What do you think of when you talk of Elgin Road? Forum, Crosswords, Bhawanipore College correct! But there is much more than what meets the eye. The stretch is a treasure trove of stories waiting to be retold. Elgin Road stretches from Chowringhee Road in the West to Sarat Bose Road in the East. Originally known as Peepulputty ka Rusta, present day Elgin Road is regarded as among the most posh locales in Kolkata. This is the point from where the residential area of South Kolkata begins. One of the most important characteristics of this road is that it marks the great divide between Central and South Kolkata.
Elgin Road was named after Lord James Bruce Elgin. James Elgin was the son of the 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine and his second wife, Lady Mary Lambton. Lord Elgin was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. He graduated with a first in Classics in 1832. While at Oxford, he became friends with William Gladstone. Lord Elgin served as the Viceroy of India from January 21, 1862 to November 20, 1863. He died in Dharamasala on November 20, 1863 and was buried in the churchyard of St. John in the Wilderness.
Bhowanipore congregational church
The Corporation at its meeting held on Friday, January 22, 1965 decided to rechristen Elgin Road as Lajpat Sarani. The proposal of renaming the road after Lala Lajpat Rai was moved by the Mayor Chittaranjan Chatterjee and it was accepted by the Corporation unanimously as mentioned in the Calcutta Municipal Gazette dated January 30, 1965. Later on February 24, 1965, the Corporation issued a notification to further rename Lajpat Sarani as Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani as mentioned in page 512 of the Calcutta Municipal Gazette dated February 27, 1965.
Over the past two decades, Elgin Road has emerged from being primarily a residential area to one of the leading fashion district of the city with major national and international brands opening their stores in this locale.
Forum – the city’s first multiplex too is situated on this road. In fact it was Forum, which put Elgin Road in the same league as Park Street as an entertainment hub. Starting from bookstores, music stores to coffee shops, food stalls and medical centers – Elgin Road is in the thick of things from start to finish. It is also home to two churches, which are almost a century old.
But when it comes to historical significance, the edifice which stands tall at 38/2 Elgin Road, takes the cake for this was the residence of one of India’s greatest heroes – Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Elgin Road is also home to several high-rises and today it is among the most expensive places to live in. It takes some five minutes to walk down the stretch of Elgin Road, but what you leave behind in the journey is a lasting legacy to enjoy.
