College Street (Kolkata)
Road in Kolkata, India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
College Street (Bengali: কলেজ স্ট্রিট) is a 900 metre long street in Central Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. Also known as Boi Para (Bengali: বইপাড়া; lit. Book Town), it stretches from Bidhan Sarani road up to Bowbazar (before Nirmal Chandra Street) via MG Road crossing and Surya Sen Street crossing.[1][2] Its name derives from the presence of numerous colleges and universities like University of Calcutta, Calcutta Medical College, Presidency University, The Sanskrit College and University, City College of Commerce and Business Administration etc. The road houses many centres of intellectual activity especially the Indian Coffee House, a café that has attracted the city's intelligentsia for decades.[3] College Street is the largest book market in India as well as Asia[4] and the largest secondhand book market in the whole world.[5]
| Boi Para (Books Neighborhood) | |
Book stores and tram tracks along College Street | |
 Interactive map of College Street | |
| Native name | কলেজ স্ট্রিট (Bengali) |
|---|---|
| Maintained by | Kolkata Municipal Corporation |
| Length | 0.9 km (0.56 mi)[1] |
| Location | Kolkata, India |
| Postal code | 700012, 700073 |
| Nearest Kolkata Metro station | MG Road, Central and Sealdah |
| Coordinates | 22.575514°N 88.363354°E |
| North end | Bidhan Sarani |
| South end | Bowbazar |
Book stores
The College Street is famous for its small and big book stores, which gives it the nickname Boi Para (Colony of Books).[2][6] People from the whole city and different parts of the state flock the innumerable book stores along the side-walk for books. Many bigwigs of the Bengali publication industry (like: Ananda Publishers, Mitra and Ghosh Publishers, DasGupta and Company Pvt. Ltd, Dey's Publishing, Rupa & Co. etc.) are situated here. The street is also dotted with countless small book kiosks which sell new and old books.[2] Books vary from school or college textbooks of countless streams, to works of emerging authors and old, second-hand texts which have notes scribbled on them. The list is endless, and one might find anything and everything between books dating back to 250 years ago, rare first editions or even books from publishers who no longer exist today.[7] An article in the journal Smithsonian described College Street as ...a half-mile of bookshops and bookstalls spilling over onto the pavement, carrying first editions, pamphlets, paperbacks in every Indian language, with more than a fair smattering of books in and out of print from France, Germany, Russia and England.[8] One can buy rare books at throw-away prices and extensive bargaining takes place.
Recognition
In 2007, College Street featured among the famous landmarks of India which have made it to 6pm to 9pm Magazine's "Best of Asia" list.[9]
Educational institutes
Well-known academic institutions situated on this street include:
Universities
- Presidency University, established as Hindoo College in 1817, making it one of the oldest post secondary liberal arts colleges in South Asia.
- Sanskrit College and University, established in 1824.
- Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, established in 1835, the first college of European medicine in Asia.
- University of Calcutta, established in 1857, and the first university (to be established as a secular multidisciplinary university) in South Asia.
Colleges
- Bethune College, established in 1879.
- City College of Commerce and Business Administration, established in 1879.
- City College, established as Presidency School in 1881.
- Surendranath College, established in 1882.
- Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, established in 1953, and affiliated to the University of Calcutta. It is India's first institute offering MBA.
Schools
- Hindu School, established in 1817.[2][6]
- Hare School, established in 1818.
- Sanskrit Collegiate School, established in 1824.
- Anglo Arabic Secondary School, established in 1969.
Gallery
College Street view
College Street on Holiday
College Street and Surya Sen Street crossing
Monument of the 49th Bengalee Regiment (Bangali Platoon) at Vidyasagar Udyan
Kolkata Tram route no. 5 on College Street
College Street and Mahatma Gandhi Road Crossing
Vidyasagar Udyan at Night
View of Vidyasagar Udyan Swimming Pool
Calcutta Medical College and Hospital main entrance at College Street
Old second-hand books being sold by a shopkeeper at the College Street
Inside view of Vidyasagar Udyan in Kolkata
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