Steeped in history: ‘Step Aside’ in Darj opens its gates to the public

December: ‘Step Aside’ the villa where Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das had breathed his last in Darjeeling, opened its gates for the public on Monday following a thorough renovation.

The North Bengal Development Department had sanctioned Rs 30 lakh for this. Renovation work started nearly a year ago. “Step Aside is open to the public from today. Renovation work has been completed,” stated Preeti Goyal, District Magistrate, Darjeeling.

The two-storied house has undergone a thorough renovation with the wooden floorings and roof repaired.

More artefacts and pictures for exhibition purposes have been brought in. A signage has been put up in front of the villa, with a brief history of Deshbandhu along with the house.

“The villa will be open to visitors from 10 am to 4 pm daily, except on Sundays. We have kept a visitors’ log book also. We have plans to start a reading room where important books connected to CR Das will be kept,” stated Richard Lepcha, sub-divisional officer (SDO,) Darjeeling talking to the Millennium Post.

Chittaranjan Das, who was popularly called “Deshbandhu” (Friend of the nation) was an Indian freedom fighter, political activist and a famous lawyer. This villa houses a Deshbandhu Museum along with a Mother and Child clinic.

Such was the magnetic attraction of Darjeeling that Mahatma Gandhi who was scheduled to stay in Darjeeling for two days in 1925, extended it for five days postponing his Assam tour while Deshbandhu postponed his Bengal tour. A few days after the Mahatma left Darjeeling, Deshbandhu breathed his last in this house on June 16, 1925.

This house belonged to Nripendra Nath Sirkar (the Advocate General of Bengal and a Law Member of the Council of the Governor General of India from 1934- 1939. In this house in Darjeeling, Deshbandhu was accorded a reception when he arrived at Darjeeling to recoup in 1925.

In 1953, under the leadership of the then Governor of Bengal Harindra Kumar Mukherjee, the Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Memorial Society was established.

In 1954, Nripendranath Sirker’s son Birendra Nath Sircar, handed over ‘Step Aside’ to the society. Some personal belongings of Deshbandhu and a few portraits are preserved there, including the bed where he had died.