College Street Boi Para

Joydip Sur

It was in the summer of ’95 that I first visited College Street. My fingers firmly entwined with my father’s, we walked on the crowded pavement hustling and bustling with activity. I was awestruck with the sheer magnanimity of the place. I still am. That day marked the beginning of my never-ending romance with books and College Street.

College Street which was earlier known as Potol Danga, owes its nomenclature to the Hindu College (now known as Presidency College). Lord Wellesy was the first to introduce the construction of planned roads in Calcutta. It was under him that ‘Central Road’ or ‘Great Arterial Road’ which later came to be known by the names of College Street, Wellesley Street, Wellington Street, and Cornwallis Street was constructed by the Lottery Committee between 1817 and 1836. The road runs from Lower Circular Road (A.J.C. Bose Road) to Shyambazar five point crossing.

The Hindu College was conceived by David Hare, in collaboration with Raja Radhakanta Deb. Babu Buddinath Mukherjee enlisted the support of the Chief Justice, Sir Edward Hyde East, who called a meeting of European and Hindu gentlemen early in May 1816, in his house to discuss the proposal to establish ‘an institution for giving a liberal education to the children of the members of the Hindu Community.’ The proposal was received with unanimous approbation and subscriptions were promised to the amount of Rs. 1, 13,179. The college was formally opened on Monday, January 20, 1817 with only twenty scholars. The buildings of the Presidency College were constructed at the present site in 1874.

The present day picture of College Street is enthralling. Dotted with makeshift book stalls constructed with bamboo, wood, canvas and sheets of corrugated tin on both the sidewalks, College Street is a paradise for book lovers. Also referred to as Calcutta’s ‘Boi Para’, College Street is home to some of Calcutta’s most renowned academic institutions like University of Calcutta, Calcutta Medical College, Presidency College, Sanskrit College, Hare School and Hindu School. It is interesting to note that the Calcutta Medical College was the first medical college to be established in the country.

Owing to the presence of many academic institutions, College Street is a hub of students. Little wonder then that the book stall and store owners find a ready clientele in this locality.

College Street is also considered to be one of the largest markets of second-hand books in the world. An incredibly wide variety of second-hand books are sold at unbelievably low prices here.

From text and reference books to novels and anthologies, there is something to quench everyone’s thirst for knowledge. Book lovers and avid readers are often spotted trying to strike an extensive bargain on their chosen pick. One also hears stories of chance discoveries of rare books acquired at almost throw-away prices. The thrill and excitement of finding a rare out-of print book or an original hard-bound classic jostling for space alongside a ‘How-to-crack-the CAT’ is an experience which adds to the magic of ‘Boi Para’.

The College Square swimming pool (also known as the Vidyasagar Sarovar) is a popular landmark in College Street. The swimming pool area was earlier known as Gol Dighi. Till today, David Hare’s tomb stands inside the College Square premises. A must see for all visitors. The place is frequented by many swimming enthusiasts and young couples looking for moments of solitude. It’s a great place for people who look forward to spend a leisurely evening sipping on piping hot tea while just relaxing on one of the numerous benches stationed on the fringes of the four surrounding walls.

A visit to College Street is deemed incomplete without a visit to the famous Coffee House. Situated opposite to the Presidency College, Coffee House has been for many years a regular hang out spot for students and alumni of the Presidency College, University of Calcutta, and other institutions situated within the periphery of College Street. Historically, the Albert Hall’s pedigree is impeccable. The Albert Hall was founded in the year 1876. It was named after Prince Albert Victor of Wales, Duke of Clarence and Avondale. On the incentive of the Indian Association in 1883, the first session of the Indian National Conference was held here, and from that gathering came the organisation that led to the founding of the Indian National Congress in Bombay in 1885. Political meetings in the 1930s continued to be held here, some led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whose followers increased with every occasion. Many years later, in the year 1942, it was decided by the Coffee Board to start a coffee joint from the Albert Hall. Finally in the year 1947, the Central Government changed the name to “Coffee House”.

The Coffee House is Calcutta’s most venerable social institution for the city’s intellectuals, a seminal salon from which ideas are debated or debunked. It is casual, sometimes serious, mostly impromptu and sometimes even planned. The place became a meeting place for great literary figures, poets, politicians, artistes, and musicians. The popularity of the Coffee House witness a steadfast rise with frequent visits from eminent personalities likes Satyajit Ray, Manna Dey, Amartya Sen, Mrinal Sen, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Ritwik Ghatak, Narayan Gangopadhyay, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Sanjeev Chattopadhyay, Samaresh Majumdar, Subhas Mukhopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay and Aparna Sen to name a few. Several noteworthy works of literature and art owe their origin to the inspiration from the adda sessions at this coffee house.

Connoisseurs of food have plenty to dig into during their visit to College Street. Shops like Putiram and Mouchak offer a wide variety of sweets like rasagolla, sandesh, dorbesh and much more. The samosas and the kachoris is a sure show stealer and will surely leave your taste buds craving for more. The numerous small food stalls along the two side-walks offers a wide variety of street food like rolls, chowmein and chops. If a refreshing cooler is on your mind then just walk down to Paramount and take you pick from an interesting range of ‘sherbets’.

College Street is also a great political hub. It was this place that witnessed the beginning of the Naxalite Movement in Bengal. Innumerable political movements of national importance and political upsurges have been initiated from here. College Street has witnessed several political gatherings and meetings till date. Many famous politicians have delivered path-breaking speeches at various political gathering here.

So, the next time you want to feel the energetic vibes that give Calcutta its distinct fervour, take a stroll down the pavements of College Street. You can hear life calling out to you from every nook and corner. You just have to heed the call.