02 Oct.' 2015 : Hastings Chapel

Gandhi Jayanti of 2015 which obviously was a holiday was used for some chronicling. That day, the Swains decided to make it to a small and surely non-descript chapel i.e. the Hastings Chapel.

It finds mention in Calcutta: A cultural and Literary History by Krishna Dutta. As per this version, it was built in 1855. Today it is overshadowed by a flyover which is basically a feeder to the second Howrah bridge and is placed at the intersection of Strand and Clyde Road.

The entrance

That day, a meeting of YMCA and YWCA was on and hence the chapel was full of young people.

Unlike the voluminous constructions of other churches (which I have seen and been), this one seemed to be petty simple in construction. I came across a nice architectural term (probably) called pediment. It was there over 8 Doric columns. There is a distinct Cross on the pediment.

What surprised me was the frugal and simple hall. Unlike all the other old churches, this one did not have any teak or mahogany chairs. Since all churches of its vintage have old wooden chairs, I suspect that they would have been removed with time. As of now, it is filled with simple, movable blue steel chairs. The columns of the hall were very thin in contrast to the structure that it supported.

The interior of the chapel

The altar was a raised platform as frugal as the hall. There was a wooden pulpit with the words, “The word of the Lord endureth forever” inscribed on the same. To the right of the hall is an old piano.

An old piano and Sambhab besides it

The altar

The pulpit

There were exactly 4 tablets in the memory of people who were members and associated with the Church. They were of Rev. John Henry Parker (d 09 Sep 1858), Mary Sophia (d 11 Aug. 1870), James Edward Payn and Mrs Mullens (d 21 Nov 1861).

The 4 tablets

The chapel is now being run by the United Missionary Church.

Given the historical importance, I was expecting the lawn to be a more maintained one and the garden a more beautiful one.

The gateway to the chapel

As has always been, my accomplices

23-Aug 2015: Sarat Chandra's abode with the Boses...

It has happened only twice that someone else other than the Swains were doing chronicling. The first case was with Dr. Anindya Biswas while we were touring the Marble Palace. The second happened recently with the Boses (Mainak Bose Sir and his better-half) accompanying us to Deulti.

This is a town hardly 65 kms away from the city but it seemed quiet close because of the excellent roads. The gang of 5 went by Mainak Sir's car. The planned point of visit was the residence of the Bengali genius Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. His famous novels were Palli Samaj (1916), Choritrohin (1917), Devdas (1917), Nishkriti (1917), Srikanta, Griha Daha (1920), Sesh Prasna (1929) and Sesher Parichay (which was published posthumously, 1939).

The village is like a typical Indian village of Eastern India. Though I have not traversed much in rural Bengal but courtesy my travails in Odisha, I observed that it is all the same. There is a typical smell of fresh air with a tinge of stale water and cow-dung coming at times. While reaching the exact place, I could guess the reason why this bard was heavily skewed towards village, village related practices and village related plots.

A notice at the entrance

The house is located at a scenic location with the Roopnarayan river on one side and a medium sized pond in front of it. It is a two-storied building. During the heydays of the writer, the river was very close by; though now it is quiet far off from the house. The entrance has a large entrance gate with the notice of the building being a heritage one. Something was inscribed on the two pillars of the gate (because it was written in Bengali, I could not decipher much) whose photographs are there in the end of the article. A beautifully maintained garden full of different types of crotons, atleast 3 varieties of ixoras and series of deodhar trees welcomed us as we entered the house.

The house

A statue of the writer

On the ground floor, only one room to the left was accessible; it housed the chair and the table which Sarat Chandra used to pen many of the his novels. The caretaker mentioned that the writer used to sit and write looking the Roopnarayan flow by.

The study of the writer

The building is entirely made in Burmese architecture. The writer was heavily influenced by Burma because of his first job at Rangoon and his marriage too which happened there. A typical (also visible) design of this school of architecture is the spacious and airy corridors surrounding the living rooms.

Spacious corridors

The courtyard inside had a granary where probably grains used to be stored when inhabitants used to stay full-time; again a typical ingredient of rural Eastern India.

The granary in the courtyard

The rooms above contained the physical belongings and photographs of the family. Among the belongings, we see a Made in Japan clock, a charka gifted by Gandhiji, a cupboard, a hookah, a cupboard, some medicine boxes and a writing table. An idol of Krishnaji still gets Puja.

Belongings I

Belongings II

Belonging III

Belonging IV

Sarat Chandra's brother, Swami Vedananda, (a follower of Belur Math). His samadhi is also seen along with his in the backyard.

The samadhis

This building was declared Heritage or Historical Site as per the Clause 2 of the West Bengal Heritage Commission Act 2001 (Act IX of 2001) in 2009. Seems, the maintenance has been good because of this. 

The notice declaring the house as a Heritage site

But honestly speaking, I was expecting much more filled house, filled with his books, letters which the Bard would have exchanged and more photographs. But I am happy that whatever is there has been maintained well. The caretaker told that his father was a friend of Sarat Chandra. I was expecting more crowd. It being so near, I wish many more parents bring their wards to make them aware of this important Bengali and besides this the kids might get a taste of rural India absolutely different from the horn-conking streets and cramped concrete structures of Kolkata.

As has been my typicality, the last photographs shall be the that of my accomplices. Lest I forget, indebted I am for the car trip and the ride offered by Mainak Sir.

A four century old Krishna temple at Deulti

My accomplices for that day

Yukteswar Giri, Shyamacharan, the Dutch and the Missionaries of Serampore...25th Sep 2015

This was infact a second visit to Serampore. My main intention was visiting and discovering the original charter of the Royal Govt. of Denmark which accredited the present college with the status of University in 1827. In the previous trip, I could see the Danish Church which was being reconstructed mostly by the funds of Govt. of Denmark and could see the old Missionary Church. However, I could not lay hands on the William Carrey Museum as that was inside the Serampore College which was closed on a Sunday.
As planned, the day was a holiday; infact this was a second Saturday which was a holiday for every banker in India. We made the most of it by arriving at Serampore by a local train and then took a tuk-tuk (battery operated auto-rickshaw) to the college. I was asked to wait as the approval for entering the museum has to be necessarily be given by the Principal. I met Prof. (Dr.) Laltluangliana Khiangte who was more than eager to allow us. I had a little chat with him about my escapedes in Kolkata and I also discovered that he is a Padma Shree awardee.

Enjoying the lanes in a tuk-tuk

The museum was a secluded place within the campus of the college. While going through the same, I found the William Carrey residence. Having read little about the Trio, I was filled with awe while I passed through the same building. Afterall William Carey, Joshua Marshman and William Ward have such an important contribution to West Bengal's history and they set in motion many things which would later be considered too modern be it in the world of printing, Theology, translation and education. 

The entrance to the Carrey Museum

William Carey was a master of 35 languages; some of his writings by hand in many of these languages are present. Other items present are:

• A copy of the Pentateuch (five books of Moses) printed at Mission Press in 1822 is present.
• The New Testament, Bible and Gospel of Mattew
• Original emblem of the College
• Photograph of Members of Baptist Missionary Society founded in 1792
• Gift of the BMS in honour of William Carrey. He is awarded as Missionary in India and the translator of Bible.
• Linguistic map of India
• Photograph of Carrey with a Pandey
• Photograph of William Ward
• Photograph of Rev. John Mack
• Bengali Grammar by Nathaniel BrassseyHalhead
• Photograph of 9^th Principal Rev. Dr. G H C Angus (1929-1944)
• Photograph of HortusGramineusWoburnesis grasses and other plants (1816)
• Photograph of 10^th Principal Rev. Dr. C E Abraham (First Indian Principal) of 1949
• Convocation gown of Rev. Dr. William Stewart
• Some personal writings of Carrey
• Marriage agreement of William Ward
• Photograph of Baptist Missionary premises of Serampore (1819)
• Photograph of Rev. Dr. William Stewart (11^th Principal, 1959-1966)
• Draft copy of the Royal Charter; infact this was the one for which I was desperate (The eleven pages that follow are the Diploma or Charter of Serampore College granted by King Fredrick VI of Denmark on 23 Feb. 1827; these were the starting lines)
• Carrey’s medicine box
• Carrey’s clock (Royal Exchange, London 1086 was embossed on the same)
• Diagrammatic representation of Dr. Joshua Marshman’s family tree
• Bicentary stamp on William Carrey (1993)
• A rare photograph of the great-great-great-granddaughter of William Carrey with her daughter and grandchildren.
• Diagrammatic representation of William Carrey’s family tree.
• Dr. Carrey’s collection of shells and minerals
• Another clock of Brinkman, London
• Letter of Col. Ole Bie, the Governor of Serampore (1797)
• Letter of John Clark Marshman (1837)
• Family account book of the Serampore Missionaries (1799-1801); details out expenses.
• Riverside of Serampore in the Early Danish period presented by the Director Archives, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Appeal of the Serampore Missionaries to the King of Denmark for the Royal Charter (1826).
• 3 gold medals presented to Carrey, Marshman& Ward appreciating their philanthropic activities in 1820.
• Chairs of Marshman, Ward and Carrey.
• Scientific apparatus to introduce science education in India (1921)
• Steam engine model of 1821

 I was simply awestruck. But after that we made way to the graveyard where we have the burial tombs of these three gentlemen. It is also located in a secluded place; people of today may not get attracted to these personalities but nevertheless it is essential that once in a while we should all pause and revisit our own past to atleast acknowledge the deeds of few men who have shaped the present for us. What impressed us was the beauty that is there in teh secluded place. The three tombs are intact along with few of their family members. Each of the tomb has a story to tell; be it in the form of the handwriting, the architecture or for that matter the personality of the individuals which forced their known ones to place them in the fashion they lie today. Surprisingly, the same is maintained by the Serampore College.

William Carrey's grave

Marshman's grave

William Ward's grave

  

Serampore is the birthplace of a great soul of India i.e. Shri Yukteswar Giri. For the unitiated, he is a Kriya Yogi; a disciple of Sri Lahiri Mahasaya and the guru of Paramhansa Yogananda. Born Priya Nath Karar, he was born in the house just next to the present prayer site. The same is maintained by the Yogoda Satsang Society (YSS). The place is nicely maintained and we discovered that the present caretaker is also an Odia.

The birthplace of Yukteswar Giri

Inside the memorial

We came to know that still some relatives stay at the building next to this memorial. There was a distinct serentiny and fresh breath in teh air. I am sure the effect of flowers that were tastefully grown and maintained had its contribution in the freshness but yes, that alone could not be the only reason. As they say, the places touched by the great souls bring in a special aura.
Next in line was the place where his most famous disciple Paramhansa Yogananda lived while pursuing his BA (then it was called A.B.) at the Serampore College. The same building and the exact room in which he used to stay is very cleand and has been mainatined well. From the remoteness of the location and the number of enquires that we had to make to locate the same, I am sure the number of visitors would be very low. My doubts got cleared when I signed on the visitors register.

Inside the room of Paramhansa Yogananda

The Danish Church is under construction; it was not at all safe to enter. Belonging to the 17th century, this also has a history of its own. Interesting thing is that we have so much in store from the non-British part of history that it baffles one at times.

The St. Ola Church

At the end, we were shown the point (supposed to be the place) where it is believed that Babaji Mahasaya, the founder of Kriya Yoga had shown himself to Paramhansa Yogananda. We left Serampore but the memories shall remain etched for many years for sure. 

The majestic view of the college entrance; my accomplices

Burmese Buddhist Temple...

The only type of its kind i.e. Burmese Buddhist Temple is present in North Kolkata. What intrigued me was the fact that most of my Kolkata-born friends were not aware of it but it was mentioned in "The Glass Palace" by Amitav Ghosh. More than the size of the construction, I was drawn more to the exclusiveness.

The entrance to the prayer hall

It is located bang opposite the Central Metro station besides a large statue of Maharan Pratap. I do not remember coming across another statue / bust of Maharana Pratap; but that is another story. 

Maharana Pratap in all his glory

The main prayer hall is located on the second floor of a non-descript building. It may seem closed for a normal person but it is open everyday from morning to evening. The structure is locked but one can get access by contacting / requesting the vendor exactly at the entrance of the building. 

A far-away shot

The complete address

The left side wall

The main hall and the front view

Found an attractive artificial flower

Check out the uniqueness in the design

The entrance to the temple

An enlarged picture of the founder; his face is visible on the entrance pic also

U San Min founded the Burmese Buddhist temple in 1928. His photograph (an old one) adores the entrance. To the left (at the entrance itself) are the names of the previous priests.

Inside the sanctum

In the main hall is a large statue of seated Buddha. It is probably made of white marble.  A glass covering prevents perfect photography yet the caricature and design is appreciation-worthy. The throne on the head of the Enlightened One clearly indicates the Burmese design. The adornings over the statue and the around clearly brings in the Burmese element. There is a large map of Burma with its various states on the right wall. It also carries a picture of high-government official from Burma discussing some things with the Chief Priest. 24 Paccayas are also explained in great details on the right wall. 

The left wall (previous priests), the main Buddha is also partially visible

The left wall has clear an legible photographs of the previous priests. 

The previous priests

The Chief Priest Ashin Thareinda informs  that earlier many Burmese students used to come and stay out there in the house but nowadays, the house is used for temporary stay by Burmese who reach Kolkata for onward journey to other Buddhist places in India.

The Right hand side wall  of the main room

As has been my style, please find attached the last picture with my accomplice; the junior one was not clicked. To be honest, I took so many pictures of the small room that I had no guts to spend any more time on any new topic.

My accomplice