Esplanade Row East
The Indian Museum
Sahid Minar
Kolkata High Court
The dome of General Post Office
The illuminated Howrah Bridge at night
Esplanade is the heart of Kolkata. It consists of the region just north of the Maidan and includes Dalhousie Square with all its colonial British buildings. The district takes a visitor back to the Raj-era with nostalgic overtones. Many of the city's important buildings are located here. It is the central business district of the city.
Understand
Calcutta was once nicknamed the City of Palaces. This comes from the numerous palatial mansions built all over the city. During the British colonial era from 1700–1912, when Calcutta was the capital of British India, Calcutta witnessed a spate of frenzied construction activity of buildings largely influenced by the conscious intermingling of Gothic, Baroque, Roman, Oriental and Islamic schools of design. Unlike many north Indian cities, whose construction stresses minimalism, the layout of much of the architectural variety in Calcutta owes its origins to European styles and tastes imported by the British and, to a much lesser extent, the Portuguese and French. The buildings were designed, and inspired by the tastes of the English gentleman around and the aspiring Bengali Babu (literally a nouveau riche Bengali who aspired to cultivation of English etiquette, manners and custom as such practices were favorable to monetary gains from the British). Today many of these structures are in various stages of decay. Some of the major buildings of this period are well maintained and several buildings have been declared as heritage structures. Conservation efforts are often affected by problems of litigation, tenant troubles, ownership disputes, old tenancy laws and a lack of funds.
Get in
By bus
- Esplanade- in the centre of the city, has buses passing through from all areas of the city.
- The long-distance and inter-state bus stand at Babughat is still functioning (the High Court has ordered its shifting).
- Esplanade Bus Stand - The Esplanade bus stand has bus terminee for buses from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and other parts of the country.
- Shyamoli Paribahan, 10 Marquis St, ☎ +91 33 2252 0802. 6AM and 7AM departures, 12 hour journey to Dhaka. Buses to Bangladesh, some with a break journey at the Benapole-Petrapole border (it is called kata service). From the border buses are available for Dhaka, as well as various other destinations in Bangladesh. Shyamoli Paribahan handles the border transfer from one bus to another so well, that it seems a better option to many than the direct service. Direct buses between Kolkata and Dhaka are available from Salt Lake International Bus Terminus. Rs 650 for earlier and later departures respectively.
By EMU Local Train
- The Babu Ghat station and Eden Garden Station are the nearby train stations.
- BBD Bagh Circular Railway Station, Strand Road.
By metro
Get around
- Babu Ghat, ~8, Strand Rd. Ferry to Ramkrishnapur Ghat
- Fairlie Ghat, Strand Road, Bara Bazar.Take a boat to Howrah Shipping Ghat
Area landmarks
- BBD Bagh (Full name: Benoy-Badal-Dinesh Bagh. Earlier name: Dalhosie Square).Lal Dighi, the big tank in the centre of the square, was there before the arrival of the British. The place was then called Dihi Kolkata. The British decided to settle there, because it was less crowded than other areas in the neighbourhood. They built the old Fort William here (at the place where the General Post Office now stannds.). After their victory in the Battle of Plassey in 1757, they built the new fort in Gobindapur, Dalhousie Square remained at the heart of what was then the 'White Town' of Kolkata. No Indian, rich or poor, dared to live in the area. They came for work during day time and went back to 'Black Town' (Sutanuti) before sunset. With Writers Building occupying the north side and numerous commercial offices all around it became the administrative and business centre of Kolkata. Even now it stands out as a 'period piece'. After independence of India, the square was named after three youngsters who dared to challenge British rule and died there in 1930.
- General Post Office, Netaji Subhas Road, B B D Bagh (Located at the centre of the western side of BBD Bagh). The GPO is notable for its imposing high domed roof (rising over 220 feet) and tall Ionic-Corinthian pillars. It was built in 1868, at the site of the old Fort Wlliam, and has remained an important landmark of the city ever since.
- Kolkata High Court, Esplanade Row West (Near to Babughat), ☎ +91 33 2254-8000, fax: +91 33 2248-7835, e-mail:calcuttahighcourtprotocol@gmail.com. It is the oldest High Court in India. It was established as the High Court of Judicature at Fort William in 1862. It has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The High Court building is an exact replica of the Cloth Hall, Ypres, in Belgium.
- The Raj Bhavan (Earlier name:Government House). The Governor's Residence. Built in 1803, modelled on Lord Curzon’s home, Keddleston Hall, Derbyshire, England, this is now the official residence of the Governor of Bengal. There are many rare works of art and other interesting items. Entry is restricted.
- Reserve Bank of India (Regional office of India's central bank), 15 Netaji Subhas Rd, 8 Council Road, BBD Bagh, (Located at the north-west corner of BBD Bagh, Near GPO,).
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