typical Indian bazaar (market place) where it stands, but definitely fulfills its function by acting as a majestic gateway leading to the Maharaj’s palace, which is about a kilometer away on the road emerging from the gateway. The massive gateway’s central and largest arch is surmounted by spellbinding sculptures of three Greek women dressed in robes and personifying Education, Industry and Agriculture – the three ethos in which the Maharaj aimed to and largely succeeded in making his province sufficiently affluent, he himself being the first member of the royal family to formally attain educational qualification from the renowned Calcutta University. Each of the two smaller, side-arches is crowned by the statue of a lion seated regally atop a low platform. 

Sculptures

Exquisitely sculpted, thick Corinthian pillars support the high pedestals while the pedestals that serve as the base for the pillars are themselves adorned with panels crafted out of incised plaster and displaying a very intricate, highly fantastical and ethereal representation of foliage, trees and flowers; A band of beautiful floral patterns runs along the central arch while the gateway’s top is ornamented with star-spangled medallion motifs – in its entirety, the gateway is undoubtedly a testimonial to the skill of the artists who toiled on it and dexterously conceived and executed a European style structure even though their chief preoccupation might have been crafting traditional and vernacular artistic and architectural specimens. The gateway leads to the aforementioned multifaceted bazaar where one can purchase numerous items ranging from food articles and sweets to clothes and accessories – walk straight in and you can also visit the famed Sarvamangala temple, a pretty Shaktipeetha and a well-known shrine housed within the premises of a huge mansion. 

The panel with fantastical representation of trees and foliage at the bottom of the gateway

It is of course another matter that in 1905, Lord Curzon announced the partition of Bengal into Hindu-Muslim enclaves leading to widespread riots and repercussions for the imperial administration. Soon thereafter, though Bengal was reunited into a single province, the Maharaj, sensing a shift in British policies that were bound to be greatly unfavorable to the Zamindari (revenue agent-landlord) system and would have depleted his resources and revenues in a single stroke, began associating with and funding the freedom struggle leaders. Following independence and the abolition of Zamindari system, the magnanimous descendants of Maharaj Bijoy Chand gave up their territories and palace to establish small cultivators and the University of Bardhaman respectively and themselves began managing the private companies and industrial institutions in which they were stakeholders and took active interest in commercial and real estate interests. The gateway still functions as a beacon, welcoming visitors to the city with its gentle, unassuming enormity and graceful artwork – after all, the Bardhaman railway station is so close to it that most visitors pass by it and marvel at its regal splendor whenever they emerge into the city.

The realistic lion and the skillfully-sculpted Corinthian pillars (bottom)

Location: Near Bardhaman Railway station

How to reach: If arriving from out station via rail, one can simply deboard and walk to the gateway. Buses and rickshaws are available from different parts of the city to the gateway.

Photography/Video charges: Nil

Time required for sightseeing: 10 min

Nearby attractions: Pixelated Memories - Kankaleshwar Kalibari, Bardhaman

Suggested Reading - 

1. Outlookindia.com - Article "Sita's Sweet Tooth" (dated Jan 15, 2007) by Jaideep Mazumdar
2. Wikipedia.org - Bardhaman Raj
3. Wikipedia.org - Company rule in India

Metcalfe's Chattri, Delhi

As recounted some posts back, there lived a British officer who went by the name of Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe who was absolutely in love with Delhi and its numerous magnificent ruins. The entire Metcalfe family was employed by the British East India Company – Sir Thomas was posted as the British Agent (Negotiator) at the courts of Mughal Emperors Akbar Shah II (reign AD 1806-37) and Bahadur Shah “Zafar” II (reign AD 1837-57); his father started as a soldier in the Company Army and eventually became the Company Director before retiring with considerable personal fortune to a life of politics and entitlement; his elder brother Sir Charles was the assistant to then Resident (Ambassador) Sir David Ochterlony and later also served as the Governor-General of India, Governor of Jamaica and Governor-General of Canada; lastly his son Sir Theophilus John officiated as the Chief Judge of Delhi. As a consequence of the Mughal Emperor’s waning political and military control over the immense subcontinent and the occupation by Company forces of the political and territorial space vacated by the Emperor’s nominal sovereignty, considerable power came to be placed in the hands of prominent Company officials like the Metcalfes. Sir Thomas used his power and influence to purchase the tomb of Mirza Muhammad Quli Khan, a foster brother of Emperor Akbar (ruled AD 1556-1605) and a valiant military General, and converted it into a suburban country house (refer Pixelated Memories - Quli Khan's Tomb) by adding annexes and servant quarters around it. As already mentioned, Sir Thomas loved ruins – he talked and wrote about them and had their sketches painted and sent to his daughter Emily – the only thing left to do was create more ruins. Now that’s not a very easy thing to do. But his heart was set on doing so – he filled the area around his country house with all sorts of unique structures – Ziggurats (stepped pyramids), guardhouses, small bridges spanning artificial canals, chattris (umbrella domes surmounted on rectangular pillars), stables and circular dovecots. I had seen the ziggurats while visiting the renowned Qutb complex adjacent, the same have been documented here – Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Ziggurats and Guardhouses and Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex. I came across the smaller of his chattris a few weeks back – it is one of the relatively popular monuments within the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, an area designated as possessing considerable heritage interest (the other, larger but less well-known chattri is located opposite Metcalfe’s country house/Quli Khan's Tomb, see photographs in the link mentioned). The sprawling archaeological complex, situated in the immediate vicinity of Qutb Complex, contains monuments and ruins from virtually every dynasty that ever ruled over Delhi in the last millennium and yet is one of the least visited and heard about places in the city. So when I say Metcalfe’s chattri is relatively popular, I simply imply that most history seekers and Delhi-lovers have heard about it, a few have seen it and it is part of the itinerary whenever some photography/history club does a photowalk in this area.

Comfy on a gentle slope

The Chattri is now referred to as Metcalfe’s Folly – according to Encyclopedia Britannica, a folly is “a costly, non-functional building erected to enhance a natural landscape”. Now one might ask who builds a chattri in the middle of nowhere?! But actually, chattris were fairly famous architectural additions in those days – Hindu architects had invented them and the royalty, especially Rajputs, had them constructed to commemorate their dead kings and queens; Muslim rulers and aristocracy who came afterwards adopted these as ornamental additions to grace their magnificent gateways and majestic tombs. Thus we see chattris affixed over Humayun’s tomb and the gateways of Old Fort in Delhi, in Taj Mahal in Agra and as freestanding monumental sepulchers in Rajasthan and Haryana (I’m yet to visit any monument located in any part of the country except Delhi and Calcutta, my two hometowns – sometimes I feel disturbingly sad for missing out so much heritage and travel!). But without diverting from the topic – Sir Thomas took an instant liking to the concept of a freestanding chattri, but he did not know where to fix it – his country house was a renovated old tomb and a chattri would have actually spoiled it, his town house (near Red Fort, in present day Old Delhi) was built in a colonial fashion with colonnades and porticos – perplexed, he eventually decided to build chattris close to his country house. So he selected a corner of his impossibly large estate from where he could get an unhindered view of the gigantic Qutb Minar looming in the background and atop a lofty hill he placed his chattri. It’s a fairly simple structure – six pillars emerging from the corners of a hexagonal rubble base and supporting amongst themselves a small, now blackened, umbrella dome. The geometrical patterns etched on the rough, simplistic pillars resemble those that adorn some of the most unornamented pillars that Qutbuddin Aibak pillaged from the Jain and Hindu temples that he had razed to construct his magnum Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque (“Might of Islam”/Qutb Mosque) over their ruins. It seems that city Romeos have attempted to seek vengeance from Mr. Metcalfe for the ruin East India Co. brought to the subcontinent by carving their initials and love letters on the unornamented dome of the chattri – in fact even when I was photographing the structure and the sloping hill it sits on, one couple lay embracing each other on the gentle, concealed slope behind the folly while another sat nearby deeply engrossed in conversation. Oblivious to it all, a middle-aged lady strolled around with her son. Dishearteningly, except for these six people and a few craftsmen-masons restoring the more famous edifices located opposite (see links at the end of this article), there wasn’t a single soul to be seen in the vast complex. Am sure you would have understood how very popular the park and the chattri are!

Come closer

Many people consider the chattri an ugly or unremarkable addition to Delhi’s landscape and contend that it shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I might be an exception, but to my eyes it almost blends in with its environment and in fact makes the area more picturesque. Sir Metcalfe ought to be given some credit – he had the guts to live in a tomb and attempted, in his own resolved way, to beautify an area that is dotted with splendid, centuries-old tombs, mosques and ruined structures whose identity has been long lost in the leaves of history! And what’s more, he almost did succeed!

Sadly, after his death in 1853 and the battle for control of India in 1857, the area around the chattri and his country house fell into disuse and was soon reclaimed by vegetation. The Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I.) is presently excavating the entire complex and restoring the structures within. Since tourists seldom visit this part of Delhi, there are no shops or facilities in the immediate vicinity – no food and drinking water, no toilets. A good pair of shoes might come in handy, given that the thorny bushes and stones that carpet many of the unpaved paths are yet to be removed.

Location: Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset
Nearest Metro Station: Qutb Minar

Nearest Bus stop: Lado Serai Crossing
Entrance Fees: Nil
Photography/Video charges: Nil
How to Reach: If coming by metro, start walking from Qutb Minar station towards Lado Serai crossing. The archaeological complex's entrance is located on Mehrauli-Gurgaon road and there are sandstone markers along the periphery wall to indicate its existence. Car entry is also from the same entrance and the parking area is immediately opposite the small hill on which the chattri stands. Alternately one can deboard at Saket metro station and take a bus from there to Lado Serai crossing. The informal, unmarked entrance (a gap in the boundary wall) to the complex is located opposite the crossing behind the makeshift shops of flower sellers along Mehrauli-Gurgaon road. This entrance too leads straight to the chattri. 

Time required for sightseeing: About 15 min
Note – There are no facilities (toilets, food, drinking water) available within the Archaeological Park. While snacks, fritters and bottled water/cold drinks can be purchased at shops located at Lado Serai or opposite Qutb complex, toilet facilities are only available within the latter or at one of the many shopping malls at Saket, over 2.5 kilometers away. It is better to be prepared. Also female travelers are advised to avoid the complex post-evening because of the unsafe, secluded nature of the place and absence of visitors.

Other monuments within the Archaeological Park premises - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Balban's Tomb
2. Pixelated Memories - Chaumukh Darwaza
3. Pixelated Memories - Jamali Kamali Complex
4. Pixelated Memories - Gandhak ki Baoli
5. Pixelated Memories - Khan Shahid's Tomb
6. Pixelated Memories - Lodi-era Canopy Tomb
7. Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Ziggurats and Guardhouses
8. Pixelated Memories - Mughal tombs and Choti Masjid Bagh wali
9. Pixelated Memories - Quli Khan's Tomb
10. Pixelated Memories - Rajon ki Baoli
11. Pixelated Memories - Settlement ruins

Other monuments located in the neighborhood - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Hazrat Kaki's Dargah
2. Pixelated Memories - Khirki Mosque, Saket
3. Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex
4. Pixelated Memories - Tughlaqabad - Adilabad - Nai-ka-Kot Fortress complex

Other monuments in Delhi that feature chattris - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan's Tomb
2. Pixelated Memories - Humayun's Tomb complex
3. Pixelated Memories - Isa Khan's Tomb
4. Pixelated Memories - Muhammad Shah Saiyyid's Tomb
5. Pixelated Memories - Old Fort complex

St. Andrew's Church, Calcutta

Boasting of an interesting tale behind its construction with simple yet quirky architecture for company, St. Andrew’s Church is perhaps amongst the least known of the heritage structures in Calcutta despite its prominent location in the famed historic area referred to as BBD Bagh (formerly known as “Dalhousie Square” after the then Viceroy, later christened after the three freedom fighters – Binoy, Badal and Dinesh). When the British writ reigned supreme in the country that had been converted into one of the colonies supplying expensive raw materials like spices and silk and providing a fledging market for cheap products like textiles, Calcutta was the capital of administration and BBD Bagh its heart where splendid structures straight out of Victorian England were raised both by the Europeans and the locals. The age was that of mingling of the Orientals and the Europeans, the period golden for the mercantile men, capitalists and plantation owners who decided to take risk and set up businesses offshore to maximize profits, the locals were forced to grow indigo and opium on their fields amid much hardship to supply to the markets in England and China respectively while the British East India “trading” Company was slowly expanding its influence over the subcontinent under competition from French, Dutch and Portuguese companies looking for their place in the spotlight – such were the conditions when the Scottish Minister Reverend James Bryce decided that the city needed an inspiring church for its Scottish population. Since the union of Scotland with England in 1707, Scots formed a large fraction of those coming to the subcontinent to eke out a living in the rapidly-expanding colonial trade and politicized administration of the controlled territories; they worked here as soldiers and mercenaries in service of both the Company and the local kings, doctors and surgeons, jute mill owners and captains, plantation owners and traders, missionaries and industrialists. 

A towering presence in the city and yet forgotten by the people!

The government of the day supplied land for building the hallowed structure and donations were raised by wealthy individuals for commissioning the church; but not only did Reverend Bryce think of building the magnificent church, he also decided that its spire ought to be higher than that of the nearby located St. John’s, an Anglican denomination church (refer Pixelated Memories - St. John's Church) – the latter wish annoyed Bishop Middleton, the first Bishop of Calcutta and the head priest of St. John's, who believed that only the English church has the authority to commission steeples and did not authorize the construction. Cruel words followed from both sides and an irritated Rev. Bryce pledged that not only will the spire of the Scottish church be higher, he will also have a rooster as the finial atop it that will crow on the Church of England’s head and remind them of this debacle – much to the mortification of Bishop Middleton, Rev. Bryce did obtain all the necessary permissions and permits for the construction and height of St. Andrew’s Church (or Kirk, as the Scottish churches are referred to) despite the entire bureaucracy and permits departments controlled by the English – hence the final result, a black rooster fixed on the finial atop the beautiful church. To pacify the enraged Bishop, the then government directed the Public Works Department to not touch the rooster whenever they undertake conservation and repair work at the church, a practice that has since been followed citing the controversial character and history of the rooster. 

Built over 1815-18 by the construction company Messrs Burns, Currie and Co. and dedicated to St. Andrew, the imposing church with its glistening white facade and tall Doric pillars is a striking sight to behold in the perennially congested and traffic-ridden BBD Bagh area – it is another matter that the handsome church square is so engulfed by fast moving vehicles that photographing the structure in its entirety becomes quite a feat (though my minimalist point and shoot camera had difficulty reading the brilliant white paint of the church building too against a deep blue sky interspersed with fluffy clouds) – but one can admire the church building, standing in all its majesty at the head of the broad road in vintage photographs. 

The magnificence of the massive church is only apparent here - poles apart from the congested, overcrowded and crumbling Calcutta of today (Photo courtesy - Oldindianphotos.in)

The urge to witness the black weather cock topping the conical spire lured me to St. Andrew’s but except for its interesting history and antiquity, the church doesn’t have much to show for; moreover as is the case with most churches, photography here too is restricted by the permission of the Vicar and since he wasn’t in the day I visited, I was allowed to only see the church interiors from the entrance and that too after much pleading with the person in-charge. I was able to sneak in just a single click and as is apparent, there isn’t much to see within the church too except for its simplistic white structure framed by tall ionic pillars and topped by low hanging lamps dangling from the blue-green ceiling; I’d let the photo say a thousand words since I cannot conceive enough thoughts to describe the structure. Interestingly, the church is the only one in India that is fully air conditioned, the air conditioners being visible in the photograph I clicked; also visible are the numerous stone tablets that adorn the walls and commemorate the Scotsmen who passed away while in India and were buried in the Scottish cemetery which falls under the aegis of this church. I wasn’t able to closely inspect and photograph these memorials since the caretaker had allowed me only to have a look at the prayer hall and return – newspaper articles suggest that as part of the conservation of Scottish heritage worldwide, the Scottish government has commissioned and funded a project under which both the church and the cemetery will be restored to their original pristine condition. 

Call me irreverent, but I had expected a more dazzling interior to match the passionate history 

Inspired by St. Martin-in-the-Fields of London, the Victorian architecture of the church building consists of a large square structure seated on a high plinth with a massive triangular facade supported on tall Doric pillars forming an elegant portico in the front and a high spire surmounting the building. The large black clock with orange dials was fitted on the spire in 1835. At the bottom of the plinth on which the church structure stands are two plaques – a simple wooden board that lists visiting hours & mass timings and an ornate iron one installed by Kolkata Municipal Corporation that provides a short history and photographs of the church. The interiors are dark and dimly-lit and the hour at which I visited the prayer hall was empty, in fact there was no one in the entire church except the caretaker. 

The wife of the then Governor-General of India, Lord Warren Hastings, laid the foundation stone of the church on St. Andrew’s Day (November 30), 1815 and since its conception it solely holds the responsibility for archiving of records (baptism, marriage & burial details), files and correspondence to the numerous Scottish churches existing in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Gulf nations as well as the maintenance of Calcutta’s Scottish Cemetery (opened soon after the church). While the church was under construction, another building close to its present location was used as a makeshift church for temporary basis. Besides the Scottish population of the city, the church also provided solace in the times of need to the local Bengali converts to Christianity as well members of other churches. Locally referred to as “Laat Sahib ka Girja” (“Church of the Governor”, I couldn’t fathom the reason for this odd vernacular christening), the beautiful building is hemmed in by some very important structures that can claim an essential architectural and cultural connection to Calcutta’s life and history, besides Writer’s Building and St. John’s Church, there is Tipu Sultan Mosque, Sacred Heart Church and a street leads straight to the historic but obscure “Quan Ti”, clubs-cum-shrines belonging to the Chinese community of the city (see links in the post footer). 

The church and one of the wings of the beautiful Writer's Building (Photo courtesy - Panoramio.com)

In reality, I had planned to visit St. Andrew’s much late in the day after finishing a tour of some of the more prominent structures that I mentioned above, but somehow I got lost in the jumble of Calcutta’s streets (despite, as always, having a handmade map displaying all the places I had to go as well as the routes and the time required for each) and turned up at this part of the city early in the morning even though I must have stopped a score times to click structures that caught my eye, street life and the trams. Needless to say, as Calcutta goes, the traffic even so early was a nightmare and the area was choked with pedestrians as well as vehicles; the entire area, on account of housing the office of the Chief Minister and the residence of the Governor, is very heavily guarded by police and paramilitary personnel and photography does invite a few unwarranted cautious stares. The sun, already high in the sky and scorching in its temerity, made the church’s flawless white dazzle brilliantly and as mentioned before, I had much difficulty clicking it with my simple camera – would suggest a very early visit if an uncrowded, serene click is the requirement. The church, with its painted exteriors and well-maintained grounds stand out in sharp contrast to the buildings of BBD Bagh, most of which have been accustomed to urban decay, collapse and a reoccupation by small shops, shanties (consider the street joining Tipu Sultan mosque to Sacred Heart Church) and vegetation (consider the fig tree emanating from the corner tower of Standard Assurance Corp. building). 

Noticed the rooster yet?

Hope the conservation project being spearheaded by the Scottish government doesn’t get entangled in India’s cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles but is fully supported by the governments of India and Bengal and the church is preserved for the benefit of the generations to come who too, like us, might be amazed by the age of colonialism and the spirit of the seafarers and merchants who reached out to distant foreign shores in search of business as well as adventure! 

A note about the significance of St. Andrew for the Scottish people - A fisherman by profession, St. Andrew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and is considered the patron saint of Scotland among several other countries. According to one legend, the mortal remains of St. Andrew were preserved in Greece and a monk named St. Regulus had a dream invoking him to set sail and take the remains to the "end of the (known) world" for protection and build a shrine wherever he was shipwrecked - it is said that the said shrine was built in Scotland (though there is confusion regarding when Regulus lived - Scottish documents state 8th century but historical records peg the date at 7th century AD). Another legend says that during a battle in which they were vastly outnumbered, the Scottish king Oengus II prayed to St. Andrew that if he won the battle he will declare St. Andrew the patron saint of Scotland. The morning of the battle, the clouds formed an 'X' shape in the sky ('X' being the symbol of St. Andrew since he was crucified on an X-shaped crucifix) and the Scots were victorious. Since then the Scottish flag (and consequently the Union Flag) bears a white 'X' against a blue background.

Location: Next to Writer's Building, BBD Bagh
Nearest Bus terminus/Metro station: Esplanade
How to reach: Buses and metro are available from different parts of the city for Esplanade. Walk or take a taxi from there.
Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 9 am - 2 pm
Service: 9.30 am on Sundays; 9.30 pm on New Year’s Day, Christmas & Easter’s
Entrance Fees: Nil
Photography/Video Charges: Nil, but restricted by permission of Vicar
Time required for sightseeing: 30 min

Relevant Posts -

1. Pixelated Memories - Nam Soon Chinese Club
2. Pixelated Memories - Sacred Heart Church
3. Pixelated Memories - Sea Ip Chinese Club
4. Pixelated Memories - St. John's Church complex
5. Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan Mosque
6. Pixelated Memories - Writers' Building

Suggested Reading -

1. Telegraphindia.com - Article "Scottish cemetery tapestry on world tour" (dated April 22, 2014) by Sebanti Sarkar
2. Wikipedia.org - Andrew the Apostle