A walk in Kolkata (Calcutta), a city that doesn't change

 


Although its name changed from Calcutta to Kolkata since I last visited, the city itself seems not to have changed. There are some changes, of course, but in many sense Kolkata is as it was in 2001 and 1991. Before I arrived this time, I was curious to see if there were still human pulled rikshaws; if the Lenin, and Marx and Engels statues still stood; if trams and the semi-trailer double decker buses were still operating; if people still herded goats and sheep around Sudder Street. So I went for a walk and found the answers for all these questions. 

Starting in Sudder Street, first I met a friendly rikshaw puller, and then I turned north along Chowringhee.









Searching for Marx and Engels, I found several other statues as well, but they are all awkwardly positioned behind locked fences in an area that is supposed to be a park, but looks like a construction zone at present. 















Grand architecture along the Esplanade.













The Lenin Statue stands at another corner of the "park", across from Marx and Engels, marking the start of Lenin Street.







Heading to the colonial administrative centre of Kolkata.




































A Hindu temple and preparations for a festival, near a mosque. I hope the two communities get along well.








Following the tram line, hoping to see the characteristic Calcutta tram. Some people said they weren't running anymore, but others said a few lines were still operational. 









Trams still run in Kolkata's streets, but the curious semi-trailer double decker bus doesn't work anymore. This is how it looked in 2001. 



Returning to Kolkata downtown, and heading towards New Market. 







The New Market area.










Returning to Sudder Street. 




Next day I got the answer for this question too: yes, people still keep goats and sheep in the Sudder Street area. 



And a last observation. Taxis are still the old fashioned models that were in use two decades ago, but then they were painted black and yellor, now they are all yellow (and some all white).

In 2024

In 2001

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