India and trains

The former British capital of India, Kolkata, is known for its artistic brilliance and exceptional architecture . It’s called the city of Joy or the city of Culture . It has been renamed as the ‘Kali - Place’ and a lot of the Empire remains .
We first visit the Flower market ( Mallik Ghat ?) near the Hooghly River. For a Sunday it’s busy and crowded and full of fresh flowers being made into garlands . Fantastic colours and smells abound and we constantly dodge the huge flower packages being transferred on the porters’ heads ! The river access ,which is overlooked by the the huge famous Howrah cantilever Bridge over Hooghly River, is a popular spot for washing and bathing .

Then it’s off to the Mud Statues of Kumortuli, the potters' quarter packed with artists sculpting clay gods with mud from the sacred Ganges river for the latest festival - Valentine’s Day ? From the Ganges mud to wooden structure to straw outline to mud shapes and eventually dried or coloured ! The statues are painstakingly painted, usually by an artist. Some statues have intricate details, while others are more simple or abstract. Finally, goddesses are dressed in fine silk saris and elaborate jewels. After the festival it’s all put back into the river!

Onward to the Jain temple and its colourful garden - a precursor to Buddhism - the followers don’t harm anything alive ... so no root vegetables and masks to ensure they don’t swallow any bugs !!

The very crowded Victoria temple is a huge marble Taj Mahal cum Italianate church monument to Queen Victoria who ruled but never visited .

We pass by a variety of old British buildings - Writer’s Building , Town Hall , Post office , Telegraph office and the Eden Gardens cricket stadium .

St. John’s Church is an area of quiet and holds the monument to those who suffered in the Black hole of Calcutta . In 1756, upset with East India Company dominance and brutality , the nawab of Bengal sent forces to overtake Fort William and after three days of fighting, the British forces surrendered. All the prisoners were put into the fort’s small holding cell, known as the “black hole.” Maybe 146 captives were placed into a cell measuring 18 by 14 feet though the modern estimate was that there were only 65 captives. After that well the Brits were not happy and well .....Clive of India arrived and for a long time !

We conclude with a quick trip to Mother Theresa’s missionary building - and exchange (oddly) some money next door in a Mother Theresa cafe cum gift shop ! A good day - think we benefited from Sunday quiet traffic !
Good spring day and not so much smog !
Tomorrow a trip in an odd 80s Ambassador taxi !Read more