Metcalfe Hall

The lofty pillars of the white washed Metcalfe Hall standing in front of the Ganges gives one almost every possible historical detail about the former British capital of India, Calcutta, right from its inception.


Entry fee into this historical museum solely dedicated to Calcutta is Rs 25/-. Phone camera is only allowed here.
Calcutta may have lost its former glory of a capital city but is still considered to be the abode of culture. Here one gets to learn about the history of theatre an important medium of performing arts.

The topor or the traditional head gear that a Bengali groom has to crown his head with on his wedding day. This is also an example of sholar kaaj or detailed and intricate work on thermocol highlighting the work of Bengal artisans. 
Of Calcuttans and their love for movies. The wall that speaks of Ray's classics and world cinema.
An integral part of Durga Pujo is the dhaak. The quintessential beat of this dhaak can cause tremors of joy in the heart of almost all Bengalis at any time of the year.

Visit this place to know why is it a city of surprise besides being the City of Joy and as you leave the premises of this heritage building, do not forget to express your  love towards Calcutta in a small chit of paper which is kept on a table for the visitors, beside this rickshaw and paste the same on this hand-pulled vehicle which still runs across in some parts of the city like Bowbazar, New Market-Chandni Chowk area and Bhowanipore. 

How to visit Metcalfe Hall- 
Google will tell you it is on Strand Road which is not incorrect.

Precise location- diagonally opposite Millenium Park, near Calcutta Swimming Club.
One can visit any time of the year but it is advisable to check the timings on Google. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Indian Coffee House

Image
Trotting Calcutta without paying a visit to Indian Coffee House is like walking in the premises of a temple without entering the sanctum sanctorum.  As you walk up the stairs the posters will tell you that the Indian Coffee House was not merely a cafe of a bygone era where people entered to munch on snacks and enjoy beverages but  many revolutionary activities, ideas and strategies were conceived on those tables over tea and coffee. As you enter or exit through the main big gate you will be able to almost hear the posters speaking to you, the slogans articulating concerns regarding the contemporary political condition of India. Indian Coffee House draws people from all walks of life and caters to diverse age group with varied interest. From intellectual discussions to Bangali's adda the place is for all. From college goers, tourists (both Indian and international), academicians, romantic lovers to music lovers, coffee house literally buzzes with the cac...
Read more

Maghen David Synagogue

Synagogue is the Jewish place of worship and Maghen David Synagogue is commonly referred to as the Jewish church by the local people of the area. Standing in the heart of the city, this place of worship is open to visitors of all religion and is must visit for those who are keen to learn about other religion and culture and are ardent admirers of exquisite art and architecture.  Although this place is liberal to visitors of every caste and community, the caretakers here have certain reservations about camera photography like Metcalfe Hall. Capturing images in phone however is allowed.  There are two synagogues here sharing the same premise. Naveh Shalom is
Read more

Tram Museum~ Smaranika

Image
Today's Metro, The Telegraph will tell you that the vintage vehicle, the tram 'will remain a barely used relic of the past.' As Kolkata is celebrating 150 years of trams gently running and ringing around the city, it is indeed sad that they have to bid farewell to most of the street cars.  Tram lovers like me however can visit  Smaranika or the Tram Museum which lies in the heart of the city. Nestled amidst a small patch of greenery this tram museum is at Esplanade. The beautiful Smaranika which has a cosy cafeteria inside the air-conditioned car, serving coffee and light snacks, will give you the history of the car right from its inception. From the very first tickets to its first journey the museum provides all the details right from the pre-Independence days.  Cross the road from KC Das' sweet shop and walk facing Raj Bhawan, the way to the tram museum will be on your left.  Though the tram remains stationed at one p...
Read more