Tales Of New Market: An Amalgamation Of Life, Death, and Culture

As you pass from the middle of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and a giant hat on the top of the gate to the famous Charlie Chaplin Park, make sure to take a right turn and enter Hogg Street. Then take the little curve to a narrow entrance that might appear as a dark alleyway. As you step inside, you enter the world of a one hundred and forty-one-year-old Sir Stuart Hogg Market, locally known as New Market.

New Market, Kolkata: A tale from the colonial era; Image Source: YouTube- Rediscover Kolkata

Kolkata might be monikered lovingly as the City of Joy, but it evokes a mirage of emotions. Every nook and corner of Kolkata carries a special significance in everyone's heart. From the mouthwatering aroma of Tiretta Bazaar to the colonial vibes lingering in Park Street, from the everyday hustle-bustle of Nutan Bazaar to the spirit of football at Mohun Bagan, this ancient city is once known for its contribution to the field of education, commerce, and culture, has something in store for everyone who steps into this beautiful state.

Fondly known as Kolkata in the present day, it was once called Calcutta as it carried the respectful tag of the capital of India under British rule. The East India Company began its foothold in Calcutta and grew to become a significant governmental power in the region. With flourishing trade in the nineteenth century, Calcutta underwent rapid urbanization. Soon the unified town was divided into two parts- the White town, built for Europeans that sprawled across Dalhousie Square and Chowringhee, and the Black Town, built for Indians that sprawled across the northern part of Calcutta.

Today, Kolkata is a culmination point of various cultures, but those historical influences still affect the state. The amalgamation of old-world charm and modernity gives a unique twist to the City of Joy. And no place has managed to balance these two different things and bring out a beautiful effect.

Now that we have explored Kolkata's nuances let's enter a one-hundred-and-forty-one-year-old market that still thrives with the same enthusiasm and excitement it possessed decades ago. Monikered as S.S Hogg Market, this bazaar opened its doors to the public for the first time in the nineteenth century. But here's a twist in the tale of this market- it had a racist and classist history.

Now let's start with the fascinating story that takes us back to the 1800s when the British had a strong hold over the city of Kolkata. Only three bazaars thrived in the town during those days- Tiretta, Dalhousie Square, and Lalbazaar. White Europeans occupied the areas surrounding these famous bazaars, but soon the local people began setting up their houses on the fringes. And as usual, the self-centered and adamant British residents and officers could not tolerate this as they were averse to even brushing their high and mighty shoulders with Indians.

A solution had to be found to make the so-called problem of the British go away. The British threw such tantrums that the Calcutta Corporation had to form a special committee in 1871 to plan an "All-White Market." This bazaar would cater to the 'oh-so-specific' needs of the British residents. To start executing this plan, the Calcutta Corporation had to buy Lindsay Street, where an old market called Fenwick Bazaar was built. This ancient market was demolished, and Richard Roskell Bayne, an East India Railway Company architect, was assigned the task of making the British market from scratch. The Mackintosh Company was given the responsibility of completing the construction.

When the City of Joy established a British market; Image Source: WordPress- Best Bengal

The whims and fancies of the 'so-called-sophisticated' British were so ridiculous that to cater to their needs, a sizeable Victorian market was built from the ground in 1874. All this was because they couldn't tolerate shopping with Indians. Finally, on January 1, 1874, the gates of this bazaar were opened to the European population. The area outside the market was so spacious that it was converted into a parking plot for horse-drawn carriages.

Many famous brands from England opened their shop in this marketplace- R.W. Newman and Thacker Spink (stationary sellers and book dealers), Ranken and Company (dressmakers), and Cuthbertson and Harper (shoe merchants). The colossal building made with a dash of Gothic-style statement was built with bright red bricks, arched windows with shutters, beautiful facades, pillared alleyways, tiled roofs, and other awe-inspiring Victorian architectural elements like broad eaves and long pinnacles.

As it replaced the ancient market of Fenwick, this bazaar was monikered as New Market. The Chairman of Calcutta Corporation, Sir Stuart Saunders Hogg, spearheaded the entire process of building this market, and thus, it was officially named Sir Stuart Hogg Market. But people rarely call this market by such a vast and snooty name. In the twentieth century, a massive clock tower was brought from Huddersfield and installed in the southern part of the market, where it stands proudly to date. New Market has evolved from a snobby 'white' market to the multicultural hub of Kolkata, where the contemporary and the old coexist.

Though fancy malls have been popping up now and then in Kolkata, the stubborn New Market has held its ground for decades. Today the market hosts over two thousand stores and sells everything it can under the sun, ranging from books to stationery to garments and hardware. Whether it's the holiday season or just a regular day, you'll always find a large crowd of excited shoppers here. An ancient adage says you can find everything from a needle to an elephant at the New Market.

As one traverses through the narrow lanes of the market, one can find anything and everything, starting from famous handicraft products from Uttar Pradesh to aromatic coffee beans of Kerala, from a hundred-year-old Jewish bakery shop to tiny hut-like shops that sell Darjeeling tea, this market embodies the rich culture and heritage of Kolkata. New Market is an emotion for the people of Kolkata. Every nook and cranny of the market has a tale to tell. Kolkata's noisy and warm essence may be found in that begrimed microcosm.