Chowringhee (also Chourangi) is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Chowringhee Road (officially Jawaharlal Nehru Road) runs on its western side. A neighbourhood steeped in history, it is a business district,[1] as well as a shopper's destination and entertainment-hotel centre. The area lies exactly at the centre of the city.
The name 'Chowringhee' has defied etymologists. There is, however, the legend of a Nath yogi, Chouranginath, who discovered an image of the goddess Kali's face and built the first Kalighat temple.[2]
Historyedit
The villageedit
Chowringhee in 1798
In the seventeenth century or prior to it, the area now occupied by the Maidan and Esplanade was a tiger-infested jungle. At the eastern end of it was an old road, which had once been built by the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family from Barisha to Halisahar. In that region were three small hamlets – Chowringhee, Birjee and Colimba.[3]
Urbanisationedit
The strengthening of British power, subsequent to their victory in the Battle of Plassey was followed by the construction of the new Fort William, in 1758. The European inhabitants of Kalikata gradually forsook the narrow limits of the old palisades and moved to around the Maidan.[4]
The neighbourhoodedit
Chowringhee looking south, 1905
Camac Street (renamed Abanindranath Tagore Sarani) running from Park Street to Circular Road was named after William Camac, a senior merchant in the days of Cornwallis and Wellesley. Wood Street was named after Henry Wood. Free School Street (renamed Mirza Ghalib Street), named after a Free School established there in 1786, was a bamboo jungle in 1780.[5]
Indian independence saw a rush to rename streets. The process has slowed as few streets are left to be renamed. Chowringhee Road was renamed after Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Park Street was renamed after Mother Teresa. Theatre Road was renamed after William Shakespeare. Harrington Street was renamed after the leader of the Vietnam independence movement, Ho Chi Minh. Camac Street has been renamed after the great artist Abanindranath Tagore. Russel Street was renamed after industrialist Anandi Lal Poddar. Free School Street was renamed after the Urdu/Persian poet Mirza Ghalib. Kyd Street was renamed Dr. Md. Ishaque Road. Lindsay Street was renamed after Nellie Sengupta.
Geographyedit
Park Street Flyover was inaugurated on 19 February 2005. The 1.3-kilometre (0.81 mi) long flyover above Chowringhee Road helps in reduce the traffic jam between Lindsay Street and Middleton Street.[6]
Creative inspirationedit
In 1981, Aparna Sen wrote and directed a film, 36 Chowringhee Lane, about an aged Anglo-Indian school teacher who lives a lonely life in a single-room flat in the neighbourhood.[7]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chowringhee.
^"Tax lawyer is CPM candidate for Chowringhee seat". The Hindu Business Line, 18 February 2006. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
^Nair, P. Thankappan in The Growth and Development of Old Calcutta, in Calcutta, the Living City, Vol. I, edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri, pp. 14–15, Oxford University Press, ISBN978-0-19-563696-3.
^Cotton, H.E.A., Calcutta Old and New, 1909–1980, p. 19, General Printers and Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
^"36 Chowringhee Lane (1981)". imdb.com. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
January 01, 1970
chowringhee, other, uses, disambiguation, also, chourangi, neighbourhood, central, kolkata, kolkata, district, indian, state, west, bengal, road, officially, jawaharlal, nehru, road, runs, western, side, neighbourhood, steeped, history, business, district, wel. For other uses see Chowringhee disambiguation Chowringhee also Chourangi is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal Chowringhee Road officially Jawaharlal Nehru Road runs on its western side A neighbourhood steeped in history it is a business district 1 as well as a shopper s destination and entertainment hotel centre The area lies exactly at the centre of the city ChowringheeNeighbourhood in Kolkata Calcutta Metropolitan Building near ChowringheeLocation of Chowringhee in KolkataCoordinates 23 48 N 88 15 E 23 8 N 88 25 E 23 8 88 25Country IndiaStateWest BengalCityKolkataDistrictKolkataKMC wards46 63Metro StationEsplanade Park Street Maidan and Rabindra SadanKolkata Suburban RailwayEden Gardens Sealdah Park CircusElevation36 ft 11 m Population 2001 Total159 917Time zoneUTC 5 30 IST PIN700013 700016 700071 700087Area code 91 33Lok Sabha constituencyKolkata Uttar and Kolkata DakshinVidhan Sabha constituencyChowranghee and Bhabanipur Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 The village 2 2 Urbanisation 2 3 The neighbourhood 2 4 New names 3 Geography 4 Creative inspiration 5 Gallery 6 External links 7 ReferencesEtymology editThe name Chowringhee has defied etymologists There is however the legend of a Nath yogi Chouranginath who discovered an image of the goddess Kali s face and built the first Kalighat temple 2 History editThe village edit nbsp Chowringhee in 1798 In the seventeenth century or prior to it the area now occupied by the Maidan and Esplanade was a tiger infested jungle At the eastern end of it was an old road which had once been built by the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family from Barisha to Halisahar In that region were three small hamlets Chowringhee Birjee and Colimba 3 Urbanisation edit The strengthening of British power subsequent to their victory in the Battle of Plassey was followed by the construction of the new Fort William in 1758 The European inhabitants of Kalikata gradually forsook the narrow limits of the old palisades and moved to around the Maidan 4 The neighbourhood edit nbsp Chowringhee looking south 1905 Camac Street renamed Abanindranath Tagore Sarani running from Park Street to Circular Road was named after William Camac a senior merchant in the days of Cornwallis and Wellesley Wood Street was named after Henry Wood Free School Street renamed Mirza Ghalib Street named after a Free School established there in 1786 was a bamboo jungle in 1780 5 New names edit nbsp Tata Centre on Chowringhee Road The main stretch of Chowringhee Indian independence saw a rush to rename streets The process has slowed as few streets are left to be renamed Chowringhee Road was renamed after Jawaharlal Nehru the first Prime Minister of India Park Street was renamed after Mother Teresa Theatre Road was renamed after William Shakespeare Harrington Street was renamed after the leader of the Vietnam independence movement Ho Chi Minh Camac Street has been renamed after the great artist Abanindranath Tagore Russel Street was renamed after industrialist Anandi Lal Poddar Free School Street was renamed after the Urdu Persian poet Mirza Ghalib Kyd Street was renamed Dr Md Ishaque Road Lindsay Street was renamed after Nellie Sengupta Geography editPark Street Flyover was inaugurated on 19 February 2005 The 1 3 kilometre 0 81 mi long flyover above Chowringhee Road helps in reduce the traffic jam between Lindsay Street and Middleton Street 6 Creative inspiration editIn 1981 Aparna Sen wrote and directed a film 36 Chowringhee Lane about an aged Anglo Indian school teacher who lives a lonely life in a single room flat in the neighbourhood 7 Gallery edit nbsp Industry House on Abanindranath Tagore Sarani nbsp Pantaloon outlet on Abanindranath Tagore Sarani nbsp St Thomas Church adjacent to Loreto House on Middleton Row nbsp KFC outlet on Middleton Row nbsp Middleton Street nbsp Park Street FlyoverExternal links edit nbsp Kolkata Esplanade travel guide from WikivoyageReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chowringhee Tax lawyer is CPM candidate for Chowringhee seat The Hindu Business Line 18 February 2006 Retrieved 16 January 2008 Nair P Thankappan in The Growth and Development of Old Calcutta in Calcutta the Living City Vol I edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri pp 14 15 Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 563696 3 Cotton H E A Calcutta Old and New 1909 1980 p 19 General Printers and Publishers Pvt Ltd Cotton H E A p 72 Cotton H E A pp 230 236 Park Street Flyover 36 Chowringhee Lane 1981 imdb com Retrieved 16 January 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chowringhee amp oldid 1180378259, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
