Category Archives: Historical Links / Pre-Independence

Bengal honour for Baltic biker boy

Education, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

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In the autumn of 1929, 26-year-old Antanas Paskevicius-Poska set off on a rather long motorbike ride. The Lithuanian would travel down south to Egypt, through Central Asia, with India as his final destination. From Iran, he took a ship to Bombay. In early 1931 he joined the University of Bombay, where he received his Bachelor degree in 1933. Then he shifted to Calcutta to collect material for his Masters. The five years he spent in India, including three in Calcutta, resulted in an eight-volume travelogue titled From the Baltic Sea to Bengal, other than accounts in the Lithuanian press about India and sundry friendships he struck with the intellectual elite.

The story will come full circle on November 28, when President Pranab Mukherjee takes the stage at the convocation of Calcutta University, Poska’s alma mater, and a posthumous DLitt is handed over to Laimute Kisieliene, Poska’s daughter.

“The Lithuanian scholar was brought to our notice by Diana Mickeviciene, a diplomat who came to us on behalf of the country’s embassy in Delhi a year-and-a-half ago to look for material on Poska. We found that he had studied in our anthropology department and had even worked on his PhD. This made us think of recognising his contribution to Indological studies,” said the vice-chancellor of Calcutta University, Suranjan Das. Rimantas Vaitkus, Lithuania’s vice-minister of science and education, and ambassador Laimonas Talat-Kelpsa are flying down too.

Mickeviciene, who has just returned to Lithuania, had spoken to Metro when she was here. “Poska was Calcutta’s ambassador in Lithuania. It is because of him that Lithuanians know about the city. He also worked at the anthropology laboratory of the Indian Museum on racial anthropology and started translating the Gita. Lithuanian is the closest living sister language to Sanskrit,” she said.

Poska, she pointed out, had also spent some time in Santiniketan as a friend of Laxmiswar Sinha, who, like Poska, was a practitioner of Esperanto, a constructed international language. Here he came in touch with Tagore and translated some of his poems into Lithuanian.

Among his friends was the linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterji, who became interested in the Lithuanian and Baltic culture. The monograph of his comparative research of Indian Vedic and Baltic pagan rites, Balts and Aryans, was dedicated to Poska. Chatterji even travelled to Lithuania twice, Mickeviciene added.

Poska met Mahatma Gandhi twice, in Bombay and in Allahabad, and conveyed to him the support of the Lithuanian people for India’s Independence. “Gandhi had gifted him a tablecloth which he took with him even to Siberia, where he was sentenced in 1945 for refusing to comply with an order to destroy books published before the Soviet occupation,” she said. He was the head of the library department of the Lithuanian SSR commissariat then. Most of his archives were destroyed.

Poska’s doctoral research remains unfinished business, though. He did his PhD thesis in physical anthropology under professor Biraja Sankar Guha. It was sent to London for the measurements of skulls to be checked. Poska’s diary mentions that the paper was sent to the British Museum in 1936, and he was planning to go to London to defend his thesis but the delay in his return journey from India, financial difficulties and finally the outbreak of World War II came in the way.

When Chatterji visited Poska in Lithuania in 1966, he had volunteered to retrieve his dissertation from London and to accord the scientist a PhD from the university. However, though Poska’s diary mentions Chatterji’s letter informing him of granting him the degree, and Chatterji himself addressing him as “Dr. Antanas Poska” in the preface to Balts and Aryans, the university archive has no such record.

“Without the defence, his PhD could not have been completed. All we have is the title (‘Physical Affinities of Shina-speaking people of the Western Himalayas’). But we all agree that he deserves recognition,” said vice-chancellor Das.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Calcutta> Story / by Sudeshna Banerjee / Sunday – November 23rd, 2014

Indian farmers who fought WWI in France

Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Caleidoscope

French consul-general Fabrice Etienne, director of Alliance Francaise du Bengale Stephane Amalir and General (retd) Shankar Roy Chowdhury at Victoria Memorial. (Anindya Shankar Ray)
French consul-general Fabrice Etienne, director of Alliance Francaise du Bengale Stephane Amalir and General (retd) Shankar Roy Chowdhury at Victoria Memorial. (Anindya Shankar Ray)

On a day when French President Francois Hollande was to pay a tribute to the 6,00,000 foreign soldiers who fell in World War I, Alliance Francaise du Bengale, in association with Victoria Memorial Hall, opened to the public a photography exhibition titled “War and the colonies”, presenting glimpses of soldiers at work on French soil from lands as varied as India, Ireland and Senegal, 100 years after the Great War.

“Around 28,500 Indian soldiers came to fight on French and Belgian soil as part of the British army by end-1914. They faced the severe winter of 1914-15 and the war in Neuve Chapelle in March, Ypres in April, Festubert in May and Los in September,” said French consul-general Fabrice Etienne at the inauguration of the exhibition at Victoria Memorial.

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“From 1914 to 1918, around 90,000 soldiers in various capacities fought for the freedom of France and Belgium. Of them, 8,500 died and 50,000 were injured. France will never forget the suffering and the heroism of these men,” he added.

General (retd) Shankar Roy Chowdhury pointed out that WWI was no concern of India. “It was not their war. But the Indian army was a professional one and part of the assets of the British Empire. What choice did they have?”

Two factors loaded the situation against them. “They were meant for imperial policing and not equipped for a full-blown battle. Within a week of arrival in Marseille, they were put in the assault zone. Also, their efficiency relied heavily on their personal bond with their British officers. But the 10-12 officers there were in each battalion died within the first week. Young officers, fresh from Britain, were sent in haste to lead the Indian troops.

“No wonder Indians did not fare well in France and Flanders, and were moved out to Asia Minor. Still they got nine Victoria Crosses for gallantry,” Roy Chowdhury said.

Without the colonies, the Allies could not have won, said Kaushik Roy, a professor of history at Jadavpur University. “Of a population of 235 million, 1.2 million Indians were serving in WWI. This is a significant percentage. Raised voluntarily, mainly from Meerut and Lahore, they were mostly illiterate farmers who did not write much except for some letters home. The poorest were not taken as they were thought to be malnourished. Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs, Garhwalis and Gorkhas were the dominant segments while Bengalis and Madrasis were under-represented,” Roy said.

WWI resulted in fragmented identity-building of each race, rather than evoke any pan-Indianness, he added.

The evening concluded with Theophilus Benjamin playing works of French composers on the guitar.

The exhibition is on till November 23, except Monday.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Calcutta> Story> Caleidoscope / by Sudeshna Banerjee / Sunday – November 16th, 2014

Digi life for old records

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All
Suresh Chandvankar at the inauguration of the digitising centre at Weavers Studio. Picture by Bibhas Lodh
Suresh Chandvankar at the inauguration of the digitising centre at Weavers Studio. Picture by Bibhas Lodh

If you have inherited a collection of old gramophone records you have no idea how to preserve or perhaps even where to play, this is the address where to head. Weavers Studio Centre for the Arts has opened a digitising centre in its gallery space in Ballygunge Place where old and rare records are being digitised.

“We want collectors to come forward. We will digitise and archive their records and return the discs to them along with a CD of what we archived. We have started with 400 records and can digitise two records per day,” said founder Darshan Shah. Early 20th century single-sided cardboard Nicole, shellac Pathe, paper records and pre-World War I Beka-Grand records form part of their acquisition, sourced from flea markets. “We are working on a wide range of genres — Hindustani and Carnatic classical, folk, early film or theatre music, Bengali songs and speeches of leaders,” Shah added.

The centre wishes to disseminate the digitised content among music lovers and researchers through audio-visual exhibitions, listening kiosks and portals, guided listening sessions etc. It has set up a permanent listening facility for visitors to enjoy the digitised sound, on two computers with headphones and 10 Android phones gifted by Tata Docomo. On each phone, close to 150 audio clips have been uploaded, which are being changed depending on the theme of the exhibition organised most recently by the centre. “We can take the phones to schools or to other cities when we hold travelling exhibitions,” Shah said.

Schools are also being invited to send students over to experience India’s audio history. One can walk in and listen to any of the digitised material like the “Tryst with destiny” speech of Jawaharlal Nehru or Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address, or voices of Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi. There are also 70 versions of Vande Mataram. The listening facility is available on weekdays, 3pm to 7pm.

The centre was inaugurated by Suresh Chandvankar, the secretary of the Society of Indian Record Collectors in Mumbai. “In Calcutta, where India’s first commercial recording was done in 1902 by Gauhar Jaan for The Gramophone Company, there are people with knowledge in the field but not many are ready to come forward and share it. This is the first time that a digital archive is being set up and exhibitions on records being held by a private body unsupported by the government,” said Chandvankar, who has bought an apartment on the outskirts of Mumbai just to store his collection of records.

Even after a record has been digitised, Chandvankar argues for its preservation. “Digital can never replace the physical form. When a new technology comes, the physical recording will be needed again.”

The future of preservation, he believes, is a virtual archive. “Put all digital material on Cloud. And for outreach, the best channel is social media,” he advised. “But when it comes to sound quality, aficionados abroad are getting tired of the digital sound. So a revival of the disc is on the cards. In fact, many of my collector friends believe that the 78 rpm disc has the best sound quality.”

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Calcutta> Story / by Sudeshna Banerjee / Sunday – November 16th, 2014

Expo on lost Kalamkari textile in city

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Kolkata :

They had originated and proliferated in India, possibly in Tanjore, in the late 16th or early 17th century under the patronage of the Mughal emperors. But, with the passage of time, Kalamkari paintings on textiles faded into oblivion.

Thousands of miles away, a museum in France on the Swiss border has preserved some of the oldest specimens of Kalamkari paintings on textiles. These are very rare to find even in museums within the country.

For a fortnight starting on Wednesday, the textile gallery of the Indian Museum will showcase the world famous ‘Tapis Moghol’ — some of the most elaborate designs replete with mysterious animals, birds, foliage and flowers — that hold the key to many stories of the times. The ‘Tapis Moghol’, that dates back to the late 16th or early 17th century, has been preserved for the world at the En Musea De L’Impression Sur Etoffes De Mulhouse or the Museum of Printed Textiles at Mulhouse, France.

Kalamkari paintings in its earliest form were motifs painted on large wall hangings that were used to decorate the altar behind the deity. Kalamkari, though, is not a lost art form in the sense that it is still practised in both the painted and block printed versions. But, we have lost most of the original designs that were popular when it was used as an altar backdrop in South Indian temples.

“A gentleman called Funffrock, who was an employee of the French East India Company, was posted in Tanjore. The Frenchman was immensely interested in the traditional art form and got a cotton cloth, measuring eight feet by eight feet, done up with rich intricate designs that showcased the best motifs of that time. With time, this became the focal exhibit, around which the other collections of the period grew. The exhibition will give the city a glimpse of the Funffrock collection,” explained Ruby Palchowdhury, spokesperson of the Crafts Council of West Bengal, which is a wing of the Crafts Council of India and is funded by the Centre.

Textile and culture ministries and the Alliance Francaise have funded the expo that will have 25 panels to show off design details and the stories underneath. The exhibition has been curated by ethnic historian Lotika Varadarajan.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Jhumli Mukherjee Pandey, TNN / November 16th, 2014

Japanese scholar traces history of Kolkata

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

Kolkata :

Once Okamoto Yoshiko starts speaking on the history of Bengal, jaws are bound to drop. Yoshiko, a history scholar of modern Japanese thought at Institute of Asian Cultural Studies of International Christian University, Tokyo, is tracing the untold history of Bengal and the city in connection with modern Japanese thought.

For last few days, she has been running from one house to another belonging to forgotten luminaries of Calcutta in search of documents, old photographs and books to track the vibrant bond Japan shared with Bengal more than 100 years ago.

Recently, Yoshiko was sifting through old books and documents at the house of Tapan Sen, great grandson of Narendranath Sen (1843-1911), the founder-editor of nationalist newspaper, Indian Mirror.

“He was a liberal Hindu, with a deep interest in other religions, particularly Buddhism. He was the founder of the Theosophical Society of Bengal,” Yoshiko said.

Yoshiko is working towards a book on an international religious conference that was to be held in Japan — a cancelled event at Kyoto in 1903. The key mover of the conference was Okakura Kakuzo (1863 -1913). This was after Kakuzo and art historian and Japanese monk Oda Tokuno came to Kolkata in 1902 and 1903 and met literary, cultural and spiritual luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Sister Nivedita. Narendranath Sen was elected chairman of the committee for the religious conference, Yoshiko said.

Why did the conference not shape up? “One of the reasons was the premature death of Swami Vivekananda. Without him the conference would have lost its sheen. There were other reasons as well. But the cancelled conference became a threshold of modern Japanese thought and forged an international intellectual network. With the idea of one-Asia, Kakuzo ceased to identify himself as Japanese but an Asian,” Yoshiko explained. The conference evoked world-wide response. Two Indian monks — Swami Rama Tirtha and Agamiya Parama Tattava — travelled to Tokyo for the conference.

Kakuzo had some wonderful intellectual exchanges with Narendranath Sen, who first interviewed Vivekananda after his return to India. In fact, Narendranath was the prime mover behind Vivekananda’s supposed participation at the Kyoto conference, the scholar explained. Yoshiko was sad that the original house of Narendranath Sen was razed.

Like Tagore, Kakuzo’s prophesy in his book, ‘The Ideas of the East’, proved true a century later, she said. “He noted that Japan’s rapid modernization was not universally applauded in Asia,” Yoshiko said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay, TNN / November 13th, 2014

Spotlight on heritage assets

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel

The Kathgola Palace, where the then chief of the British East India Company had met Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey in 1757, has regained some of its lost glory. The house of the Jagat Seth family, pre-eminent for its powerful moneylenders and bankers in the first half of the 18th century, has been restored, too.

Decrepit and prey to vandals till a couple of years back, both buildings are now popular tourist spots in Murshidabad, which was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal era.

“They are now sustainable heritage properties and generate Rs 10 crore in tourism revenue,” said Pradip Chopra of the PS Group, who is also president of Murshidabad Heritage Development Society.

The Murshidabad model of conservation will be showcased along with other successful conservation projects in a seminar titled “Get the best out of your Heritage Property/Assets” at Palladian Lounge on November 22 and 23. The seminar will be part of “Resurgence — 3rd Murshidabad Heritage Festival 2014” to be held at Hazarduari palace and Kathgola palace in Murshidabad.

The Murshidabad Heritage Development Society is organising the festival, along with CREDAI Bengal, The Palladian-Asian Hotels North Limited, Hotels and Restaurants Association of Eastern India, The Calcutta Gastronomes, Intach and ASI.

“It will bring together stakeholders like property owners, developers, tour operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs and conservationists to develop a sustainable conservation effort,” said Anjan Mitra, architect and seminar coordinator.

The seminar will have an eclectic mix of speakers, including Debasish Nayak, the director of the Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad University, civil engineer R.K. Anil, Aman Nath of Neemrana Fort Palace Hotel, Raj Basu of Help Tourism, Kasturi Gupta Menon, the chairperson of Crafts Council of India, and Sunil Rampuria, a heritage property owner in Bikaner.

Heritage is not just the building but also history, memories, lifestyles, craft, cuisine and a host of other things that need to be conserved holistically, said Mitra. So the inclusion of stakeholders like The Calcutta Gastronomes represented by chef Shaun Kenworthy.

The teaser launch of the seminar at Palladian Lounge on Tuesday showcased the royal vegetarian cuisine of Murshidabad, called Sheherwali cuisine.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Calcutta> Story / Thursday – November 13th, 2014

Eden Gardens 150 years stamps released by CAB

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Sports
Bishan Singh Bedi made his Test debut at the Eden Gardens Dec 31, 1966 against the West Indies – a match infamous for a riot at the gallery © IANS (File Photo)
Bishan Singh Bedi made his Test debut at the Eden Gardens Dec 31, 1966 against the West Indies – a match infamous for a riot at the gallery © IANS (File Photo)

Kolkata:

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Tuesday released postage stamps to commemorate 150 years of the Eden Gardens, considered the home of cricket in this part of the world, as legends of the game nostalgically recalled their fond memories of the iconic ground.

The first day covers of the stamps, released under the India Post My Stamp venture, were brought out at a star-studded function on the historic ground, which hosted the World Cup final in 1987.

Postage stamps were also released to mark the contribution of CAB chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, former head of the world cricket governing body International Cricket Council (ICC) and its India affiliate, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The function was graced by the legendary spin trio – Bishan Singh Bedi, Erappali Prasanna and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar – as also former Indian skippers Ajit Wadekar and Dilip Vengsarkar, besides West Indies‘ fast bowling great Michael Holding. CAB joint secretary and ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly joined the celebrations midway into the programme.

Wadekar, who led India to historic series triumphs in England and West Indies in the early 1970s, said after Lords, the ground he relished more during his long cricketing career as player and coach was Eden.

“The facilities at Eden gardens was excellent, the people were very hospitable.”

Narrating a funny incident when he was India’s coach, Wadekar said he once offered England batsman Mike Gatting a prawn curry. “He liked it so much that he kept eating. As a result he could not go to the field the next day. His absence helped us win the match here.”

Bedi made his Test debut at the Eden Gardens Dec 31, 1966 against the West Indies – a match infamous for a riot at the gallery.

“I have fond memories of Eden Gardens. During my debut Test there was fire in the stands. There was a teargas charge. Players ran helter skelter. You can say that for me, it was baptism by fire,” he quipped.

Describing Eden as the most “electrifying stadium” in the world, Bedi said: “It is a proud momenta nostalgic moment for me to be here. Eden can give the Melbourne Cricket Ground [MCG] a lot to chase.”

Master legspinner Chandrasekhar, who had some great successes at the ground, said before making it to the Indian team, he had his first look at the Eden Gardens in 1962 during a visit to the city. “I was sitting in the gallery and thinking how I wish to play here!!”

Considered a lameduck batsman, Chandrasekhar said his most memorable moment in the Eden came in 1964, when he and Bapu Nadkarni put on 51 runs for the last wicket against England.

Prasanna, who prides himself as the son-in-law of Kolkata having married a Bengali, said the city and the CAB has never forgotten him. “Whenever I have come to the city, even for personal visits, the way I’m looked after is great.”

Comparing his hometown Bangalore to Kolkata, he said: “Banglalore’s hospitality is unbelievably low. The warmth and liking that Kolkata exudes has always floored me.”

Vengsarkar, who also went down memory lane, said ahead of his first Test experience at the Eden Gardens in 1978-79, he was told that one has to bat, bowl and field well at the ground. “As otherwise, the crowd will be after you.”

“I made sure I did well, I got my maiden Test hundred during the match against the West Indies. Later [in 1987-88] I scored another 100 on this ground.”

Holding said the 150 year association between cricket and Eden itself was commendable. “Not many associations, companionships or friendships last that long. But the fact that the association has lasted has given a fillip to the game here as also the CAB.”

Ganguly, for whom Eden was the home ground, said the stadium has through the years provided happiness, fun and satisfaction to the players, the crowd and sports administrators”.

source: http://www.cricketcountry.com / The Cricket Country / Home / Kolkata – November 11th, 2014

Murshidabad to get heritage hotels

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel

Kolkata :

Murshidabad, 250 kilometres north of Kolkata and the erstwhile capital of undivided Bengal, offers an unparalleled treasure-trove of heritage to tourists, both domestic and international. But, thanks to years of neglect and indifference, the majestic buildings are falling apart and the art, crafts and cuisines of the past are fading into oblivion.

The Murshidabad Heritage Development Society (MHDS), which has launched the revival project for Murshidabad through conservation of buildings, running of museums of family heirlooms, exhibitions of lost arts and crafts, cuisines, handloom and textile, have now planned to initiate the next level of heritage campaigns — converting some of the palatial buildings into heritage hotels to attract tourists and generate a tourism-centric industry.

MHDS, along with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), on the occasion of World Heritage Week will hold a seminar at Palladian in Kolkata on November 22 to create awareness about the rich and vibrant heritage of Bengal encompassing architecture, arts and history and build a learning bridge between our past, present and future.

But, if you think that Murshidabad is only a hub of the Nawabi heritage, you should look beyond. Along with Nawabi culture, a powerful stream of rich traders and bankers, mostly from Rajasthan, had made its mark here. More than 400 years ago, they came, settled, prospered, built mansions, places of worships and even schools and colleges. They were known as ‘Sheherwali’. “We have identified 97 such heritage buildings with fascinating architecture and historical importance,” said Sandip Nowlakha, founder secretary of MHDS.

Murshidabad cuisine in general, or ‘Sheherwali’ cuisine in particular, is one such fascinating aspect of the heritage. “The love for food, especially all things sweet, is an apt description of any ‘Sheherwali’ cuisine. Food features prominently in the community, having evolved passionately through centuries of their existence in Bengal. ‘Sheherwali’ cuisine is possibly the finest vegetarian spread one can find, even in modern times,” said Siddharth Dudhoria, the founder president of MHDS.

The symposium aims at fine-tuning the heritage-tourism model being developed by the MHDS. It would put together experts across the country and bring forth some successful models. “Heritage can be a great revenue earner. Unless we drive this point home, we cannot make younger generation understand the value of our heritage. Several heritage buildings at places like Azimgunj, Ziagunj, Lalgola, Kathgola can be heritage hotels offering finest heritage experiences. Once heritage generates revenue and employment, the care for it would reach the zenith,” said Pradeep Chopra, president of MHDS.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / TNN / November 12th, 2014

Healing touch for Bible society

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Kolkata :

Over two centuries, Bible House on Jawaharlal Nehru Road has played a pivotal role in translating and publishing the best-selling book of all time — the Bible. Ravaged over time, the Romanesque building has received superficial attention but never undergone a thorough repair. Now, various churches have come together to fund the first major restoration and offer the heritage building a fresh lease of life.

“The Bible is the reason why churches exist. Hence the significance of the building where the Bible has been translated and published for two centuries. It has served as the cradle of Christianity in the country,” said Bishop Ashok Biswas, chairman of the Kolkata auxiliary or chapter of Bible Society.

The Bible Society movement in India started from the Bible House, which was built in 1811. It is the second oldest Bible House in the world, built barely seven years after the Bible House in London. Till the mid-20th century, its jurisdiction extended up to Sri Lanka and Myanmar. It was the Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society that was established in 1811 and the Bible Society of India came into being 33 years later.

Conservation architect Manish Chakraborti, who has been appointed the project consultant, is finalizing the plan for the building’s authentic restoration.

“A cast iron column in the building appears to be buckling under pressure and needs to be immediately repaired. Thereafter, the flooring system has to be strengthened by repairing the supporting wooden beams and runners, and splicing steel joist where necessary. A leak in the roof also needs repair. Woodwork and joinery of doors and windows will also be restored and the Burma teak wooden staircase will be cleaned and polished,” said Chakraborti.

Beyond restoring the building, the architect has chalked out a detailed plan for its appropriate adaptive reuse after detailed discussions with Bible Society officials. “Three fourth of the ground floor is occupied by a tenant. The rest of the building is occupied by us. This section will be internally revamped. On the first floor, a full-fledged modern auditorium with a seating capacity of 180 persons will be set up.

There will also be an archive, reading room, library and a special room for the translation board to meet. On the second floor, we will have a guest house with four rooms,” said senior auxiliary secretary Sajal Kumar Sarkar.

Another important aspect is the development of a fire-retardant store-room at the rear of the building for storing Bibles and Biblical texts published by Bible Society. Chakraborti expects the KMC Heritage Committee to give the project its nod soon.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Subhro Niyogi, TNN / November 11th, 2014

Bengal’s Dutch link on Presi site

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Kolkata :

Dutch history in India has been ‘e-mortalized’ by Presidency University and Netherlands Embassy, with the launch of a web portal documenting and geo-tagging the total area of the Dutch cemetery in Chinsurah. At the same time, ‘The Dutch East India Company in India’, a book by anthropologist Bauke van der Pol was released on Friday.

“This book looks at the larger picture of the Dutch in India, and Dutch trade relations with India have existed for far longer than those with say, America or Australia,” said van der Pol, who presented a comprehensive compendium of the Dutch East India Company heritage in India by guiding the reader through country houses, settlements, trading posts and cemeteries.

The website and the book was launched by Presidency University vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia and the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands, Namit Shah. “The ‘Dutch Cemetery in Chinsurah’ database, that’s available online at www.dutchcemeterybengal.com, tells the story of a centuries-old colonial settlement that produced some of the key figures involved in the shaping of trade, polity and culture in the Indian subcontinent. Less well-known than its British namesake, the Dutch East India Company, Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC), once managed the vast inter-continental trade from 17th to 19th century through its settlements in coastal India. As a hub between the western trade capital Amsterdam and its Eastern counterpart in Batavia, Chinsurah occupied a key position in VOC and indeed, in Dutch history as well,” said Souvik Mukherjee of the English department, who headed the digital humanities project.

Mukherjee outlined the objectives of the project. “We photographed the gravestones and tombs in detail, accessed and digitized the research matter from offline sources. We also transcribed headstone inscriptions and inserted architectural, biographical, geographical, demographic, literary and historical metadata,” he said.

The Dutch anthropologist also gave a sneak peek into his next book, ‘Dutch on the Ganges’, scheduled to be released next year.

While explaining how the Dutch settled at Baranagar, van der Pol said, “It was a small settlement where big ships would anchor before heading out. It was also known to have a widely-known brothel, with beautiful ladies from Malaysia.”

He also gave a brief description of Prince Hendrik van Oranje’s three-month stay in Bengal back in 1837.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / TNN / November 07th, 2014