Bengal Rising: Renaissance & National Movement Special Walk

Cornwallis Street, now known as Bidhan Sarani, was built by the Lottery Committee in early 1800s. It runs right through the heart of Calcutta, and features sites that were witness to the Bengali spirit of nationalism and cultural renaissance, through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

This special walk begins from Vivekananda’s family mansion in Simla, on Bidhan Sarani, and will traverse the heartland of nationalist politics and the Bengal Renaissance, consisting of sites which house(d) the Anushilan Samiti (a society of young body-builders in the pre-Independence era who took part in nationalist agitations in Bengal), Vidyasagar College, Sadharan Brahmo Samaj & Bharotborshiyo Brahma Samaj (meeting places of different factions of the Brahmo faith, propounded by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore and Keshav Chandra Sen respectively), the Mahabodhi Society of India (one of the vestiges of the spirit of “Navayana” Buddhism, brought to the fore by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, whose birthday incidentally falls on April 14th too), Hare School, Hindu School and Presidency College (now Presidency University), some of the oldest educational institutions in Calcutta.

The road we will walk retains many of its early architectural facades, now in various stages of restoration and dilapidation. With a still active tramline, Cornwallis Street is caught between worlds, evidenced by the booksellers peddling books both old and new at one of the largest book markets in India – College Street. Old politics have given place to new ones, but the area remains a hub of student and publishing activity. One can find old eating houses still in business, fueled by the hunger of college-goers. The walk includes a complimentary breakfast at Putiram, one of the oldest sweet shops in the area. This walk revisits Bengali literature and martyrdom through the history of one of Calcutta’s most illustrious thoroughfares.

Time: 07:00-10:00

Walk Leader: Pritha Mukherjee & Dr Tathagata Neogi

Start Point: In Front of Swami Vivekananda's Ancestral House

Price: INR 850/person

Inclusions: Guide fees, tea, water, and breakfast at Putiram