On February 24, 1873, history was made in Calcutta (now Kolkata) as the British introduced the city’s first horse-drawn tram service. The tram made its inaugural journey from Sealdah to Armenian Ghat, marking the beginning of a new era in urban transport. Fast forward to
On 23rd February 2025, the Satyajit Ray Auditorium at the Indian Council For Cultural Relations (ICCR), Kolkata, will play host to a special cultural program, “O Alor Pathajatri”, a powerful celebration of hope, light, and resilience. Choreographed by Susmita Bhattacharya and Kalakhetram, this performance will
“When world-renowned German bodybuilder/strongman and physical culture pioneer Eugen Sandow came to India on an eight-month tour between 1904–1905, he created quite a stir and prompted a surge in nationalism. Bengali youths, who had by then been influenced by the Swadeshi Movement, were greatly moved
“Nehru’s haste [in wanting India’s first general election] was understandable, but it was viewed with some alarm by the man who had to make the election possible, a man who is an unsung hero of Indian democracy. It is a pity we know so little
The year was 1905. The first of Bengal’s two partitions was underway, courtesy Viceroy Lord Curzon. Typically impervious to popular opinions and aspirations, the British-Indian administration was driving the divide home with a heavy hand. However, this controversial first Partition of Bengal was to have
Until now, were you living under the impression that the first zoo in Asia was in Kolkata? Well, all of us are mistaken. In the early 1800s, there were only three public zoos across the world. Barrackpore zoo was the fourth. Surprisingly, traces of this
As tributes poured in from across the world for the Argentine legend Diego Maradona, one news caught all attention. That of New York Times that drew up a list of football players from far flung, who reminded spectators of the Maradona magic. And among them
About 7-8km from Chinsurah, off Delhi Road lies a small hamlet called Rajhat. This is where one gets to find Bengal’s Mayur Mahal. Dozens of peacock, India’s national bird, have found a home in Rajhat and neighbouring villages of Choutara, Gandhigram, Saheb Bagan. Locals have
Burra Bazar has a distinct chaotic outlook all day long, that rings a chord with the chaos and warmth of Kolkata. But how did this trading district of Kolkata look in the British era? When most of us these days, trace the architectural splendours of
It was 1913, the year when an Indian won the Nobel Prize for Literature, news that had turned heads across the world. How could an Indian from a British colony win the Nobel? But well, as the world read Rabindranath Tagore and his Gitanjali, people