7 months ago
Heritage Walk Highlights Art Deco in Kolkata
A group of people went on a walk in a part of Kolkata to look at special old buildings.
These buildings are from a style called Art Deco, which has curves and pretty designs.
The walk was led by a woman named Mohor Sengupta, who explained how these buildings were made by people who lived there a long time ago.
Some of these buildings were homes of famous actors and artists.
The group saw how the Art Deco style is not just in buildings but also in jewelry and other things.
They worry that these buildings might be destroyed if people don't take care of them.
The walk was organized to make people notice and care about these special buildings so that they can be saved for the future.
A heritage walk was organized by the Calcutta Heritage Collective in the Lake Temple area of south Kolkata to highlight Art Deco architecture.
The walk was led by Mohor Sengupta, who explained the history and significance of Art Deco in the neighbourhood.
The area was developed in the 1920s and 1930s, with buildings constructed between the 1930s and 1960s, showcasing unique interpretations of global design ideas.
Participants saw homes linked to cultural icons like Kanan Devi, Satyajit Ray, and Soumitra Chatterjee, many of which are now vulnerable to development.
The walk aimed to create awareness and inspire citizens to conserve and preserve Kolkata's Art Deco heritage.
- Who
- Calcutta Heritage Collective, Mohor Sengupta, Mukul Agarwal, Hauke Wiebe, and participants
- What
- A heritage walk through an Art Deco neighbourhood in south Kolkata
- Where
- Lake Temple area, south Kolkata
- When
- On a winter morning
- Why
- To create awareness about Kolkata's Art Deco heritage and inspire conservation efforts
Key facts
- Location
- Lake Temple area, south Kolkata
- Organizer
- Calcutta Heritage Collective
- Leader
- Mohor Sengupta
- Period of Buildings
- 1930s to 1960s
- Notable Figures
- Kanan Devi, Satyajit Ray, Soumitra Chatterjee
- Art Deco Centenary
- 2025
- Participants
- 30 people
Quotes
Mohor Sengupta
Writer and heritage enthusiast, member of the Calcutta Heritage Collective
“Art Deco is a living style. It never really died here.”
telegraphindia.com
“These buildings exist because of the workers and artisans who replicated what they saw and made it their own. No two houses are the same. Every home here carries its own interpretation.”
telegraphindia.com
Mukul Agarwal
Founder trustee of the Calcutta Heritage Collective
“Our aim is to create awareness about our beautiful heritage and make Calcutta relevant again.”
telegraphindia.com
“People travel abroad and admire old buildings, but we rarely look at our own city with the same spirit. First we need to know what we have. These walks highlight that and inspire citizens to conserve and preserve.”
telegraphindia.com
Hauke Wiebe
German visitor based in Edinburgh with a professional interest in colonial-era links between Europe and India
“In Germany we have very little Art Deco. I always knew places like Bombay and Miami celebrate it, but in Kolkata there was less awareness. To walk through a small area and see so many variations of the style was fascinating.”
telegraphindia.com
“Kanan Devi’s house was extraordinary. So many curves in such a small structure. But what worries me is that the owner said they are moving out and it may go to developers. That building needs to be saved.”
telegraphindia.com
