Kolkata Crumbles

Kolkata grew from a small-time port in the 17^th century into the capital of British India, a little piece of London on the edge of the subcontinent. The city’s architecture was a physical manifestation of the power of the British Empire, designed to demand respect from those who saw it and also to remind them that sovereignty came from England alone. Sixty years after independence, the historic sites of this erstwhile capital are crumbling away. Once magnificent buildings are decaying from negligence, lack of funds, ownership disputes and uncontrolled squatting.

The Currency Building on Dalhousie Square, the heart of colonial Kolkata, bears a sign proclaiming proudly that it is a heritage building, protected by the law and the Archaeological Survey of India. The sign, however, is the only thing intact in the place. Wrought iron work pillars are skewed and missing, the building propped up instead by semi-permanent scaffolding. Plaster work and stone facings have fallen away to reveal the untreated brick, shutters swing from their hinges and pigeons fly in and out of the windows. If the site were ever scheduled for demolition a bulldozer would not be required; a strong sneeze would probably suffice.

The Currency Building’s situation epitomises the problems faced by historic buildings under government control in India. Listed status may well help protect against fly posting and vandalism and provide an injunction against demolition proposals, but if the funds and initiatives are not there to stop the building collapsing of its own accord, what real benefit is there in being listed? If nature is left to take its course, Kolkata will lose her past entirely and be left with nothing but an overcrowded, characterless and dirty concrete jungle.

The solution to the problem seems to lie in private-public partnerships. Just one block away from Dalhousie Square is St. John’s Church, a relic of the late 18^th century and one of the oldest buildings still standing in central Kolkata. In 2004 the World Monuments’ Fund listed St. John’s as one of the world’s 100 most endangered sites, prompting American Express to come to the church’s rescue with money for its restoration. The work was finally finished in 2007 and today the tower, clock and columns of St. Johns stand secure and freshly painted, a tribute to Kolkata’s past.

The gastro guide to Kolkata

Arriving in Kolkata for the first time I was told that Bengalis care for only three things: food, educating their children, and food. To try and understand the city you must adopt the same Bengali mindset, tasting and savouring bite by bite everything that Kolkata has to offer, and prioritising gastronomy above all else.

Most of Kolkata eats on the street, so this is the perfect place to start. Mid morning in the roads around Dalhousie Square and the High Court, tiny stalls barely wider than a man begin to appear, their owners frying and roasting snacks for the endless stream of hungry office workers. Traffic grinds to a halt to accommodate the milling crowd who loiter to chat as they eat spiced chickpeas, freshly made samosas and patties, hakka noodles and infinite cups of sickly sweet chai. Kolkata once had an influential Chinese population and so far eastern treats make their appearance alongside the more traditional Indian fare. The rest of India may depend on its tiffin to get through the day, but here food from home does not even get a look in; why would it when such a varied, fresh and cheap display is on offer? You can have a little of whatever you most fancy whenever it best suits you.

Brunch merges unnoticed into lunch and then to teatime once again. The chai wallahs do a roaring trade, each boiling up his own secret combination of cardamom and cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, saffron and aniseed with the tea, milk and sugar. The resulting brew, whichever stall it comes from, is satisfyingly thick, coating the lips, tongue and teeth with every sip. As if it weren’t sweet enough already, it is accompanied by sweets: bobbly, orange ladoos crumbling between your fingers, small, dense squares of pistachio barfi, round white rasgullas dripping with sugar syrup and, best of all, the deep fried swirls of jalebis, still warm inside their sticky, honey-like shell. 

Shortly after four the office babus begin to pour out again onto the streets, this time heading for home. However long or short the journey it must be routed via Jagu Bazaar or New Market to ensure the freshest fish and vegetables are brought home for the evening meal. The choice of ingredients will determine the recipe the wife at home must cook; she is at the tender mercy of her husband’s gastronomic whims. 

 

Chicken is a relatively recent introduction to Bengali cuisine; the centre of the meal is almost always fish not meat. Located at the point where the magnificent Ganges River leaps out into the Bay of Bengal, Kolkata’s menu is no doubt dictated by her place in the world, and the result is a delight to behold. Each ghat along the Hooghly River is crowded with small boats and nets. Fish and shell fish of every shape, colour and size gleam on the fishmongers’ tables; competition for the best of the fishermen’s catch is fierce. Prawns the size of a forearm compete for attention with live sardines, small jumping fish and marine beasts best measured in feet not inches. But the fish which rises above them all in the eyes of Bengal is the Hilsa, whose dense white meat is in such demand that local stocks cannot suffice; Bangladesh’s rivers must also contribute to satisfy Kolkata’s cravings. Fried with just a few simple spices the flavour of the fish must speak for itself, the infinite tiny bones the most minor distraction from the enjoyment of the Hilsa’s taste, smell and texture.

In the last few years, Oh! Calcutta has become the gastronomic gathering place for Kolkata locals and well-informed visitors alike. The chain has a number of outlets dotted across the city and serving a rainbow of delicacies, from succulent fish steamed in banana leaves to old-fashioned Railway Curry with its aroma of an Empire past. The restaurants’ sophisticated atmosphere contrasts with the low-profile chaos of the street stalls but the customers of both share two things in common: a love of their food and a desire to share their passion. Wherever you eat in Kolkata you can be sure of eating like a king.

Photos C. Tracing Tea 2008

   

24 Hours in Kolkata

10.00   Nothing in Kolkata happens early so start your day with the city’s bureaucrats breakfasting on their way to work. The street stalls around the High Court and Dalhousie Square have a fabulous variety of snacks – from samosas and noodles to sickly-sweet ladoos, and while you’re there you can also check out the Town Hall, an exact copy of the one in Ypres.

11.00   Take a walk around the corner to St. John’s Church (Netaji Subhas Road) – a little piece of 18^th century London in the heart of the city. The curator is understandably proud of his newly renovated church and its colonial history while the surrounding churchyard has a welcome atmosphere of surprising calm.

12.30   Down by the river grab freshly fried fish from the morning’s catch before taking a boat out on the Hooghly. Kolkata’s colonial past, its mansions and warehouses, will be laid out before you along with evidence of more modern industries. If you’re in luck you may catch a peak of the endangered Ganges River Dolphin or see the immersion of clay statues of gods and demons. 

14.30   A visit to Kolkata could not be complete without an hour or so in the Victoria Memorial, the elaborate white marble edifice that holds sway over the centre of the city. Horse-drawn carriages bedecked in silver foil and flowers transport lovers and tourists alike whilst endless picnics and games of cricket take place on the neighbouring maidan.

16.30   Mid afternoon demands tea at Flurys (Park Street), Kolkata’s most famous patisserie. The chocolate muddy fudge comes highly recommended as does the people watching either side of the sheet glass windows.

17.30   Bengalis live for their food so whet your appetite and head into Jagu Babu Bazaar to see a fascinating array of local produce, fragrant spices in every colour and the largest prawns you’ve ever encountered. The dexterity of the fishmongers is outstanding and, although you may never eat chicken again, the fresh fish displays will have your mouth watering uncontrollably.

19.00   Oh! Calcutta (Forum Mall, Elgin Road) is packed night on night with well-heeled locals and offers up some of the best Bengali food around. Don’t miss the Hilsa, the delicately flavoured white fish that is Kolkata’s undisputed favourite, or the warm, soft breads that accompany it.

21.00   End the night at one of Kolkata’s numerous clubs, drinking G&T and fantasising about bygone days of the British Empire. The Calcutta Club, Bengal Club and Tollygunge Club all have fantastic colonial-era buildings, lively and well-stocked bars and an enthusiastic clientele. Join in the party and stay on until the early hours.

Photos C. Tracing Tea 2008