My Visit to Comradeland – My Kolkata Article Published in Scroll

In June 2011, I was invited to write an article about Kolkata for Scroll Articles, an online magazine. The article was titled “My Visit to Comradeland.”

The title reflected the political image commonly associated with West Bengal at the time. But the article itself was not about politics. It was about my first encounter with Kolkata and the many contrasts that make the city difficult to describe in a single line.

Before travelling there, much of what I had heard about Kolkata was unflattering. The visit changed that impression.

I found a city of crowded lanes and spacious grounds, colonial buildings and living places of worship, old forms of transport and modern neighbourhoods. Kolkata did not try to appear polished at every corner. Yet it had character, memory and a cultural depth that became clearer with every place I visited.

Beginning with the Maidan

My exploration began with the Maidan.

At first, I wondered how a vast open ground could be treated as a tourist attraction. Only after reaching the place did I understand its importance. Surrounded by major landmarks and historic buildings, the Maidan provides an enormous green breathing space within the crowded city.

Nearby stood the Victoria Memorial, whose marble exterior, landscaped grounds, statues and colonial grandeur made a strong first impression.

Churches, Museums and Monuments

The visit also took me to St. John’s Church, a peaceful historic church associated with several important chapters of Kolkata’s colonial past.

At the Indian Museum, the collections ranged from natural history and archaeology to art and Egyptian antiquities. The mummy was among the exhibits that remained in my memory long after the visit.

The Shaheed Minar, though prominently located, appeared to receive far less attention than it deserved.

Inside the Marble Palace

The Marble Palace was among the most unusual places I visited in Kolkata.

Its rooms were filled with paintings, mirrors, chandeliers, clocks, sculptures and objects collected from different parts of the world. The experience was fascinating, though the restrictions on access and photography made the visit quite different from walking through a conventional museum.

The Sacred Side of Kolkata

Kolkata’s religious character revealed itself through very different places.

The Kalighat Temple was crowded and intense. Belur Math, on the other hand, was calm and spacious, with the Ganga adding to its peaceful atmosphere.

Across the river, the Dakshineswar Kali Temple offered yet another experience. Its temples, riverfront setting and association with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa gave the place a distinctive identity.

These sites showed me that Kolkata could be chaotic in one place and deeply meditative in another.

Reading the Original Article

“My Visit to Comradeland” was written soon after that first journey. It preserves my impressions of Kolkata as I encountered it in 2011 — direct, personal and occasionally humorous.

The article covers the Maidan, Victoria Memorial, St. John’s Church, Indian Museum, Shaheed Minar, Marble Palace, Kalighat, Belur Math and Dakshineswar.

Read the complete article, “My Visit to Comradeland,” in Scroll Articles.

This publication remains a memorable milestone in the journey of Indian Columbus.

Happy travelling.