Strand Road: Calcutta..... now Kolkata!

Late afternoon phonograph of Stand Road, The Engineering Goods Hub of Eastern India. One of the biggest markets of Engineering goods which caters not only to  neighboring states but also neighboring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Bangla Desh etc.  The photograph shows a Hindu Temple in the midst of the buzzing  market hub. Since it had become quite dark the picture looks a little dull........ but the fact is that the locality where the temple is located doesn't remain dull till 10.00 PM local time! 

Picture of Stand Road Kolkata at late Afternoon 

Hoogly River: Kolkata, India

The photograph of a diesel powered Ferry-boat plying between business center of Calcutta (Kolkata) and Howrah Station. According to the latest data, Howrah station receives 10,00,000  footfalls per day on an average. The ferry service shown in the pic is a cheap and fast mode of transport between Howrah station and business center named Barabazar. You can see the famous Howrah Bridge in the background. 

Calcutta - Business Hub: Barrabazar Kolkata

There are wholesale markets and retail markets located side by side. Calcutta receives approximately 25,00,000 visitors per day. Many retailers from nearby states come to Calcutta for purchasing various goods such as :
Food products, clothing materials, engineering goods, spices, automobile and spares, plastic & rubber materials.... the list is unending. The main wholesale market is located around Mahatma Gandhi Road, Brabourne Road, Strand Road, Chitpur, Barrabazar etc. The phograph shows a portion of Mahatma Gandhi Road.

Mhatma Gandhi Road, Kokata

Calcutta - City of Joy: The busy streets of Calcutta!

One of the busiest market places of Asia, Calcutta caters to the markets of the neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangla Desh, Thailand etc., to name a few. The photograph posted below shows the market at Brabourne Road, Kolkata. 

Busy Streets of Kolkata

Calcutta -City of Joy: Multicultural Society!

The Existence of so many places of worship at Calcutta is a proof of it being a multicultural society. There are Temples, Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Jain Mandirs, Budhdha Temples and many such features which bear proof of Calcutta being a city which has peaceful coexistence of so many ethnic groups. One more photograph of the Portuguese Cathedral, founded in 1797-99, has beautiful architecture.

Calcutta - City of Joy: Portuguese Cathedral!

Calcutta has a cosmopolitan society. People from all walks of life and of various religion coexist in Kolkata (Calcutta). There is a rare Portuguese Cathedral located on the Brabourne  Road, one of the busiest roads of  Calcutta. In the photograph, posted below, you can see a glimpse of the Cathedral. 

Calcutta - City of Joy: The Hoogly river!

The city of Calcutta lies n the banks of Hoogly river, one of the many names of the famous river the Ganges. The river falls in to the Indian Ocean at Sunderband. The photograph posted here shows the glitter og Hoogly at Sunset, you can see a ferry, diesel engine powered boat plying in the river.  

Calcutta - City of Joy: Calcutta Trams!

The British deserve to be credited with a major contribution in development of Calcutta. Among many of their contribution Calcutta Tram was a huge boost to the development of the city in British era. No other city in India did benefit so much from the British Raaj, as Calcutta did. The photograph shows a Tram plying on the roads of Calcutta. Although the number of tram cars have drastically reduced due to their low speed but they still are a comfortable and safe mode of transport in Calcutta. The trams also add nostalgia to the streets of Calcutta...  

Calcutta - City of joy: Creative fruit vendors!

The Kolkata (Calcutta) street vendors, may not be literate but they can calculate the cost of the merchandise, they sell, faster than any of us. Before you take out your cell-phone to calculate they are finished with their calculations. They are extremely talented in displaying their goods and are a challenge to any visual merchandising pro. A smart example can be seen in the photograph ---- fine carving on a watermelon.

Calcutta - City of joy: laborious rickshaw pullers!

The rickshaw pullers of Kolkata (Calcutta) have no qualms about the work they do. If you happen to come to Kolkata, I visited yesterday itself, you will be astonished to see, even the people living on the streets are busy with their work with a cheerful mood. The street vendor to rickshaw pullers, all are busy with their jobs and know their jobs through and through. 
Posting a photograph of the busy streets of Kolkata, you can see a hand pulled rickshaw waiting at a crossing, looking at the signal with a keen eye .... on the blocks ready to go--- not wanting to waste even a second!

Calcutta - City of Joy: Affordable for all!

The hand-carts are believed to have originated from Japan in 1860. These human powered vehicle were popular in the Asian Countries e.g. Japan, China etc. and also some other regions of the world. In India, Calcutta in particular, these rickshaws made their  first appearance for public use in 1914. 
The hand-cart or the Tana-Rickshaw (in Bengali Language) of Kolkata are on the verge of extinction. The Govt. of West Bengal had decided to ban these rickshaws on humanitarian grounds in the year 2006, but following a lot of protest from rickshaw pullers, total ban wasn't imposed. Thereafter, there has been a decline in the number of rickshaws inrecent times.
These hand-carts have large wheels which come good when the streets of Kolkata (Calcutta) are flooded with rain water. The job of pulling these rickshaws may appear to be a very distressing to an onlooker but the rickshaw pullers have no complaints in doing the job, they do it almost effortlessly. As you can see in the photograph the rickshaw puller is relaxed and talking to the passanger while pulling a rickshaw.