Shyambazar is a prominent neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The popularity of Shyambazar five point crossing is due to the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. It is one of the busiest and most important junctions in North Kolkata.
Shyambazar broadly covers Ward Nos.10, 11, and 12 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.[Map no. 7, Detail Maps of 141 Wards of Kolkata, D.R. Publication and Sales Concern, 66 College Street, Kolkata – 700073.]
The Japanese dropped a bomb near Hatibagan market during World War II but it did not explode.
Etymology
There was a big market in the area, which John Zephaniah Holwell called Charles Bazar. The present designation was conferred upon it by Sobharam Basak, in honour of his
Kuladevata,
Krishna. The Basaks and the Setts were amongst the first to have settled in
Sutanuti, after having cleared the jungles. Sobharam Basak was one of the wealthiest native inhabitants of 18th century Kolkata.
[Cotton, H.E.A., Calcutta Old and New, 1909/1980, p. 291, General Printers and Publishers Pvt. Ltd.]
Five-point Crossing
Growth and development of the neighbourhood and surrounding localities largely followed the construction of roads that opened up the area. The Oldest road in the crossing is
Jessore Road (National Highway 12). Sutanuti had no roads, except the pilgrim path extending across it from
Halisahar to Barisha. Chitpur Road (renamed Rabindra Sarani) was developed along this path. It passes through neighbouring
Bagbazar and
Chitpur. Road construction picked up in the early 19th century. The Lottery Commission (1817) and its successor the Lottery Committee (1836) opened up the native parts of old Kolkata. The main axial thrusts were from south to the north, parallel to the existing
Chowringhee RoadChitpur alignment.
[Lahiri Choudhury, Dhriti Kanta, Trends in Calcutta Architecture, in Calcutta, the Living City, Vol I, p.171]
The three-mile long Maratha Ditch was excavated in 1742 as a protection against the marauding Marathi people soldiers then foraging in the countryside but who never came.[Lahiri Choudhury, Dhriti Kanta, p 157] It was filled up in 1799 to build the Circular Road,[Nair, P. Thankappan in The Growth and Development of Old Calcutta, in Calcutta, the Living City, Vol. I, edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri, pp. 13–17, Oxford University Press, .] that ran from Shyambazar, right around old Kolkata, covering the southern end of the Maidan. It was metalled in the early 19th century. Around the same time, the most important axial thoroughfare from south to north — Wood Street (portion renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Sarani), Wellesley Street (renamed Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road), Wellington Street (renamed Nirmal Chandra Sarani) and College Street — was built by the Lottery Committee. The new road to Barrackpore (now called Barrackpore Trunk Road), Cornwallis Street (now called Bidhan Sarani), Upper Circular Road (now called Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road) and the extension of Central Avenue (the Shyambazar end is now called Bhupendra Bose Avenue), which was built by the Kolkata Improvement Trust formed in 1911, also converged on the same point, making Shyambazar five-point crossing and one of the busiest street crossings in Kolkata.[Nair, P.Thankappan, Civic and Public Services in Old Calcutta, in Calcutta, the Living City, Vol I, pp. 235-6] Shyambazar is connected to Tala and Paikpara with Barrackpore Bridge (over a canal) and Hemanta Setu (Tala Rail Overbridge)[Google maps] Tala Bridge was firstly inaugurated in 1936.
Horse drawn tram cars were introduced up to Shyambazar in 1882 and in 1899, Calcutta Tramways Company Limited introduced electric traction. In 1902 the entire system was electrified. Subsequently, tramways were extended to Belgachia. In 1941, tram tracks were laid along Circular Road. Circular Road had a garbage clearance light railway up to the early fifties. For many years tram cars were the only form of mass transport in Kolkata. Although the first motor car appeared in Kolkata in 1896, motor bus services started only in 1920.
The Shyambazar metro station of Kolkata Metro is also located at Shyambazar fivepoint crossing. BelgachiaShyambazar section, along with Dum DumBelgachia stretch, was opened on 13 August 1994 and the ShyambazarShovabazarGirish Park and Chandni ChowkCentral sections were opened on 19 February 1995. Services on the entire stretch of Metro, from Dum Dum to Tollygunge were introduced from 27 September 1995.
Transport
A large number of buses ply through Shyambazar Five Point Crossing are as follows:
WBTC Bus
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AC 54 (Rathtala - Howrah Stn)
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S 9A (Dunlop - Ballygunge Stn)
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E-32 (Nilgunge Depot - Howrah Stn)
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AC-54B (Barrackpore - Howrah Stn)
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ACT-32 (Barrackpore - Howrah Stn)
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ACT-36 (Belgachia - Ecospace)
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D-36 (Belgachia - Ecospace)
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D-36A (Belgachia - Ecospace)
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S 69 (Cossipore - Santragachi)
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S 10 (Airport - Nabanna)
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S 21 (Baghbazar - Garia)
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S 45 (Baghbazar - Shakuntala Park)
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S 11 (Barrackpore - Esplanade)
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S 57 (Ariadaha - Nabanna)
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AC 20 (Barrackpore - Santragachi)
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AC 40 (Airport - Howrah Maidan)
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S 32 (Barrackpore - Howrah Stn)
Private Bus
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3B (Milk Colony - New Alipore)
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3D (Milk Colony - Sakherbazar)
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3C/1 (Nagerbazar - Anandapur)
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30D (Dum Dum Cant - Babughat)
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30B (Gouripur - Babughat)
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30C (Hatiara - Babughat)
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47B (Lake Town - Kasba Dhanmath)
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79B (Barasat - Baghbazar)
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219 (Nagerbazar - Howrah Stn)
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219/1 (Nagerbazar - Howrah Stn)
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202 (Nagerbazar - Science City)
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211A (Ahiritola - Langolpota)
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215/1 (Lake Town - Howrah Stn)
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227 (Bangur Ave - B.N.R)
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KB-16 (Bangur Ave - Shapoorji)
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KB-22 (Kolkata station - Jamirgachi)
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KB-24 (Kolkata station - Hatisala)
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K-4 (Dakshineswar - Ruby)
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30A (Sinthee More - Esplanade)
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32A (Dakshineswar - Salt Lake Sector V)
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34C (Noapara - Esplanade)
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78 (Barrackpore - Esplanade)
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78/1 (Rahara - Babughat)
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201 (Nimta - Salt Lake Sector V)
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214 (Sajirhat - Babughat)
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214A (Sodepur Girja - Esplanade)
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222 (Bon-Hooghly - Behala Chowrasta)
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230 (Kamarhati - Alipur Zoo)
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234 (Belgharia - Golf Green)
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234/1 (Belgharia - Golf Green)
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S-139 Mini (Shyambazar - Babughat)
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S-164 Mini (Tobin Road - BBD Bag)
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S-168 Mini (Nagerbazar - Howrah)
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S-180 Mini (Belgharia - Howrah Fire Service)
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S-185 Mini (Nimta Paikpara - Howrah Stn)
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Barrackpore - Howrah Stn Bus
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Madhyamgram - Howrah Stn Bus
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Paikpara - Garia Stn Bus
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Baghbazar - Garia Stn Bus
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Shyambazar - Bagnan Bus
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93 (Kharibari - Baghbazar)
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91 (Bhangar - Shyambazar)
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91C (Lauhati - Shyambazar)
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91A (Harao Banstala - Shyambazar)
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DN-18 (Baduria - Shyambazar)
Railways
Kolkata railway station is nearby, which is one of the 5 major railway hub stations of Kolkata Metropolitan Area.
Shyambazar metro station is the nearest metro station of Kolkata Metro.
Commerce
Shyambazar is the focal point of shopping in north Kolkata. In fabrics and clothing, it can match College Street-MG Road crossing in Central Kolkata or
Gariahat Road in South Kolkata. In Jewellery, it can match
Bowbazar in Central Calcutta or
Gariahat Road in South Kolkata. The once famous house of jewellers, M B Sircar of Shyambazar, Senco Gold, has given way to numerous shops of descendants using variations of the name, all across the city.
In Fariapukur which is an important street connecting
Bidhan Sarani and APC road, there was once the office of Bichitra Press where Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay sometimes visited.
Many renowned Jewelry brand shops are located on the two sides of Bidhan Sarani. Braving the scorching afternoon heat and drizzles in the evening, people throng at roadside shops for the Chaitra sale offering attractive concessions. Shyambazar vies with New Market and Gariahat as the most crowded markets in Kolkata.
Shyambazar has two regular markets — Shyambazar and Hatibagan.
Medical facilities
Shyambazar is also the focal point of medical treatment for the North Kolkata and its Suburban areas. R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, one of the biggest and oldest medical college in Kolkata is located close to Shyambazar Five Point crossing. The area is also crowded with nursing homes and famous are Life Line, Dreamland Nursing Home, North Land Nursing Homes, Nirnoy Nursing Homes. Renowned private hospitals like Navajeevan Hospital, Sanjeevani hospital are also located here. N.C. Paul Clinic, Serum Analysis Center, Doyen diagnostic centers are in Shyambazar area.
Sports
As Shyambazar is a crowded residential and shopping locality, there are few play grounds here. However, Mohun Bagan AC, one of Kolkata's leading sports clubs, had its first play ground at what is now Mohun Bagan Row. A plaque announces that the first play ground was in Mohun Bagan Villa from 1889 to 1892. Kolkata has a deep passion for football but other sports too have developed with time and have gained their share of importance and popularity as well. Tennis is one of them. Shyambazar Tennis Club operates regularly at Deshbandhu Park.
Education
J.B. Roy State Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital
Entertainment
Shyambazar has traditionally been an entertainment neighbourhood. Nabin Chandra Basu staged the first Bengali production
Bidyasundar at his Shyambazar home theatre in 1835.
Later in the 19th century, crucial roles were played by Bagbazar Amateur Theatre and Shyambazar Natya Samaj, in highlighting the demand for public commercial theatres open to the public, as opposed to private home theatres of the rich.
[Raha, Kiranmay, Calcutta Theatre 1835-1944, in Calcutta, the Living City, Vol I, p. 188]
Nandikar, one of the leading theatre groups in Kolkata is based in Shyambazar.
External links
