Nineteen months, 80 plus spots — this is what Mudar Patherya’s Kolkata Illumination Project achieved over this timeline. Heritage buildings with significant back stories brought into the spotlight once more for the city to beam with pride. On Sunday, June 29, 33 individuals took it all in on a guided bus tour that covered 34 spots in under five hours.
As the skies dimmed, the buildings were lit up, resembling their past glory with the lights adding personality to these spots. Temples, churches, old houses and more were covered in this first-of-its-kind tour.
Organised by Aditi Ganguly and Sujoy Sen of Travel Together Everywhere, people from various walks of life got onto an AC bus at Shyambazar and started out on an adventure. Sujoy Sen said, “I found out about these projects and the mind behind it only recently and I reached out to Mudar Patherya, who explained how he’s gone about the project. We did a recce and tried to include all the spots that we possibly could for the first time.”
Subir Saha, a former railway personnel, was part of the tour. “I was in Azerbaijan a few days back, and seeing how they maintained their culture was fantastic. Seeing a small semblance of that in the form of these illuminated buildings makes me love my city even more,” he said. Of the several spots visited, he said the Royal Insurance building (above) was his favourite.
Anita Mukherjee Dutta, a homemaker, who comes from a family whose Durga Puja is over 250 years old, said “All of us at home really love old buildings and architecture. When I heard of this tour I couldn’t resist and had to be there.” The Kalachand Temple on Ramdulal Street (above) was her favourite.
The tour started from the house of Badridas Krishnadas Paul. A house with an old-Calcutta charm on Sovabazar Street that runs as a pharmacy. The house of BK Paul is popular for being a go-to sport for both ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines.
One of Kolkata’s most prominent Anglican churches, St James’ Church, often called Jora Girja for its twin spires, was also on the list of spots visited. The iconic structure, built in 1864 with a Gothic Revival Style, was a sight to behold in the night.
The Sen Mansion was another iconic illuminated building on the list. The Sens of Sealdah are popularly known for maintaining the Shree Radha Krishna Mandir near Amherst street. The house, built in 1909, still stands tall and strong against the winds of time and the illuminations only adds to its beauty.
St John's Church in Sealdah, not to be confused with the St John's Church in Dalhousie was built in 1903. This church stands out for its red bricked walls and tall green windows that resemble the age old Kolkata architecture. A sight to behold once lit up in the middle of the dark night sky.
The General Post Office dome was a sight for sore eyes at night. Yellow hues against the white-domed structure make it one of the cleanest looking buildings in the night. This was another one of the highlights on display for those who toured with team Travel Together Everywhere.
