Discover Kolkata’s heritage as the city becomes a ‘museum’

Kolkata is a city with a long-standing cultural heritage. With the people of the city becoming more aware of their past, several initiatives are being taken now to reveal the great potential of exploring Kolkata’s past and how it has evolved to the modern society. One such annual initiative is the Delhi Art Gallery’s (DAG) The City as a Museum, which imagines the entire city of Kolkata choosing specific spots, to be the repository of history and culture. As the Festival enters its fourth year, we take a look at the eight events that have been curated for the audience between November 16 – 24, 2024 . Entry to all events are free of cost, but on pre-registrations only, through official website.

The event kicks off with the Tebhaga Women Speak and Adhi Noy, Tebhag Chai. Whiel the former is an interactive session helmed by Kavita Panjabi which discusses accounts of activists, oral narratives, and songs; the latter is an installation recalling testimonies from activists and other frontliners involved.

November 16

Time: 2 pm – 4 pm / 10 am - 6 pm

Venue: Directorate of State Archives, Shakespeare Sarani  

Those interested in maps of the past or the art of cartography, should not give this a miss. Mappa theke Manchitra is a journey through 18^th and 19^th century maps of Calcutta at the 140-year-old publishing house of P.M Bagchi and Company along with a neighbourhood walk conducted by Epsita Halder and Sarbajit Mitra.

November 17, 4 pm – 7 pm

Venue- P.M Bagchi and Co. Sovabazar

When we speak of Kolkata, the Hooghly is an inevitable part of its cultural milieu. The White Other explores the history of ‘other’ Europeans on the banks of the river. This interesting session by Sarmishta De is followed by a concert by The Big Other gypsy-jazz band.

November 20, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Venue: The Bengal Paddle

E Ek Ashcharja! Kalikata Kalankini; Athaba Chaaper Naksha Prahasan is a production by the Birati Samuho Performers Collective which explores the role played by the working class women in the 19^th century.

Dates: November 22 & 23 (5pm – 6 pm / 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm)

Venue: Sovabazar Natmandir

Art historian and archivist Sampurna Chakraborty takes you through collectives and publications beyond Calcutta’s colonial art in the 20^th century during Reform Screams.

November 23, 11 am – 1 pm

Venue: Government College of Art and Craft

The Festival will be concluded with the wonderful cultural session Mehfil-e-Thumri which explores the position of thumris and the contributions of baijis and tawaifs in Indian culture. The session will see performers like vocalist Sanjana Roy Chakraborty and Kathak dancer Ashimbandhu Bhattacharya among others.

November 24, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Venue: Khelat Ghose’s Residence, Pathuriaghata