Do you know the best place for the Kolkata literary crowd? It is obviously College Street. This is the best place for the scholars and the intellectuals and this is the perfect destination for the academicians, the book lovers and the students of the city of Kolkata. The colloquial name of the lane is Boi Para. Here you find some of the most prestigious institutions like the University of Calcutta, the Calcutta Medical College, the Presidency College, the Sanskrit College, the Hindu School and the Hare School. The place holds the individual charm and you have the bookstalls in row on both sides of the road. In fact, this is noted as the paradise for the book enthusiasts.
This is just like the local book market being visited by book connoisseurs both national and international. This is the regular ground for the book trotters and you get the best variety of books and journals at the place. At College Street you find the books of the famous publishers like Abhijan Publishers, Ananda Publishers, and Dey’s Publishing House. You even find all the second hand books at the place and the collection is just stupendous.
The Location
College Street is based in the area between Mahatma Gandhi Road and Bowbazar. The inception of College Street dates back to the time when the Hindu College was established in the year 1817. The Hindu College was an attempt made by David Hare and his aim was to provide liberal education to the young members of the Hindu Community. This liberal idea gained universal appreciation from the stalwarts of the Hindu Community. You have Babu Buddinath Mukherjee and he received the support of the Chief Justice Sir Edward Hyde East and there were more help to seek for in establishing the College. The attempt was made by twenty scholars to give shape to the institution. This is the reason on the street where the Hindu College stands is known as College Street and the confirmation was
given under the governorship of Lord Wellesley. The former name of the street was the Great Arterial Road.
The Legend of the Coffee House
On the College Street stands the famous Coffee House. This has been the rendezvous ground for stalwarts and eminent people like Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, Satyajit Ray, Amartya Sen, Manna Dey, Shashi Kapoor, Mrinal Sen, Aparna Sen and the rest. This has been the literary ground for the poets and literates. Many famous writings have been penned down at the place. You find the introductions of poems and lyrics and more things have sprawled from the creative minds among the visitors at Coffee House.
Often the cafeteria is turned to the effective literary ground and people seem to have brimming ideas at the place and it is also the place to chat and have fun for the students of the nearby colleges and institutions. The Coffee House has witnessed the presence of several famous personalities and you would love the show of simple literacy being displayed at the place.
So once you are at College Street make sure to sip some coffee at the Coffee House and you can even loiter at the book stalls to discover the unknown.