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Majestic Calcutta, the specially curated exhibition on
view at the Victoria Memorial, Kolkata from December 1-31 2006,
documents not only an Imperial Legacy, but also the aspirations
of a newly emerging India. Evoking a significant period in the
history of Calcutta, these rare black and white images from the
private collection of Jayant Patel, capture priceless moments
for posterity. From Gandhiji to Pundit Nehru to Shri Rajgopalachari,
from Jinnah to Chiang Kei Shek, from Queen Elizabeth to Lord
Casey, the camera has captured the moments without bias or agenda.
The Exhibition, inaugurated by Shri Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Honourable
Governor of West Bengal, bears witness to his support of the
project from its very inception. Shri Gandhi's abiding interest
in the archival importance and quality of the photographs was
the driving force behind the initiative, which is a loving tribute
to the city of Calcutta. Students of photography, history buffs
and indeed all Calcuttans, will relate both emotionally - and
appreciatively - to these images, many of which now exist only
in memory.
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A rare collection of photographs of Raj Bhavan, Victoria
Memorial and the Cityscape are the highlights of the exhibit.
The majestic Raj Bhawan, or Governor's House, official residence
of the Governor of West Bengal, is not just another colonial
leftover mansion of the erstwhile British East India Company.
It is a significant estate of stupendous dimension, one that
has housed the Viceroys of British India till 1911 when Calcutta
was the Capital of the country. This early nineteenth century
edifice is one of the finest specimens of Post Renaissance architectural
grandeur, receiving distinguished dignitaries from around the
world. The splendour and majesty of those occasions, and the
presence of great historical personalities, has been captured
for time to come, in these images.
The Victoria Memorial in Calcutta is a wonderful example of Indo-Saracenic
architecture. Conceived by Lord Curzon, Victoria Memorial is
an imposing monument, iconic in its pristine majesty. The museum
within the Memorial, houses one of the best collection of artefacts
to be found in any museum in India, as well a visual history
of India in the pre-camera days. A significant collection of
Art of the modern masters of Bengal bears testimony to the contribution
made by Indians in the area of fine arts and aesthetics Majestic
Calcutta has indeed found its true home, and is fortunate to
premiere at this historic venue.
The Cityscape of Calcutta captured in the exhibits, will draw
historians, scholars and Calcuttans of a certain vintage, to
dwell upon what is perceived, as the decline, architecturally,
of the character and style of Calcutta, the grandeur and the
artistic features of the building designs for which it used to
be called City of Palaces. Very few structures such as Governor's
House, Writers Building, Tagore House, National Library, Indian
Museum, Town Hall and Victoria Memorial have retained their visual
aesthetics and proportionate development incorporating ornamental
motifs. Several photographs have captured select areas of Calcutta,
such as the Maidan, Esplanade, Dalhousie Square (now B.B.D.Bagh),
the Race Course, some landmarks on the western bank of the Hoogly
River, the Howrah Bridge, Bally Bridge, Dakhineshwar, Belur Math
etc. These will inevitably draw comparisons to Calcutta then
- and now!
Photographers, both from India and abroad, concur that Calcutta
is made for black and white photography. The mood and magic of
the moment, the evocative images of the exhibition, could not
have been captured in any other medium. The interplay between
blackness and light goes to the heart of the photographic experience.
One, draws you in, the other, radiates energy. Both share the
intensity and at the same time a subtlety that challenges the
eye. The archival life span of black and white film measures
in the hundred-year plus range, and simplifies the scene and
clutter that can surround the subject.
Bombay Photo Stores, the source of this
magnificent collection, was one of the first, and most
prominent, full studio photography stores in Calcutta. Established
in 1940, with the assistance of Kodak, it was a familiar landmark
on Park Street, and bore eloquent witness to the years that saw
the country gain independence, and the defining decades thereafter.
Among the many prestigious and sensitive commissions - handed
by Bombay Photo Stores - during its illustrious career, was that
of the official photographers to Government House and the Military,
during World War II. An integral part of the life and times of
Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bombay Photo Stores downed its shutters
in 2004. It will, however, remain long in the memories of Calcuttans
as the chronicler of 'Majestic Calcutta' and always a 'remembrance
of things past'.
Bombay Photo Stores, its significant achievements and valuable
contributions to the historical archives of the country, can
be attributed to the creative vision of Jayant Pdtel. The youngest
of six siblings, Jayant Patel was born on November 28, 1927 at
Mombasa, Kenya. He was first introduced to the camera at age
seven by his father, and this was the beginning of a lifetime
passion... ... culminating with six highly successful decades
at the helm of Bombay Photo Stores. An immense love for the city
of Calcutta and its people shines through his impeccable work,
and the exhibition is a tribute to both. He is married to Lila,
and their children Dr. Ajay Patel and Anjani Chauhan live in
the United States of America. |