Dalhousie Square, Kolkata

Don't be surprised if you imagine yourself being lost in a London borough, as you take a stroll through Dalhousie Square in central Kolkata (West Bengal). Presently known as B.B.D Bagh, Dalhousie Square in Kolkata has been declared among the world's 100 most endangered sites by the World Monuments Fund (WMF). Today, the area serves as the seat of power for the West Bengal State Government. Besides, Dalhousie Square is also the place where the central business district of Kolkata is located.

Dalhousie Sqaure in Kolkata got its name from Lord Dalhousie, the Governer General of India from 1847 to 1856. Now the area has been renamed B.B.D. Bagh after three young Indian freedom fighters – Benoy, Badal and Dinesh. The Dalhousie Sqaure is where many famous buildings and banks are located today. These include Writer's Building (secretariat of the state government), the Royal Exchange (former residence of Robert Clive, now housing the Bengal Chamber of Commerce), the General Post Office, Town Hall, High Court, head quarters of several companies and St John's Church (which houses the mausoleum of Job Charnock, the founder of the city of Calcutta).

A large part of the population of Kolkata turns up at Dalhousie Square everyday to earn their livelihood. Food vendors line the pavement all around the area, selling a variety of local Calcuttan food including parathas, puris, rice, vegetables etc. Both in the morning and at lunch, daily commuters (officers, clerks and others office-goers) gather at these food vending stalls to have their meal. At lunchtime, the area around Dalhousie Square turns into a hub of activities, people almost jostling against one another. Since almost all the buildings here are business establishments, the area turns into a quiet place at night, with only cars and buses passing by.

The colonial-era buildings at Dalhousie Square feature architectural styles like Georgian, Victorian and late Gothic. With so many magnificent colonial buildings to see, a visit to B.B.D. Bagh or Dalhousie Square in Kolkata is certainly a unique experience for heritage lovers.