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Indian Express
26-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Why this 19th century house in Kolkata is seeking a heritage tag
By Debasmita Chowdhury The historical residence at 48A Kailash Bose Street, in Kolkata, where the country's first widow remarriage had taken place has applied for a heritage tag. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has been actively involved in the same so that the house can be protected and remembered for the bold social reform movement, led by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, that occurred within its walls over 160 years ago. Vidyasagar's reform efforts led to the British government passing the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act on July 16, 1856. The house belonged to Rajkrishna Bannerjee, a close friend of Vidyasagar, who often invited him to have lunch at his place. And in less than six months, this two-storeyed residence on December 7, 1856, or the 12th of Agrahayan, 1263 (as per the Bengali calendar) witnessed a young widow, marrying again, making the house the first to host the first legally sanctioned widow remarriage. Vidyasagar himself officiated the ceremony. The bride was eleven-year-old Kalimati Devi, the daughter of Brahmanda Mukherjee and Lachmani Devi, hailing from Palashdanga village in Purba Bardhaman and her groom was Shrishchandra Vidyaratna, who was then the Assistant Professor of Sanskrit College, and son of Pandit Ramdhan Tarkabagish. Kalimati had first gotten married at the age of four and became a widow at the age of six. 'We have appealed to the Heritage Conservation Committee nearly a month ago to assign a heritage tag to the house and it will be a moment of sheer joy and pride if it happens. This residence is a testament to such historic significance and social change, and, sadly, it has gone unnoticed for so many years', said Swapan Samaddar, member Mayor-in-Council (MMIC). 'We are still waiting for the final verdict. The process is still on since a lot of factors are involved – like which Grade of Heritage status will be given,' he added. The old house today, sits mostly empty and quiet, with plants growing wild around it and metal shutters covering the ground floor. This Bengali-style building with its wooden windows and tin roof, looks worn out, with its yellow walls peeling and the iron railings turning rusty. With no permanent residents, it is being taken care of by a team comprising a maid, a priest, and a security guard. The owner of the house resides outside Kolkata and pays a visit once or twice a year. The house has been partitioned into three distinct parts. Since 1983, the rear portion—painted white with its entrance on Jadunath Sen Lane—has been owned by Sarba Bharatiya Sangeet-O-Sanskriti Parishad. The front section is further divided into two parts: the right portion (48A), painted yellow, remains under the ownership of Raj Krishna Bannerjee's descendants, while the left section (48B) has gotten new owners sometime in the past decade. 'I have been working here for quite some time now. The owner stays outside Kolkata. But it feels good to see that the KMC is taking steps to give tribute to this house by giving it the status of a heritage site,' said the security guard of the house. 'There have been a lot of people who have come to visit this residence over the last ten years, including Britishers who have come to click photographs. When the Mistress of the house was alive, there were meetings… Their son visits rarely for a short period', said Ranjit Sadukhan, a grocery store owner in the vicinity. Amarendra Nath Paul, a local resident of over 35 years said, 'This place holds a lot of historical significance, and it deserves to get an honour,' he said. (Debasmita Chowdhury is an intern at the Kolkata office of The Indian Express.) Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More
Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Fruit of decade-long activism': Nepali listed as optional subject for West Bengal Civil Service exam
By Debasmita Chowdhury The West Bengal government has included Nepali as an optional subject in the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) 2025 Mains examination, fulfilling sustained demands by the Gorkha community. Hindi and Santhali were made 'compulsory language' subject options, according to a June 17 notification by the state's Personnel and Administrative Reforms department. Recognised as an official language in the state since 1961 and listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Nepali had previously not been on the list of optional subjects of the examination. However, its availability as a compulsory subject for the preliminary examinations has continued this year. The move means that students with degrees in Nepali and its native speakers will be able to use the optional subject to their advantage instead of resorting to unrelated subjects for the main examination. This had sparked protests over the years, especially in the Darjeeling hills. 'This decision comes after strong and sustained efforts, which I had been following up on since 2021. This year, I had reached out to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on May 31, requesting her to ensure justice for Gorkha, Adivasi and Hindi-speaking communities, accompanied by strong representation from various stakeholders, including the Hills Student Union (HSA), North Bengal University, and the All Bengal Adivasi Students' Association (ABASA),' said Raju Bista, Darjeeling MP from the BJP in a statement. He called the move a reaffirmation of Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality and non-discrimination. 'Let this decision mark the beginning of more inclusive and sensitive policy-making that reflects the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of the state, particularly our Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars region,' Bista said. Until now, students who studied subjects like Physics or Bengali could opt for them in WBCS, but those with degrees in Nepali were denied that option, forcing them to choose unrelated subjects. Upendra M Pradhan, Editor of The Darjeeling Chronicle, said, 'The Constitution of India guarantees the right to equality, but the Gorkhas had been deprived of this right. The inclusion of Nepali as an optional subject in the WBCS examination, finally, after decade-long activism by Gorkha students, youth politicians, showcases the disconnect Kolkata has towards the people of Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars, particularly the Gorkhas. This is something that should have been done automatically, but they had to struggle.' The writer is an intern with The Indian Express
Indian Express
19-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Beat the Heat for rupees 29: Eastern Railway to Launch Budget Air-Conditioned Suburban Train Service
(Written by Debasmita Chowdhury) The Eastern Railway zone is running trials for air-conditioned suburban train services which officials said will be offered at significantly low fares. It has received its first AC EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) train manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, which has been deployed to the Sealdah Division for testing and trial runs. A second AC EMU rake is expected to arrive shortly at the Eastern Railway Jurisdiction. Officials say that the inaugural service, which is to be operated on the Sealdah-Ranaghat route once the trials are concluded, will offer competitive fares of Rs 29 for journeys up to 10 km and Rs 37 for distances of 11-15 km. Monthly season tickets are priced at Rs 590 and Rs 780 respectively. Dr Uday Shankar Jha, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Eastern Railway, said, 'It is a matter of great pride that the eastern part of the country, Eastern Railway, is taking the lead to introduce ACAMU services.' He stated that the air-conditioned coaches would provide relief from 'extreme heat, extreme rush, and so many other related discomforts' that suburban passengers currently face. Jha also said, 'Initially, it is believed that AC travel will be very costly, but Indian Railways has introduced a fair scheme which is much more competitive and in comparison to roadways, it is almost 10 times cheaper'. The 12-coach trains will feature stainless steel construction with end-to-end connectivity through sealed vestibule gangways, allowing free movement between compartments. Each coach has four electrically operated sliding doors per side controlled by drivers, three-seater stainless steel seats, and enhanced air circulation systems for approximately 1,100 passengers. Additional amenities include CCTV surveillance, wear-resistant rubber flooring, aluminium extruded modular luggage racks, GPS-based passenger information displays, and large double-sealed windows to enhance the comfort of the passengers. 'Passengers will be able to commute from their home to their office in a pleasant condition and even carry out office work during travel due to better seating and air circulation, hence getting a double benefit,' said Jha. Eastern Railway officials indicate that the service will meet growing suburban passenger demands while modernising rail travel in the Kolkata metropolitan area at a very affordable price. Commercial operations will begin after completion of the current testing and trial runs.
Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Red alert in most South Bengal districts as monsoon covers state: IMD
Written by Debasmita Chowdhury The Southwest Monsoon has now covered the entire state of West Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed on Monday. Consequently, it has issued red alerts for several districts of South Bengal today, June 17. The advancement is accompanied by the development of a low-pressure area over southwest Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal, which is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify by Tuesday. On June 17, extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm) is likely in isolated areas of Bankura, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Murshidabad, Birbhum, and Hooghly. Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-20 cm) is expected at one or two locations in other South Bengal districts. Meanwhile, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are likely in isolated parts of all South Bengal districts. The intense rainfall is expected to continue into Tuesday, with extremely heavy rainfall predicted in isolated areas of Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman, and Paschim Medinipur. Heavy to very heavy rainfall may occur at one or two places over Jhargram, South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Hooghly, Howrah, Birbhum, and Purba Bardhaman on June 18. The remaining districts of South Bengal are likely to receive heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) in isolated spots. Heavy rain has already begun impacting parts of South Bengal, with Tarakeswar (Hooghly) recording 15 cm and Sagar Island logging 12 cm from Sunday to Monday. Kolkata remains under overcast conditions, with temperatures hovering around 28 and 25 degrees Celsius, and heavy rain expected through the day on June 17 and 18. Squally weather with wind speeds of 35-45 kmph, gusting up to 55 kmph, is expected over coastal areas through June 18. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea. The IMD has hoisted Local Cautionary Signal-III (LCS-III) at Kolkata and Haldia ports, while Sectional Signal-I has been issued at Sagar Island. (The writer is an intern with Indian Express)
Indian Express
16-06-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Monsoon to arrive in Bengal in 2 days; IMD issues orange alert for South Bengal on June 17, 18
Written by Debasmita Chowdhury, The Southwest Monsoon is expected to reach parts of West Bengal within the next two days, bringing much-needed relief from the prevailing pre-monsoon heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for several South Bengal districts for June 17 and 18. 'Residents of West Bengal can look forward to the arrival of monsoon rains, crucial for agriculture and replenishing water resources,' said an official. According to the latest update, the Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) is currently passing through Veraval, Bhavnagar, Vadodara, and Balurghat, signalling its approach toward the state. South Bengal is likely to witness moderate to heavy rain and thundershowers across all districts from June 16 to 23. The most intense rainfall is expected during the first three days, particularly June 17 and 18. The IMD has issued orange alerts for South 24 Parganas, Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Purulia, and Birbhum for heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-20 cm) on June 17 and 18. Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur are under heavy rain warnings (7-11 cm) for the same period. North Bengal is also under active monsoon influence, with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms forecast across Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, and Malda from June 17 to 21. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar on June 19. Day temperatures in the Sub-Himalayan region are expected to remain stable over the next five days. Yellow alerts for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) have been issued for Purba Medinipur, Uttar Dinajpur, and South 24 Parganas. Kolkata is likely to experience light to moderate rain and thundershowers throughout the week, with heavy rain alerts (7-11 cm) in place for June 17 and 18. Thunderstorm activity with gusty winds and lightning is also forecast for the first three days of the week. On Monday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 27.7 degrees Celsius, with humidity levels reaching 91 percent. A mostly cloudy sky with intermittent rain is expected to provide some respite from the summer heat. Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a coastal warning for June 17 and 18. Squally weather with surface winds reaching 30-40 kmph, gusting up to 50 kmph, is expected along the West Bengal-Odisha coast. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during this period. Debasmita Chowdhury is an intern at The Indian Express
