KOLKATA (Part 3) Victorian Rhapsody...

This has has got to be the craziest thing I ever did!! It was smack bang in the middle of a working week… I had completed all my pending work and was thinking of what to do next… Lo & behold… the ‘bug’ bit me again…The one, which made my hands itch, to feel my camera…It took me 5 mins to decide on my destination…I made an excuse… grabbed my bag and practically ran out of office…The time shown by my golden ‘Kenneth Cole Reaction’ was 4:30pm…The sun was still high up in the horizon… so I knew it was the perfect time to get some beautiful shots… My only bone of contention was the slow moving traffic… Nonetheless, I managed to hail a cab and reach Victoria Memorial pretty fast…YES!!!! That was my destination…

Being a localite, it’s really difficult to feel euphoric about this… and at that time, I wondered if I was making a drastic mistake …simply wasting my time and energy there…

As the cab neared my destination… I kept my eyes open for photo opportunities… On one side lay the wide open green fields of the ‘Maidan’ lined with trees at the periphery… and on the other side lay the tranquil lake of the Victoria Memorial... The cab dropped me off, in front of the gate.. I got really confused to see so many policemen… I wondered if this was their regular beat… I went and asked one of them if they allowed camera inside… to be sure just in case… since I was alone, I really didn’t want to be harassed… "Shudhu Gardeney…" came the gruff reply…
As I turned, a sudden, furry activity caught my eye…I saw a golden-brown monkey, pulling at the sari of a passers-by asking for money, as directed by his owner...

The 'Madari' saw my interest in the animals and directed his pets..."Didi ko salaam karo..." this actioned a quick salute from the monkey ... as I clicked a couple of photos, another directive followed..."Unse paisa maango..." the little thing came to ask for money... awwwwwww.. .My heart just went out for him.. I handed him a Rs.10/- note... he took it and clambered over to the 'Madari' to hand over the note... I really felt sorry for the whole lot.. wondered how much money they earned in a day... A very popular entertainment at one point in time... especially when we were kids and life was simple... we used to run to the streets as soon as we heard the resonating noise of the 'Dugdugi', so that we could catch a glimpse of the 'Bandor Khela'...
Now however the senario is drastically different... Children are more glued to the 'idiot box'... or if their fathers are rich enough to afford it... Nintendo & X-box... (ok,ok.. so my brother also had a nintendo... which he took to his school one day without telling Ma... ah hah... all hell broke loose that day...LOL!!!) the small, simple childish excitements have totally gone missing... (SIGH!!!)...Que sera sera...

As I made my way towards the gate, the security guard in 'Khaki' asked expectantly..."Ticket?" ... I was taken aback...Tickets??? to enter Victoria Memorial??? Since when?... Damn... when was the last time I visited the place... Couldnt really recollect...

"Ticket counter kotahy?" I asked him... He pointed towards the 'Grilled Tin Box' which I had missed on arrival... because of the tourist bus standing in front of it...

I rushed towars the counter... groping inside the handbag for my wallet... Ticket charges: Rs.4/- only... Ooooopsssssss... I had absolutely no change on me... I scanned the counter for the words "please tender exact amount"... & thankfully,found the sign,missing... but still... I knew how rude people could be... as my turn came... I settled my face into a very desperate expression...(atleast I thought I did....) "Dada, amar kachey ekdom change nai... shob taxi te diye dilaam... 100/- note aachey change ditey paarben??" I asked in a pleading voice while handing him a Rs.100/- note!!!... heyyyyyyy... it worked..."Din... amara to aapnader jonneyi boshe aachi..." said the bispectacled man... he handed me the ticket & the change to the last paisa... "Dhonobaad dada!!" ...gave him an angelic smile...before walking away...

As I neared the gate, I saw the regal, white, marble lions...who sat guard to this monument ever since its creation... His stately posture, aptly depicting the royalty... His muscular body depicting... might... His twitching tail...glorious mane... peircing cat-eyes... flaring nostrils & his mouth open in a deep-throated growl... sends out a warning... while his sheathed claws shows restrain...

The play of light and shadow enhanced the character of the lion....The underlying sense of danger contrasts with the serenity in the surrounding fonds of palm moving gently in the breeze...

I gave the ticket to the 'Khaki' clad guard... he gave me the counter-foil & waved me in...

I was hit by a 'tsunamic' wave of nostalgia, as my feet crunched on the pebbles... 'Victoria' (as this place is fondly addressed by the Kolkatans)... had been a very common place for family outings when we were younger...photo sessions.. picnics... or just an evening out... we kids used to love throwing the pebbles into the lake & watch it make concentric ripples...or our uncles showing us how to make 'leaping frogs' on the water surface...while we clapped our hands in glee... Ma and aunts carried pebbles back home to make paper weight or some floral decorations... The quantity of pebbles have reduced over the years... probably due to the fact that all families behaved the same way as ours... (sniff...sniff...)
As I walked in further... I climbed on to the pavement like walkway... as walking on the pebbles with my 4 inch platforms proved to be a BIT difficult for me...!!! The green acres lay open in front of me...People lazing about... Friends sat huddled together, chatting...planning & sharing secrets... Families bonding under the clear blue sky... Lovers cuddled under trees... whispering sweet nothings into eachother's ears... in other words a typical evening scenerio at 'Victoria'...

I reached the bronze statue of Queen Victoria, Seated on her Royal throne... wearing the robes of the Star of India... One of the most powerful Queens, reigning over one of the largest empires in history... looking at her, I was reminded of the saying...'Hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world...' The statue is by Sir George Frampton...The casting has been done very intricately... with life-like folds on HRH's clothes ...(hmmm...the crow shit on the back of her throne should be ignored & treated as a design...!!!)

The elegantly designed bridge by Vincent J. Esch, has two beautifully detailed, narrative, bronze, mural panels on either sides of the bridge executed by Sir Goscombe John…

Foreign visitors like this couple from England are common here… as they come to find a piece of their ‘illustrious’ history...

The rays of the setting sun casts a golden hue on this beautiful piece of architecture.... Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy, insisted on the usage of white marble… and the stone was brought from the same quarries in Makrana, Rajasthan, that supplied the exquisite white marble for the Taj Mahal. The similarity also carried on in the architectural form…where the Indo-Islamic… Mughal influence is very much visible… the great white marble dome, clustered with four subsidiary, octagonal domed ‘chattris’, the high portals, the terrace, and the ‘minars’. …

The building is a very diluted and anglicized version of ...The Magnificent TAJ MAHAL... (very small extent.. nothing can match the grandeur of the Taj) but this, nonetheless… is picture perfect...
The glassy surface of the tranquil lake reflects the surrounding greenery… as the sun sets on another day… I could here the cacophony of the birds fighting for their perch… the humming of the bees & the chirping of the crickets…
Children sat playing at the ledge of the lake…(like we used to do decades back… those were the days…), while their families, relaxed somewhere on the sprawling, lush, green lawns… I remember coming here with my family... chasing dragonflies with my brother...

The north view of the arch and the dome at the center, housing the museum… containing various memorabilia from the life of HRH Queen Victoria… as well as a lot of other things… (I have been living here all my life and yet… have visited the museum only ONCE!!)

There were too many people walking on the pavement so I ran, precariously tottering on my high heels towards the west side of the garden which had some beautiful trees… The wide branched canopies of the green trees provide a lot of shade & protection from the blazing sun… making it a favourite rest spot for all visitors…

The feathery foliage of this ‘Gulmohar’ tree shows a brilliant canvas of the ‘pee-ka-booing’ marble building in the setting rays of the sun… I backed into the lawns… wishing that I had time to feel the soft, grassy, bristles of the well-manicured lawns under my feet… (HUGE SIGH!!!)

As I peered at the scene through the LCD screen of my camera… the view of the glowing northwest corner of the building caught my attention… seemed like the rapidly falling dusk wanted to cast a golden spell on the building…

A sudden glance at the lake, took my breath away… I was caught in the sheer enthralling beauty of the picturesque scene…. the rays of the setting sun created a golden ‘tilak’ like reflection on the lake… I couldn’t help but capture the moment… the perfection of the view reminded me of a few lines from Lord Byron’s poetry…

‘One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace…’ (She walks in Beauty)

‘And all that’s best of dark and light’ (also taken fm She walks in Beauty…) Is perhaps profoundly apt description for these silhouettes… (in my opinion, of course)

The wonderfully sweet bond between a mother and her child can be glimpsed by this carefree hide n seek play around the tree...with the mother saying "tooki... tooki..." and the child gleefully chasing her...

I looked at this tree and thought that it has got a lot of character in it... almost as if , it has gone through a lot of pain to grow this big...

Sorry for intruding folks ...(not that they seemed bothered..) but Victoria would not be complete without you...!!! I was happy to see that simply being together still appealed to today's youngsters.. holding hands... sitting cocooned...lying entwined... under the leafy relief... as I tried to take pictures unobtrusively, so as not to barge in, on the couples' private moments... I heard the noise of hurrying feet from behind... then a girl's voice urging her boyfriend..."Taratari cholo... oi dekho kahli ek ta gaach khali aachey..." (I could feel myself grinning in delight...) I mean... these lovers actually vied for the space under the trees???... I must have lead a really sheltered life.. never to have experienced something like this before... I absolutely had no inkling of this scenario...!!!

The line-up of blooming 'Zinias' added a dash of colour to the lush green landscape... among all the flowers.... I found these two flowers... The Red one...must have been beautiful, full of life and vibrancy... but it is nearing the end of its natural cycle... however it still preserves its colour... its message to us... 'Be confident and never give up... just enjoy life...'

The Pinkish -magenta flower... is in full bloom...sharing its incandesent with anyone who bothers to stop & look... its message to us...' Share your good times with everyone... spread happiness and cheer...'The west view of the building... The marble dome with the Angel of Victory... she was crafted in Italy...and holds a bugle in her hand… dont underestimate the 'Angel'... its weighs 3 tonns and is 16ft high... it was meant to spin and act like a weather-cock ... it has since a long time stopped spinning... and all the attempts of revival has failed... almost as if the ever increasing pollution has made it stop breathing... Today...the angel stands, silently atop the dome, glancing in the southward direct ion... probably waiting for a saviour...

One of the Minars... A very typical of Indo-Islamic architechture, with its domes and arches... however the feel is European....

The lover's lane... the seats all taken by engrossed couples...I wonder, how they can, so fearlessly exhibit private emotions in public... (to the extent of smooching & fondling in broad daylight..!!!) maybe...just maybe they dont know any better...

Friends sit in a circular huddle... discussing...the politics....cricket...filmstars... This was one thing I never did while we were in college.... My friends and I have spent alot of time at Nandan... but Victoria was a strong NO-NO!!

Two For Joy....!!!(need I say more???) call me superstitious... but I strongly belive in this...the 'mynahs', I am sure are quite unaware of their own importance...

The South view of the building... Looks so royal..

The marble statue of Lord George Nathaniel Curzon, Governor General and Viceroy of India (1899-1905), by F.W. Pomeroy, stands in from of the southern arch…He was best known for his controversial ‘Partition of Bengal’ policy…

The central shrubbery & lush green lawn, leading to the arch


King Edward VII memorial arch with a bronze equestrian statue of the King by Sir Bertram Mackennal surmounting it…


The green benches have been a part of this garden ever since the Prince of Wales inaugurated the gardens in the year 1921…

The senior citizen of the city relax after a brisk walk at the gardens…

Two ladies take a breather on one of the horizonally growing trees, after their evening walk...

South-eastern view of the Museum.. with beautifully maintained lawns...

The Victoria Memorial as seen from the South & north-eastern sides of the garden.... with its perfectly shaped trees... and rippling water body...

This little boy... scribbling on the floor with a twig.. reminded me of my brother, when he was that age... adventurous...dilligent... the fading light didnt matter to him... the same way, it didnt matter to him that I was taking his photo....




The beautiful bunch violet flowers...breaking the green monotany......



The Vibrant Red flowers atop the Gulmohar tree,

seems to set the tree aflame... nature's colours are beyond compare....






Crows nest high a top a tree… Its just wonderful, the way they hunt for a secure place to lay their eggs and take care of their hatchlings...



The Loud Pink of the Bougenvillia stands out against the dark foliage....

The Red Rangans... contrast with their green leaves..

The light brown trunk of the Gulmohar tree makes a nice picture... I wish I could paint this picture...

The hanging yellow flowers, frm the whispy branches creates a striking effect...



Few of my many four legged friend… they came running at me, baring their teeth... probably thinking that I was invading their territory... however on noticing the fact that I was really not scared of them and neither was I attacking them... they came to me with grinning faces.. lolling tongues & wagging tails... and followed me around as if showing me the grounds... I think they could smell the fact that I had a dog at home...




This one here looked like a fox, with his erect ears

Felled trees...these old trees were chopped down??? or maybe uprooted during one of the thunderstorms.... The woods from these trees are used to replace the rotting wooden structures orf the compound....



The wheels of an old pump... this was used to fill tanks of the firebrigade as andwhen required...







The statue of Sir Rajendranath Mookerjee, the pioneer industrialist of Bengal…(R.N. Mukherjee Rd… rings a bell… doesn't it?)
The statue of James Outram (Sculpture by John Henry Foley)



Few of the landmark buildings of Kolkata as seen from the Victoria... The Busy,Vidyasagar Setu....

The Corporate hub,TATA Centre....

The Beautiful, serene St. Paul's Cathedral.....

The North gate... with the two lions and people milling about...

The central palm trees.... fluttering in the breeze.. it has a secluded cove like effect

One of the Lamps at the gate.... it has a the age old English Street lamp design

A close up of the Lion Figure... with is minutest details... a
masterpiece..... (my B&W edit, has given it a retro effect

As the evening sets in... the lamps start glowing in the dark... like a beacon...

I felt happy ... satisfied & euphoric as I walked out of the beautifully casted Iron gates...

I saw this exquisite Silver, horse drawn carriage with its clear engravings... waiting for customers... just outside the gate....

I crossed over to the maidan... by that time dusk had settled heavily on the open green landscape...I could only make out various dark silhouettes


I saw young boys sitting astride their horses & mares... chatting together....waiting for their customers... as their patient mounts stood swishing their tails...

A youngster waits for his little customers.. to give them a spin on the merry go round... (I used to love this...)



The Eden Gardens stadium lights glow at a distance... as seen from Maidan..

A Puchka wala.. displaying his wares... getting ready for the evening sale....

A mother and her newly born suckling baby... (I touched it....the fur was sooooo soft... unspoilt by the dirt & pollution..)

The mother all ready for work....I watched helplessly... as her owner pulled her away from the suckling infant... it was time for her to join the other mares/ horses to earn her keep.... her baby kept following her everywhere... its so sad...

A Baby Mule... this was a first.. have never seen a small one before... one of the guys said that it was just 2 mths old.... looks quite helpless doesnt it?

A pony... was tied to this iron mess...the poor thing was constantly trying to cut loose by rubbing the rope agains the wires... its lactitating mother was somewhere around, earning her daily morsel, by giving joy-rides to people...

A parting Shot of the glowing Victoria Memorial... quite a captivating sight.... as I ended my rendevous with the beauty... It was 6:30pm by my watch... I was going back with my camera fully loaded with poignant moments....I had a sweaty but satisfying experience (wink...wink) No.. but seriously...I really didnt mind the sweat... I enjoyed every moment...