GARH PANCHKOT ... Where STORY meets 'HI'STORY !!

This week WANDERLUST takes you to the Kingdom in Creepers - GARH PANCHKOT, an ancient East Indian Kingdom, through the words of my long-term buddy Abhijit who explored the same in August, 2014 and now presents it before you.

GARH PANCHKOT DIARY

Last year  August, managed to take out a 3 day leave from my busy corporate life and set out for a  weekend trip to Garh Panchkot. Though discovered only a few decades back, but this place carries a very interesting story about itself. As I believe, the 'STORY's which you can actually live by visiting those places are termed as (HI)STORY.

BRAHMO SAMAJ OF INDIA ... Tabernacle of New Dispensation !!

If you enter into Keshab Chandra Sen street from Amherst street, you will find a simple yellow Church like structure on your right, partially obscured by electric transformers, cables and the large trees. But an inquisitive mind followed by a close look into the marble plaques in the entrance wall will soon reveal that the structure is BHARATVARSHIYA BRAHMO MANDIR founded in 1869 by Shri Keshab Chandra Sen.

CALCUTTA FLAG ... Unfurling the First Unofficial Flag of India !!

Another INDEPENDENCE DAY is here. Enjoying 69 years of Freedom, spirit of patriotism now runs on a different course. Independent India is now accustomed to tri-coloured profile pictures, 'Vande Matram' status quotes, 'Happy Independence Day' messages and obviously the 'Salute' selfies. But these are after all trends, not the tradition. Still few people are there in our society, according to whom an Independence day remains incomplete if the National Flag is not hoisted and the National Anthem is not sung. So accepting the very fact that the National Tri-Colour is the inseparable part of Independence Day, let us have a glance at the Tri-Colour facts and figures.

METCALFE HALL ... An Architecture to Celebrate Press Freedom !!

"D.E.M O'Cracy beloved husband of T.Ruth, father of L.I.Bertie, brother of Faith, Hope and Justice expired on 26 June" 

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On 26th June, 1975, the day after the censorship of press was imposed by the Indira Gandhi Government during emergency, the Bombay edition of the Times of India carried this entry in their obituary column !!!

Freedom of Press was always been a headache for the different State machineries throughout the world from time to time. History vouch for those instances. Colonial India, too was not an exception. But few wise men were also there who, in spite of being a part of the bureaucracy, ensured the liberty of press. One of them was Governor General Charles Metcalfe. This week, WANDERLUST explores Metcalfe, his actions towards freedom of press and specially the architecture, METCALFE HALL, which was built to commemorate his landmark initiative.

HOUSE OF THE FIRST WIDOW REMARRIAGE ... Breaking the Social Anathema !!

"Benche Thak Vidyasagar Chirojibi Hoye 

Sodore Koreche Report, Bidhobar Hobe Biye"

(Long Live Vidyasagar for the Initiative taken, 

Now the Widow can get married again)

This mid-nineteenth century Bengali couplet refers to the historic episode that we all read about in school level history. The Widow Remarriage Act, 1856, passed at the initiative of Pandit Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, permitted the Hindu widows to get remarried, legally.

29th July, 2015 was the 125th death anniversary of Iswarchandra Vidyasagar. This article is WANDERLUST's little homage to the Lionhearted Man of Steel.