Now that you’ve read about my Day One in Kolkata, you can read a detailed account of my 2nd day.
I’m not a fan of gyms. Still, I’m used to morning walks. So, I end up visiting hotel gyms to use the treadmill. And that’s what I did in KOL too. Everything would have been fine. Then I saw male guests swimming in their underwear, not in trunks! Ugh!! A tasty breakfast at Kava, though, put the bad sight behind me.
And soon after that, I was ready for an excursion to cultural institutions. I headed first to the Saint Paul’s Cathedral (~45 minutes). As I admired the stained-glass windows & the memorial reliefs, it began to rain. The initial idea was for me to walk down to the Victoria Memorial. I waited for 30 minutes for the rain to cease.
Unfortunately, the rain didn’t stop. So, I made my way in the drizzle to the Victoria Memorial (10 minutes’ walk). Irrepressible Subhas, an exhibition on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, was ongoing on the ground floor. The first floor of the Memorial housed the Biplobi Bharat Gallery. Those who know me understand that I read every single exhibit.
Yet the wealth of information the Victoria Memorial overwhelmed even me. Also, it was crowded beyond imagination. So, I was glad to step out into the fresh air after a while. My legs were aching by now & I desperately wanted to sit down. Kolkata was my one Saudade, the other being Flurys (~15 minutes).
I don’t even remember since when I’ve wanted to visit the iconic Flurys. My wish got fulfilled on this excursion. Lunch was followed by a solemn, humbling drive to The Mother House of The Missionaries of Charity (~10 minutes). How does a person be so selfless? I wanted to visit the South Park Cemetery. I’d read articles about the gorgeous mausoleums and tombstones.
Yet the South Park Cemetery now prohibits casual visitors. Thoughts kept churning in my head. I walked later on the James Princep Ghat (20 minutes), a promenade on the river Ganges. With my heart so full, I needed to loosen up. Soul – The Sky Lounge (~25 minutes) in the Park Street Area provided the perfect spot for this.
The dusk sky turned pink. I reminded myself that maybe we can be both – fun-loving and selfless. Not all of us can be Mother Teresa. But, we can try to be good human beings! Back to Fairfield (~1 hour) & wraps on Day 2!
Saint Paul’s Cathedral
Saint Paul’s Cathedral is an Anglican Church. It was the first of its kind within the erstwhile British territory, outside of Great Britain. It was built when a need for a bigger cathedral was felt, courtesy the growing European community in Kolkata. It was damaged twice in earthquakes. The steeple we see today is the renovated one after the second earthquake.
Lighter bricks were used to build the Saint Paul’s Cathedral. These bricks withstand extreme temperatures. They were also resilient against natural disasters. After paying an entry fee of INR 10, I walked down to the white facade which looked absolutely magnificent. The moment I laid my eyes on the tall structure, my jaw dropped at its surreal appearance.
The interior has a high ceiling, carved pews, frescoes & reliefs. Several of the memorial reliefs honor soldiers and officers of the British Army. They had fallen in the two World Wars and other battles. Seeing the chiseling of marble done so finely was a treat to my eyes. I wish I had clicked a few pictures, but photography was prohibited inside.
Victoria Memorial
For the Victoria Memorial, two kinds of tickets are available. One is for the gardens (INR 10). The other is for the gardens and museum (INR 30). With the wispy rain on my face, I bought the latter ticket & proceeded inside. The pathway was flanked by gardens on both sides. Walking down, I first came to a bronze statue of Queen Victoria.
The Queen Victoria statue depicted her in her later years sitting on a throne. Lord Curzon wanted the Victoria Memorial to be stately with beautiful gardens. What’s interesting is that the building fund came from Indian princes and native states! It was opened to the public in 1921. It is an iconic structure & is synonymous with Kolkata!
I’d been desirous to see the Victoria Memorial for donkey’s years now. So, even the rain couldn’t dampen my excitement. It is, in one word, breath-taking. I got a chance to drive around it at night & it looked even more marvelous with its illumination. It’s constructed with white Makrana Marble that was brought from Rajasthan.
Irrepressible Subhas
This ongoing multimedia exhibition celebrates Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary. I walked around absorbing Netaji’s life stories, ideals & beliefs. The exhibition did not follow a linear narrative. It was presented as a set of FAQs. This made the viewer naturally curious to know the answer to the question posed.
I soaked up all the information. Many of the details were new to me. I pondered this important facet of the Indian freedom struggle. We had not been taught as much about it as it warranted. My favorite was the map depicting Netaji’s ‘great escape’. It showed travel by various means from Kolkata to Berlin (7,000+ KMS).
Netaji evaded the British authorities during this journey.
Royal Gallery
This gallery on the ground floor consisted of oil paintings from the British Raj. A painting depicting the Prince of Wales’ entry in Jaipur by Vassilli Verestchagin was impressive. The other set of paintings I liked were by the Daniell duo. They traveled across India. They documented what they saw in their paintings.
Entrance Hall Gallery
Here, paintings & photographs showing the stages of the building of Victoria Memorial were displayed.
Biplobi Bharat Gallery
I began to exit the Victoria Memorial building. I realized there were people on the first floor as well. They were on what looked to be a balcony. I took directions from the security guard & headed upstairs. There the Biplobi Bharat exhibition was on show. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated this on Shaheed Diwas (23 March 2022).
The Biplobi Bharat exhibition showcased aspects of the Indian freedom struggle. These aspects haven’t been given their due importance in the mainstream narrative (Revolutionaries & Armed Resistance). This was an eyeopener for me. I knew about a few of the revolutionaries, but there were so many more I’d not heard of.
I took my time reading through contribution of Naval Mutiny, formation of significant associations etc.
Flurys
My first plan was to have lunch at Peter Cat. Then I intended to come to Flurys for a dessert. Nevertheless, I found that Peter Cat had a 45 minutes’ waiting time. So, I marched straight into Flurys next door. Best decision! Like I’ve said earlier, I don’t even know since when I’ve wanted to visit this cafe. It has the distinction of introducing Swiss & other international delicacies to Kolkata.
Over decades, Flurys has become a part of Kolkata culture. The Park Street outlet is a landmark. And this is where I was now sitting. I’d a Cola Float (tasty), a Summer Crunch Salad & a Rum Ball (OK). The Summer Crunch Salad had walnut & cheese & vegetables & apple, drizzled with vinaigrette. Certainly delish!
My servers were absolutely great, giving me just the right amount of attention & a whole lot of courtesy. The soothing pink decor made for an extremely lively ambiance. The heritage Kolkata pictures on one of the walls was worth stopping & looking at.
The Mother House of The Missionaries of Charity
This was the house where Mother Teresa lived & served, and where today she’s entombed. Entry is free. I was shown to Mother’s tomb where I sat awhile & brooded over her life. We read a lot of conflicting messages today. In my childhood, all I knew about her was that she was a pure, selfless soul. She served the poor & destitute community till her last breath.
The entire Mother House & specially the tomb room were so peaceful that I almost heard my own heartbeat. Next to the tomb room was a small museum named ‘Mother Teresa’s Life, Spirit and Message’. Here I saw & read through displays of her enamel dinner-bowl, crucifix, handwritten letters etc.
At 12 years of age, Mother Teresa left her home to join a convent. On reading this, I was again struck. Some chosen ones are so clear on this earth about their calling! I then climbed the stairs to view the Mother’s Room, i.e., the room she had occupied. It has been preserved the way it was when she was alive.
But the small size of the Mother’s Room left me amazed. Please note that photographs are allowed only at Mother Teresa’s tomb and of her statue.
James Princep Ghat
As if I’d not already walked enough for the day, I decided to tire my legs some more! I stood in front of the James Princep Memorial with the Vidyasagar Setu as its backdrop. The sky was showing its evening colors now. The entire effect was magical.
James Princep was the Assistant Assay Master in Calcutta Mint & later the Assay Master in Banaras Mint. He pioneered the idea of building a tunnel to drain swamps. He introduced uniform coinage. He decoded the Brahmi script. He died young & in his memory was built the James Princep Memorial. The monument is in the Palladium style – six sets of Ionian columns holding a 40’ white roof.
Graffiti on the walls has increased. Thus, the administration has now cordoned off entry inside the James Princep Memorial. Countless number of visitors were sitting in the Memorial lawn & even more were visiting the riverside. So, I did too! To get to the James Princep Ghat, I first crossed railway tracks of a railway station called Princep Ghat Station.
A train waited for its last passengers to embark. While I crossed the tracks, a shiver of thrill ran down my spine. On the other side, a few steps further, stone steps led to the Ganges. This is where you can engage a boatman for a river cruise. Further ahead, I walked along the James Princep Ghat. I figured it was a popular place to meet friends.
People chat over bhelpuris at the James Princep Ghat. The innumerable stalls guarantee no taste bud goes unfulfilled.
Gwalior Monument
While walking, I came across a cenotaph named Gwalior Monument. Lord Ellenborough commissioned this memorial. It honors the British Army soldiers. They died while quelling the resistance in Madhya Pradesh. It was an unassuming structure. It would have gone unnoticed if not for my keen sense of sniffing out heritage!
I watched the Ganges flow. Little boats bobbed on it. The mother river cleansed my heart of doubts, if not permanently, then at least momentarily. I’d wanted to watch the sunset but there was still an hour to go + it’d begun to drizzle. James Prinsep Ghat is a splendid place to evoke – nostalgia, old world charm, life’s calling, spirituality…
No entry fees.
Soul – The Sky Lounge
By now, I was drained. I just wanted a meal & a bed. With one last effort, I made my way to Soul in the Park Street area. It’s a rooftop lounge with both covered & open – air seating. The weather was beautiful; thus, I chose open – air. The ambiance was first-rate. The sky at dusk was stunning. Initially, it showed pink hues.
Then the sky transitioned to purple and blue. Finally, it faded to black. I sat enraptured at it for quite a few minutes. The service was great. The manager lady, realizing I was dining solo, chatted up with me & made me feel at home. I’d a Gandharaj & Basil Mojito which wasn’t just delicious but also fitted well with the foot tapping music.
Dinner was Chicken Chelo Kebab which was succulent but too large a portion for one person. So off it went in the doggy bag!
Enervating but thoroughly cheering – that was my Day 2. Back with Day 3 soon!
