Central Municipal Offices - Calcutta - 1905
Chowringhee Pl, Calcutta.
Designed by architect W Banks Gwyther, this is the administrative headquarters of the Corporation of Calcutta. First formed in 1727, the Corporation managed buildings, parks, finance, public health, education, public works and improvements for the growing city. You can be sure that the art of idling Indian bureaucracy has been practised here for over a century.
Opened by the then Chairman of the Corporation RT Grier in June 1905, this is a monumental building in the Edwardian institutional style. However, it does not occupy a commanding position like say, the Writers' Building, and as a result, its architecture cannot be easily appreciated. Instead, it is tucked away behind Hogg Market. Its official entrance - seen here below the central tower - is rarely used. The working entrances are found along the busy Surendrath Banerjee Road.
Writing in 1940, John Barry's guidebook "Calcutta: 1940" exhaustively informed all that:-
"The eastern and western wings are connected with the central block by covered passages. The Council Chamber and rooms in the central block have verandahs on the north and south sides, the corridors formed by the verandahs and passages affording easy communication between the several departments,
The main feature of the building is the central tower on the south, raised to a height of 105 feet. Directly under the tower is the official entrance, reached from Chowringhee Place: this is only opened on Committee days for the use of the members.
Passing through the heavy grilled doors, we are in the well of the staircase, where is conspicuously exhibited a 75 M. M. Krupp gun captured in the Boer War, and presented to the Corporation of Calcutta in 1905 by the Government of India in recognition of services rendered by India during the War.
Ascending the wide steps we find ourselves in the spacious lobby, adorned with the busts of Sir Henry Leland Harrison, Kt,, Chairman of the Corporation, William Mearns Souttar, Chairman, and Sir Surendra Nath Banerjea, Kt., (1848-1925). Tablets to and portraits of, Sir Charles Alien, Kt., Chairman of the Corporation, and Dr. Herbert Milverton Crake, Health Officer of the Corporation ; and portraits of, John Blessington Roberts, Chairman of the Justice of the Peace, Gopal Lal Mitter, Vice-Chairman, Sir Kailash Chandra Bose, Kt., Commissioner, Nilambara Mukerji, Vice-Chairman, Robert Turnbull, Secretary, Rai Bahadur Nalini Nath Sett, Councillor, Raj Bahadur Debendra Chunder Ghose, Commissioner, and others, are also displayed in this lobby.
In the lobby on the south, is the Lady Councillors' Room, and on the east, the Council Chamber, a beautiful and lofty hall, well worthy of its site and functions. On the north, upon a raised dais and under an artistically designed canopy, is the Mayor's chair, elaborately carved and surmounted with the arms of the Corporation embossed in gold : on the right of the Mayor sits the Deputy Mayor, on the left the Chief Executive Officer: the Secretaries sit at the table immediately before the mayorial desk. The Councillors' chairs and desks, arranged in horse-shoe fashion facing the Mayor's chair, are upholstered in green moroccan leather, with the arms of the Corporation emblazoned in gold on each. The Committee Rooms, the offices of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, the Chief Executive Officer and Secretaries, are located in the western wing of the building; the Councillors' Room and the lift is in the eastern wing."
Central Municipal Offices - Calcutta - 1905
Chowringhee Pl, Calcutta.
Designed by architect W Banks Gwyther, this is the administrative headquarters of the Corporation of Calcutta. First formed in 1727, the Corporation managed buildings, parks, finance, public health, education, public works and improvements for the growing city. You can be sure that the art of idling Indian bureaucracy has been practised here for over a century.
Opened by the then Chairman of the Corporation RT Grier in June 1905, this is a monumental building in the Edwardian institutional style. However, it does not occupy a commanding position like say, the Writers' Building, and as a result, its architecture cannot be easily appreciated. Instead, it is tucked away behind Hogg Market. Its official entrance - seen here below the central tower - is rarely used. The working entrances are found along the busy Surendrath Banerjee Road.
Writing in 1940, John Barry's guidebook "Calcutta: 1940" exhaustively informed all that:-
"The eastern and western wings are connected with the central block by covered passages. The Council Chamber and rooms in the central block have verandahs on the north and south sides, the corridors formed by the verandahs and passages affording easy communication between the several departments,
The main feature of the building is the central tower on the south, raised to a height of 105 feet. Directly under the tower is the official entrance, reached from Chowringhee Place: this is only opened on Committee days for the use of the members.
Passing through the heavy grilled doors, we are in the well of the staircase, where is conspicuously exhibited a 75 M. M. Krupp gun captured in the Boer War, and presented to the Corporation of Calcutta in 1905 by the Government of India in recognition of services rendered by India during the War.
Ascending the wide steps we find ourselves in the spacious lobby, adorned with the busts of Sir Henry Leland Harrison, Kt,, Chairman of the Corporation, William Mearns Souttar, Chairman, and Sir Surendra Nath Banerjea, Kt., (1848-1925). Tablets to and portraits of, Sir Charles Alien, Kt., Chairman of the Corporation, and Dr. Herbert Milverton Crake, Health Officer of the Corporation ; and portraits of, John Blessington Roberts, Chairman of the Justice of the Peace, Gopal Lal Mitter, Vice-Chairman, Sir Kailash Chandra Bose, Kt., Commissioner, Nilambara Mukerji, Vice-Chairman, Robert Turnbull, Secretary, Rai Bahadur Nalini Nath Sett, Councillor, Raj Bahadur Debendra Chunder Ghose, Commissioner, and others, are also displayed in this lobby.
In the lobby on the south, is the Lady Councillors' Room, and on the east, the Council Chamber, a beautiful and lofty hall, well worthy of its site and functions. On the north, upon a raised dais and under an artistically designed canopy, is the Mayor's chair, elaborately carved and surmounted with the arms of the Corporation embossed in gold : on the right of the Mayor sits the Deputy Mayor, on the left the Chief Executive Officer: the Secretaries sit at the table immediately before the mayorial desk. The Councillors' chairs and desks, arranged in horse-shoe fashion facing the Mayor's chair, are upholstered in green moroccan leather, with the arms of the Corporation emblazoned in gold on each. The Committee Rooms, the offices of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, the Chief Executive Officer and Secretaries, are located in the western wing of the building; the Councillors' Room and the lift is in the eastern wing."