1. Which institution was shifted from Chowringhee to Sans Souci Theatre in January 1860?
2. When Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was deposed to Metiabruz, what did his chefs add to the Awadhi biryani, that is now an integral part of Calcuttan biryani?
3. In 2014, after which singer was Jorabagan Street renamed?
4. Whose business card read: ‘The fruit of silence is prayer; The fruit of prayer is faith; The fruit of faith is love; The fruit of love is service and the fruit of service is peace’?
5. Which was Satyajit Ray’s first colour film based on his original screenplay?
6. Towards the middle of the nineteenth century, which specialised professionals did William Coats Blacquiere, a city magistrate, introduce to systematise policing in Calcutta?
7. Cricket balls in the city are often referred to as ‘deuce balls’. Why?
8. In 1925, who became the first Bengali to be admitted to PG Hospital (later renamed SSKM Hospital) for treatment?
9. What, commissioned in 1943, consumed 26,500 tonnes of steel and was constructed at an approximate cost of Rs 250 lakh?
10. In 1995, who made the first mobile phone call in India to Sukh Ram, the then communications minister?
11. Lord Minto, the Viceroy of India, wanted to invite Rajen Mookerjee to dine at the Bengal Club. He was not allowed to do so because the club allowed only whites. As a result of this incident, a club was founded with a membership policy not dictated by race. Name the club.
12. Which singer/songwriter has penned the books Chhowache Kolom and Shomoyer Baire and also created a graphic novel, Antony O Chandrabindoo?
13. Who laid the foundation stone of Mahajati Sadan?
14. On November 1, 1858, a group of Englishmen from Calcutta was organised into a Pipe-Band to play at the Governor’s House. What was the occasion?
15. Who said: “I come to Calcutta as Vasco da Gama. It’s a polemic. I’m explaining my broken love for Calcutta. You only come back if you love something”?
16. Why was a European policeman paid to stand opposite the Great Eastern Hotel?
17. In 1907, which scientist came to Calcutta to join the Indian Finance Department as Assistant Accountant General?
18. Who, by blocking a part of the Ganges and using other tactics, forced the British to withdraw the taxes they had imposed for fishing in the Ganges?
19. Which was the first street in the city to be lit by electricity?
20. The idea of which dish, now their signature dish, was registered as a ‘protected regional product’ by Peter Cat?
Answers
1. St Xavier’s College 2. Potato 3. Manna De 4. Mother Teresa 5. Kanchenjunga 6. A network of spies or goendas 7. Corruption of Duke, a brand of cricket balls 8. Michael Madhusudan Dutt 9. Howrah Bridge 10. Jyoti Basu. The first cellular service of India was inaugurated in Calcutta on July 31, 1995. 11. Calcutta Club 12. Anupam Roy 13. Rabindranath Tagore 14. The transfer of power from the Company Bahadur to the British Crown 15. Gunter Grass 16. To turn bullock carts into by-lanes, out of the way of the burra sahibs 17. C.V. Raman 18. Rani Rashmoni 19. Mahatma Gandhi Road (Harrison Road) in 1891 20. Chelo Kabab
The Calcutta Quiz Book, published by Rupa Publications, is available on amazon.in, Rs 195
SCREEN
1. The coin used in the ‘toss’ scenes in Sholay had the face of which British monarch on it?
2. Two Bolly actresses were offered the role of Sivagami in the Bahubali films, eventually played by Ramya Krishnan. Name them.
3. In Kung Fu Panda, what move did Po use to finish off Tai Lung?
4. Which is the only Bond film in which the F-word is used?
5. Whose wand is this?
6. Who was the first guest on Comedy Nights with Kapil?
7. Which Oscar-winning actress has directed episodes of Black Mirror, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black?
SPORTS
1. The two factions of the Nigerian civil war agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire in 1967. Why?
2. X used the pseudonym A.C. Smith to play as a goalkeeper for Portsmouth Association Football Club. Identify X.
3. Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for a duck only once in his Ranji career. Who was the bowler?
4. Why did Aaron Finch sit out the Gujarat Lions vs Mumbai Indians match in this IPL?
5. It was his superstition to start a Wimbledon clean-shaven, and then not shave for the entire duration of the tournament. It worked wonders for him as he won five consecutive Wimbledon titles. Who is he?
6. Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden of Australia lie on the ground along with the Indian players during a Test match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, New Delhi, in 2008. Why?
FASHION
1. His brand’s logo has the Royal Bengal Tiger. Which designer (featured recently in t2oS) are we talking about?
2. She made her Met Gala debut this week. Guess who?
3. “Main shaadi karungi toh ___ designer lehenga pehenke karoongi, warna dulhe ko
ta-ta bye-bye kar do.” Complete the Alia Bhatt line from Badrinath ki Dulhania.
4. Katrina Kaif had a recent first on her fashion CV. What was it?
BITE
1. Why did candymaker Milton S. Hershey switch from making caramel to chocolate bars in 1903?
2. Lambert, Balaton and Rainier are types of which fruit?
3. What is the main ingredient of baba ganoush?
4. The recipe of which dish made Sawan Dutta’s vlog go viral?
5. Which dish in Mocambo restaurant was named after Princess Diana?
6. What was Peter Cat almost named originally? (Hint: Persian thinker)
7. Which star hotel in Calcutta has terracotta statues by Shyamal Roy in the lobby?
8. Identify this young chef. He visited Calcutta earlier this year and his interview appeared in t2.
9. Which Calcutta restaurant is this biryani from? Hint: One major element is missing!
PAGE
1. Who was the first Batman side-character to be introduced?
2. Which famous writer of thrillers from the UK had once confessed to t2 that he has too much Caravaggio in his books?
3. The author of an epic fantasy book series that’s been made into a show used to write letters to Marvel as a teenager. Guess who.
4. Connect Kathleen with Harry Potter.
5. In Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, which of the seven Endless leaves their role?
6. Why did the name Anita Raja send the literary world into a tizzy last year?
7. Which world-famous novelist was almost named ‘Amit’ after the protagonist, Amit Ray, of Shesher Kobita because the Tagore novel used to be read to his mother when she was pregnant with him?
8. What does this symbol stand for? Other than ‘Superman’, of course!
SIP
1. From which cactus is tequila made?
2. Name this cocktail and tell us where it originated.
3. What would you find in a bhaang drink?
a) Haldi b) Cannabis c) Tulsi d) Neem
BRAIN- TEASE
1. When is the only time Ranbir Kapoor speaks in Barfi!?
2. Which word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
3. What’s unique about 8549176320?
4. Pedro is kissing his girlfriend when his shirt tears. He immediately says a famous Rajesh Khanna line that is apt for the situation. Name Pedro’s girlfriend.
GOSS
1. Tom Cruise is reportedly seeing this Netflix hottie. Name her.
2. Be it a new album or her pregnancy, she’s known to leave clues all over her social media. Name this international diva.
3. Ranbir Kapoor was allegedly dating which current actor’s wife before the two got married?
4. This sportswoman has a crush on Ranveer Singh and was once linked with Shahid Kapoor. Guess who.
FASHION
1. His brand’s logo has the Royal Bengal Tiger. Which designer (featured recently in t2oS) are we talking about?
2. She made her Met Gala debut this week. Guess who?
3. “Main shaadi karungi toh ___ designer lehenga pehenke karoongi, warna dulhe ko
ta-ta bye-bye kar do.” Complete the Alia Bhatt line from Badrinath ki Dulhania.
4. Katrina Kaif had a recent first on her fashion CV. What was it?
MUSIC
1. Which Grammy Hall of Fame song had as temporary lyrics ‘Scrambled eggs, oh, my baby, how I love your legs....’
2. Which Indian duo’s song did Elton John recently play on his Rocket Hour show on Beats 1 (Apple Music)?
3. Which pop act recorded an interpretation of the 2009 Academy Award-winning song Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionnaire?
4. Janet Jackson’s That’s The Way Love Goes had a back-up dancer who became very, very famous. Name her.
5. Which music video is this scene from?
6. ‘I told him to f*** off.’ Which iconic singer is Sinead O’Connor talking about and why?
TECH
1. Why is Facebook’s colour scheme blue?
a) Because that’s Mark Zuckerberg’s favourite colour.
b) Because he studied the science of colours to arrive at blue. c) Because he is colour-blind and blue appears to be the richest colour for him. d) Because he likes to watch the films Blue Velvet and Blue Hawaii.
2. He went from being a school-teacher in 1995 to boosting his company’s initial public offering to $25billion in 2014. Who are we talking about?
3. What was Nokia’s original line of business?
4. Mumbai-born Shiva Ayyadurai continues to fight to claim the inventor title for which everyday technology?
WHEELS
1. The design of which car made and sold in India was inspired by that of the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ of 1968?
2. One of the most iconic Italian automotive design houses has recently been bought by an Indian company. Who bought whom?
3. What car is this the forerunner of?
SCREEN
1. George VI.
2. Sridevi & Tabu.
3. Wuxi Finger Hold.
4. Skyfall.
5. Harry Potter’s.
6. Dharmendra.
7. Jodie Foster.
SPORTS
1. To watch Pele’s Santos play a friendly match in Lagos.
2. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
4. He misplaced his kit bag.
5. Bjorn Borg.
6. A swarm of bees was passing over the ground.
FASHION
1. Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
2. Deepika Padukone.
3. Kareena-wala.
4. Shooting for Peruvian fashion photographer Mario Testino’s famous Towel series.
BITE
1. Because caramel bars didn’t retain the imprint of his name in summer. Chocolate did.
2. Cherry.
3. Eggplant/ brinjal/ aubergine.
4.Maachher Jhol.
5. Fish a la Diana.
6. Omar Khayyam.
7.Taj Bengal.
8. Logan Guleff, the winner of MasterChef Junior US 2014.
9. Royal Indian Hotel, which serves biryani without potato.
SIP
1. Blue agave.
2.Mojito from Cuba.
3. b) Cannabis.
BRAIN-TEASE
1. In the tobacco disclaimer played before the film.
2. Short
3. It has all the digits arranged in alphabetical order.
4. Pushpa. The line: ‘Pushpa, I hate tears.’
PAGE
1. Commissioner Gordon.
2. Jeffrey Archer.
3. George R.R. Martin.
4. When Joanne Rowling’s publisher suggested she use a gender-ambiguous name for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone so that boys read her book too, she used ‘J’ from her name and ‘K’ from her grandmother Kathleen's first name.
5. Destruction.
6. A journalist claimed that was the real name of Elena Ferrante, the mysterious writer of the Neapolitan novels.
7. Vikram Seth.
8. It is a Kryptonian glyph which is the family seal of the House of El, and stands for ‘Hope’.
GOSS
1. Vanessa Kirby.
2. Beyonce.
3. Avantika, Imran Khan’s wife.
4. Sania Mirza.
MUSIC
1. Yesterday by The Beatles
2. Parekh & Singh
3. Pussycat Dolls
4. Jennifer Lopez
5. Beat It by Michael Jackson
6. Prince. For disapproving of the language she used in interviews.
TECH
1.c) Because he is colour-blind and blue appears to be the richest colour for him.
2. Jack Ma.
3. It was founded as a pulp mill company in 1865.
4. Email.
WHEELS
1. The Standard 2000 of 1985
2. Mahindra & Mahindra bought Pininfarina
3. Maruti 800
