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Revisit The City of Joy Through Photos

Revisit The City of Joy Through Photos
An aerial view of Chowringhee Square in erstwhile Calcutta, circa 1945, Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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While the yellow ambassador taxis have won the hearts of many a photographer, the streets and old buildings of Kolkata reveal interesting developments since the 18th century

Aroshi Handu
July 04 , 2020
04 Min Read

Kolkata’s architecture is an interesting potpourri of the juxtaposition between colonial grandeur and the vernacular, which has mushroomed into a thriving metropolis. The entire city is a medley of history, architecture and art, from the lanes of Park Street to the opulent Victoria Memorial, from St. Paul's Cathedral to Writer's Building, Esplanade and Coffee House in College Street, and finally to the famous Howrah Bridge. What’s impeccable is the classic British style and the elegance the buildings exude. 

It’s interesting to marvel at how much the city has grown and evolved since the colonial period. Here are a series of photographs which show the contrast between the grand old Calcutta and the modern-day Kolkata, a remarkable metropolis. 

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Then:

The hustle and bustle of the Harrison Street Strand Road and Burra Bazaar

Now:

The horse carriages have been replaced by cars and flyovers

Then:

A view of Park Street from the 1930s

Now:

Modern shops and modern people

Then:

The Calcutta High Court stood regal and proud,

Now:

The vivid colours of the grand building set against an azure sky

Then:

A traditional pandal during Durga Pooja celebrations

Now:

Each pandal has a unique theme and fervour but is still rooted in its old traditions

Then:

The Victoria memorial was built in 1906 to commemorate Queen Victoria's 25 years reign in India

Now:

The opulence of this grand old building still remains undefeated after over a century

Then:

The Hindustan buildings on Central Avenue once served as the offices of the US Army

Now:

Today, it houses the offices of the Life Insurance Corporation of India

Then:

The bathing ghat at Hooghly River

Now:

Some things never change...

Then:

A horde of people outside the iconic Calcutta Stock Exchange building

Now:

 
 
 
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A post shared by Radhika Bose Roy l رادھÛÂÂÂÂŒکا بÙˆس (@boseroyradhika) on May 18, 2019 at 8:46am PDT

Then:

 A view of the famous Howrah Bridge from 1945

Now:

Sunsets at Howrah Bridge are nothing short of mesmerizing


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