Culture

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Introduction

Calcutta’s rich cultural life was and is an important feature of the city. The changes of the 1940s brought new ideas and trends in drama, painting, film appreciation. Classical music, books, poetry and literature where at their height, although with the death of Tagore an great era came to an end.

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Culture

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

Government School of Art

At the corner of Chowringhee Road and Sudder Street stands the Indian Museum, housing the Government School of Art in its southern wing. This institution, established in 1865, is maintained by the Government of Bengal. It is under the control of the Director of Public Instruction, Bengal, through a Governing Body appointed by Government. The object of the School is to teach the Fine Arts, Decorative Arts and Crafts, and to provide instruction in Commercial Drawing, Painting and Design. The School also trains Drawing Masters for educational institutions.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source page 32 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

Occasional glimpses of the local intelligentsia

John Irwin, who was A.D.C. to the Governor, afforded me occasional glimpses of the local intelligentsia as well as of the grandiose interior of Government House. Through John, who resembled one of the Knights of the Grail as depicted by Byrne-Jones, I met several Indian writers who could forget their political grievances to discuss poetry and painting with eloquence and acumen. They spoke as if reciting Swinburne and it was a pleasure to listen to their lilting voices. With Bishnu Dey, Buddhadeva Bose, Datta, Chakravarty and Suhrawady I was able to forget the drudgery of Barrackpore, […]

Harold Acton, RAF airforce officer. Calcutta, early 1940s.

(source: page 116 Harold Acton: More memoirs of an Aesthete. London Methuen, 1970)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Harold Acton)

The genuine Indo-Anglian synthesis

During the war, in the early 1940s, when I passed frequently through Calcutta, I used to meet some of my old Brahmo Samajist friends who often invited me to their homes. They had an intellectual quality different from anything I have encountered elsewhere in India, for their knowledge of English literature and life seemed to be deeper and more extensive than that of anyone else, while, so far as I could judge, they spoke as knowledgeably and stimulatingly on Bengali literary movements and Indian political affairs. The genuine Indo-Anglian synthesis was to be found in Calcutta in those days.

Frank Moraes, Journalist for Times of India. Calcutta, early 1940s

(source: page 153 of Moraes, Frank. Witness to an era : India 1920 to the present day. London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1973)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Frank Moraes 1973)

The upheavals of the 1940s

We were born in a deceived age. The days of our childhood and adolescence saw the full flowering of Bengal. Tagore, with his overpowering genius, at the peak of his literary career; the renewed vigour of Bengali literature in the works of the "Kallol" group of young writers; the widespread national movement in schools and colleges, among the youth of Bengal; the villages of Bengal, with their folktales, folk songs and festivals, brimming over with the hope of a new life. Just then came the war, came famine. The Muslim League and the Congress Party brought the country to ruin by tearing it apart and accepting a destructive independence. Communal riots flooded the country. The waters of the Ganga and Padma were red with the blood of brothers. These are our own experiences. Our dreams faded. We stumbled and fell, desperately clutching at a wretched, impoverished Bengal. Which Bengal is this, where povertv and immorality are our constant companions, where the blackmarketeers and dishonest politicians rule, where terrible fear and sorrow are the inevitable fate of every man!

Ritwik Ghatak. Calcutta, 1940s

(source: Recollections of Bengal and a Single Vision at http://216.152.71.145/filmmakers/ghatak/ghatak.html reproduced from the monograph Ritwik Ghatak prepared for the Festival of India in London, 1982)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Ritwik Ghatak 1982)

Sri Aurobindo

FORTY years after he left Bengal Sri Aurobindo's life has come to a close, and India mourns an outstanding spiritual teacher. To Bengal his death has especially poignant significance, for he was a towering personality in a generation that included some of Bengal's and India's greatest sons. The beginnings of the struggle for freedom can be variously dated, but there can be no doubt about the dynamic energy imparted to it by the Swadeshi movement. Yet even while Sri Aurobindo strove for a political awakening, his mind turned constantly to profound and universal problems of man's spiritual regeneration, and it was on these that he concentrated after 1910, becoming revered as a seer at home and abroad.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, December 6, 1950)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

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Drama

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

bulletin No. 1, published by the Indian People's Theatre Association in Bombay July 1943

“This conference held under the auspices of the Indian People's Theatre Association recognises the urgency of organising a people's theatre movement throughout the whole of India as the means of revitalising the stages and the traditional arts and making them at once the expression and the organiser of our people's struggle for freedom, cultural progress and economic justice.

The immediate problems facing the people are external aggression by the Fascist hordes who are deadliest enemies of freedom and culture; internal repression by an alien Govt, which seeks to hold our people in subjection and prevent them from organising an effective defence of their own homeland; rapid disintegration of the entire economic life of our people and particularly the havoc wrought in the morale and the health of our people by the shortage of food and other essential articles; and lastly the absence of sufficient unity among the people's forces which alone can compel the imperialists to retire, stop the economic disintegration of the country and defeat the Fascist aggressors.

It is, therefore, the task of the Indian People's Theatre Movement at present to portray vividly and memorably through the medium of the stage and other traditional arts the human details of these important facts of our people's rights and enlighten them about their rights and the nature and solution of problems facing them. It is the task of the Movement to enthuse our people to build up their unity and give battle to the forces ranged against them with courage and determination and in the company of the progressive forces of the world. It is our task to make this movement a means of spiritually sustaining our people in this hour of crisis and creating in them the confidence that as a united force they are invincible.”

(source: bulletin No. 1, published by the Indian People's Theatre Association in Bombay July 1943)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with IPTA)

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

Shakespeareana at The Garrison Theatre

By October, it seemed safe to go to Calcutta, where we stayed until January 1948, playing at the old Garrison Theatre in Park Street. We were based at the Fairlawn Hotel, an old-fashioned family-run place, which had become our home whenever we were in Calcutta. The Bengalis have always been interested in theatre, and their drama has a strong intellectual element. Two promising young actors, Utpal Dutt and Pratap Roy, joined us for a while. The Calcutta audiences and critics were enthusiastic. The Statesman critic wrote of Othello:

‘Nobody appreciative of good acting and fluent stage manage ment should miss this performance ... we came away from the Garrison Theatre with a feeling of integration, which no other available form of amusement is able to provide for the residents of this city, and having once enjoyed it, we cannot but wish that the English Repertory Company would prolong their stay here indefinitely. Their presence in Calcutta has raised the cultural level of the city, and could they be persuaded to make it their home, at least during every winter, Calcutta would be less cut off from the rest of the world.'

Geoffrey Kendal, actor manager of the Shakespeareana traveling theatre group. Calcutta1947/48

(source: Geoffrey Kendal: The Shakespeare Wallah. London: Sidgick & Jackson, 1986 )

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Geoffrey Kendal)

The young Uttam Kumar – A born actor

From his early days we have seen dada [Uttam Kumar] not very keen with his studies and had a strange inclination towards acting. He was a born artist and could sketch beautifully without learning a bit of it. Dada even decorated Saraswati thakur during pujas. My father and Jatha moshai were lovers of jyatra and visited jyatra club near our house. Every evening at 8:30 p.m. as the bell rang for the rehearsal myself and dada sat near the windows and intently watched every move of the actors. From then on dada had a thirst for acting different scenes from famous novels.

Before joining films dada started his career as a clerk at Port Commission but continued his struggle to establish himself as an actor. He was offered his first role in the film Dristidaan where he played the childhood days of Asitbaran. As he crossed the threshold he was immediately approached by Shri Nabendu Sundar to act in a leading role for his film "Kamona". Though his first venture did not meet with any success he was titled flop master but he did not sit back, instead he started working day and night to prove his capabilities from then on. Today he is remembered by all as Sapner Mahanayak Uttam Kumar.

Tarun Kumar, actor. Calcutta, late 1940s

(source:http://uttamkumar.com)

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Books, Poetry & Literature

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

Libraries and Reading Rooms

Relax and read in:

Calcutta University Library, Ashutosh Building, College Sq.

Government Commercial Library, 1 Park Street.

Imperial Library, 34 Chittaranjan Avenue.

Royal Asiatic Society Library, 1 Park St. Note: Ask here for any data on Indian or Oriental life and culture.

(source: “The Calcutta Key” Services of Supply Base Section Two Division, Information and education Branch, United States Army Forces in India - Burma, 1945: at: http://cbi-theater-12.home.comcast.net/~cbi-theater-12/calcuttakey/calcutta_key.html)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

Stationery & Books:

MacMillan & Co., Ltd., 294 Bow Bazar St., 0800-1800 weekdays, 0800-1430 Saturday. Excellent line of books.

Newman, W., & Co., Ltd., 3 Old Court House St., 0900-1730 weekdays, 0900-1330 Saturday. Fairly complete line of stationery items. Fountain pen repair. Late fiction in regular and in cheap editions. Some drafting tools.

Oxford Book & Stationery Co., 17 Park St., 0900-1830 weekdays, 0900-1330 Saturday. Books only - for sale and lending library. Large stock.

Thacker, Spink & Co., Ltd., 3 Esplanade East, 0900-1730 weekdays, 0900-1400 Saturday. Stationery, printing, pen repair, book.

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

Plea for a Poet (by Buddhadeva Bose)

OF the three great figures in modem English poetry—none of whom happens to be English by birth—W. B. Yeats is dead, T, S. Eliot has just completed his conquest, while, the other, Ezra Pound, is hidden behind a curtain which mercifully is beginning to tremble. But before lifting it, let us first state Pound's very special position in modern poetry, which apart from the merit of his own works, lies in the fact that he has been friend and mentor to "both Eliot and Yeats. This is important because the pair has otherwise little in common: writing in the same language and period and dwelling more or less, in the same country, it is curious to note how seldom these two intersect in either personal life or literary direction. Pound appears to have been the sole meeting ground of Michael Robartes and Prufrock.

Remaining almost mutually exclusive, they were both enriched by him, for Eliot once wrote that he was most pleased with his own verses "when I find I have caught some echo of Mr Pound's", and in "A Packet for Ezra Pound" one can sec the nature of his influence on the later and greater Yeats.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, March 27, 1949)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

Sarojini Naidu

DEATH has removed yet another outstanding personality in India's struggle for freedom. A brilliant daughter of Bengal, Mrs Sarojini Naidu had for almost thirty years been closely associated with the national movement, and with the women's Campaign for social and legal reform. Before these activities absorbed her almost limitless energy, she had attained wide fame, in Britain, the USA and wherever English literature is treasured, as a sensitive artist in lyrical poetry. That, so young, she showed such mastery of the English language was the admiration of eminent critics and excited the wonder of many abroad who were unaware of Bengal's contribution, during last century and this, to English letters, both prose and verse.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, March 3, 1949)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

Milestones

Died. Major Francis Yeats-Brown, 58, handsome professional soldier-author (Lives of a Bengal Lancer, Lancer at Large), distinguished poloist and pigsticker (hunter of wild boars), practitioner of Yoga; in London.

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, Jan. 1, 1945)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Time Magazine)

N.C.C. vs. M.C.C.

By Verrier EIwin [perhaps the most brilliant reviewer The Statesman ever had]

MR Chaudhuri's is, as the publisher rightly claims, one of the most impressive books ever addressed from India to the English-speaking world, and it challenges comparison with Nehru's autobiography in its literary grace, its courageous out-spokenness and the grand sweep of its historic vision.

Nirad Chaudhuri's book presents us with a unique historical thesis; it is the story of the struggle of a civilization with a hostile environment, in which the destiny of British rule in India became necessarily involved. In Indian history cycles of decay alternate so regularly and inevitably with cycles of creative achievement that the pulsation can be regarded as one of its laws. This law has operated again, leading to the disappearance in the first half of the 20th century of the creations of the 19th.

All the world has noted the political decadence, but its cultural counterpart is still going unperceived, and it is Nirad Chaudhuri's most remarkable achievement to show that on the road to decline Britain's Indian Empire had a fellow-traveller in the new civilization which was created by Indians under the inspiration of the West. His chapters on "Vanishing Landmarks" and the "Course of Indian History" contain some of the bravest, the truest, and most original words written by an Indian in this generation. The unchallenged supremacy of politics in the last three decades has resulted in a transition from positive and rational values to the negative and sub-rational; the first casualty was the moral awareness that had been created by Brahmoism and the new Hinduism. "Today it almost brings tears to one's eyes to recall those old days when men refused employment for the sake of convictions, did not betray the Government and their convictions while in service, were ashamed of jobbery and nepotism, and thought poorly of ill-gotten gains."

The greater part of Chaudhuri's book is the story of his youth and middle years, told in such a way that the history of the nation appears in the reduced image of a personal history.

Nirad Chaudhuri has no use for that unutterable canaille ecrivante et parlante the "fulsome" Englishman of today. "When I remember how until even ten years ago all those Englishmen who had anything to do with us, as a rule, denied every capability and every quality in us, and when I set the interested superciliousness of yesterday against the interested complaisance of today, I blush for the English character". The only possible proper course of conduct between Indians and Englishmen at present is "an honourable taciturnity'' on both sides.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, November 11, 1951)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

Omelet BREAKFAST WITH THE NIKOLIDES—Rumer Godden

BREAKFAST WITH THE NIKOLIDES—Rumer Godden—Little, Brown ($2.50).

Rumer Godden is one of the most interesting of bad writers, or else one of the most unsatisfying of good ones. Breakfast With the Nikolides is much sharper and more mature than Gypsy, Gypsy (TIME, Aug. 12, 1940), yet as a whole the book is like an overcomplicated omelet prepared by an amateur chef too late at night for those who must digest it.

The title is a fair sample. The Nikolides, Greeks who live downriver from a village in Bengal, never directly appear in the story. They are significant only because two English children are sent to their home for breakfast while a sick pet is put out of the way. For one of the children, eleven-year-old Emily, the meal is, to be sure, important; it marks "the last hour of her childhood." Yet the title typifies a certain trickiness that runs throughout the story.

It is a good story. The dog was killed too soon, and the children criminally deceived. This brings an intense crisis to 1) the parents, engaged in a cold battle for Emily's affections; 2) the half-caste veterinarian, who killed the dog against his better judgment; 3) a lordly young Brahmin friend of his; 4) Emily, whose ingenious resolve for vengeance lands her high & dry on the lonely edge of maturity; 5) at length, the whole community, in a plausible yet somehow ridiculous finale.

In the course of the telling, Miss Godden gets in some beautiful local color and some sharp child psychologizing. She shows a sensitivity to moods that is almost reminiscent of Virginia Woolf. But there is so much mystification, soft-focus symbolism and feminine theatricality that an almost fine novel becomes too dreamlike and sinister for words. Extreme sensitiveness breeds a type of melodrama, even of ham, all its own.

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, Feb. 16, 1942)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Time Magazine)

Romain Rolland

ROMAIN ROLLAND, the famous French writer, whose death was briefly reported yesterday, was born in Jan. 1866, his father being a lawyer at Clamecy, Bievre. In his early years he wished to devote himself to music, but his father had determined to send him to a technical school. After many conflicts he studied at the Ecole Normale Superieure where teachers are trained.

During his three years as student he was chiefly influenced by Renan, Stendhal, Tolstoi and Wagner.

In 1904, in a periodical of which he was one of the editors, appeared the first volume of his great romance "Jean Christophe" (10 volumes, 1904-1912) which eventually gave him world-wide fame. In it he describes the life and spiritual development of a German musician, but the book broadens out into a presentation of the sufferings and ideals of a whole generation and ardent advocacy of the idea- of the reconciliation and brother-hood of all nations. This work was crowned by the French Academy and was the talk of literary Europe just before the outbreak of the 1914 war. In 1915 it secured for Rolland the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Rolland also turned his attention to India, producing a book on Mr Gandhi and another on mysticism and action in modem India in three volumes, entitled "Ramakrishna", "Vivekananda" and "L'Evangile Universel".

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, January 4,1945)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

The Gita

The first really readable, authoritative English translation of one of the world's oldest and greatest religious classics was published last fortnight. It is The Bhagavad Gitā (The Song of the Lord), often called the Hindu New Testament, translated by Swami Nikhilananda (Rama-krishna-Vivekananda Center, New York; $3). Also published, without the profuse notes and comments of the larger volume, was a $2 pocket-size edition of the Gltā's text ("for daily devotional study . . . very convenient when traveling").

Says Harvard's Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, William Ernest Hocking (Contemporary Science and the Idea of God) in his foreword: "May this majestic poem find its way into the familiar literary friendship of many readers, and contribute to the sense of spiritual kinship with the most gifted people of Asia, akin to us both in blood and language."

The Gitā is daily spiritual reading for millions of Hindus, from man-in-the-street to monk. It forms a part of the 2,000-year-old Mahābhārata (Greater India). The Bhagavad Gitā comprises 18 chapters of the Mahābhārata, takes the form of a dialogue between Sri Krishna, also a manifestation of God, and Arjuna, an Indian prince.

Arjuna and Krishna. The Gitā is just as timely as it was 2,000 years ago, for it opens with the problem of the righteous man's attitude toward war. Drawn up on the historic plain of Kurukshetra, on chariots, elephants, horses and afoot, were thousands of Indian warriors. They had assembled to fight a battle to decide who should rule a kingdom. Arjuna was the rightful contender, and Krishna, in person, was with him on the vast plain.

The sight of the armies made Arjuna weep. It was senseless (and sinful) that so many men should die for his earthly glory. To Krishna, Arjuna recited the evils of war as they have always been known to men who have always made wars. "O Krishna," he cried, "at the sight of these my kinsmen assembled here eager to give battle, my limbs fail and my mouth is parched . . . . I desire neither victory nor empire nor even any pleasure. . . . I would not kill though they should kill me. . . . Far better would it be for me if [they] should slay me in the battle unarmed and unresisting."

The Unreal Never Is. Krishna knew that Arjuna's confusion arose from his failure to discriminate between the Real and the unreal, Spirit and matter, Soul and body. Said Krishna: "The unreal never is. The Real never ceases to be. . . . None can cause the destruction of that which is immutable. Only the bodies of which this eternal, imperishable, incomprehensible Self is the indweller, are said to have an end. Fight, therefore. . . . He who looks on the Self as the slayer, and he who looks on the Self as the slain—neither of these apprehends aright. The Self slays not, nor is slain. It is never born nor does It ever die, nor, having once been, does It again cease to be. Unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval, It is not slain when the body is slain. . . ."

Krishna goes on to explain that it is futile to oppose God's will, since all things have been accomplished already in His foreordaining mind: "By Me and none other have they already been slain. Be an instrument only, O Arjuna . . . . To a warrior nothing is better than a righteous war."

Fortified by Krishna's teaching, Arjuna dashes into the battle, which lasts 18 days. Arjuna wins.

Spiritual Allegory. Later Krishna points out the three stages of man's spiritual evolution: 1) dualism, in which man identifies himself only with his body ; 2 ) qualified non-dualism, in which man regards himself as a part of God; 3) absolute non-dualism, in which man regards himself as one with God. Thus, the Gltā is sometimes held to be an allegory. Arjuna represents the individual soul, Krishna the Supreme Being dwelling in every man's heart. The warriors are evil forces besetting man. The battle is the never-ending struggle between good & evil.

The Translator. Swami (Hindu monastic teacher) Nikhilananda, who also translated The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (TIME, Nov. 2, 1942), is a tall, slender, fluent English-speaking Hindu, born (1895) near Calcutta. He was educated in Calcutta University, spent two years as associate editor of one of Calcutta's biggest newspapers, Amrita Bazar Patrika. Later he took his vows in the Hindu monastic Order of Ramakrishna. He came to the U.S. in 1931, went to the Ramakrishna center in Providence. Eleven years ago he opened a center in Manhattan. (There are eleven others in the U.S.)

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, Jul. 3, 1944)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Time Magazine)

Guilt-Edged Confusion

A CORNER OF THE WORLD (246 pp.)— Robert Shaplen—Knopf ($2.75).

Robert Shaplen's book of short stories, A Corner of the World, has the topical interest of current news dispatches from Asia. Only the first story has a China setting (Calcutta, Saigon, Manila and Macao are backdrops for the others), but all of them have a common theme: the tragedy of a billion people caught in the tidal wave of change sweeping the Far East. Complementing this theme is the guilt-edged confusion with which Shaplen's white men duck the vast problem instead of facing it.

Newsman Shaplen spent 3½ years in Asia himself, and he has tried to translate its political conflicts into fiction. This leads him sometimes into story trouble; yet his people are no puppets, and his firm narrative skill makes what happens to them seem not only credible but inevitable.

Waiting for the Mob. In the first story, Young Man With A Future, a discharged army sergeant, a simple, decent young engineer, comes to Shanghai from Tokyo, where a buddy had already given him a discreet but troubling shot of Communist propaganda. In a rush of guilt, he concludes that the U.S. is on the wrong side, that the enemies of Chiang Kai-shek ("It is not so important whether we are Communists or not") are the hope of China. He flirts with the idea of helping them, but he is too confused to make up his mind. Even his adventures with a refugee Russian girl and with his boss's wife have a nightmare quality of distracted escape. In the end he does escape, from China and from himself, heads back to the U.S. with the refugee tart, unsettled and despairing.

In Calcutta (A Wind Is Rising), a U.S. newspaperman is tormented by the same white man's burden of guilt that weighs down all Shaplen's central characters. Archer Grayson watches an outbreak of Hindu-Moslem rioting and knows, "with a terrified shame, that he had been waiting for this to happen." When Archer gets in the way of a murderous mob, his death is a kind of anguished moral suicide. Author Shaplen as much as tells the readers: hate and violence anywhere are the concern of all decent men; they can be observed with indifference only at the cost of moral health.

Murder for the Doctor. As a result of such indifference, moral disintegration overwhelms a French civil servant in Saigon, overtakes a black-marketeering colonel in Manila. But it is in the title story that Shaplen does his most explicit preaching. True to pattern, U.S. Army 1st Lieut. Robert Gordon is a man of good will and hazy intention when he gets to Macao on leave. He and a German Jewish refugee doctor help a striking native laborer who has been injured; for this, the doctor is murdered by local reactionaries, and the police are blandly indifferent. Lieut. Gordon leaves on the next steamer for Hong Kong, but at least he has decided which side he is on: when the British skipper invites him to the bridge, Gordon chooses to remain with the huddled natives below.

The only story in the book that fails to come off, this one becomes a maudlin sermon, with the fuzzy moral that the Westerner should be on the side of the natives—whatever that is. Thus, better than any of the others, it makes plain what kind of blinkers Robert Shaplen's characters seem to wear. They are quite upset about what the Western impact may have done or failed to do to Asia but their reactions are impractical and confused and in some cases defy analysis. If Asia itself has anything to worry about after the Western rascals and mixed-up men of good will are kicked out, his heroes haven't figured it out yet.

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, May. 16, 1949)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Time Magazine)

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

I lost my government job in the Bihar secretariat by writing Daak Diye Jayee …

More years passed and life was seized by turbulence. I lost my government job in the Bihar secretariat by writing Daak Diye Jayee, a seditious novel in Bengali based on the 1942 movement. The novel also earned me a position among the important writers, and when I saw no hope of getting another job under the British government, I migrated to Calcutta to be a full fledged writer. There, in 1946, unexpectedly and dramatically, I got connected with films and came in contact with the topmost director of Bengal at the time, Bimal Roy.

Nabendu Ghosh, writer, Calcutta, 1940s

(source: page XI of Nabendu Ghosh: Ashok Kumar. His Life and Times. New Delhi: Indus, 1995.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Nabendu Ghosh 1995)

Ashok Kumar & Sarat Chandra Chatterjee

Before starting to narrate a story Ashok looked at the young man and asked, "Have you ever eaten silver rice and fried silver parval?"

"I will eat them when I find them," the young man smiled.

Many many years later, when the cinema houses displayed a 'House Full' board everytime an Ashok Kumar film was released, New Theatres of Calcutta invited the actor to join the concern. It had earned the reputation of producing quality films — and to this day the name remains non-pareil in the history of Indian cinema.

Ashok Kumar agreed to meet them to discuss the matter. When he met Birendra Sarkar, the managing director, in his office there were some other directors and a dark man with silvery hair and sharp, burning eyes.

Mr. Sarkar introduced the gentleman in dhoti-kurta by saying, "Mr. Ganguly, he is our pride, Shri Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, the great novelist."

Startled, Ashok Kumar turned towards the legend and bowed low.

Sarat Chandra smilingly asked, "Do you remember me?"

Ashok shook his head, "No sir — sorry."

Sarat Chandra laughed and said, "Try and you will remember that you used to narrate stories to me — of silver made rice and fried silver parval."

And the scene came back to Ashok Kumar. So, he used to narrate scories to the great magician!

Story-writer Sarat Chandra"

When Sarat Chandra narrated the story from the past everyone had a hearty laugh.

Nabendu Ghosh, writer, Calcutta, 1940s

(source: pages 16-17 of Nabendu Ghosh: Ashok Kumar. His Life and Times. New Delhi: Indus, 1995.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Nabendu Ghosh 1995)

A Fairy Tale bed

She had an enormous four poster bed. It had been shipped over from England and it had two huge mattresses, which always reminded me of the fairy story of the Princess and the Pea. The combined height of the bed with the mattresses was so great that I couldn't even climb on to it. I had to get on a chair and then climb on the bed. Oh how I loved this bed and used to he dreaming and imagining all sorts of wonderful things which came alive from the story books which I read. From a very young age I was an avid reader and read great volumes of Hans Christian Anderson, The Brothers Grimm and anything literally that I could lay my hands on.

Elizabeth James (nee Shah), AngloIndian schoolgirl. Ranchi, mid 1940s

(source: page 15-16 Elizabeth James: An Anglo Indian Tale: The Betrayal of Innocence. Delhi: Originals, 2004/ Reproduced by courtesy of Elizabeth James (nee Shah))

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Indian Classical Music & Dance

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

Uday Shankar

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Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart, I.C.S. (Indian Civil Service) District Magistrate Howrah, Calcutta, 1940

(source: personal scrapbook kept by Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart O.B.E., I.C.S. seen on 20-Dec-2005 / Reproduced by courtesy of Mrs. Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart)

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

Upper Chitpur Road

… Upper Chitpur Road the busiest road in Calcutta at that time. With all the trams and cars and people going by and the din of motor horns and hawkers. It bemused me how they could work in that cacophony! Until the early Forties this area also used to be famous for her prostitutes and the singing and dancing girls. If you passed in the night, you could hear the sound of the bells on the legs of the dancing girls and the sound of their singing and instrumental music.

Ravi Shankar, sitar player. Calcutta, 1942

(source: Ravi Shankar / George Harrison (ed.): “Raga Mala – An Autobiography”, New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Ravi Shankar)

A new Sitar from Kanai Lal

This sitar served me well for a few years, but by 1942 I decided to order a new one from Kanai Lal of Calcutta. Kanai Lal was the eldest of three brothers - the second was Balai and the third was Nitai - who all worked together in a small shop known as Kanai Lal and Brothers, situated on Upper Chitpur Road, the busiest road in Calcutta at that time. with all the trams and cars and people going by and the din of motor horns and hawkers. It bemused me how they could work in that cacophony! Until the early Forties this area also used to be famous for her prostitutes and the singing and dancing girls. If you passed in the night, you could hear the sound of the bells on the legs of the dancing girls and the sound of their singing and instrumental music.

Kanai Lal was like a legend. No-one could make sitars like him. All the great sitar-players in Eastern India of that day, such as Ustad Enayat Khan and Mushiaq Ali Khan, always played his instruments. I had visited him before and we knew each other, so 1 requested him to make one to my specifications. He and his brothers put their lives into it, and look a long time ensuring it was exactly right. Each of the brothers contributed: Balai was responsible for the woodwork. Nitai carved the design and Kanai Lal fashioned the jawari (the main bridge which produces the special sound of the sitar). Making the jawari is very complex: you have to rub the surface in a certain way, and the strings have to rest on the bridge in a particular angle to get the correct sound, while the buzz of the sympathetic strings has to resonate in the proper manner. There are a multitude of different sitar sounds you can choose from (tinnv sounds, butty sounds, round sounds) but I had developed in my mind (helped by God) what has become my distinctive sound.

It was around March 1944, that the sitar was finally completed and 1 went to Calcutta to fetch it. It was fantastic: the new model with that type of ornamentation, that characteristic sound and that particular modification of the strings - the kharaipancham (the third string, literally the 'lower fifth', tuned to Pa two octaves below the middle Sa) was different, and the bass strings were very low and surbahar-like (as on my other large sitars, but this was the first time such a style had been produced by Kanai Lal, and also the first in Calcutta.) That design became known soon afterwards, as the Ravi Shankar model, and even. today the same name is used. Many other manufacturers have copied its style.

Ravi Shankar, sitar player. Calcutta, March 1944

(source: Ravi Shankar / George Harrison (ed.): “Raga Mala – An Autobiography”, New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Ravi Shankar)

Meeting Satyajit Ray

I believe I first met Satyajit Ray in Bombay, some time at the end of 1944. He was a relative of a family friend, a wonderful Bengali lady singer, extraordinarily tall (six foot four) and at that time very lean, with Grecian features, he was a striking figure. We became known to each other, though not close friends. He admired my music, although at first he had only heard me on the radio; but at the end of 1949, I had given my first major concert in Calcutta 1 will never forget the thrill of that tremendous success. He and I would meet when I was visiting Calcutta, and onward through the years we came to know each. other a little better each time, as he came to most of my programmes.

Ravi Shankar, sitar player. Calcutta, end 1944

(source: Ravi Shankar / George Harrison (ed.): “Raga Mala – An Autobiography”, New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Ravi Shankar)

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Western Classical Music

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

Music & Musical Instruments:

T. E. Bevan & Co. Ltd., 21 Old Court House Street, 0900-1730 weekdays, 1000-1300 Saturdays. Excellent stock of recordings, limited supply of sheet music, some musical instruments & repair.

C. C. Saha, Ltd., 170 Dharamtolla St., 1000-1900 weekdays & Sat., 1000-1400 Thurs. Recordings. Repair.

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

The Musical Life of an RAF man

Whilst in Calcutta, my Grandpa took part in many different activities. He is a very talented musician and music played a major part in his life in India, as you are about to find out.

One of the first things my Grandpa was to get involved with in Calcutta was one of India’s main newspapers, ‘The Sunday Statesman,’ where he was made ‘Music Critic’. This was a job that he would do in the evenings, where he would go and watch any music concert that was showing in the area and write a small report on it. Another thing he did in India was to play the organ for the large church of Saint Thomas, which you can still visit, in Calcutta today.

Later in his life in India, he joined the Calcutta Symphony Orchestra, who at the time, were in need of a harpist. Now Grandpa doesn’t play the harp, but he cleverly adapted the music from the harp so it would work on the piano. He performed the harp pieces on the piano in many concerts with the orchestra, some of which were inside the ENSA theatre.

After working as a radio mechanic for two years, in 1946 Grandpa was promoted to ‘Educational and Vocational Training Sergeant, or E.V.T Sergeant for short’. In this new role, he was in charge of training up new and young members of the squadron. The E.V.T team put on lots of little plays and sketches to keep the other members of the depot entertained, in which my Grandpa was ‘Musical Director’.

During his stay in Calcutta, the ‘All India Radio’ recognized his talent as an exceptional pianist and gave him a regular slot on the air. Working for the radio station he would accompany the Westminster Singers on the piano once a month and he would play the latest records which he would be given for free from H.M.V records Calcutta branch during his weekly slot. Just before leaving India, he and a group of three others in the depot formed the R.A.F Muir Club quartet, which was a group of musicians who performed for the rest of the R.A.F, stationed in Calcutta.

One of the final things he did before leaving India was to appear in a film called ‘India Calling Blighty’

He returned back to Britain in July 1947 after the war with Japan had ended and since then, after being a head teacher at various schools, he is now enjoying a happy retirement.

Andrew Cooke

Bertram Hughes, RAF radio mechanic &‘Educational and Vocational Training Sergeant,, Calcutta, 1944-47

(source: A2772236 My Grandpa's Life During World War 2 Edited at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

The music of Strauss at the Garrison Theatre

Our wonderful arranger was a Mr. Paul Zaroff, a Russian gentleman who created a fantastic show for us at the Garrison Theatre, based on the music of Strauss. There were the band, string section and four vocalists; Myself, a Tenor, Baritone and a wonderful Soprano who became terribly popular in London later called Margaret Burton.

Mr. Zaroff set the scene thus: The band were on stage in front of a façade of balconies covered with roses. The scena was called roses of the south and we all sang the different parts of the Strauss waltz music, solo or together - it was beautiful and I just wish I could recreate it today.

Cecilia Austin Caryl (nee Nicholson/ theatrical name: Celia Nicholls), ENSA, Calcutta, 1945

(source: A2905184 War time in India with ENSA at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

It did, however, have a Symphony Orchestra

Calcutta could hardly be considered a musical city by Western standards. It did, however, have a Symphony Orchestra. Its main claim to fame in 1943 was that there were 15 different nationalities amongst its 80 personnel.

Harry Tweedale, RAF Signals Section, Calcutta, 1943

(source: A6665457 TWEEDALE's WAR Part 11 Pages 85-92 at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

Harps and Pianos

Bertram Hughes, RAF radio mechanic &‘Educational and Vocational Training Sergeant,, Calcutta, 1944-47

(source: A2772236 My Grandpa's Life During World War 2 Edited at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

a regular slot on the air

One of the final things he did before leaving India was to appear in a film called ‘India Calling Blighty’

Bertram Hughes, RAF radio mechanic &‘Educational and Vocational Training Sergeant,, Calcutta, 1944-47

(source: A2772236 My Grandpa's Life During World War 2 Edited at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

Bengal was once the second New Orleans

[...] Bengal was once the second New Orleans. And I mean it. You must remember Calcutta was the headquarters of the Allied forces in the 40s and there was an American jazz pianist, Teddy Weatherford, performing at Grand’s Winter Garden nightclub, which later became Scherazade. He died of cholera in the late 40s, but was the mascot of the movement then. Besides, there were jazz musicians from Australia and the UK active in Calcutta then.

[…]

It [the music] was of a singularly high standard, with Beethoven, Bach and Tchaikovsky during lunchtime and straight-ahead, mainstream jazz in the evenings. All the musicians playing on the Park Street circuit had to be technically solid to swing between western classical and jazz. The discipline was rigid and you couldn’t afford to make mistakes.

Arthur Gracias, guitarist, Calcutta, 1940s

(source ‘Notes of nostalgia’ Arthur Gracias interview with Subhro Saha in Telegraph 22 December 2006)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Arthur Gracias and Subhro Saha)

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Painting

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

Art of Atul Bose

By Sudhindranath Datta

from time to time Jamini Roy reverts to the view that it is folly for Indians to attempt painting in the Western style, and this is an opinion unaffected by the prejudice common among serious artists, who have dedicated themselves so exclusively to their particular work that they cannot appreciate efforts in other directions. For, like many a potential academician, he started as a successful portrait painter and though he did not become specifically creative until he had abandoned his lucrative career in order to investigate India's graphic traditions, now that he has analysed them he is ready enough to compose landscapes, which according to his theory, can never be the vehicle of our aesthetic inspiration. Nevertheless, even in his most representational moods; he is primarily concerned with the formal relations of colours as distinct from their truth to nature, and since his pictures are bom and bred in the studio, he cannot be said to condemn in others what he condones in himself, All the same he is unabashed in his admiration for Atul Bose, and he has no doubt that we have not yet had a greater master of the European technique.

Obviously the bond between the two is the attraction of opposites, and like Jamini Roy's acceptance of the indigenous tradition, Atul Bose's re-jection resulted from the conviction that ancient India's pictorial achievements had been based on methods other than those employed by the pseudo-Japanese School of Oriental Art. Consequently both concentrated on draughtmanship and technical consistency, which their elders lacked, and while Jamini Roy owing to formal preoccupations, wooed the secret of invisible drawing, such as integrates the economical brush-strokes of a Chinese master, Atual Bose sought the plastic quality in the world of appearances.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, May 15, 1949)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

Two More Tagores

TO be eminent in so gifted a family as the Tagores is outstanding distinction. Dr Abanindranath Tagore's intellectual brilliance was not restricted in range, but he will be remembered in particular as the great leader of the renaissance movement in Indian art. At the end of the last century, art in this country was still dominated by Western influence. The work of its ancient and medieval painters, sculptors and craftsmen was closely studied but, on the whole, and outside the Tagore circle, rather bookishly. The genius of Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore made it the inspiration of a new and vital school, with deep effect on cultural life.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, December 7, 1951)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

Surprises from All Over

Art is a universal language—at least in theory. To prove it, UNESCO borrowed some 900 contemporary paintings from 30 countries, hung them, in Paris' marble Museum of Modern Art. UNESCO's delegates had already departed when the International Show finally closed its doors last week. It had been perhaps the most comprehensive exhibition of its kind ever assembled, big enough to turn up a number of surprises.

Paris museumgoers noted with complacent smiles that most of the exhibition's far-flung artists painted with a Paris accent. Parisians preferred the genuine article, in an upstairs room full of Picasso, Matisse, Bonnard and Rouault.

The U.S. contingent represented an unknown frontier for French critics, and they explored it warily. The 84 uniformly small canvases (by such local big shots as Georgia O'Keeffe, Charles Sheeler and Morris Kantor) had been recently acquired by the State Department. It looked as though the State Department had kept within its budget by accepting second-best samples which might impress Paris by the originality, but not the quality, of U.S. taste.

The British did better in French eyes. Leaving out such sure-fire conservatives as famed old portraitist Augustus John, their exhibition was built around Frenchified Britishers like Paul Nash and Graham Sutherland.

But UNESCO's standouts were a few far-corner exceptions to the French rule of modern art. Among them:

Jamini Roy, a Calcutta "primitive" who quit his highbrow protrait business to paint flat, bright figures like the ones which decorate Bengali pots and dolls. Jamini (rhymes with Tammany) makes his own paints from rock dust, mud, chalk and tamarind seeds, keeps a back-roomful of helpers grinding out copies of his wasp-waisted festival dancers, friendly tigers and almond-eyed Christs.

An unknown Nigerian who painted an insanely gay parade on a wall at Umuahia about 1935. UNESCO director-general Julian Huxley had seen it there, contributed his photographs of the mural to the show.

Pou Jou, whose windy, black Horse partook of China's ancient tradition of concise yet highly emotional brush drawing. Pou Jou's Horse laid special emphasis on "rhythmic vitality," the first of six canons formulated by the 6th Century artist Hsieh Ho.

Painting Priest. Hit of the show was Haiti's entry: 28 stiffly drawn, riotously colored genre paintings and still lifes by such esoteric unknowns as Hector Hyppo-lite, a voodoo priest who claims his brush is guided by St. John the Baptist; a 24-year-old ex-houseboy named Castera Bazile, and Louverture Poisson, a mechanic in the Haitian Air Force. They were all the proteges of a self-effacing young U.S. artist with a mission.

Dewitt Peters, a Californian who had moved to Port-au-Prince for his health, started Haiti's first art school three years ago, just to make himself useful. As soon as his Centre d'Art opened its doors, self-taught painters came crowding happily in for instruction. Peters stared at their pink, purple, pale green and yellow pictures of murders and bouquets (mostly painted with furniture enamel on scraps of cardboard), decided the best he could do for such talented pupils was to supply them with materials and let them paint.

Peters got educational grants from both the Haitian Government and Washington for his pupils, last year voted himself a $25-a-week salary. Now he is touring Haiti in a well-decorated jeep, setting up branch art schools in the villages. If he has his way, little Haiti will shout the universal language of art from 1947 on.

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, Jan. 6, 1947)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Time Magazine)

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

Bengali Painting

Thanks mainly to Rabindranath Tagore, Bengal was considered the cultural vanguard of India and the arts and sciences were said to flourish at Shantiniketan, 'the abode of peace', a school founded by the poet in the country some ninety miles from Calcutta. But what I was shown of the paintings produced there seemed rather more craft than art - graceful enough but lacking the life-force of the master whose personality still dominated the place.

Harold Acton, RAF airforce officer. Calcutta, early 1940s.

(source:page 126, Harold Acton: More memoirs of an Aesthete. London Methuen, 1970)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Harold Acton)

Jamini Roy

The elite of Calcutta assured me that there was one outstanding Bengali painter who possessed this life-force. Even as Tagore had written in English, this artist, Jamini Roy, had produced landscapes in European style, and I was shown several in the manner of various French Impressionists, whose work he could have seen only in reproduction since he had never been to Europe. These made one wonder if Whistler could have been right in his contention that there is no such thing as nationality in art. Here was an elderly Bengali painting the olives of Provence and the apple-trees of Normandy in a remote lane of North Calcutta. As an experiment in virtuosity it was surprising. ‘Tres ressemblant', as Cocteau said when the waiter lifted the dish cover. But Jamini Roy came to realise that it would not do:

this was not his native medium. Maybe under the influence of Tagore he turned his back on this alien style as not true to himself. He took to painting figures and scenes of Hindu mythology in a style purely Indian, adapting the crude religious pictures popular with temple pilgrims to bold, yet sophisticated compositions, using bright primary colours in gouache and tempera. Of these I bought several examples: gay groups of dancing apsaras with Ajanta curves and patterns borrowed from the ephemeral designs in sandal paste on floors and walls at Hindu festivities corresponding to our Christmas decorations; a mischievous white cat with a crayfish in its chops, a puppet horse ready to prance at a magician's bidding. The artist lived in a modest house with scanty furniture. A kindly old soul in a loose dhoti with a shawl on his shoulders, he worked at a low wooden stool surrounded by earthenware pots of colour like the notes of a xylophone. Placidly content, he seemed in his world of simple patterns. Though not a Christian, he was depicting The Last Supper, evidently derived from a Byzantine source he had seen in a reproduction. As he knew little English, we could not converse, but he managed to convey a belief in the unity of human values.

Harold Acton, RAF airforce officer. Calcutta, early 1940s.

(source: page 126-7 Harold Acton: More memoirs of an Aesthete. London Methuen, 1970)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Harold Acton)

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Cinema & Filmmaking

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

Indian movie actresses

Indian movie actresses. Dressed in Sarees, 19-year old Binota Bose, left, and Mrs. Rekha Mullick, right, are right at home before the camera and lights. Miss Bose earns $360.00 per month and Mrs. Mullick $210.00. Both are well educated and prefer American books, and pictures.

Clyde Waddell, US military man, personal press photographer of Lord Louis Mountbatten, and news photographer on Phoenix magazine. Calcutta, mid 1940s

(source: webpage http://oldsite.library.upenn.edu/etext/sasia/calcutta1947/? Monday, 16-Jun-2003 / Reproduced by courtesy of David N. Nelson, South Asia Bibliographer, Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania)

Cinema Previews

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collected by Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart, I.C.S. (Indian Civil Service) District Magistrate Howrah, Calcutta, 1941

(source: personal scrapbook kept by Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart O.B.E., I.C.S. seen on 20-Dec-2005 / Reproduced by courtesy of Mrs. Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart)

‘The Years Between’ by a budding film critic (me being fancy)

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Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart, I.C.S. (Indian Civil Service), Calcutta, mid1940s

(source: personal scrapbook kept by Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart O.B.E., I.C.S. seen on 20-Dec-2005 / Reproduced by courtesy of Mrs. Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart)

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

Tollywood

The southern portion of Russa Road, from Prince Anwar Shah Road (Tollygunge area), is generally referred to as Tollywood (the Calcutta Hollywood), and not without reason, for it is here that almost all the film studios of the city are established.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 166 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

Indian Films (By Satyajit Ray)

ONE of the most significant phenomenon of our time has been the development of the cinema from a-turn-of-the-century mechanical toy into the century's most potent and versatile art form. In its early chameleon-like phase the cinema was used variously as an extension of photography, as a substitute for the theatre and the music hall, and as part of the magician's paraphemalia. By the 'twenties the cynics and the know-alls had stopped smirking and turned down their noses.

Today, the cinema commands the respect accorded to any other form of creative expression. In the immense complexity of its creative process, it combines in various measures the functions of poetry, music, painting, drama, architecture and a host of other arts, major and minor. It also combines the cold logic of science with the subtlest abstractions of the human imagination. No matter what goes into the making of it; no matter who uses it and how—a producer for financial profits, a political body for propaganda or an "avant garde" intellectual for the satisfaction of an aesthetic urge—the cinema is basically the expression of a concept or concepts in aesthetic terms; terms which have crystallised through the incredibly short years of its existence.

Starting a production without-adequate planning, sometimes even without a shooting script, a penchant for convolutions of plot and counter-plot rather than the strong, simple, unidirectional narrative; the practice of sandwiching musical numbers in the most unlyrical situations; the habit of shooting indoor in a country which is all landscape and at a time when all other countries arc turning to the documentary for inspiration—all these stand in the way of the evolution of a distinctive style.

There have been rare glimpses of an enlightened approach in a handful of recent films. IPTA's "Dharti-ke-Lal" is an instance of a strong simple theme put over with style, honesty and technical competence. (Uday) Shankar's "Kalpana", an inimitable and highly individual experiment, shows a grasp of filmic movement, and a respect for tradition which lifts its best moments to the peak of cinematic achievement. The satisfying photography which marks the UN documentaries of Paul Zils shows what a discerning camera can do with the Indian landscape.

The raw material of the cinema is life itself. It is incredible that a country which has inspired so much painting and music and poetry should fail to move the film maker. He has only to keep his eyes open, and his ears. Let him do so.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, October 2, 1948)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

Uttam Kumar Films of the 1940s

Drishtidan

Date of release: 1948-04-24

Producer: S.B Productions

Director: Nitin Bose

Editor: Kali Raha

Music: Timirbaran

Lyrics: Rabindranath Tagore, Gobindadas

Playback: Krishnachandra Dey

Cast: As Arun Kumar, Asitbaran,Krishnachandra Dey, Chhabi Biswas, Biman Badyopadhyay,Amita Bose, Benu Mitra,Ketaki Dutta,Khagen Pathak,Shanti Bhattacharya,Prafullabala, Ushabati,Sandhyarani,Malcom, Sukhen Dasgupta,Sunanda Debi

Realeased in: Chitra

Kamana

Date of release: 1949-07-15

Producer: New Theatres Ltd.

Director: Hemchandra Chandra

Editor: Haridas Mahalanabish

Music: Raichand Boral

Lyrics: Bimal Chandra Ghosh, Ajit Dutta, Bidyapati, Joydeb,Chandidas

Playback:

Cast: Chandrabati,Mira Mishra,Pradip Kumar, Amita Bose, Pahari Sanyal, Binoy Goswami,Nitish Mukhopadhyay,Tara Bhaduri, Tulsi Chakraborty,Harimohan Bose,Naresh Bose,Khagen Pathak

Realeased in: Chhaya, Purnasree

Bishnupriya

Date of release: 1949-10-07

Producer: Kirti Picutres

Director: Nabyendusundar

Editor: Asit Mukhopadhyay

Music: Dwijen Chowdhury

Lyrics: Sunirmal Bose,Rabindranath Tagore,Nabyendusundar

Playback:

Cast: As Arun Kumar, Chhabi Biswas,Jahar Gangopadhyay,Rajlakshmi,Phani Ray,Priti Mamjumdar, Amar Chowdhury, Ashu Bose,Uma Goenka,Ira Ghosh,Tulsi Chakraborty,Jamuna Singha,Ushabati,Elora Haldar

Realeased in: Purnasree,Prachi

Samar

Date of release: 1950-10-06

Producer: Bombay Taikies Ltd.

Director: Nitin Bose

Editor: Bimal Ray

Music: Sachin Deb Burman

Lyrics: Sajanikanta Das,Gouriprasanna Majumdar,Bratindranath Thakur,Mohini Chowdhury

Playback: Arun Kumar,Gita Dey, Kishore Kumar

Cast: As Arun Kumar, Ashok Kuamr, Sumitra Sdevi, Ruma Guha Thakurata, Kanu Ray, Main Chattopadhaya, Bratindranath Thakur, Vijaya Das, Gouri Devi, Niharika Devi, Samar Chattopadhaya, Shantijiban Ghosh

Realeased in: Minar, Bijoli, Chhabighar

Synopsis of UDAYER PATHEY (1944)

Anup Kumar Lekhak (writer) makes a living ghostwriting speeches for a millionaire—Rajendranath. He is shocked when his sister Sunita is humiliated at a party hosted by this millionaire, and decides to quit his job.

Besides ghostwriting or other bits of journalism, Anup is an aspiring novelist. His manuscript, is by chance read by Gopa his erstwhile millionaire boss’s sister. She likes his liberal idealism and is attracted to Anup.

Anup is deeply involved with the plight of factory workers. He gives them support in every way possible. When workers are exploited by Rajendranath, it is Anup who organises them. Meanwhile Anup's manuscript—kept with Rajendranath, appears in print bearing the latter's name as author. This shocks Rajendranath's sister Gopa and she takes a stand against this unjust appropriation.

When Anup is injured by hired goondas of the millionaire, Gopa comes to his side and defies all class barriers choosing to opt for a liberal ideology than be party to the oppression of the working class.

Rinki Bhattacharya, daughter of Bimal Roy, Calcutta, 1944

(source page 177 of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

The Films of Bimal Roy

UDAYER PATHEY(1944). Bengali B/W. 120 Min.

Direction, Screenplay (with Nirmal Dey),

Photography: Bimal Roy.

Story: Jyotinmoy Roy.

Art: Sourin Sen.

Music: R.C. Boral.

Lead Cast: Radhamohan Bhattacharya, Binata Roy,

Biswanath Bhaduri, Debi Mukherjee.

Produced: New Theatres. Bengali.

HAMRAHI (1945). Hindi B/W.

Hindi version of UDAYER PATHEY.

Direction, Screenplay and Photography:

Kamal Bose. Other credits same as in UDAYER PATHEY, with some changes in the cast.

Produced: New Theatres.

ANJANGARH (1948). Bengali B/W.

Direction, Screenplay: Bimal Roy.

Photography: Kamal Bose, Bimal Roy.

Story: Subodh Ghosh.

Art: Anil Bhattacharya and Sudhendu Roy.

Music: R.C. Boral.

Lead Cast: Sunanda Banerjee, Devi Mukherji, Tulsi Chakraborty, Monoranjan Bhattacharya.

Produced: New Theatres.

ANJANGARH (1948) . Hindi B/W.

Hindi version. Main credits same with some changes in cast.

Produced: New Theatres.

MANTRAMUGDHA (1949). Bengali B/W.

Direction, Screenplay: (with Sudhish Ghatak): Bimal Roy.

Story: Banaphul.

Photography: Kamal Bose.

Art: Sudhendu Roy.

Lead Cast: Mira Sarkar, Reba Devi, Tulsi Chakraborty, Indu Mukherji,

Produced: New Theatres.

PAHELA ADMI (1950). Hindi B/W.

Direction and Screenplay: Bimal Roy.

Music: R.C. Boral.

Lead cast: Smritirekha Biswas, Pahari Sanyal, Balraj Vij, Nazir Hussain.

Produced: New Theatres.

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

Meeting Satyajit Ray

Ravi Shankar, sitar player. Calcutta, end 1944

(source: Ravi Shankar / George Harrison (ed.): “Raga Mala – An Autobiography”, New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Ravi Shankar)

The young Uttam Kumar – A born actor

Tarun Kumar, actor. Calcutta, late 1940s

(source:http://uttamkumar.com)

… working at 'Aurora Film Corporation' for the last 64 years

This is an interview with Mr. Biswanath Mitra (Editor), working at 'Aurora Film Corporation' for last 64 years.

Q. How long you are working for Aurora?

A. Since 1939. When I joined Aurora Film Corporation, I was 17 years old. Though I knew Aurora earlier.

Q. How?

A. I was a resident of 41, Kashi Mitra Ghat Road from my childhood. Anadi babu was the maternal uncle of my mother. On the other hand, my maternal uncle was the nephew of Anadi Nath Bose. I lost my parents in my childhood and came to Anadi babu's residence.

Q. You have seen Early Aurora

A. Yes. But I did not take part in any of its activities.

Q. How was Aurora then?

A. Aurora's office was at 41, Kashi Mitra Ghat Road. Debi Ghosh and Charu Ghosh used to come here regularly. Two or three rooms at the ground floor were always occupied for projection machines, film rolls, cameras etc. I heard that Aurora's film processing laboratory was also at the same house earlier. Though I did not see it. By that time it was shifted to Rajballavpara (Kolkata). Once Anadi Nath Bose took the charge of 'Monmohan Theatre'. At that time several eminent personalities like Kazi Nazrul Islam, Dani babu, Nirmalendu Lahiri and others used to come Aurora's office.

Q. Did Anadi Nath Bose associated with Theatre business also?

A. Not exactly. More than a business, it was his amateur. I think it was due to the closeness of these two form of narrative entertainment. In Bengal, during those days, theatre was more popular than cinema. Moreover, 'Aurora Touring Party' had its own theatre team for itinerant shows. Itinerant shows means a combination of film shows, magic shows and theatre shows.

Q. Did you see Aurora's itinerant exhibition?

A. Not those film shows. But I saw the activities of touring party at our house. Just after the Durgapuja festival, Those teams used to get out and traveled throughout the Bengal, Bihar, Assam for entire winter season. I saw three similar teams. Among the three managers, one was my maternal uncle, Sati Bhusan Ghosh. The other two was Ashu Gupta and

..(sorry! I can't recall it).

Q. How long this business run?

A. Up to the mid 1930s until Aurora had its own studio and fully shifted in distribution and production business.

Q. But as far I read, tent shows lost its popularity from early 1920s

A. That was happened in cities and developing villages, not in the entire Bengal. Moreover we had some invitations from different landlords at their palaces.

Q. Did Aurora has any permanent cinema hall?

A. Yes. Till 1947, in undivided Bengal, Aurora had several cinema halls. I saw one hall at 'Pabna' and one at 'Faridpur' which we had to leave after independence. At that time we also had to leave few other halls as those were remained under the territory of East Pakisthan. In West Bengal, we had two cinema halls, one at Kharagpur and one at Midnapur. Both were named 'Aurora Talkies' and still exist. Once Aurora took lease one cinema hall at Howrah for few days.

Q. What type of films Aurora used to show in silent era?

A. Foreign short-films, mainly comedy gags were exhibited for tent shows. In the city, there were Madan's films and moreover, Aurora had its own Bengali films.

Q. Did you see any silent film of Aurora?

A. Yes, I did.

Q. Was there any specialty in Aurora's films?

A. It's very difficult to say. It was my boyhood, you know, I hardly can remember those things.

Q. Did you participate in any of those productions?

A. No, I did not. Before to join here, I was not interested in films except viewing.

Q. Then why did you join here?

A. After matriculation, I was moving as a vagabond. I started a business at Ranchi but it failed. Then Anadi Nath Bose told me to work here.

Q. You joined as a …?

A. As a laboratory assistant.

Q. How much was your salary then?

A. First six months I got nothing. Then my monthly salary was fixed at Rs.10/-.

Q. How longs you worked for Rs.10/-?

A.There is a story behind it. I found interest in editing. At that time, Biren Guha was the editor of Aurora. Though I learned nothing from him. Very soon he resigned and Santosh Gangooly took the charge. He taught me editing, aesthetically, practically. In 1942 Aurora was producing a film 'Patibrata'. During its post production, suddenly the editor left the job and the studio manager could not find out any other editor to complete the film. Some of my colleagues proposed my name to Anadi babu. Though the manager did not want to give me the chance, but anyway, I got the opportunity to edit the film. I did it well. Several people praised my edit-work and I became the permanent editor of Aurora. My salary jumped into Rs.150/- per month.

Q. Wow! It was a great jump!

A. Yah! After 'Patibrata', I edited all films, produced by Aurora.

Q. But in the whole decade of 1940s Aurora produced only four films

A. That decade was disturbed for second world war. Surrounding our studio, there was a slum area of Muslim inhabitants. During that time, studio was closed for a long time due to Hindu-Muslim riot.

Q. Then most of the time you had to remain idle?

A. No-no. Aurora produced lots of documentary. We were always busy in it.

Q. It's interesting. When feature film had a huge market, apart from mainstream business, Aurora constantly produced nonfictions.

A. From 1938 Aurora started production of 'Aurora Screen News'. In fact, the touring party never stopped. Only shifted from the exhibition of films to the production of documentaries. The team moved entire Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Asam or United provinces and captured almost every item they found interesting like from rituals to festivals or from lifestyles to memorable events. Indeed, we produced a lot. Aurora recorded speeches of several eminent personalities like, Subhash Chandra Bose, Jwaharlal Nehru, Shyamaprasad Mukhopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore and so on. To capture a news regarding earthquake at Muzaffarpur, Aurora hired an aeroplane to reach there.

Q. Was there a very good market of those documentaries?

A. Not at all. Those were for free screening purposes only. It was a passion of Anadibabu. Or perhaps, he could understand the potentiality of Documentaries. But unfortunately, In 1946, all those were damaged by fire.

Q. But why Aurora did not produce feature films in large scale?

A. Aurora was the sole distributor of New Theatres' Bengali films. Here distributor means financier. Actually, Aurora was the financier of most of the Bengali films produced by New Theatres Ltd.

Q. But after all those films are labeled as New Theatres' films

A. It does not matter. In fact, at that time, Aurora had no modern equipment. Anadibabu purchased all second hand equipment. Those cameras, talkie sets or others were not sufficient for talkie film production. On the other hand New Theatres appeared with advanced equipment support. B.N.Sirkar himself was an educated, intellectual and technologically sound person with lot of enthusiasm. Anadibabu was a vastly experienced person who immediately tied up with New Theatres. Moreover, Anadibabu was quite old to take the hazards of feature film production. I think, he preferred to concentrate in a particular segment of business that is distribution.

Q. Do you think distribution was the main business of Aurora that helped it to survive so many years?

A. Yes, I think distribution business was the key source of finance because it was not only restricted in Bengal, but also spread South India, Cylone and Far-East countries.

Q. How many people worked in Aurora at that time?

A. When I joined, in studio, there were around 30 employees and around 20 staff at our office. There was a branch office at Madras and also one in Rengoon. But I think those were small and just for distribution purpose. Maximum two or three people worked there.

Q. Were all of you paid staff?

A.Yes.All of us.

Q. Was there any scope to interfere in other's work? Like, did you work anything else apart from editing?

A. All of us had to do several other works beside our own. It was mandatory for me to be present at the floor or location during shooting. I used to do different production work like, artists' contract, location hunting and so on. Sometimes, carrying those film cans, I used to go to different cinema halls in districts or outside Bengal. When Aurora produced colour films for different commission projects, I had to go Mumbai for developing and printing of those films. I also shot several newsreels for Aurora.

Q. Did you work as a cameraman too?

A. No-no. There were cameramen for feature films and documentaries. For news coverage we used some old cameras, which were very easy to operate. I only shot some of those news items.

Q. Did you ever direct any film?

A. Few documentaries like, ' Bigata Diner Smriti', 'Deep Sea Hunting' and so on.

Q. Would you like to share those experiences?

A. 'Bigata Diner Smriti' was a project of Govt. of West Bengal, mainly a travelogue on Gour, Malda. Rather, 'Deep Sea Hunting' was interesting. This film was based on fisherman's lifestyle and their socio-economic problems. There was a director for this film. But after the first phase of shooting in the land area, he denied to go into the deep sea with those fishermen. Having no other alternative, I went on board a trawler with one of my camera operator. It was 10 days' experience.

Q. Had you ever directed any feature film?

A. No, I did not.

Q. Did you edit any other film outside Aurora?

A. No, I did not.

Q. Why did not you think for freelance work as an editor?

A. Film industry is an unorganized sector, you know. There are lots of uncertainties in this profession. Here, in Bengal, technicians are never being paid well.

Q. Do you have the same grievance to Aurora?

A. No. At least I had a security here.

Q. What was an average cost for feature film at that time?

A. As far I know, it needed Rs.30000/- to produce Aurora's first full length talkie film, 'Patibrata'. It was in 1942. In the 1950s, the average cost was around Rs.50000/-. Though our biographical films like, 'Raja Rammohan' and 'Bhagini Nibedita' were more expensive due to the sets, props and costumes. Moreover, few locations of 'Bhagini Nibedita' were shot in London.

Q. How did you enjoy the England tour?

A. Only the director and the cameraman went there. Camera and other equipment were hired from London. They shot different locations from London. Finally, here in the post production, characters were superimposed on those locations.

Q. I think, it was the first Bengali film that shot in foreign location.

A. Yes, it was. It got the National Award in 1961 as the best film. This film was also selected for entry in the 23rd 'International exhibition of cinematographic art' in Venice in 1962.

Q. Were there similar other records of any other film?

A. Aurora's other biographical film 'Raja Rammohan' was the first Bengali film that got exemption from the amusement tax. Another film 'Raikamal' was invited in 'Berlin film festival' in1956. This film was televisioned there and probably it was the first Indian film that televisioned in foreign. Satyajit Ray's 'Aparajito' got several prizes.I think you know that.

Q. But I read that 'Aparajito' was not produced by Aurora. 'Epic Films' produced it.

A. 'Epic Films' was a partnership company of Ajit Bose, Satyajit Ray and other two or three persons. After the end of this film, during its pre release screening, those people doubted that the film would not run well. They mourned for incurring a loss. Then Ajit Bose paid their money back and took the sole right of that film.

Q. Did all those films run well?

A. Not always. There were some flopped films also.

Q. Why Aurora stopped feature film production from the 1970s?

A, I guess it was due to the market uncertainty. From the 1970s the market became so volatile that Aurora could not take risk.

Q. Do you think it was the only reason?

A. Definitely not. I think this was the main reason. There are several other reasons also. But I know very little about film business. Better you talk with Anjan Bose. I can only share some of my memories.

Q. Then tell me something about Anadi Nath Bose.

A. He was like my father. Though I hardly talked with him. In my childhood I saw him working at the office of Aurora Cinema Company from morning to 12 noon. Then he used to go his office. He had a horse drawn carriage. In the evening, several people used to come our house, at the office room of Aurora Cinema Company, to discuss with him regarding cinema or theatre.

Q. Did you ever talk with him regarding cinema?

A. No, I did not.

Q. Had Mr. Bose ever directed any film?

No, he did not. His technological knowledge was very poor. He always believed his friends like Devi Ghosh, Charu Ghosh and others. He was a very good organizer. It was his effort to form 'Bengal Motion Picture Association' (BMPA) in1937. He always encouraged others to do something, anything.

Q. Can you point out any drawback of Mr. Bose?

A. Several people took loan from Anadi babu by pawning their equipment but could not pay off. Most of those equipment were very old and ultimately useless. In this way Aurora got several cameras but could not use those for shooting purpose.

Q. Your studio was also built in the same process…

A. Once P.C.Barua took loan by mortgaging his studio and could not pay back. Then Aurora claimed it at court and finally we won the case. But according to the order we got very short time, only one night, to occupy those things. At that time Aurora had a huge manpower. Within a night, we could be able to take those all even every brick from Barua studio. Later we built our own studio at Narkeldanga.

Q. You have seen the all three generations of Bose family and their activities. Can you make any difference?

A. They all are very progressive and always looked for a unique identity. Only they implemented different strategies in different time. I think those decisions were according to the change of market.

Q. Did Ajit Bose implement any new policy for Aurora?

A. Of course. From the 1950s studio system was collapsed. But it was his intellectual support that helped Aurora to survive actively and successfully another twenty years. He was well versed in different subjects. In his time, Aurora achieved a different position in film industry for both, production and distribution of feature films. Those films were identified with elite aesthetic practices over and against popular entertainment.

Q. And Anjan Bose?

A. Anjan Bose is like my son though he is my boss. When he took the charge of Aurora, Bengali cinema was in a crisis. Yet he produced and directed few good documentaries. He got National Award too. But now he is going to do a great job. Very soon there will be another 'Aurora Studio' at Saltlake (Kolkata). This is for the first time Kolkata will get such a modern studio furnished with air-conditioned floor and latest facilities. Anjan already brought two digital cameras and one edit setup. I think, beside rental business, he has a plan to produce digital films in future. After the thirty years' of dormant phase, I hope Anjan will start Aurora again.

(Biswanath Mitra, Film editor at Aurora Film, Calcutta, 1930-today )

(source: Interview By Sougata Bhattacharya (sougata_28@rediffmail.com) with Mr. Biswanath Mitra (Editor) at Aurora Film, Calcutta, 1930-today, seen at http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/2003-March/002556.html, Thu Mar 27 21:04:56 CET 2003)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Sougata Bhattacharya)

I saw both Udayer Pathey and its Hindi version Hamrahi

"I saw both Udayer Pathey and its Hindi version Hamrahi. I was very much impressed with Udayer Pathey and saw the moment it was released in 1944 ... of course I did not meet him then. I met him much later—when he came to Bombay Talkies, where I was already working. He came to make Maa. Initially I thought he was very proud. Whenever I wished him, he never looked at me, even ignored me I felt. This happened so many times. I used to wish him and he never responded.

I was directing the movie Inspector in 1954 and Bimalda had moved to Mohan Studios. One day I saw him coming and wished him. He did not look at me and passed by. That day I went behind him and caught him from the back. I said: "Bimalda, I have been wishing you for three years you have not wished me ... I say namaste or namaskar, and you don't even know".

He said: "Sorry Sakti I did not realise. I was lost in my thoughts."

I said: "Alright Bimalda, in future when we wish you, please reply, otherwise we all feel very bad."

After that he treated me like his younger brother. We were in several organisations together. Then at the Beirut Film festival I of course saw all his films. His Bandini was there in Beirut and my Kashmir Ki Kali.

He saw the film, that was perhaps the first of my films he saw. Both he and Boudi" (Mrs. Roy) praised my film.

"I didn't know you made such good films!" he said.

He was like my elder brother. As a filmmaker he was very dedicated and one of the finest persons I knew in this industry.

Shakti Samanta, Calcutta, 1944

(source pages of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

No one knows what the British Government did with this footage

In 1943, the year of Bengal famine, the British Government approached Shri B.N. Sircar for a technical crew to document the tragedy. Their idea was to raise famine relief with this footage. Sircar entrusted Baba for this important Government project.

Kamal Bose, who assisted Baba dredges up graphic details of the experience:

"For a fortnight, Bimalda, along with us went around Calcutta shooting. What we saw was unbearable. People cried for a drop of starch. If anyone dropped a crumb of bread, riot broke out between famine victims. Our coverage was gruesomely real. We gave the negative to the Government authorities—but it was never shown. No one knows for certain what the British Government did with this excellent, and valuable documentary footage."

Kamal Bose, Film direction assisted to Bimal Roy, Calcutta 1943

(source pages 40-41 of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

the Luce studio on Calcutta's Landsdowne Road

With his friends Ajit Sen, and few others Baba started the Luce studio on Calcutta's busy Landsdowne Road.

Luce's portrait portfolio boasted of leading cinema stars amongst other luminaries. This reputed photography studio shut down sometime in the late seventies.

Rinki Bhattacharya, daughter of Bimal Roy, Calcutta, 1940s

(source page 41 of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

Bimalda deserved the princely sum of Rs 400

When N.T. engaged Baba as the chief cinematographer for Devdas, his monthly salary was raised to a princely Rs. 400. At the time Benoy Chatterjee, the screen play writer of numerous N.T. box office hits was receiving Rs. 125.

It was true however, that one could survive, if not thrive, well even on Rs 30 in the early 30s. Arvind Sen [late film maker, cousin of Monobina, onetime baba's assistant at New Theatre], recalls:

"Bimalda deserved the princely sum of Rs 400. It was after all in recognition of his exceptional talent."

Rinki Bhattacharya, daughter of Bimal Roy, Calcutta, 1936

(source page 41 of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

The Making of Udayer Pathey

After completing nearly a decade with New Theatres (NT) from 1933 to '42, Baba was understandably restless. His shy nature prevented Baba from directly approaching the N.T. boss, B.N. Sircar. At that phase, N.T. had an excellent story department. Mr. Sircar, in fact was a wizard in pooling Bengal's best literary talents in this department. Poet Premendra Mitra [renowned Sahitya Akademi winner poet, writer] was amongst the N.T. story writers. He knew our uncle Pratapchandra. Baba met Mitra for advice. "Bimal liked my story Samadhan. I had made its Bengali language version for N.T. He wanted rights for the Hindi version. Proud as N.T. bosses were renowned too for original works, I knew they would toss over the idea. I told Bimal about this. He was upset.

Meanwhile Bimal had seen an English film, revolving round a little girl. He asked me to prepare the screenplay. I said 'yes' but left for a vacation to Puri. On my return, Bimal met me. He said, he had discovered a writer. A man named Joytinmoy Ray. Sounded familiar. Then I recalled, he had brought along his sister when our amateur theatre group needed a female artist ....

The story of Udayer Pathey was already penned when we met next ..."

Udayer Pathey—the film that made Baba famous overnight, had many strange stories to tell. The caste, crew, story writer were unknown. The only established name on its credit was composer R.C. Boral [A Phalke award winner arid composer of several New Theatre films] *—and Bishwanath Bhaduri, a thespian of Bengal stage. Many of Baba's contemporaries described Udayer Pathey, a 'cut-piece' production. Baba's raw stock was rationed. Most of the negative came from remnant stock of more famous directors. Strange were the reactions to the first screening of Udayer Pathey—till date at the top of N.T.s box office list. Many felt it was doomed. A flop. Kochi Mitra a senior N.T. director, trusted by B.N. Sircar, exclaimed "Reshoot!!!"

Manujendra Bhanja, a renowned cinema critic on the other hand appealed: "Don't change a frame"!

Cinema pundits hotly debated over the fate of Udayer Pathey for days. But N.T. decided to risk a puja release at Chitra cinema, in between two N.T. heavyweights.

Thus amongst predictions of doom, Udayer Pathey was released at Chitra on September 1,1944. It beat all previous N.T. box office history by running at Chitra houseful for a year. The pithy dialogue of the film became slogans for India's pre-independence youth. Memorised, quoted, remembered. Many still remember the thunderous applause after each popular line. The Bengali version's overwhelming success story prompted N.T. to sanction a Hindi language remake. The caste of the original was repeated except minor changes. The Hindi production brought together Kamal Bose, art director Sudhendu Ray—both later joined Bimal Roy productions. Udayer Pathey grabbed all the BFJA awards of that year. At that time there were notably no other awards for cinema except this prestigious Bengal journalists prize.

Rinki Bhattacharya, Calcutta 1944

(source pages 42-44 of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

Satyajit Ray & Bimal Roy

The double version of Udayer Pathey (Hamrahi) was followed by a screen adaptation of novelist Subodh Ghose's Fossil. Interestingly, when Fossil, renamed Anjangad was announced as Baba's next work, Satyajit Ray, who was working as an artist with D. J. Keymar, went to meet Baba. In one of his interviews Ray mentioned "I read somewhere Bimal Roy, the maker of Udayer Pathey was to start Anjangad. I read Subodh Ghos'e's Fossil, wrote a script and went to meet Bimal Roy. He was busy discussing with Subodh Ghose.

I waited for two hours, before Bimal Roy came out. I said, I would like to work with him on Fossil. He asked me to come back. I never went back."

Satyajit Ray, artist with D. J. Keymar, Calcutta 1945

(source pages 44-45 of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

Bimal Roy leaves for Bombay

Anjangad failed at the box office. Baba next turned to a comedy by Banaphul called Mantramugdha. This tongue-in-cheek satire on a Hindu wife's husband adoration did not please Baba's audience. His last N.T. assignment—Pahela Admi—a romance set against the backdrop of World War II did not reclaim the glory of Udayer Pathey.

If Baba was passing through a restless creative crises, the Bengali film industry was in doldrums too.

India's Partition had hastened the process of decline in Bengali movie business, already hit by the vicious raw stock licence policy.

Baba was present for the Bombay premiere at Dadar's Chitna Cinema of his Pahela Admi, He met his friend, Hiten Chaudhuri who remembered Baba's growing apprehension:

"I am unsure about my next assignment with N.T. Mr. Sircar hasn't committed any film!"

Baba returned to Calcutta in a diffident mood. It was late '49. Meanwhile Hiten Chaudhuri who was with Bombay Talkies until' 48—prevailed on Savak Vatcha and Ashok Kumar to assign a film to Baba. It was decided to remake an American tearjerker Over The Hills (with Mary Carr) into Hindi. Titled Maa, Baba's first film in Bombay started towards middle '50. None other than Leela Chitnis, a Bombay Talkies star was signed in the title role.
Initially Meena Kumari—till then seen as a junior artist, was selected in the romantic lead. A car accident, changed the casting. She was replaced by newcomer Shyama opposite Bharat Bhushan.

"For his first film Bimal was contracted for either 25,000 or 30,000 a comfortable sum in those days," mentioned Hiten Chaudhuri.

[…] The storyline of Maa followed that of Fox's Over The Hills. Both are sentimental tales of abandoned parents, the tragedy of elderly people, their loneliness and desperation.

I still remember our wrenching separation from Calcutta in February 1950. The endless two day journey. Accompanying us were some of Baba's New Theatre colleagues. In the very first batch came Hrishikesh Mukherji, Asit Sen, Paul Mahendra, and Nazir Hussain.

Within two months of our leaving Calcutta, Kamal Bose, who stayed back, was retrenched. Bengal's movie industry was in deep recession. By 1951, New Theatres, one of India's premiere movie studios, was in limbo. Baba had his own unit from Calcutta. This however was no guarantee to survive in the commercial climate of Bombay.

Temperamentally, he was unsuited to Bombay's competitive, and commercial impulses. We must remember too, that like his contemporaries—Baba was groomed in
Calcutta, the city renowned for its cultural ethos. Films of New Theatres school reflected that abundantly together with social awareness. Even as early as in 1936 Nitin Bose's President defended workers' rights in management decisions, and profit sharing. Baba's debut with Udayer Pathey [The Awakening] had blazed a new trail in Indian cinema.

After completing Bombay Talkies Maa, Baba was poised for a farewell, then return to Calcutta.

Rinki Bhattacharya, daughter of Bimal Roy, Calcutta 1945

(source pages 45-46 of Rinki Bhattacharya: “Bimal Roy – A Man of Silence” New Delhi: Indus, 1994.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Rinki Bhattacharya 1994)

Ritwik Ghatak's way into the arts

My coming into the world of films was not an unrelated event. One of my brothers, he is dead now, was the first television expert in this country. He spent six years in England working as a documentary cameraman, before coming back home and joining New Theatres around 1935. He was the cameraman in many New Theatres productions, including 'The Street Singer', which starred Saigal and Kananbala. Because of my brother, I came across many filmmakers in my childhood from P.C.Barua to Bimal Roy, many of them used to visit our home aften. It had helped to create an atmosphere, the right environment for making films.... But I didn't think of making films then.

I have done many things in my life. I ran away from home a few times. I took a job in the billing department of a textile mill in Kanpur. I hadn't thought of films then. They dragged me back home from Kanpur. That was in 1942. Meanwhile, I had missed two years of my studies. I was fourteen when I ran away from home. My father pointed out that if I sat for my school-leaving examination, I had a chance of becoming an engineer, or something like that. Otherwise, I would have to spend my life as a mechanic. Suddenly I wanted to concentrate on my studies. And then something happened that is a common occurrence among Bengalis and, I hear, among the French as well. I had a creative urge, and began my artistic career with a few useless pieces of verse. I realized later that I wasn't made for that sort of thing. I couldn't get within a thousand miles of true poetry . It was after this that I got involved with politics. This was 1943 to 1945. Those who remember these years will know of the quick transitions in the political scene of the day.... The anti-fascist movement, the Japanese attack, the British retreat, a great deal happened in quick succession. Life was placid in 1940 and '41. Suddenly, during '44 and '45, a series of events took place the price of foodstuffs soared, then came famine things changed so fast that it gave a great jolt to people's attitudes and thinking....

By that time I was an active Marxist; not a cardholder, but a close sympathizer, a fellow traveller. I started writing short stories then. This was not like my earlier nebulous and false attempts to be a poet. The urge to write stories arose out of a desire to protest against the oppression and exploitation I saw around me. I wasn't too bad at writing stories.... But later, I came to feel [Image] that short stories are inadequate. They take a long time to reach the people, and then few are deeply strirred by them. I was a hot-blooded youngster then, impatient for immediate reaction. That was the time when Nabanna was staged. Nabanna changed my life...

Nabanna completely altered my thinking. I started taking an interest in drama, became a member of the IPTA. When, at the end of 1947, a revised version of Nabanna was produced, I acted in it. After that I was completely involved with the IPTA.

I was also leader of the Central Squad. I wrote plays myself. Drama elicited an immediate response which I found very exciting. But after a while even drama seemed inadequate, limited. We used to give open-air performances, where we could rouse and inspire an audience of four or five thousand. But, when I thought of the cinema, I thought of the million minds that I could reach at the same time. This is how I came into films, not because I wanted to make films. Tomorrow, if I find a better medium, I'll abandon films. I don't love films....

Ritwik Ghatak. Calcutta, 1940s

(source: Recollections of Bengal and a Single Vision at http://216.152.71.145/filmmakers/ghatak/ghatak.html reproduced from the monograph Ritwik Ghatak prepared for the Festival of India in London, 1982)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Ritwik Ghatak 1982)

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Associations

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

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Institutes & Societies

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

More than H2O

AT a ripe age Sir Prafulla Ray has passed on, leaving to his admirers, a multitude not only of his own people, memories of a man, who served his generation, and coming generations with great gifts of mind and character. The salient facts of his career were set out in our news columns yesterday, where he was summed up as a distinguished chemist, educationist, industrialist, patriot and social reformer.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, June 18. 1944)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with The Statesman)

THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL

"In 1936 His Majesty King Edward VIII graciously permitted the Society the privilege of using the title "ROYAL," in recognition of its great services to India and to Eastern Literary Research".

The Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, at No. 1 Park Street, Calcutta, the oldest literary and scientific Society in the East, was founded in 1784 by Sir William Jones, a Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Calcutta and master of several oriental languages, who became its first President, with Warren Hastings, Governor-General of Bengal, as its Patron. Its scope was defined in the President's first address in words which were paraphrased in the first number of its Journal as : "The bounds of its investigations will be the geographical limits of Asia and within these limits its enquiries will be extended to whatever is performed by man or produced by nature." ,

In its early years the Society held its meetings in the Grand Jury's room in the Supreme Court. In 1805, however, Government sanctioned a free grant of the present site at the corner of Park Street and Chowringhee Road, and a building, designed by Captain Lock of the Bengal Engineers, was completed in 1808, the cost being defrayed by the Society's members. Extensive additions and alterations have since been made, but the main structure remains essentially the same as in 1808.

One of the first activities of the Society was the publication of the "Asiatick Researches". Twenty volumes of this serial were published between 1788 and 1836 when, due to financial difficulties, it ceased to appear. That there was a distinct demand for the work produced, however, is borne out by the fact that more than one "pirated" edition was printed.

The proceedings of the Society's monthly meetings for some time appeared in a private journal called "Gleanings in Science"; later another private journal was started under the name of "The Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal". In 1905 the two were amalgamated as the "Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, New Series". At the same time, yet another serial, entitled the "Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal", was started for the publication of larger articles or those requiring more elaborate illustrations.

One of the most important of the Society's activities is the publication of the "Bibliotheca Indica", a series of texts in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic and other languages. Extensive works like the Persian Akbar Nama, the A' in-i-Akbari and the Sanskrit Sahitya-Darpana, have been edited and translated for this series. A particular domain in which these publications have been eminently useful is Buddhist Sanskrit literature.

The Society has published, from time to time, miscellaneous works such as catalogues and dictionaries: one of the most important is Kemp's Catalogue of Scientific Serial Publications in the Principal Libraries of Calcutta.

The Society has succeeded in building up a large library of valuable Mss. Its Persian, Arabic, Turkish and other collections, containing about 5,000 volumes, the largest and most important in the world, were started by donations and legacies, and later enriched by the transfer in 1835 of a part of the library of the College of Fort William : further acquisitions were secured through the financial assistance of Government, obtained by the enthusiastic activity of Sir E. Denison Ross.

The Sanskrit collection contains over 16,000 volumes, among which are beautiful Buddhist pictures of the seventh and tenth centuries. This collection also owed many of its early acquisitions to the library of the College of Fort William, and later additions have been mainly due to the enlightened policy of the Government of India and Bengal. There is a small but picturesque collection of Burmese manuscripts, and a collection of Tibetan xylographs.

The Library of printed books is particularly rich in scientific and philological serial publications, including many valuable early sets. Among the important manuscript drawings is the famous collection of zoological drawings by Buchanan Hamilton.

It is not generally known that the Indian Museum owes its existence to the Asiatic Society. In 1814 the Society started its own Museum, which grew to such dimensions that the Society's resources were considerably strained by its upkeep. With praiseworthy persistence it memorialised Gvernment on the necessity for a subsidized National Museum, until it gained its point in 1862. The Indian Museum Act was passed in 1866 and the Archaeological and Zoological collections were transferred to the new Board of Trustees, in consideration of which the Society received Rs. 1,50,000.

Though theMedicaland Physical Society was founded by John Adam and James Hare as early as 1823, the Medical Section was not started till 1906, with F. P. Maynard as its first Secretary. On the formation of the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, however, the Society, realising that its extensive collection of Medical periodicals would be more valuable for research purposes in that Institution, generously consented to its transfer.

The Society fostered the formation of the Indian Science Congress in 1914. This is a peripatetic institution, meeting annually in different centres of scentific activity in India. The Asiatic Society is responsible both for the management of the work of the Congress, when not in session, and for the publication of its "Proceedings".

The Society's rooms are adorned by many works of art. In the centre of the meeting room is a marble bust by H. Weekes of the founder, Sir William Jones, and a portrait of him as a boy by Sir Joshua Reynolds. This and many other paintings form part of the Home bequest, presented by Brigadier and Colonel Home in memory of their father, Robert Home, portrait painter to the King of Oudh, and from 1802 to 1804 Secretary of the Society. Among these are : "The Death of Cleopatra", by Guido, "The Farmer's Household", by G. S. Morland, "A Cupid", by Sir Joshua Reynolds, a full-length portrait of Warren Hastings by Tilly Kettle, "Antwerp Cathedral", by Steinwich the elder, and "The Two Daniells" and "James Hare", both by Robert Home himself. A portrait of John Adam by C. Beechy hangs on the staircase. The marble busts include two beautiful ones by Sir Francis Chantrey—of W.H. Mill, the author of that remarkable Sanskrit work, "Christa-Sangita", and of H. H. Wilson, for many years Secretary of the Society and afterwards first Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford. Other marble busts in the meeting room are of H.T. Colebrooke, (by H. Weekes), for ten years President of the Society and afterwards the founder of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland; of B. H. Hodgson (by Thornycroft), a prolific contributor to the Society's publications and Mss. collections; of T. Oldham (by Geflowiski), the first Superintendent of the Geological Survey of India and three times President of the Society;

of F. Stoliczka (by Geflowiski), palaeontologist of the Geological Survey and the Society's Natural History Secretary; and of H. Blochmann (by E. R. Mullins), the translator of the A'in-I-Akbari and for ten years Philological Secretary.

At the top of the staircase there is a beautiful bronze bust of Czoma de Koros, the pioneer of Tibetan scholarship, and one of Sir Ashutosh Mukerjee (by H. I. Youngman), who guided the Society's destinies for many years. On the landing is the famous edict of Asoka ( about 250 B. C. ), the Pali characters of which were deciphered by James Prinsep, whose marble bust by H. Weekes is very appropriately placed here. Another exhibit of great interest on the landing is the cabinet of the Society's copper plates, the inscriptions of which have been so valuable in the study of early Indian history.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 100-105 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

THE IMPERIAL LIBRARY

Admission:—Free; those below the age of 18 are not admitted.Tickets are issued on application to the Librarian.

Open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Closed on the four principal days of the Durga Puja holidays, Christmas & New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and the King Emperor's birthday.

Trams :—All except Park Circus-High Court via Harrison Road, and Sealdah-Dalhousie via Bowbazar.

Buses :—2, 2A, 3,3A, 4, 4A, 5, 5A, 8, 8A, 12, 12B, 13, 14.

The Imperial Library is accommodated on the ground floor of No. 6 Esplanade East, in the magnificent building known as the Foreign and Military Secretariat. This Library was founded in 1902 by Lord Curzon, Viceroy and Governor-General of India (1899-1905), by the amalgamation of the Calcutta Public Library with the then Imperial Library, which had been formed in 1891 by combining a number of departmental libraries of the Government of India. The newly constituted Imperial Library was housed in Metcalfe Hall from 1902 to 1923i when it was removed to its present premises, which are more spacious and very centrally situated.

There are three reading rooms,—the General Reading Room, the Ladies' Reading Room, and the Private Reading Room for those engaged in systematic research work. The number of visitors during 1936-1937 was 50,576 against 15,093 in 1902, the year of its inauguration.

From a little short of 100,000 volumes in January 1903, the Library now contains 340,000 among which are a number of very important ones, including a few rare early editions in English dealing with India, recent editions of books in French, German and other European languages, and a wide selection of diverse books on a variety of subjects. In addition there are a number of the more important newspapers and • periodicals published in India and abroad.

A collection of books and manuscripts in Arabic, Persian and Urdu, known as the "Buhar Library", generously presented to the Government of India in 1904 by Maulvi Sayed Sadr-ud-din Ahmed-ul-Musovi, Zemindar of Buhar, are also treasured in this Library.

The Library maintains author and subject catalogues of books printed in English and other European languages; also of books in Arabic, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Pali, Persian, San' skrit, Tamil, Telegu, Tibetan, Urdu and Uriya.

Books are lent out against a deposit, except in the case of those valuable for their rarity or illustrations, in which case special permission must be obtained from the Librarian, who, when in doubt, refers the matter to the Library Council for orders.

The Library Museum:—This consists of a collection of historical and antiquarian exhibits of literary interest, including old maps of India, and autographed letters in Bengali, English, Hindi, Persian and Urdu. These are displayed in a room on the second floor, and can be inspected on obtaining permission from the Librarian.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 147-148 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

THE COMMERCIAL LIBRARY

Location:—Situated on the upper floor of 1 Council House Street.

Admission:—Free; those below the age of 18 are not admitted.

Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Closed on Sundays and holidays.

Established in 1916, this excellent reference library is a boon to those who seek commercial news and statistics. The library contains about 20,000 volumes, dealing with all aspects of Commerce, Industry, Economics, Chemistry, Agriculture, Banking, etc., and is regularly supplied with journals on Commercial and Technical subjects. In addition, the general public can obtain, free of charge, particulars regarding Current Prices, Tariff Rates, Freight Charges and other valuable commercial information received from foreign countries.

The reading room is large, bright and pleasant. Down the centre of the room are tables, some set apart for consulting books, others for reading journals.

At the discretion of the Librarian, certain books are lent out against deposits.

That the library is gaining in popularity every year, is borne out by the fact that over 50,000 people visited it in 1937, against a bare 6,000 a few years back.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source page148 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

Indian Statistical Institute & Professor Mahalanobis

The Indian Statistical Institute was in a great garden centring on the house where Professor Mahalanobis and Ranee lived and reigned and where I stayed that first time. There were marble floors cool to the feet and soft rugs; there were pictures and books and objects of beauty of historic interest. If you leant over the parapet of the roof, the scent of the flowering mangoes came drifting up and someone would quote Tagore.

Naomi Mitchinson, traveling writer. Calcutta, late 1940s early 1950s.

(source: Naomi Mitchinson: Muccking around , Five continents over 50 years. London Victor Gollancz, 1981)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Naomi Mitchinson)

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Museums

_Pictures of 1940s Calcutta____________________

___Contemporary Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_

THE INDIAN MUSEUM

Admission :—The Museum is open from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. daily, except on Thursdays, when it is open from 12 noon to 5 p. m.

Admission is free except on Fridays, when a charge of four annas is levied. Students with student tickets are exempted.

About 18,00,000 people visit the Museum annually.

Trams :—Kalighat, Ballygunge, Tollygunge.

Buses :—2, 2A, 3, 4, 4A, 5.

The Indian Museum, an imposing massive building with a frontage of over 300 feet along Chowringhee Road and side entrances on Sudder and Kyd Streets, owes its existence to the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. This Society had collected many relics, curiosities and antiquities, but as it had no permanent building to house them, the Government in 1805 granted the Society a gift of land Mahasthan, Bogra and Paharpur. On the right of the room are more cases of antiquities : Case 11, prehistoric objects from Bhita, Allahabad ; Case 12, antiquities from Assam and Burma ; Cases 13, 13A and 13B, ancient bronze images ; Cases 14, 14A and 14B, antiquities from Makram, Baluchistan; Cases 15 and 16, Iron Age pottery, implements and other objects from Iron Age sites in the Madras Presidency ; Case 17, prehistoric copper implements and silver objects from the United Provinces and the Central Provinces. Other cases contain collections of Buddhist bronze images from Negapatam and Brahmanic images—Nataraja, Parvati, Vishnu and Subrahmanya—from South India.

Down the centre of the Gallery are 14 glass table cases exhibiting Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Chalcolithic objects—plaques, coins, beads, seals, ivory, stone and metal fragments, and terracotta figures—from Taxila, Bodh Gaya and other parts of India and Burma. In one of the cases is exhibited an elephant tusk with six tiers of seated figures of Buddha carved on, found at Burma, and in another, a lama, Vaishravona and Bodhesattya, from the Port of Diwangiri, Assam.

Among the larger exhibits is an Assamese Brass Drum, 4 feet across and 3% feet high; a glass case containing an Egyptian Mummy, about 2000 B. C.; and a huge stone coffer which contained Buddhist relics, exhibited on a glass table case nearby. This coffer was excavated from the stupa at Piprahwa, District Basti, U. P. A beautiful oil painting illustrating an incident in the life of Buddha, adorns the wall. In the southern end of the room, known as the Inscription Gallery, are displayed a wide collection of Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions, ranging from the beginning of the Christian era to the 16th century : one of the most interesting exhibits here is a large clay cast of a Chinese Nestorian Monument at Sian-Fu, dated 781 A. D., giving an abstract of the Christian Faith and the history of the Nestorian Mission, a copy of which is in the Lateran Palace, Rome.

A staircase at the extreme end leads to the Coin Room, (admission by permission); this room is lined with safes and strong cabinets, containing wide collections of Indian coins. The Emerald Bow-ring and Cup of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan, which Nadir Shah carried away from Delhi in 1739, is also preserved here.

Retracing our steps to the Gandhara Room, we pass into the Gupta Gallery. Here, in successive bays, are exhibited, in chronological order, specimens of sculptures produced by different schools of art that flourished in India and Indonesia from the beginning of the Christian era to about 1200 A. D. Sculptures of the Mathura School are in bays 1 and 20 ; reliefs from the Buddhist Stupa at Amaravati, and Gupta sculptures from Siva's temple in Nagod State, in bays 2 and 19 ; sculptures from Sarnath, in bays 3 and 18 ; sculptures from Benares and Sutna, in bays 4 and 17, and those of the Magadha period (750-1200 A.D.) in bays 5 to 8 ; Brahamanic sculptures from Bengal and Bihar, in bays 13 to 16; Jain images and Buddhistic sculptures from Orissa, in bays 9 and 12, while images from Java occupy bay 10. Carvings of gods and goddesses and a fine miniature replica of the Mahabodhi shrine at Bodh Gaya are displayed down the centre of the gallery.

The farther end of the Gupta Gallery is known as the Moslem Gallery : here are exhibited a large collection of Arabic and Persian inscriptions, farmans, sanads; carved architectural curiosities; and enamelled tiles from Baluchistan, Persia, Lahore and Hyderabad. Of absorbing interest here is a fine 15th century faience vase, dug up by British soldiers in Baghdad. In the central cases are many historical exhibits, including a farman from the Emperor Akbar, dated 1558, a letter from Aurangzeb, written in 1668, a farman of Alamgir II, a Persian edict of Dara Shikoh, and a beautifully-illuminated copy of the Koran, dating from 1658, with a miniature of it alongside. Sketches of ruins at Gour, Jaunpore and Rajmahal adorn the walls. From this gallery a door leads to the verandahs enclosing the inner court, where are arranged a large collection of sculptures from all over India. The Museum Office, the Refreshment Rooms and the lavatory are in the western corridor.

Returning to the vestibule, we turn left and enter the Geological Section, the first gallery of which is devoted to vertebrate fossils. There are over 60,000 specimens on view, and this number is being added to annually. Most or the specimens have been collected from that rich storehouse of Tertiary vertebrates, the Siwalik beds along the foothills of the Himalayas. The exhibits include full-length skeletons of the tortoise-like Clyptodon Typus, the egg-laying Di'nornis Elephantopus, and a gigantic Megatherium Cuvieri. Of no lesser interest is a remarkable cranium of Giganteum Mastodon and a magnificent head of Stegodon Ganesa, complete with 10-foot-long curving tusks. In the cases lining the walls are casts of Peking, Rhodesian, Heidelberg, Piltdown and modern man, also skeletal fragments of foreign Tertiary mammalia. In glass cases down the centre of the room may be seen fossil bones and teeth of Indian horses (Pleistocene Age), deer, giraffes, camels and the smaller carnivora. Of profound interest here is a case displaying the jaws of a Miocene ape, compared with those of prehistoric man and the orang-outang. On the right side of the room are wallcases containing bones of crocodiles, oxen, hippopotami, rhinoceroses, etc., of the Pliocene and Oligocene Miocene periods.

In the adjoining room are several cases illustrating aspects of physical and petrographical geology and volcanic igneous rocks. Here in a glass case on the left is a large piece of flexible sandstone, one of the wonders of nature; next are cases showing the passage of coal into coke, para leaves, infiltrations, ingots of aluminium, basalt, bauxite, white kaolin, quartz crystals, iron and the simulation of organic forms. Down the centre of the room in glass cases is a wide collection of aerolites, meteorites and chrondites, considered to be the largest in Asia and one of the most important in the world, on account of the number, variety, beauty and rarity of its specimens. On the right are dendritic markings of beautiful ferns on sandstones, and higher up, cases of Manganese and Metamorphic rocks; also a model of a barren volcanic island.

From this room we pass into the Minerals, Rocks and Economics Section. Here on the left are fine specimens of beryls, gold washing troughs, sticks, sieves, trays, Indian gold, reef gold, "wash dirt" and foreign gold; also exhibits of limestone, clay, slate, sandstone, quartzite, talc schist, copper, gneiss and gneissose granite. Prominently displayed is a remarkable tin splash and cubes of coloured rock salt. At the end of the gallery are fine examples of Indian paintings on mica, and a large crystal of potash alum, while on the right are specimens of white marble, ornamental stones from Madras, Rajputana, Bombay and Burma, a statue of Buddha, and a black marble vase inset with coloured marble flowers. Lower down is a very large slab of slate from Rewari, sample bags of coal from Raniganj, Jheria, and other Indian coalfields and a case of hornblende asbestos from Singbhum; while further on are shown asbestos yarn for packing steam pipes, etc., asbestos filtering cloth for chemicals, and a miniature model of a rig used in the Burma coalfields. In the centre of the gallery are cases of metals—amalgam, silver, lead, platinum, etc.

Passing out into the verandah, we inspect fossil tree trunks, blocks of limestone, marble, sandstone and slate, and turning left enter the Insect Gallery. Here on the left, are arranged species ofMyriapoda, Crustacea and Arachnida —crop pests, beetles, butterflies, scorpions, spiders, etc. In the corner of the room is a case showing a model of a bee and a cattle tick, while on the right are cases of a large variety of insects—coleoptera, orthoptera, lepidoptera and termites; also cases exhibiting—enlarged and dissected— the common fly, flea, silk worm, anopheles mosquito, etc. In the central glass cases are displayed fine specimens of nests of the White-Ant and the Common Hornet of Bengal, labelled to explain the mode of life of these insects.

From this room we ascend a flight of wide steps and enter the Ethnographical Section, containing exhibits illustrating the life and habits of the primitive tribes of India, and particular aspects of Indian life and culture. On the left are collections of daoes and head casts from the Khasia, Jaintia and Naga Hills, and, arranged at intervals, three large cases of life-size clay figures illustrative of the different races of India; there are also models of villages of Bengal and the United Provinces; cases of bangles from all parts of India and domestic utensils of .brass, stone, wood, clay, cane, etc. Down the centre is a glass case extending nearly the length of the room, displaying life-size clay figures ofGaros, Khasis, Mikirs, Manipuris, Nagas, Mishmis, Daflas, Abors, Nicobarese, Andamanese, etc., with implements and objects illustrative of their lives. On the right of this gallery are goldsmiths' and carpenters' tools, weaving apparatus, models of sugar and oil mills, and a scapegoat on which is placed all the sickness of a village. Further up are cases of necklaces, writing materials, toys, masks, mythological figures, Puja articles, a model of Kali Puja Bari, and another case of clay figures of the races of India, while directly overhead hang a number of dugouts.

In the next gallery are exhibited mats, palm leaf fans, string bags, grinding and winnowing machines, oil lamps, household articles, hookhas, personal ornaments, garments, and a case of valuable Indian musical instruments presented by Maharaja S. M. Tagore. In the central cases are fishing traps, nets, quaint musical instruments, arrows, spears, shields, guns, swords, armour and battleaxes ; and on the right, dugouts, catamarans, models of sailing boats, brass and iron cannons, shoes, agricultural implements, and utensils and garments from the Northern and Southern Shan States. Of particular interest are models of a Burning Ghat in Bengal and of a Parsee Tower of Silence, with explanations of their working.

Again we find our way to the Insect Gallery; emerging and crossing the verandah, we enter the Invertebrate Gallery. Here, on the right, are a series of cases illustrating the gradual development in complexity of animal forms, from the non-cellular Protozoa, through the Porifera and Coelenterata to the Mollusca. On the opposite side are cases displaying the anatomy and development of worms. Among the outstanding exhibits displayed in the centre of the room are fine examples of "Neptune's Cup" sponges, a case illustrating the amazing and beautiful variety of forms found among reef-forming corals, and cases exhibiting the three groups of Echinodermata. In bays on either side are exhibits showing Symbiosis and Parasitism, while photographs lining the walls illustrate the manner in which coral islands are formed and transformed.

Returning to the vestibule, we note in the second bay a colossal female statue from Besnagar and three large Yaksha statues from the ruins of ancient Bihar and Madura. Staircases on the left and right lead to the upper floor; the one on the left is adorned with a glass case of Japanese musical instruments, a gift from the late Emperor of Japan to Maharajah S. M. Tagore, that on the right with a bust of Rai Bahadur 0. M. Mitter, a former Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Museum ; also a brass plate in memory of Sir C. A. Elliot, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, 1891-95. Ascending by either staircase we gain the landing, in the centre of which is a fine white marble statue of Queen Victoria, presented by Mahtab Chand Bahadur and A.C. Mahtab, Maharajahs of Burdwan, to commemorate Queen Victoria's assumption of the title of Empress of India in 1877. Directly behind is the library of the Zoological Survey of India, (entrance by permission only).

The verandahs to the left and right of the landing are lined with statues of gods and goddesses. Proceeding by the one on the left, we pass a brass tablet to Dr. T. N. Annandale, Director, Zoological Survey of India, and turning right, reach the Invertebrate Fossil Gallery. At the entrance is a bust of Ferdinand Stoliczka, of the Geological Survey of India, by Geflowiski, and immediately behind a huge skeleton of Colossochelys Alias. This Gallery contains fossil plants and limestone fossils from deposits and strata of the Eocene, Upper Cretaceous, Middle Cretaceous, Upper Oolite, Pliocene, Oligocene and Miocene periods; of particular interest are specimens from Gondwara and Spiti, valuable for stratigraphical purposes. High up on the walls are reproductions of an ichthyosaurus with footprints, a mastodon, a dactylis gracilis and the protohippus—the five-toed ancestor of the horse—and other prehistoric mammals.

Turning to the left we see the largest dinosaur shoulder blade ever unearthed (found at Jubbulpore). The case to the left of this gigantic relic contains bones of crocodiles, reptiles, molluscs, etc., while on the right of the room is the skeleton of a Moose (Ireland).

The next room reached from the same verandah contains small animals, Monotremata, Marsupialia, Chiroptera, — bats, shrews, opossums, moles, duck-billed platypus, wolves and kangaroos; also specimens of Rodentia: rats, mice, rabbits, porcupines, etc. In the centre is a glass case with two divisions : in one, the right forelimb of a man is compared with those of an orang-outang, leopard, pig, rhinoceros, and horse; in the other, a skeleton of a tiger is compared with that of a dolphin : there is also a collection of mammals' teeth.

From this room we pass into the Industrial Section, the nucleus of which was the Bengal Economic Museum, established in 1872. The exhibits range as follows:- on the left—different woods, nuts, seeds, roots, edible fungi, beans, gourds and clay models of fruits, such as patol, pineapple, citrons and fruits used as vegetables. Next are medicinal products, lacquer work, oil from nuts and plants, gums, resins, and cross-sections of trees. Further down we pass dyes, fodder, tobacco, opium and more fruit and wood. In the centre of the room are exhibited paddy, rice, wheat, the cultivation and manufacture of arrowroot, the different pulses, fibres, jute, hemp, cloth, silk, match-making, indigo plantation, lac manufacture, etc. Passing into the two small rooms, at the end of the Gallery, we see specimens of mats, baskets, toilet requisites, ivory carvings, carved wood for printing sarees and cloth patterns, printing appliances, books, blocks of coloured salt, maize seeds, etc. The smallest and last room of this section contains tea and tea machinery, agricultural implements, and specimens of Indian and foreign woods.

Finding ourselves once more in the verandah, we enter the large Mammal Gallery. Here, on the left, are arranged mounted specimens of seals, walruses, leopards, tigers, lions, monkeys and a glass case containing human skeletons. In a case at the farthest end of the gallery, a skeleton of a man is compared with those of apes and a gorilla. On the right we see a collection of rhinoceroses, asses, deer, yak, boars and a new-born elephant. In the centre are elephant, rhinoceros, camel, horse and gayal skeletons, a dugong, a stuffed giraffe, a realistically mounted albino tiger, and a case of Cetacea (porpoises and dolphins), including the Gangetic fresh water porpoise, Platanista Qangetic. Overhead is a skeleton of the rare smaller Indian Fin-whale.

Emerging from this gallery and proceeding along the south corridor, we enter the Bird and Reptile Section, the left half of which is devoted to birds, and the right to amphibians and reptiles. In the bird section we inspect collections of tropical birds—tits, finches, hornbills, an illuminated case of cranes in their natural surroundings, cassowaries, ostriches, kiwi, ducks, swans, ibis, etc. Down the centre show-cases exhibiting specimens of beautiful

Darjeeling birds, courting birds, cranes, penguins, domesticated fowls, pigeons, an aquatic scene, the forelimb of a crocodile compared with the wings of an ostrich, and the wings of a flying bird compared with those of nonflying types. Turning to the Reptile and Amphibians division, we note specimens of vipers, kraits, cobras, pythons, and a tray of articles (bangles, rings, etc., weighing 15 Ibs. 14 oz.), found in the stomach of a crocodile. Next in order are arranged lizards, frogs, chameleons, newts and skeletons of turtles. In the centre are three very fine specimens of Indian crocodiles, two being gharials and one a true mugger, a leathery turtle ( Dermochelys Coriacea), and the only tailed amphibian extant (Tyiototritori): also cases of rays and sharks, including a very fine specimen of the largest Indian ray (Trygon Microps).

To the west of the Reptile Section is the Fish Gallery. Cases along the walls show primitive chordates, such as Balanoglossus, Sea-squirts, Amphioxus and Lambrys, also the different species of fish found in Indian waters—the porcupine, mosquito-destroying, deep sea, hill stream, aquarium and coral reef fishes. Special attention should be directed to the giant sea perch and the smallest known Indian fish—Ctenogobius Alcocki. The large central cases display skates, rays and swodr fishes, while the illuminated glass case near the door of the Art Gallery shows the goggle-eyed fish.

A doorway to the left of this room gives access to the Art Gallery, a regular feast of Oriental splendour. On the right photographs of the more important items are for sale. On both sides of the room and in the central show-cases are exhibited durries and fine carpets from Bokhara, Persia, and Tibet; beautiful shawls from Kashmir, Amritsar and Murshidabad; silver and gold worked sarees of varying hues and exquisite patterns; Tibetan coats; quilts from Sind, Benares and Cuttack ; gauze and muslin from Dacca, Madras, Bihar ; and an infinite variety of silk and cotton fabrics. The white muslin chapkan, finely embroidered in gold, worn by Emperor Aurangzeb and given to one of his attendants as a reward after victory, is also on view. In the southern half of this gallery are arranged large fragments of enamel-tile mosaic from Herat, a brilliant glass mosaic shrine from Rangoon, a finely carved wooden model of an ancient temple fromBurdwan and a brass model from Benares, a house-front from Kathiawar, a copper gilt figure of Padanpani from Tibet, old pieces of china of the Ming dynasty, and a large collection of carving, porcelainware and brass work of all ages and places. The central piece, a marvel of Burmese Art, is the massive and gorgeous gilded Hlutdaw or State Council Throne of Thibaw, King of Burma (1878-1885), presented by Lord Curzon. At the end of the Gallery in a separate room are exhibited the Nahar collection of tapestries, photographs, ivory carvings, drawings, china, metalware, and other objects of art and interest.

From the Art Gallery, twin marble staircases lead to the Picture Gallery on the third floor. Ascending by the one on the left, adorned with a varied and valuable collection of tapestries, ivory carvings, metal and china-ware, porcelain, clay figures and examples of Tibetan saddlery, we gain the Picture Gallery, where a rich profusion of paintings, representing the skill of various schools of Indian, Tibetan and Eastern art in general, are on view.

A feature of this Gallery is the large number of beautifully-executed Tibetan mythological and historical drawings and paintings.

Among such a galaxy of talent, it is difficult to single out individual exhibits: the following, however, may be •mentioned:

"Defeat and Death of Darius", " Jehangir and his Wife Hunting", " Travellers around a Camp-fire ", " A Nautch Party at the Court of Sultan Muhammed Taglak", "Old Woman Begging" and "Deer Hunting by Night".

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 105-114 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

THE BENGAL GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM

Admission :—Free.

Open daily from 12 noon to 8 p.m.

On Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8-30 p.m.

Entirely closed on Fridays.

This Museum, accommodated in a striking building, "The White House", at 21 Chittaranjan Avenue was organised under the able guidance and direction of Mr. S. C. Mitter, Director of Industries, and formally opened by the Hon'ble Mr. N.R. Sarker, Finance Minister, Bengal, on the 18th March 1939.

The primary aim of this Institution is to collect and exhibit specimens of the best products of the arts, crafts and industries of the country and of agricultural products used as raw material, thus providing a permanent centre where producers and consumers alike can turn for information, inspiration and guidance.

The Museum functions as a definite and vital link between production and marketing and bridges the gap that hitherto existed between the consumer and producer. It serves to bring to the former the knowledge of products made in the country, as also to enable the latter to know whether his products are competitive in price, quality and design, and how far these products could be improved on and made equally attractive, or if possible superior, to similar goods produced in other countries.

The exhibits are arranged on three floors. On the ground floor are machinery, steel furniture, leather and rubber goods : on the first floor, Cottage Industries and models of E. I. Railway carriages and of P. & 0. and B. I. sail and steam ships. In one case a P. & 0, 206-ton sailing ship of 1837 is compared with a 23,000-ton modern liner of 1937. On the second floor are displayed chemicals, perfumery and agricultural products.

To the Museum is attached a reference library, opened from 12 noon to 7 p.m. and an Enquiry Bureau which is entirely at the disposal of the public free of charge. The Enquiry Bureau provides reliable information, answers all correspondence and endeavours to put potential buyers in touch with manufacturers.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source page 114 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

THE CORPORATION COMMERCIAL MUSEUM

This is situated at the corner of College Street and Cornwallis Street. It has been started with the object of collecting and exhibiting specimens of industrial and agricultural products of India, Burma and Ceylon, for the purpose of making them better known to consumers. Catalogues and samples from overseas markets are also received and exhibited for the guidance of manufacturers.

The Museum, while acting as an intermediary between buyers and sellers, by putting them in touch with one another, performs the function of an intelligence bureau, furnishing information on all industrial and commercial subjects.

Lectures and demonstrations are frequently given on industry, commerce, other allied subjects, and sanitation. In the library attached to the museum, are collections of Indian and foreign publications on commerce and industry; also current newspapers, magazines, reports, year books, etc.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 140-141 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

VICTORIA MEMORIAL

Location :—At the southern end of the Maidan, with the main entrance on Queensway.

Admission to the Grounds : —Open daily from sunrise to sunset, throughout the year.

Admission to the Memorial :—Except on Mondays, when the Memorial is entirely closed, and on Tuesdays, when it is open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Victoria Memorial is open daily, including Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (March to October), and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (November to February).

Admission to the Memorial is free with the exception of galleries XII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII and XVIII, for which an entrance fee of annas four is levied.

On Fridays an entrance fee of annas eight is made which admits one to the whole building.

A charge of annas eight per head is levied for ascending to the Grand Dome and entering the Echo Chamber and Whispering Gallery.

Trams :—Kalighat, Kidderpore.

Buses: —Nos. 2, 2A, 3, 3A, 4, 4A, 5, 12, 12B.

The Victoria Memorial in Calcutta is incomparably the most magnificent monument erected to the memory of the great Sovereign whose name it bears. This enormous yet symmetrical pile of white marble, conceived by the genius of Lord Curzon, is regarded as one of the great buildings of the modern world and is unsurpassed as a repository for priceless collections of pictures, statues, historical documents and other objects of art and interest, illustrative of Indian History in general and the Victorian era in particular.

Designed by Sir William Emerson (architect), the foundation stone was laid on the 4th January 1906 by King George V, then Prince of Wales. The building, of Renaissance architecture with traces of Saracenic influence, was constructed by Messrs. Martin &. Co. Calcutta, under the supervision of Mr. V. J. Esch, C. V. O. (architect), at a cost of Rs. 76,00,000, subscribed by the Peoples and Princes of India, and was formally opened on the 28th December 1921, by H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VIII.

The dimensions of the Hall at the corner towers are 339 feet by 228 feet. The dome of the building, 182 feet above ground level, is surmounted by a figure of Victory 16 feet high, weighing 3 tons, revolving on a sphere 2 feet in diameter. The ornamental statuary groups over the entrance, and the figures surrounding the dome were designed and executed in Italy.

The treasures within the Memorial are worthy of their magnificent repository. The collection and arrangement of the material was entrusted to Sir William Foster, C.LE., and later the work of revision and completion was supervised by Sir Evan Cotton, C.I.E. At the express desire of Lord Curzon, the Trustees have prepared an illustrated catalogue of the exhibits, which is in itself a work of art and of historical value. This catalogue is on sale to the public and a copy should be in the hands of every visitor.

Arriving at the Memorial from Queensway, we pause at the Lion-guarded gate to inspect the striking bronze statue of Lord Curzon by Pomeroy. The great Proconsul stands bare-headed facing his Sovereign and the magnificent Memorial he was instrumental in raising to her Imperial memory. Surrounding his statue at the four corners, are groups of statuary representing Commerce, Famine Relief, Agriculture and Peace.

Proceeding up the drive, we come to the bronze statue of Queen Victoria by Sir George Frampton. Her Majesty is represented seated on a throne, wearing the Robes of the Order of the Star of India, on her head is a crown, in her right hand the Sceptre and in her left hand the Orb of State adorned with the figure of St. George. Surmounting the throne are bronze figures representing Art, Literature and Justice, while at the back in relief, side by side, are the Lion of Britain and 'the Tiger of India, and above them the Sun that never sets on the British Empire. The pedestal is of green marble, adorned in front with the Royal Coat of Arms encircled by palms of Victory. On the base of the pedestal are bronze bas-reliefs, depicting Indian State processions.

The spacious grounds around the building are well laid out with gorgeous flower beds, wide lawns, sequestered walks and gleaming stretches of water, while rustic benches beneath shady trees, provide inviting and restful retreats.

Proceeding, we reach the Memorial, awe-inspiring in its superb construction, sheer white beauty and sweeping grandeur: ascending the broad marble steps we pass into the Entrance Hall (I) where we note marble statues of King George V and Queen Mary; bronze busts of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra; a musical Grandfather Clock by Whitehurst of Derby; a wooden model of the Victoria Memorial; and the original design of the Victoria Memorial by Sir William Emerson. Passing through the Vestibule to the Royal Gallery (II), which contains photographs of former Governors-General and a bronze bust of
Florence Nightingale, we enter the Royal Gallery (III), on the south wall of which hangs a masterpiece by Vassili Verestchagin, depicting the State procession of the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII, at Jaipur in 1876. This exhibit, regarded as one of the finest works of art in India, was presented by the Maharaja of Jaipur. Of particular interest here are Queen Victoria's writing table and armchair, which she used daily at Windsor Castle; a pianoforte made to the order of William IV by S. and P. Erard in 1829, on which she learned to play; oil paintings of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort, their marriage, the christening and marriage of King Edward VII, Queen Victoria's Jubilee Services, and a portrait of Queen Alexandra.

In the Annexe to the Royal Gallery (IV) are a number of interesting exhibits, including Queen Victoria's last letter to India, dated 14th December 1900; King Edward VII's signed message, read at the Delhi Coronation Durbar; two exquisitely Indian embroidered dresses, one worn by Queen Alexandra at Courts in London and the other worn by Lady Curzon at the Centenary Fancy Dress Ball held in Government House, Calcutta, in January 1903 ; Queen Victoria's Proclamation Banner (1877); a gold embroidered footstool used by King George V. at the Delhi Coronation Durbar in 1911; photographs of Earl and Countess Canning ; lithographs of Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace, an engraving of Windsor Castle; paintings of Queen Victoria's Coronation; the laying of the foundation stone of the Victoria Memorial Hall; several engravings of Queen Victoria; a photograph of her Majesty with her Indian Attendant, and 60 engravings, on a screen, depicting the female aristocracy of her Court.

Returning to the Entrance Hall (I), we pass into the Vestibule to the Portrait Gallery (V), containing a number of engravings of Indian scenes, a coloured engraving of the Court of Fath Ali Shah of Persia and a marble bust of Charles James Fox. In the Portrait Gallery (VI) we have fine portraits of Lord Metcalfe, Lord Bentinck, Sir Robert Sherley (1581-1628), Dwarkanath Tagore, Field Marshal Gough, Dr. Alexander Duff, Bishop Heber, John Zephaniah Holwell, Major-General Sir David Ochterlony, Lord Clive, Major-General Stringer Lawrence, Admiral Charles Watson, Viscount Lake; marble statues of the Marquess of Wellesley, the Marquess of Hastings and the Marquess of Dalhousie; two large oil paintings representing the investiture of the Duke of Edinburgh with the insignia of G. C. S. I.; and the State Entry of Lord and Lady Curzon and the Duke and Duchess of Connaught into Delhi for the Coronation Durbar of 1903. In the show cases are displayed manuscripts of great interest to antiquarians, including Tipu Sultan's note book written by himself; an Ain-I-Akbari by Abdul Fazi, Prime Minister of the Emperor Akbar; poems of Nizami and Jamali; the first volume of the Calcutta Gazette dated Thursday, June 3rd, 1784; Akbarnamah in two volumes, bearing the imprimature of the author Abdul Fazi Allami; Sir William Jones* translation of the great Sanskrit drama Sacontala (The Fatal Ring) by Cali Das; an illustrated Anwar-I-Soheili, written in 1518 A. D., bearing Akbar's signature; Quhstan, written by Zarein Haqam; also aquatints and paintings on talc, of costumes of the Bengal, Madras and Indian armies.

The Annexe to the Portrait Gallery (VII) contains a number of paintings and engravings. Of special interest are those of Muhammad Ali, Nawab of Arcot, Tipu Sultan, Sir William Jones the famous Orientalist, founder and first President of the Asiatic Society of Bengal; David Hare, founder of the Hindu College; William Carey, D. D., founder of the Baptist Mission Society; Brigadier-General John Nicholson of Mutiny fame; Field-Marshal Sir Neville B. Chamberlain (1820-1902); Brigadier-General Sir Henry Lawrence; Field-Marshal Earl Roberts; Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, who relieved Lucknow during the Mutiny; Raja Ram Mohan Roy the great Hindu Reformer; and the Rev. J. Z. Kiernander, the first missionary of the Church of England in Bengal. In the centre of the room is a large show case, displaying a unique collection of ancient armour and weapons of the various States of India.

Finding ourselves once more in the Entrance Hall (I), we enter Queen's Hall (VIII). In the centre directly under the dome is a splendid and dignified statue of Queen Victoria by Sir Thomas Brock. On the walls of the Hall are marble panels inscribed with the Queen's Proclamations on the transference of India to the Crown in 1858, and on her assumption of the title of Empress of India in 1877. High up above the gallery which circles the Hall are 12 frescoes by Frank Salisbury, depicting the main incidents in the life of the great Queen. The bronze doors on the two sides of Queen's Hall, giving access to the Eastern and Western Quadrangles (IX and X), are fine specimens of intricate workmanship. In the centre of the Eastern Quadrangle is a marble statue of the Marquess of Cornwallis and, in the Western Quadrangle, one of Warren Hastings.

Staircases to the right and left of Queen's Hall lead to galleries XIX to XXXII, but it would be an advantage for visitors to explore the lower floor before going upstairs.

From Queen's Hall (VIII) we pass into Prince's Hall (XI), containing busts of Brigadier-General John Nicholson, Earl Canning, Lord Lawrence, Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, the Duke of Wellington, Major-General Claude Martin and the novelist William Makepeace Thackeray. The outstanding feature of this Hall is the fine marble statue of Lord Clive, a replica of the one outside the India Office in London. Two French guns, captured by Lord Clive at Plassey in 1757, are very appropriately placed here.

To the left of the Prince's Hall is the Durbar Hall (XII), with its handsome wrought-iron gates surmounted by the Royal Coat of Arms. Admission is by ticket (four annas), which covers entrance to this Hall as well as to the Galleries Nos. XIV, XV, XVI, XVII and XVIII. These galleries contain exhibits of historical and world-wide importance and interest and no one should miss visiting them. The Durbar Hall, one of the most striking galleries in the building, displays a wide variety of interesting objects, including a valuable collection of Indian stamps; water colour sketches by Miss Eden, sister of Lord Auckland; Queen Victoria's Journal in the Highlands, and The Early Years of the Prince Consort; an autographed letter from the Duke of Wellington; a Bengali letter from Nund Coomar; Warren Hastings' snuff box; a number of Oriental paintings on screens; engravings and aquatints of views of Calcutta; show cases of swords formerly belonging to Lord Roberts, Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali and others; uniforms worn by King Edward VII and Lord Curzon; silver trumpets used at the Coronation Durbar at Delhi, and the stone Throne or Musnad of the Nawabs Nazim of Bengal, hewn out of a single block, dating from 1641. It is said that the stone occasionally exhudes a rust coloured liquid due to the presence of iron ore.

Retracing our steps to Prince's Hall (XI), we enter the Vestibule to Daniell Room (XIV). In this vestibule are various uniforms worn by heralds and trumpeters at the Coronation Durbars of 1903 and 1911. The Daniell Room (XV) is adorned with a number of fine paintings of Indian scenes by Thomas Daniell, R. A., William Daniell, R.A., and John Zoffany, R.A., some of which have been exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. The chief among these are Lord Cornwallis receiving the son of Tipu Sultan, and Lord Clive receiving from Emperor Shah Alam the Grant to the East India Company of the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, both paintings by John Zoffany; The Embassy of Haidar Begg to Calcutta, by J. Zoffany; Lord Cornwallis receiving the Hostage Princes, by Mather Brown; The Imambara of Asaf-ud-Daula at Lucknow by W. Daniell; part of Mausoleum of Nawab Assuph Khan, by Thomas Daniell.

Queen Mary's Room (XVI), contains many portraits and views of absorbing interest, mostly presented by Her Majesty. There are paintings of Sir Saiyed Ahmed Khan by Poresh Nath Sen; Raja Sir Tanjore Madhava Rao by Raja Ravi Varma of Travancore; Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere by Malcolm Stewart; Major-General John Briggs by J. Smart; The Poet Rudyard Kipling by Sir Phillip Burne-Jones; Sir James Fitzjames Stephen by C. H. Thompson; Lord Macaulay by A. C. Dyer; Brigadier-General Sir Henry Lawrence by Miss M. Saunders; Rajandra Lal Mitra by Lai Fong; Major-General Sir Peter Lumsden by D. Ward; Sir Elijah Impey by Tilly Kettle; Nawab Asaf-ud'Dowlah by Ozias Humphry; Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Strachey by T. Blake Wirgman; The Old Fort and Holwell's Monument, Calcutta, by T. Daniell; John Zoffany, R.A., (1733-1810), by himself; The Daniells in India; The Jummah Musjid, Delhi; Sir Colin Campbell (first Baron Clyde); Lord Pigot of Patshull; Duke of Wellington; Major-General Sir David Ochterlony; Major-General Sir Robert Sale; also portraits of Governors-General of India from Warren Hastings down to Lord Curzon. An exhibit of great historical interest is the last page of a letter dated 7th July, 1686, bearing Job Charnock's signature.

Gallery (XVII), contains paintings of Tipu Sultan and his sons, Mahdaji Sindhia, a collection of arms and armour of various Indian States, flags of old time regiments, an Austrian machine gun, and other interesting exhibits. The exhibits in Gallery (XVIII) include engravings of the Preparation for Suttee, the Battle of Meeanee, and the Festival of the Mohurram, a painting of Keshub Chandra Sen, an aquatint of the Gate to Akbar's Mausoleum and show cases containing models of the old East Indiaman Allumghier and of the battlefield of Plassey (1757) in plaster of Paris, together with a cannon ball picked up on that field.

Back to Prince's Hall we pass out of the door to the southern vestibule. At the foot of the staircase to the right are two cannons, one an old Indian camel gun, the other bearing an inscription in Bengalee to the effect that it was cast by one Kisore Das Karmakar, blacksmith; the gun belonged to the Maharaja of Nadia, who played an important part in the Revolution of 1757. Ascending this staircase we enter the Vestibule leading to Hastings Room (XIX). Here are exhibited King Thebaw's Silver Carpet, a coloured oriental painting of the Dasara Procession of His Highness the Rao of Kutch, and a Panorama of Her Late Majesty Queen Victoria's Coronation Procession (about 80 feet long). Among the exhibits in Hastings Room (XX) are two busts of Hastings in glass cases, a number of portraits of Warren Hastings and Mrs. Hastings, Views of Daylesford House, Hastings' family home, his tomb in Daylesford churchyard, and an engraving of his trial; an ivory teapoy and chair, part of the famous suite of Warren Hastings; and a paper booklet containing Hastings' account of his duel with Philip Francis in 1780 ; several engravings of Tipu Sultan's last stand at Seringapatam, his death, the surrender of his sons and a model of the Fort of Seringapatam (No. 1376).

The Print Room (XXI) and the Calcutta Room (XXII) run parallel to Hastings Room (XX). In the former are mezzotint engravings of Sir William Peel, Lord Napier of Magdala, Viscount Gough, General John Jacob, several battle scenes; a portrait of Countess Mornington, the mother of the Duke of Wellington and the Marquess Wellesley; a lithograph of Sir Charles Napier and several paintings and portraits of Indian scenes.

The Calcutta Room (XXII) should be of particular interest to residents of this City. Some of the views represented are Old Court House Street, Calcutta in 1756, the River Hooghly, Calcutta from the Ochterlony Monument, Writers Buildings, Chowringhee, the Council House, Proclaiming the transfer of the administration to the Crown, Barrackpore, and a number of coloured lithographs of,Old Calcutta by Sir Charles D'Oyly. There are teakwood models of St. Anne's Church, Old Fort William and the South-East of Old Fort William showing East Gate Barracks and the Black Hole of Calcutta: the top of the last named can be removed to show interior details.

The Annexe to the Calcutta Room (XXIII) is on the right and offers many photographs, engravings and maps of Calcutta, showing the gradual growth of the city: this is illustrated by views entitled The Old Mission Church, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Old Court House Street, Corner of Maidan (now the Curzon Gardens), Site of Sans Souci Theatre (now St. Xavier's College), Clive Street and Dalhousie Square, Chowringhee, Riverside, Old Bengal Club, Old Fort William, United Service Club, Shipping on the Hooghly, Howrah Bridge, Old Post Office, the former Royal Exchange, Roman Catholic Cathedral and the original Black Hole Monument and its present replica.

Adjoining the Calcutta Room is the Bombay and Madras Room (XXIV), containing a wide display of views of both these cities and south India. These include a collection of engravings of costumes of the western side of India, the palace of the late Nawab of Arcot and Fort St. George. On the right is the Document Gallery (XXV) where a number of ancient and original documents, sanads, parchments and letters may be inspected. Of special interest among these are a sanad by the Emperor Aurangzeb conferring a title on the Raja of Bansberia, two warrants of the Herald's College for the arms of the City of Calcutta in 1896, several documents relating to Sir Colin Campbell's appointments, letters in Persian to and from the Raja of Pudukotai, a page from the baptismal register showing the entry of baptism of Job Charnock's daughters, accounts of Queen Victoria's Coronation and Marriage as published in the Sun, an old English newspaper, a poem in honour of King George V's Coronation, documents in the hand-writing of Zaibunessa, daughter of Shah Jahan, three holograph letters of Maharaja Nund Coomar, and the original jewel bond for the alleged forgery of which Nund Coomar was tried, convicted and hanged. In a show case are a large number of minutes, treaties, despatches, letters and a sketch of the career of Keshub Chandra Sen, written by himself and presented to Lord Curzon. In another case is a Tibetan manuscript on durable thick paper made from beaten grass.

Emerging from Gallery (XXV), we turn left and ascend a short staircase leading to the circular gallery of Queen's Hall just below the frescoes. The first door on the left leads to the North-West Balcony (XXVI), where are exhibited an engraving of the Mausoleum of Haider Ali and several fine views of Simla, Lucknow, and south India. A passage from Balcony (XXVI) leads to the North Porch Room (West) (XXVII), which contains steel engravings of the Himalayas; while a doorway on the left gives access to a gallery leading to the North Porch Room (East) (XXVIII), containing aquatints and engravings of Monghyr, Lucknow, Benares, Ceylon and Abyssinia. From here we turn left and pass into the North-East Balcony (XXIX), on the walls of which are hung tinted lithographs of the Mutiny of 1857. In the North-East Gallery (XXX) are displayed an assorted collection of views of Calcutta, Delhi, Seringapatam, Lucknow and South Africa, as well as mezzotints of the installations of the Nawabs of Bengal and the Carnatic. Worthy of special attention is the picture of Mr. T. H. Kavanagh, V. C., disguised in order to make his way out of Lucknow, to guide the relieving force led by Sir Colin Campbell. A passage at the end of this gallery leads the way over an open terrace to Room (XXXI), in which are displayed the Coronation Durbar scenes. At the farther end of this room a doorway gives access to the North-East Corner Tower Room (XXXII), lined with some very fine paintings of military officers by Fred Swynnerton, several views of Calcutta, and a photograph of the laying of the Foundation Stone of the Queen Memorial Hall. This is the last room in the building.

A staircase from these galleries brings us down to Queen's Hall (VIII); from where we make our way to the southern vestibule to inspect two old guns, one of which is marked 'H. H. Maxwell, 1865, Cossipore,' and both inscribed with the motto "Horn Soit Qui Mal y Pense DCCCLXV."

In the grounds on the south is a life-size marble statue of Lord Curzon by Pomeroy, in the robes of a Grand Master of the Order of the Star of India. Farther on, in the centre of the roadway leading to the southern gate, is a memorial marble arch surmounted by an equestrian statue of King Edward VII, and a few yards farther south is a naval gun, captured by the Turks at Kut and recaptured from them during the Great War, mounted on a carriage which was used in the Boer War (1899-1901).

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 33-43 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

THE MARBLE PALACE

Admission :—Free. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Trams :—Esplanade/Dalhousie-Baghbazar via Chitpore.

Esplanade/Dalhousie-Belgatchia via Chitpore.

Buses:—4, 4A, 13, 14.

The Marble Palace, situated at No. 50 Muktaram Babu Street in northern Calcutta, is reached by way of Upper Chitpore Road or Central Avenue, the latter being the more convenient route.

The entrance gate on the west is flanked on either side by tall graceful palm trees, that stand like nodding sentinels as if to screen the glory of the Palace from the squalid street without. Entering we pass, as though by the wave of some magic wand, into a veritable garden of fairyland.

The grounds are laid out with artistic merit and lavish profusion; marble figures of Venus, Sophocles, Hermes, Psyche, Demosthenes, Winter, Autumn, Messenger and others, dot the lawns in pleasing harmony and awaken slumbering memories of ancient Macedonia and the legendary gods and heroes of the Greece that was. In the centre is a murmuring fountain, throwing a cascad- ing column of water to an appreciable height, while on the right stands a life-size statue of the founder, Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur.

Rippling softly to the north-west of the Palace, is a wide ornamental lake, gleaming with hidden lights and the shimmer of many reflections. In the middle of the lake is a fountain adorned with statues of Greek mythological deities, while mermaids and tritons sport festively among the falling spray. To the north of the lake is the Thakurbari, the sacred abode of the goddess where, in surroundings befitting its calm repose and ethereal splendour, dwells the deity of the Mullick family.

At the southern end of the garden, in a cave, sits a white marble Sannyasi (Hermit) deep in devotion; nearby is a Greek goddess dreaming of Olympus, and across the way, a Boddhisattva (Devotee) wrapped in calm meditation.

The lawns to the west of the Palace are studded with statues and marble curios, too numerous for close detail; of particular interest, however, is an elaborately-carved marble fountain surmounted by a figure of Neptune, complete with trident and realistic squirming fishes.

The Palace is built within the four sides of an inner court, the front being supported by lofty colonnades enclosing a spacious verandah abounding with objects of art, the most imposing being a full-length statue of a Viking, looking uncannily life-like with a horned helmet and a double-headed battle-axe.

Passing through the verandah we gain the western room, displaying a wide variety of statuary, objects of interest, and emblematic figures representing Commerce, Agriculture, etc. In the adjacent room is a large statue of Queen Victoria in Coronation robes, with the British Lion and Unicorn at her feet.

The inner court contains a rare collection of monkeys, while peacocks, parrots and other birds of brilliant plumage add a touch of gorgeous colour, and throw into relief the walls of the Palace.

Flights of steps to the north and south lead to halls on the upper floors, artistically decorated with chandeliers, mirrors, marble statues and other objects of art. The roof is inset with gold, and the floor, paved with marble, is an exquisite blend of many colours.

On the walls hang innumerable paintings; of special interest is that of the "Marriage of St. Catherine", for which an offer of £ 15,000 has been refused, and "The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian", both by Rubens. Other fine paintings include, " The Battle of the Amazons", "Venus and Adonis", "The Last Supper", "The Descent from the' Cross", "Soldiers Review", "Venus Asleep", "Horse Fair", " Apollo flaying Marcyas", "Agrippa", "Cleopatra", and " Queen Victoria and her Consort Prince Albert".

The reception room is lavishly furnished; the walls are edged with marble fonts set with coloured globes, while Japanese and Chinese curios adorn the spacious balconies. The brilliance of the whole is indescribable, reminding one of the grandeur of the Mogul Courts or a page out of the Arabian Nights.

The Marble Palace is the property of the Mullick family, the well-known philanthropists, whose generosity in daily feeding the poor, numbering thousands, stretches back for three generations.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 181-183 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

THE TOWN HALL

The Town Hall, situated in Esplanade Row West and overlooking the Bengal Legislative Council House, is a two-storeyed structure in the Grecian style of architecture. Designed by Colonel John Garstin (Engineer), it was completed in 1813 at a cost of Rs. 7 ½ lakhs, met by public subscription and funds raised by lotteries. The southern entrance is by way of a wide flight of steps, leading to a spacious portico supported by lofty pillars. These steps are used on ceremonial occasions, and the recent proclamation of the accession of King George VI was read from here by the Sheriff of Calcutta. The rooms at both ends of the southern vestibule are used as Courts of the Municipal Magistrates.

The ordinary entrance to the building is from the north. Ascending a short flight of steps, we pass into the vestibule, which is adorned with the busts of Charles Beckett Greenlaw, John Palmer, son of Lieutenant-General Palmer, Peary Chand Mitra (1814-1883) and Ram Gopal Ghose (1814-1868).

At the entrance to the lower marble hall (162ft. by 65ft.) invariably used for recording votes during municipal elections, is a statue of Maharajah Ramanath Tagore Bahadur C. S. I (1801-1877), and at the western wing of the Hall the offices of the Calcutta Corporation Mosquito Control Department.

Staircases on either side lead to the upper floor ascending by the one on the right, we pass several busts and portraits of notabilities, including a full-length portrait of the Marchioness of Lansdowne.

In the mosaic-paved lobby, are the busts of Raja Binaya Krishna Deb Bahadur of Sobhabazar, Major-General W. Casemen, Raja Sir Radha Kanta Deb, the Hon'ble Prosunno Coomar Tagore, Sir P. Thomas Cautley and Sir H. J. Stedman Cotton; while on the walls hang portraits of Victor Alexander, the Rev. Bishop Wilson, D. D., Raja Sir Kanta Deb Bahadur, the Countess of Minto, Lord Elgin, Viceroy from 1894 to 1898, Nawab Bahadur Abdul Lateef and Raja Sir Manmatha Roy Choudhury of Santosh, President of the Bengal Legislative Council for several years.

The upper hall, with a teakwood floor and of the same dimension as the lower, is used for public functions.It is divided into aisles by a double row of colonnades which are linked together by fretted stonework. At each end is a platform, and a musicians' gallery. Among the many portraits that line the walls are those of the Rev.

Krishna Mohan Banerjee, Lieutenant-General Hewitt, Warren Hastings, Mannackji Rustomji (the first Indian Sheriff of Calcutta), Sir Henry Ricketts and Rai Kristo Das Pal Bahadur.

A full-length portrait of the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, C. I., by J. J. Shannon adorns the staircase on the left.

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source pages 80-81 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)

_Memories of 1940s Calcutta___________________

Dengue fever at the museum

[…] we were billeted in the museum. This was in the main street of Calcutta, called Charingie. While I was there, we were getting bitten so much by the bugs in the place that I got Dingy fever, so I had a couple of days in bed. It cleared up and we were able to carry on and go to the pictures, […]which were really nice out there, because they were all air-conditioned and it was so hot in Calcutta. I always remember that on one occasion we went to see 'Romeo and Juliet'. Obviously it wasn't our taste of a picture and we made ourselves a bit of a nuisance what with, 'Wherefore art thou, Romeo?' and all the rest of it. 'Ssh, ssh', people went, so we got up and walked out.

Kenneth Shaw Prout, Army, Calcutta, 1944

(source: A5526489 Memories of a Bombardier 1940 - 1946 (Part 4) at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)

(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with the original submitter/author)

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Culture

Introduction

Culture

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Government School of Art

John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40

(source page 32 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)

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Occasional glimpses of the local intelligentsia

Harold Acton, RAF airforce officer. Calcutta, early 1940s.

(source: page 116 Harold Acton: More memoirs of an Aesthete. London Methuen, 1970)

The genuine Indo-Anglian synthesis

Frank Moraes, Journalist for Times of India. Calcutta, early 1940s

(source: page 153 of Moraes, Frank. Witness to an era : India 1920 to the present day. London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1973)

The upheavals of the 1940s

Ritwik Ghatak. Calcutta, 1940s

(source: Recollections of Bengal and a Single Vision at http://216.152.71.145/filmmakers/ghatak/ghatak.html reproduced from the monograph Ritwik Ghatak prepared for the Festival of India in London, 1982)

Sri Aurobindo

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, December 6, 1950)

Drama

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bulletin No. 1, published by the Indian People's Theatre Association in Bombay July 1943

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Shakespeareana at The Garrison Theatre

Geoffrey Kendal, actor manager of the Shakespeareana traveling theatre group. Calcutta1947/48

(source: Geoffrey Kendal: The Shakespeare Wallah. London: Sidgick & Jackson, 1986 )

The young Uttam Kumar – A born actor

Tarun Kumar, actor. Calcutta, late 1940s

Books, Poetry & Literature

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Libraries and Reading Rooms

Stationery & Books:

Plea for a Poet (by Buddhadeva Bose)

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, March 27, 1949)

Sarojini Naidu

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, March 3, 1949)

Milestones

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, Jan. 1, 1945)

N.C.C. vs. M.C.C.

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, November 11, 1951)

Omelet BREAKFAST WITH THE NIKOLIDES—Rumer Godden

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, Feb. 16, 1942)

Romain Rolland

(source: The Statesman. Calcutta/Delhi, January 4,1945)

The Gita

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, Jul. 3, 1944)

Guilt-Edged Confusion

(source: TIME Magazine, New York, May. 16, 1949)

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I lost my government job in the Bihar secretariat by writing Daak Diye Jayee …

Nabendu Ghosh, writer, Calcutta, 1940s

(source: page XI of Nabendu Ghosh: Ashok Kumar. His Life and Times. New Delhi: Indus, 1995.)

Ashok Kumar & Sarat Chandra Chatterjee

Nabendu Ghosh, writer, Calcutta, 1940s

(source: pages 16-17 of Nabendu Ghosh: Ashok Kumar. His Life and Times. New Delhi: Indus, 1995.)

A Fairy Tale bed

Elizabeth James (nee Shah), AngloIndian schoolgirl. Ranchi, mid 1940s

(source: page 15-16 Elizabeth James: An Anglo Indian Tale: The Betrayal of Innocence. Delhi: Originals, 2004/ Reproduced by courtesy of Elizabeth James (nee Shah))

Indian Classical Music & Dance

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Uday Shankar

Malcolm Moncrieff Stuart, I.C.S. (Indian Civil Service) District Magistrate Howrah, Calcutta, 1940

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Upper Chitpur Road

Ravi Shankar, sitar player. Calcutta, 1942

(source: Ravi Shankar / George Harrison (ed.): “Raga Mala – An Autobiography”, New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999.)

A new Sitar from Kanai Lal

Ravi Shankar, sitar player. Calcutta, March 1944

(source: Ravi Shankar / George Harrison (ed.): “Raga Mala – An Autobiography”, New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999.)

Meeting Satyajit Ray

Ravi Shankar, sitar player. Calcutta, end 1944

(source: Ravi Shankar / George Harrison (ed.): “Raga Mala – An Autobiography”, New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999.)

Western Classical Music

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Music & Musical Instruments:

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