CALCUTTA, CITY OF PALACES, WAS ONCE A NATIVE VILLAGE.

Shannon News, 12 April 1929, Page 1

CALCUTTA, CITY OF PALACES, WAS ONCE A NATIVE VILLAGE.

GLORIES OF MEETING PLACE OF ! EAST AND WEST. 1 Calcutta is one of the most progressive cities of the East, with all the modern devices to handle its tremendous commerce ami entertain its native and foreign population. In less than 250 voars it has become the largest city in India and second only -to London in the British Empire - . When Job. Charnoek, of . the East India Company, set. up a trading station at Kalikuta in 1090, the insignificant native village occupied a . narrow stretch of dry land on the left bank of the mud-laden Hooghly River, with fever-infested swamps surrounding it on the three other sides. Charnoek knew the products of the rich Ganges and Brahmaputra Valleys could bo diverted through Ivalikuta and the swamps would protect his station from unfriendly Indian neighbours, but his wildest imagination, perhaps, did not lead him to vision the Calcutta of the twentieth century. To-dav. three important railways converge at Calcutta. The treacherous shiftv channel, of the Hooghly is a parade ground for comrnercial vessels of all sizes, flying flags of all the world.. Nearly ten miles of modern wharves and warehouses, equipped with all modern devices, receive and export, many millions worth of jute, t r a, hides, oil seed, cotton, coal and other products of Bengal and surrounding provinces. And many acres of the old swamp land have been reclaimed,-form-ing beautiful parks and sites for Government, buildings and palatial residences of “jute kings’ ’ and “tea kings.” Famous Tree Has 600 Roots To the traveller who approaches Calcutta by water, its growth is. a mystery. At the mouth of the Hooghly, the indigo blue water of the Bay of Bengal turns to a dirty brown. For much of the 80-mile trip mud flats and water-logged forests form the riverside scenery with no evidence of civilisationsave for the commercial craft, plying the river. Only the most skilful pilot can stcier a vessel up the shifty channel. When almost within sight.. of Calcutta, the smoke stacks of a jute mill and here and there groups of native thatched huts break the monotony of the journey and then, rounding a bend, the great Indian port appears. Bathing ghats on both banks now are filled with Hindus. One of the popular ghats is at the Botanical Gardens, where grows the famous Calcutta Banyan tree. It covers nearly two acres and has about 250 trunks. A short distance beyond, perspiring natures loading and unloading ocean-going vessels solve the secret of Calcutta’s development—commerce. Small boats resembling the Chinese sampans clustered about the wharves or floating leisurely to and from Howrah, Calcutta’s manufacturing district on the other side of the Hooghly, handle much of the local small freight. A fifteqn-hun-dred-foot floating bridge also connects the two river banks. Calcutta’s Rendezvous Like all large cities, Calcutta has its slums, with squalid houses of mud and thatch, and sometimes brick, bordering narrow, dirty streets and inhabited by half-starved, unkempt natives. The congestion in this district is in 3harp contrast to the greater portion oi the eity, whore wide streets and numerous open spaces, beautified by gardens and lakes, are bordered by modern shops, hotels, magnificent temples, palatial residences and Govern uent and private buildings. The preside of ragged, beggars at every turn, however, is constantly suggestive of India.

Dalhousie Square, a few blocks from lie. liooghly, is- an attractive park.

he post, office, winch, faces its lakes, wars a tablet designating the vicinity if ' the famous Calcutta Black Hole pisodc. The Maidan, Calcutta’s centre of

■ttraction, with its race- track cricket folds and gardens, is the rendezvous "or sport lovers and promen a dors. In ‘"he evening the “ who’s who ” of Calcutta are there. Colourful Indian rajahs with their servants in native cos* tumo, wealthy natives and Government officials, rub elbows on the walks or swiftly pass in their^foreign*'cars, with chauffeurs ay hose costumes and uniforms represent myriad styles and colours of the East and West.