Calcutta Walks strikes the right chord with foreign, domestic tourists alike

Kolkata: At a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has chalked out elaborate plans to boost tourism of Bengal and Kolkata, a move taken by Calcutta Walks has become immensely popular among foreign and domestic tourists.

Calcutta Walks organised by Iftekhar Ahsan over a decade ago has become quite popular among the tourists. The walks are conducted everyday by Ahsan and his associates. The groups are taken to visit north and south Kolkata.

In north Kolkata, the walks start from Sovabazar- Sutanutui metro station then Bagbazar and ends at Sovabazar Rajbari. Belonging to the well known Bose family of North Kolkata, Dr Pasupati Bose and his brother Nandalal,

the famous painter and artist, it was in this house Swami Vivekanada was treated over breakfast after his return from the West in

January, 1897.

Sri Ramakrishna had visited the house to see the oil paintings of gods and goddesses.

It was a custom to keep the photograph or oil painting of Queen Victoria in the houses

of rich people in those days but no photograph of Queen was there in the house.

The house played an important role during the movement to protest against the proposal to partition Bengal by Lord Curzon in 1905. The building is in shambles now.

The group members are taken down the lanes and by lanes of north Kolkata.

There are such narrow lanes in north Kolkata where just one person can pass.

The groups are taken to the bank of river Hooghly in Baghbazar. It was here in North Kolkata that Job Charnock, a representative of the east India Company started trade.

In south Kolkata, the walk is organised in areas surrounding Park Street. "There is great enthusiasm among the tourists.

The history of Kolkata is not only about buildings, mansions and monuments. It is something beyond the monuments. Every street has a history and every locality has a story to tale."

It may be mentioned that the state tourism department is planning to introduce religions tourism where people

will be taken to different religious places in north Kolkata and finally to Dakshineshwar temple and Belur Math as these places are in high demand.