PM to dedicate four iconic heritage buildings of Kolkata to Kolkatans

The Prime Minister will dedicate the restored sites to the people of Kolkata and West Bengal from the Old Currency Building, said Raghavendra Singh, CEO of Development of Museums and Cultural Spaces.

"These conservation projects were undertaken as part of Ministry of Culture's plans to develop iconic buildings in metro cities in India. To begin with, the cities of Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi are being taken up for this project," he said.

Mr Singh said the conservation work of the iconic buildings had been undertaken with the aim to expand the "cultural space" in the city.

"Kolkata is undoubtedly the cultural capital of India. It is felt that the city lacks cultural spaces and public museums. The conservation of Kolkata's iconic buildings will increase the "cultural space" in the city," he said.

The heritage buildings will be available for people, organisations, educational institutions to hold cultural programmes like book readings, theatre festivals, art exhibitions, etc.

The restoration work was started with the two-storeyed Metcalfe House, located on the junction of Strand road and Hare Street. Built in1844, the design of the building was taken from the portico of the temple of the Winds of Athens.

The dilapidated structure was handed over to the Archeological Survey of India(ASI) for conservation in 2018. The conservation was completed in 1.5 years, informed Mr Singh.

                                     ImageLink: Biswarup Ganguly [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)]

After taking over the majestic building, Archaeological Survey of India regularly monitored the day-to-day conservation works of the building and finally, major conservation work was carried out in 2018-19.

"The conservation work included roof treatment, repair of walls, doors and windows, removal of accretions, electrical works, repair of existing drainage and wooden staircases," informed Mr Singh.

After conservation work to the entire structure, Archaeological Survey of India's Kolkata Circle organized an exhibition on "Ami Kolkata-its history and culture in the first floor of the Metcalfe Hall". On the ground floor, an exhibition is now set up by National Museum, Delhi on "100 years of Bengali Cinema" in collaboration with Film Heritage Foundation.

Belvedere House, surrounded with 30 acres of ground and beautiful gardens, was declared derelict in 2005, Mr Singh said.

Located in Alipore, opposite the Zoological Gardens, it was the former palace for the Viceroy of India and later the Governor of Bengal. The National Library of India had been housed in the historic building, since 1948.

The building was vacated in 2004 after it was declared unsafe and the entire collection of the National Library of India was shifted to Bhasha Bhawan. In 2018, the building was handed over to the Central Public Works Department(CPWD) for restoration.

One full portion of the building which has some 35 rooms have been restored, he said.

                            Image Link: Avrajyoti Mitra [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

A permanent exhibition "Icons of Nationalism: from the Soils of Bengal" focusing on four prodigal sons of Bengal --Bankim Chandra Chatterji, Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee is on display. Visitors can also view the portraits of peoples and places of India through the works of India's one of the oldest photographers Raja Dindayal, apart from the more contemporary artists  Henri Cartier-Bresson, Shambhu, Saha and Sunil Janah, Mr Singh said.

Currently, a special exhibition by Indra Gandhi National Centre of Arts showcasing the original works of the Hungarian mother-daughter duo Elizabeth Sass Brunner and Elizabeth Brunner is underway as a tribute the Bengal renaissance and Rabindranath Tagore, he said. "The exhibition marks the '100 years of Shantiniketan' and the curated exhibits showcase their portrayal of Shantiniketan and Gurudev's aura through their mystic visual oeuvre," he said.

Over 150 years old, triple-storeyed Old Currency Building had been in a run down state and needed immediate protection. Founded in 1833, the awe-inspiring structure designed in Italian style with when Venetian windows, cast iron gates of florid design, portcullis and railings.

In 2005, ASI took up the preservation work. After the protection of the monument, the building needed extensive efforts from further deterioration.

Conservation work carried out in old currency building included removal of accretions the first and second floor, removal of damaged plaster, replastering, etc along with relaying and polishing of marble floors and electrification.

People will be able to witness 500 artworks of Bengal across three centuries in an exhibition themed "Ghare Baire-The Home, The World & Beyond" at the majestic Old Currency Building. "This beautiful building opens to the public as an ode to the art of Bengal," Mr Singh said.

                                                                       Facebook page of Victoria Memorial

The country's one of the most magnificent and iconic heritage buildings, Victoria Memorial is undergoing extensive conservation at a cost of Rs 59.96 crore, he said. Seven of the renovated galleries are now ready for inauguration, he added.