In pictures: Early morning sights, smells and sounds of Shakespeare Sarani

Between the early hours of 5.30am-7.30am is when Shakespeare Sarani is devoid of vehicles or chaotic honking. Enjoy the gentle breeze of a cool summer morning as you walk down the empty stretch (between Kala Mandir on one end and Usha Martin building at the top of Theatre Road)

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Rawdon Square (a few metres from Parkomat) is a park with gravelly murram walkways and benches overlooking a serene waterbody. It was reopened by the KMC after 30 years in 2021

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There’s a smaller park at Auckland Square (left from Shakespeare Sarani, towards Kookie Jar, Rawdon Street) which is less famous but offers a hideaway retreat. The anti-skid tiles are ideal for morning walkers but it’s kind of desolate compared to the other parks. The park used to have a famous sandal-shaped slide, which is now gone, but a few swings remain

At the crossing of Shakespeare Sarani and Hungerford Street, stop at Arun Tea Stall (ATS), for kesar chai, samosa, club kachori or a creamy malai toast. Join the merry group of senior and not-so-senior citizens who gather in groups and catch up on updates

Diagonally opposite ATS is Anna Ras, famous for its Gujarati snacks and namkeen. Chomp on dhokla and pyaaz ki kachori and don’t forget to pack some farsan and gathiya for home

For more breakfast options, grab a stool outside Hunger Food Court and order a plate of crispy masala dosa or a filling aloo bonda. The eatery remains busy through the day as office-goers queue up for meals

Bang in the middle of Shakespeare Sarani, spot the ‘My Kolkata’ billboard, your one-click destination for city updates

Aurobindo Bhavan, located at 8 Shakespeare Sarani (near the crossing of Little Russell Street), is the birthplace of the revolutionary-turned-sage Sri Aurobindo. There’s a beautiful Shiva Lingam tree in bloom within the premises and plenty of flora

A well-guarded secret is the prayer zone inside Aurobindo Bhavan. The spacious and open-air area behind the building offers a peaceful, Zen-like environment and a culture centre that’s open to the public

A few nuggets of history as we end this virtual tour. Theatre Road (named after the Chowringhee Theatre) was renamed Shakespeare Sarani on April 24, 1964, to honour the Bard’s fourth birth centenary celebrations. The city’s first Air-Conditioned Market (in picture) is also located on this road. Rani Birla Girls’ College (in picture) used to be the site of Calcutta Three Hundred Club, and what is International Club today used to be The Swiss Club in the 1920s

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