Rashbari Temples ... a forgotten heritage !!

 

My walking tour, “Kalighat Chronicles – The Adi-Ganga Trail” with Immersive Trails, had me walking along the Adi-Ganga River (Tolly’s Canal) through the historic neighbourhood of Kalighat, exploring its rich cultural heritage, mythology and art ... especially the temples in this area.

The Adi-Ganga, originally known as the Govindpore Creek, was the primary navigable waterway to the Bay of Bengal until the 15th-17th centuries. The creek was called ‘Surman’s Nullah’ (Canal) after John Surman of the East India Company settled nearby in the early 18^th century. In the late 18^th century, Major William Tolly, an East India Company officer, excavated and dredged the creek to create an important waterway connecting Calcutta Port to Bengal hinterlands for trade and commerce and thereby facilitating the city’s growth during the British colonial era.. The creek was renamed Tolly Nullah and the adjoining area became known as Tollygunge. Several temples and crematoriums were built along its banks, such as the famous Kalighat Temple, adding to the creek’s cultural and religious significance. After independence, Hindu migrants from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) established jabar dakhal colonies (Forcible Occupation) in this area, after successfully fought off eviction attempts by the landlords. Over the years, urban encroachment and silting reduced the once navigable creek of the Hooghly River to a semi-stagnant waterway, almost like a sewer. However, for the devout, this is the Adi-Ganga (‘Original Ganges’) – the holy river.  

The temples around the Adi-Ganga – particularly in the Tollygunge-Chetla stretch – are the legacy of the Zamindar family of Bawali; about thirty kilometers from Calcutta, where the Mondals were prominent landed gentry (Zamindar) since the Mughal era. Basudevram Ray, a devout Gaudiya Vaishnav from Basantpur in Nadia District of Bengal, was an official in the army of Emperor Akbar. His grandson Sobharam Ray was appointed as Mondal, i.e. collector of taxes in Bengal. Henceforth, the Rays came to be known as Mondals. Sobharam’s son (Meghnath) and grandson (Rajaram) served the Nawab of Bengal. During the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan/Aurangzeb, Rajaram suppressed a rebellion in Bengal and was rewarded with a royal charter in the Mughal Court. This gave him Zamindari ownership of fifteen villages in South 24 Parganas, including Bawali. The word ‘Bawali’ comes from the word ‘baoli’ (water reservoirs). The Mondals flourished under the patronage of the East India Company and accumulated great wealth. They expanded their Zamindari by purchasing lands from the Sabarna Roychoudhury family. It is said that the Bawali estate extended from Chetla, Alipore and Tollygunge to the Sunderbans, and even Ganga-Sagar. Sometime in the 18^th century, Ramnath and Manick Mondal were invited by the then Governor-General, Robert Clive, to Calcutta and they came and settled in Chetla/Tollygunge by the banks of the Adi-Ganga. The Bawali Mondals were well-known for their lavish lifestyle, philanthropic work and the temples they built in this area, such as the Rasbari temples and the magnificent Radhakanta Temple, between 1796 and 1847. After independence, the Zamindar system was abolished and the Bawali Mondals were lost to time until their grand ancestral home at Bawali was restored as the ‘Rajbari Bawali’ in 2010. The Rajbari now functions as a boutique heritage resort for people who wish to experience the lifestyle of the ‘forgotten’ Zamindar family dating back to the era of Emperor Akbar. 

The Rashbari Temples built by the Mondals are little-known outside the neighbourhood. The term “Rashbari” usually refers to a residence with a temple complex where the Rash festival is held on Ras Purnima – the full moon in Kartick (November) or Chaitra (March-April) – to celebrate the divine love of Radha-Krishna. The ‘Boro Rashbari’ and ‘Choto Rashbari’ are historically significant temple complexes located along the Adi-Ganga that showcase the Bengal temple architectural styles – ‘aatchala’ and ‘nabaratna’ respectively.

‘Boro Rashbari’ comprises of two temple complexes. The first one is a group of twelve atchala Shiva temples arranged around a large compound and is in an extremely deplorable state. The Shivalinga still exists in some of the temples but some are missing. Some temples have been taken over by squatters who live inside the sanctum sanctorum. It was a shock to see clothes put out to dry and women cooking inside a Grade-A heritage building. The existing temples are dilapidated and there were probably two more temples in the complex which have disappeared. 

The second complex of the ‘Boro Rashbari’ constructed by Udaynarayan Das Mondal of Bawali is well-maintained. The temple is dedicated to the worship of Radha and Madan-Mohan, a manifestation of Krishna.

The largest and most spectacular temple in this area is the Radhanath Temple on Mondal Temple Lane. The Nabaratna style temple (with nine spires) soars to 90 feet from the base to the top of the central spire. The descendants of the Bawali Mondal family still live in the temple complex and photography is prohibited. Locals say the temple is cursed and tell stories of evil consequences of touching the temple or taking photographs, such as the labourer who slipped off the temple’s spire during restoration work, fell to the ground below and died.

Our next stop was the Choto Rashbari built by Pyarilal Mondal and Monimohan Mondal of the Mondal family in 1847. The temple complex is within a walled courtyard a checkered pattern of black and white tiles and a spectacular gate with Doric columns. The most significant temples are the three located in the north – the central Nabaratna style and two in Pancharatna style on either side. As per the plaques on the walls of the temple complex, the central temple is dedicated to Sree Sree Gopal Jeu (Krishna) and the two temples are dedicated to “Kashi Pati” (Shiva). The main festival celebrated here is Baladev Ras in Chaitra on a full moon, usually in March/ April every year. Though a Grade-I heritage building, the temple complex is in a pathetic state … trees have taken root all over the structure and the priceless heritage needs immediate repairs and restoration. Close to the Choto Rashbari is the Rashbari Ghat which is also in bad shape.

Around the temple, there are the ruins of three more Shiva temples which are used by local artisans as workshops for making idols and potters for making bhar clay cups for serving tea at the roadside tea-stalls.

The temples constructed by the Bawali Zamindars along the Adi-Ganga dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva; reveal an interesting spiritual journey of the interplay between ‘Shaiva’ and ‘Vaishnav’ worship ultimately recognizing the essential unity as the deities are seen as manifestations of the one Supreme Being. It is painful to see these heritage buildings decaying amidst urban sprawl … they visibly symbolize the gradual erosion of the socio-cultural ethos that gives Kolkata its unique identity.

Kolkata Connect !!

 

‘Kolkata Connect City Tour’ is a fun double-decker bus ride in Kolkata organized by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDCL) past the familiar iconic city landmarks that offers a great way to see the city.  

The iconic red double-decker buses were a legacy of the British Raj. These buses, modelled after the Red buses of London, were introduced by the British in 1926 and were operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company. Initially, these buses travelled between Shyambazar and Kalighat and soon a fleet of double-decker buses started carrying commuters across Calcutta. They became an instant sensation owing to their sheer size … towering above other buses, trams, rickshaws and the motor cars. The bus was taller than anything people of Calcutta had ever seen but the real thrill was upstairs – the upper deck, accessible by a winding metal staircase. The upper deck offered a glimpse into an entirely new world. From here, the familiar city looked very different … soaring colonial buildings were suddenly at eye level and people and transport looked miniscule from above.

With the beginning of the World War II things started changing. Despite the challenges of the war, double-decker buses continued to operate, carrying thousands of passengers daily through a city that was under air raid alerts. During blackouts, when Japanese bombers flew overhead, the buses still ran with darkened interiors to avoid detection. When the World War II came to an end, the red double-decker bus had become an iconic symbol of Calcutta, along with the tram and the yellow taxi. However, as flyovers came up from the late-1990s to ease traffic flow, the double-decker buses began disappearing … and were completely phased out by 2005.

Kolkata is a city that revels in its heritage. Hence, in 2020, the double-decker bus made a comeback!

The re-designed blue double-decker buses are now run by the State Transport Department, not as daily transport, but as a symbol of nostalgia and tourism. These are open-top buses used for sightseeing tours. They travel in and around the Dalhousie Square and Esplanade, past iconic landmarks, such as, Raj Bhawan, GPO, Writers’ Building, with brief stops at Prinsep Ghat and Eden Gardens, and finally the ride ends at Victoria Memorial. They cater to tourists – and Kolkata residents – by offering them chance to rediscover the magic of Kolkata where the past and the present blend with ease, making the passage of time a palpable presence ...

Re-visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral

The St. Paul’s Cathedral, dedicated to St Paul, the Apostle, remains a symbol of the European heritage in Kolkata. It closely resembles the Canterbury Cathedral which is the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. 

The need for St. Paul’s Cathedral was felt in the early 19^th century by the British residents who had made Calcutta (Kolkata) their home. St. John’s Church – the Anglican Cathedral of Calcutta built by the East India Company in 1787 – could no longer accommodate the growing European community in the city. Therefore at the request of Francis Rawdon-Hastings, the then Governor General of Bengal, William Forbes, an architect of Royal Engineers, designed a new cathedral in 1819. However, the project was considered too expensive and was discarded by East India Company. Several years later, Bishop Daniel Wilson, the fifth Bishop of Calcutta, assumed office in 1832 and revived the project. The foundation stone was laid in 1839. As the construction proceeded, the East India Company announced a grant of Rs. 150,000. St Paul’s Cathedral was consecrated on 8^th October, 1847. It was the first Episcopal Church of the eastern world and the first cathedral built in a British overseas territory.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is an architectural marvel – quite impressive with its striking Gothic stained-glass windows and Renaissance-style frescoes. These stained-glass windows fill the cathedral with filtered light, giving it a sacred glow. The ceiling is unusual ... it is a shallow curve spanned by iron trusses adorned with Gothic designs. It is believed that the architect had doubts whether the ground could bear the weight of heavy pillars and arches: the design was therefore scaled down to one big hall without side aisles. The Cathedral tower is modelled on the ‘Bell Harry Tower’ of the Canterbury Cathedral. The Indo-Gothic design of St Paul’s Cathedral adapted the Gothic-revival designs to suit the Indian milieu.  

Inside the cathedral, are magnificent carvings and paintings depicting events from the life of St. Paul. There are a plethora of marble tablets, personal memorials and memorials of iconic events like the Great Mutiny of 1857 and the First World War. The most haunting memorabilia is the “charred cross” made from burnt wooden beams of homes collected by Canon Subir Biswas during the Bangladesh Liberation War (1971). The charred logs were fashioned into crosses and displayed in the chapel as a reminder of the devastation of war, human sin and divine forgiveness ... it is not just a relic but a symbol of resilience.

 

St. Paul’s Cathedral remains one of Kolkata’s most iconic landmarks. It is a legacy of India’s colonial past that has become a part of the nation’s cultural heritage. Unlike other European colonies around the world, India did not lose her cultural heritage with British colonization, but assimilated the addendums and developed into a unique nation with a diverse, yet inclusive, cultural identity. The Cathedral is a place for peace and prayer ... millions of people have prayed at its blessed altar; in joy and in sorrow, in hope and in despair and returned home with solace.

Hooghly Imambara. An aesthetic masterpiece ...

 

My work takes me to interesting places … and sometimes I get the chance to explore and admire the rich heritage of Bengal. A few months back – July 2025 to be precise – I accompanied some of our students to the Hooghly Imambara on a Study Tour. The Imambara – with its impressive two-storied structure stands within an expansive courtyard which is flanked with corridors on either side. The complex is dominated by a majestic clock at the centre of the twin towers over the entrance. It is an impressive Islamic heritage of Bengal … and a testimony to the architectural advancement of the time.  

Before this trip, I had no real idea of the difference between an Imambara and a Mosque. Now I know the former is an assembly hall (Majlis) for Shia Muslims to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain in the battle of Karbala; while the latter is a place for all Muslims to offer daily prayers (Namaz). However, some large complexes, like the Hooghly Imambara, serve as both – there are dedicated prayer halls for Namaz and also an assembly for Majlis.  

The origins of the Imambara can be traced back to Mohammad Aga Motahar, a wealthy Persian merchant who came to Hooghly, in the early 18^th century for his salt business. He built a one-storied house on the west bank of the River Hooghly and settled with his family. In 1717, he dedicated it to the Almighty and thus transformed his home into a religious place named “Nazargah Hossein.” His son-in-law, Mirza Saleh-ud-din, added extensions such as the “Tazia Khana” in 1735. A ‘Tazia’ is a symbolic replica of the mausoleum of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet, which is carried in Muharram processions. Eventually Mohammad Aga Motahar’s humble residence became the present-day grand Hooghly Imambara. The word ‘Imambara’ means “the angel’s abode” … and the doors of the Hooghly Imambara are open to people of all faiths. Muhammad Mohsin passed away in 1812 leaving behind his entire fortune for the construction and maintenance of the Imambara. However, the construction of the Imambara started in 1841 as the Trustees (Mutwallis) appointed by Mohsin were corrupt and could not follow the path shown by him. Several Mutwallis were appointed thereafter but all were dishonest. Eventually, the Government took charge of the Imambara and Syed Keramat Ali, an architect from Jaunpur, Rajasthan, was appointed as the Mutwalli who started the work of construction. The work was complete in 1861 after two decades fulfilling Mohsin’s vision. Finally, a committee was formed in 1876 to take care of Imambara. 

Unfortunately, there is no trace of the former structure except a reference by Baboo Badan Chunder Choudhury, the first Assistant Surgeon of the Imambara Hospital in 1842 to George Toynbee, the Collector and Magistrate of Hooghly District. Toynbee notes in his A Sketch of the Administration of the Hooghly District (1888):

The old Imambara building, on the site of which the present buildings stand, was an ordinary one-storied building. … The sight it now presents is quite different. The old houses and buildings have been destroyed, and their owners have gone to other places (133).

The lofty doorway of the Imambara leads into a huge courtyard with a beautifully decorated rectangular tank in the middle. The long corridors are lined with numerous rooms that served as madrasa classrooms. The main prayer hall, the ‘Zaridalan’ – with its stunning black-and-white checkered marble floors, Islamic calligraphy on walls and elaborate chandeliers – is a major architectural attraction of the Imambara. However, photography is prohibited here. Colourful lanterns and glasses can be spotted throughout the Imambara. The bell and clock-work machine of the Imambara were installed in 1852. The clock was purchased from a London-based company, Ms. Black & Hurray Co. and was installed in the centre of the tower. It is accessible via a spiral staircase. There are three bells of varying sizes / weights that require manual winding once a week with a key that weighs an astonishing 20 kg. The winding steps inside the twin towers – separate for men and women – lead to the top which offers panoramic views of the Hooghly River and the Jubilee Bridge. The other point of interest in the Imambara is Sun Clock located in the open backyard on the eastern most side of the premises beside the Hooghly River. The clock shows the correct time from dawn till dusk on a sunny day.

Hooghly Imambara is an aesthetic masterpiece that stands as a timeless blend of faith and grandeur.

Camouflage

The golden jackal !!

The golden jackal ( Canis aureus ) in India is a master of natural camouflage, using its coat colour, which varies by season and region, to blend into its diverse habitats effectively. We spotted two today from our college window ... they are our regular winter visitors ... 

The Stranger !!

Why do I read Albert Camus?
Because Camus poses the fundamental question : Is life worth living ?

In his essay Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus), 1942, Camus develops his idea of ‘absurd’ and of its acceptance by human beings with a total absence of hope, without despair, a constant refusal, which is not to be confused with renouncement rather and a conscious dissatisfaction.

Sisyphus in Greek mythology was the founder of the city of Ephyra (later named Corinth) and the first king of the city-state. He was punished by Zeus and sentenced to continuously roll a huge boulder up a mountain to the peak, only to have it inevitably roll back down the mountain into the valley, thus making his task useless. Camus claims that for this unending punishment Sisyphus is the ultimate absurd hero. As long as he accepts that there is nothing more to life than his absurd struggle, he can find happiness in it. Camus presents Sisyphus’ never-ending pointless task as a metaphor for lives spent in the modern world working at meaningless jobs in factories, offices and elsewhere. The worker performs the same work every day in his life ... and this situation is no less absurd. But it is not a tragedy; it only becomes tragic at rare moments when the worker becomes conscious of it.

Camus develops his idea of the “absurd man” from the Myth of Sisyphus, in his classic 1942 novel L'Étranger (literally, The Stranger). Meursault, the central character, helps Camus explore an absurd man in an absurd world. The book is also translated as The Stranger and as The Outsider, and it begins with perhaps the most famous words in 20th-century literature:

My mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know. I received a telegram from the old people’s home: ‘Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Very sincerely yours.’ That doesn’t mean anything. It might have been yesterday.

The novel tells a compelling tale of wanton murder and vague redemption:

It was as if that great rush of anger had washed me clean, emptied me of hope, and, gazing up at the dark sky spangled with its signs and stars, for the first time, the first, I laid my heart open to the benign indifference of the universe … I’d been happy, and that I was happy still. For all to be accomplished, for me to feel less lonely, all that remained to hope was that on the day of my execution there should be a huge crowd of spectators and that they should greet me with howls of execration.

The final words in the book completely destroys our sense of the familiar world.

The Stranger is not an uplifting book, it is not inspirational but it is an engaging and thought-provoking one. Camus explores the predicament of the individual who is ready to face the ‘benign indifference’ of the universe, alone with courage. Meursault is a character like no other in world literature: one cannot like him, he kills a man unnecessarily in cold blood, he is cold-hearted, and yet it is possible to understand some of his ideas, even find his dark outlook on life intriguing … resting, and finally one has to admit that much of what he believes makes sense.

Camus presents the reader with dualities of life: happiness and sadness, dark and light, life and death; for he believes that there is a elemental conflict between what human beings want from the universe and what they find in the universe. Man will never find in life itself, the meaning that he wants to find. Either he has to discover the meaning of life through a leap of faith, by placing hopes in a God who exists beyond this world, or he will have to conclude that life is meaningless. However, even if life has no meaning, does that mean life is not worth living? Does this conclusion necessarily lead a person to commit suicide? If things were thus, people would have no option but to either make a leap of faith or else to commit suicide.

Camus looks beyond this duality and seems interested in pursuing a third possibility: people can consciously live in a world devoid of meaning or purpose and even find happiness in it. We value our lives very much, though we know we will eventually die, so ultimately all our endeavours in life are in a way totally meaningless. Living in the absurd world requires an acceptance of this fundamental contradiction and having constant awareness of it. Camus does not want us to be morbid, but to love life and be happy … whenever happiness comes. Facing the absurd does not necessitate suicide, but, on the contrary, allows us to live life to its fullest. Camus seems to imply that Sisyphus is happy as he is aware of the futility of his labour ... and for him, his work is enough, as his meaningless work gives a kind of meaning in his meaningless world. 

In Camus’ own words, “if there is a sin against life, it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as in hoping for another life and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life.”

So, live life, be happy!!

It's a Dog's Life

 Street dogs in India are perhaps one of the most resilient breeds in the world.

They are forced to adapt to the climate, city, traffic, human indifference and cruelty. Despite these challenges, most dogs are not aggressive … some are friendly, most are timid and incredibly loyal to those who show them a little kindness. In harsh conditions, they do not survive long. Still, street dogs adapt and when humans choose to care, they get a chance to live, to trust … and to be loved.

After all, “It’s their world too” !!

Beyond Burials. The stories ...

An oasis of tranquility just off the busy Park Street, this place is a repository of stories … and of resilience. The ambience of the place is more impressive than the grandiose structures and illustrious names. As I left the cemetery, I carried the stories with me as a reminder, that even in death, life endures. South Park Street Cemetery is not merely a burial ground; it is a chronicle of an age that is gone but strangely endures, it boldly declares the presence of the British in Calcutta: “we were here; we served; we are important; even death will not erase us”

Thus ended my last post, “Beyond Burials”. Now, the most interesting stories … 

The most imposing obelisk is the tomb of Sir William Jones, the renowned Orientalist who founded the ‘Asiatic Society of Bengal’. He arrived in India in 1783 as a Supreme Court Judge but was quite disappointed with interpretation of the Hindu laws by the court-appointed Sanskrit pundits. Jones learned Sanskrit himself to read the original texts himself. He was a linguistic genius proficient in 28 languages and had a working knowledge of 12 others. His vision included translating Sanskrit compendiums into Persian and Arabic. However, he passed away before he could complete self-appointed task.

A large pylon shaped pale monument was restored by Asiatic Society in 1954 and is presently maintained by them. It is the tallest structure in the cemetery and looks impressive.  

The most intriguing tomb in the overwhelmingly Gothic cemetery resembles an ancient Hindu temple! It is the grave of Major General Charles Stuart (known as ‘Hindoo Stuart’). Like William Jones, Charles Stuart wanted to understand the mysteries of Hinduism. He was a British army officer of the East India Company who rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant-Colonel by 1803. He adopted Hindu culture, married a Hindu lady and worshipped Hindu deities. He wrote articles in newspapers urging the British to adopt the Hindu culture. It is believed to have advised British ladies to wear saris which he felt was “the most alluring dress in the world”. He even published a book, The Vindication of the Hindoo (1808), to challenge the negative portrayals of Hinduism by Christian missionaries. General Stuart wrote, “Wherever I look around me, in the vast ocean of Hindu mythology, I discover Piety … Morality… and as far as I can rely on my judgment, it appears the most complete and ample system of Moral Allegory the world has ever produced.” The British in Calcutta considered him an eccentric who had “gone native”. Stuart was buried in South Park Street Cemetery, accompanied by his beloved deities. His life and his final resting place - a ‘pancha-ratana’ temple architecture style grave - show his assimilation into the culture of the land he considered home.

Another European who considered India his homeland, who rests in this cemetery and whose memorial-bust is a revered spot for students / teachers of English literature, is Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. Derozio was a poet and a radical thinker, who wrote To India – My Native Land, the first written verse about Indian nationalism. Derozio died young but his influence lived on among the youth of Bengal. As per some historical accounts, Derozio was initially denied burial here and had to be buried outside the cemetery gates. However, his remains were later laid to rest within the consecrated grounds – and his tomb is a landmark within the heritage site today. 

Among other people with a literary connection laid to rest here, are Walter Landor Dickens, son of Victorian novelist Charles Dickens, named after Walter Savage Landor; and Rose Aylmer, the fiancée of the same British poet. Walter Dickens wanted to be an author like his father, but Charles Dickens discouraged him. So, Walter became a cadet in the East India Company army, and left for India in 1857, at the age of sixteen. By 1861 he became a lieutenant. However, in 1863, on his 52^nd birthday, Charles Dickens received the news of Walter’s death from an aortic aneurysm and his significant gambling debts incurred during military service. Walter was initially buried in the military cemetery at Bhowanipore but his tombstone was shifted to the South Park Street Cemetery in 1987 and placed among other European memorials by a group of Jadavpur University students as a tribute to the author and his son. 

Rose Aylmer, a Welsh girl, the daughter of Sir Henry Aylmer, sailed to India in 1798 and died two years later at the age of twenty. She loved pineapples and was believed to have died of food poisoning caused by a spoiled pineapple. Her unusual memorial in the cemetery is a tall cylindrical obelisk with an obliquely fluted surface rising from lotus petals ... like a pineapple cone. Walter was devastated and immortalized Rose in his poem which is inscribed on the base of her unique tomb:  

What was her fate? Long, long before her hour,
Death called her tender soul, by break of bliss.
From the first blossoms, to the buds of joy:
Those few our noxious fate unblasted leaves
In this inclement clime of human life.

Augustus Cleveland, a Collector and Judge of the East India Company posted in Bihar, who rests in the cemetery, embodied the complex dynamics of colonial exploitation and progressive reform. His epitaph shows his hostility to Indians: “He civilized a Savage Race of Mountaineers who for Ages had existed in a state of Barbarism…” However, Clevland educated the Santhal tribes so that they could resist the exploitation by money-lenders sparking off a civil war. His efforts earned him immense respect from the tribal people who deified Cleveland. In Bhagalpur the Santhals built a temple in his memory – the “Chilmil Temple” – as the tribes could not pronounce his name. Cleveland’s trajectory reveals the inherent contradictions of colonial rule.

Major General John Garstin also had an interesting but controversial career in India as a military architect and engineer. He joined the Bengal Engineers and constructed monumental buildings that survive to this day, like, the Town Hall of Calcutta (1813) and the Golghar of Patna (1786). But Garstin was notorious for using inferior building-materials so that he could repair / rebuild the buildings and make profit from the same construction more than once. He built the Town Hall for the East India Company but within a few years the pillars started showing defects. To save himself from the ire of the Company, Garstin bought the military rank of a Major General who was going to retire from the Company’s army. Major General John Garstin could not be tried in a civilian court anymore and the military court did not have jurisdiction over civilian matters. Hence, Garstin was not tried in court but he had to rebuild the Town Hall at his own cost – which he did. The building still stands tall in Dalhousie Square, Kolkata.

One of the most interesting personalities resting in the cemetery is Elizabeth Barwell, daughter of a Colonel in East India Company’s army. She was the “celebrated Miss Sanderson”, the most beautiful woman of her time in Calcutta. She was notoriously mischievous. It is believed that once she played a prank on her sixteen suitors by asking them to dress in pea-green costume with pink silk trimmings for a ball. All the young men turned up dresses ridiculously to the amusement of Elizabeth. She danced with each man and they, in good humour, stood on both sides of the road with lit torches, and sang to her all the way home. She did not choose any of the men but married Richard Barwell who was an important man – he was a member of the ‘honourable East India Company’ council and a friend of Governor-General, Warren Hastings. Sadly, she passed away within two years at the age of twenty-three, and Richard Barwell went back to England. The pyramid-shaped obelisk on her grave is a very tall structure, almost reaching the skies – a display of the wealth and power of her family.

The tombs of Lady Anne Monson and her husband, Colonel Monson lie side by side in the cemetery. Lady Anne was a notable 18th-century botanist and the great-granddaughter of King Charles II.  She was recognized by the botanical community as a “remarkable lady botanist” in 1760, even before she came to India. A flowering shrub genus, Monsonias was named after her to honour her contribution to Botany. Colonel Monson was a member of the Supreme Council of Calcutta resulting in his wife spending most of her time in Calcutta. Lady Anne died in Calcutta in 1775 and Colonel Monson died six months after his wife in 1776. Both graves are quite nondescript compared to the massive monuments of the cemetery.

Lieutenant Colonel Colin Mackenzie, a Scottish army officer who became the first Surveyor General of India, also lies in rest in this cemetery. He is renowned for his extensive surveying of India and his monumental collection of manuscripts, maps and artifacts related to Indian history and culture. He is “the man who mapped India” and produced the first authentic geographical map of southern India by mapping the Mysore-region after the British victory over Tipu Sultan in 1799. His work was done to better understand India’s past and to aid in the governance of the colony. His work helped bring the ruins of Hampi to public attention in 1800 and laid the groundwork for future archaeological studies. His collection of historical and cultural materials, as manuscripts, inscriptions, coins, maps and drawing – the Mackenzie Collection – still remains an invaluable source of Indian history. 

Among the family graves in the cemetery the Tulloch family, deserves a special mention as it has a connection with the painting – The Last Supper (1787) – by Johann Zoffany in St. John's Church. This artwork is a replica of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece with a unique a colonial touch as it features real people from 18^th century Calcutta as models for Jesus and his twelve disciples. William Tulloh, a local auctioneer, was chosen as the model for the figure of Judas. Tulloh believed he was posing for John and outraged after the unveiling of the painting, he filed a lawsuit against Zoffany.

The most poignant sights are the graves of children – the four years old, Warren Hastings Larkins –whom the parents describe lovingly as a child of uncommon intelligence, uncommon perception. The grave of Hastings Impey, son of the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sir Elijah Impey, evokes similar feelings. Hastings was the medical officer to the Governor General’s Bodyguard who later became Surgeon in 1816. He died during the Second Maratha War, and his infant daughter passed away two months later at the age of three.

The sheer variety of funerary architecture ... 

Unmarked graves of unique style and a grave with Christian symbolism

The South Park Cemetery is more about memory ... its structures speak of the colonial past of the city as they silently mark the passage if time.