1930 Chowringhee Road, The Grand Avenue of British Raj Calcutta
A striking 1930 photograph of Chowringhee Road, the grand avenue of British Raj Calcutta (Kolkata). The photo captures one of Calcutta’s (Kolkatta) most famous boulevards at the height of the British Raj. Chowringhee Road was regarded as the commercial and social heart of the city. It was lined with prestigious hotels, fashionable department stores, offices, and elegant European-style buildings.
The broad avenue shows motor cars, pedestrians, and an electric tram, offering a fascinating glimpse into the bustling urban life of pre-independence Calcutta. Today, it is officially known as Jawaharlal Nehru Road, yet it remains one of Kolkata’s most historic and recognizable thoroughfares.
Dominating the skyline is the distinctive twin-domed Metropolitan Building, which originally housed the renowned British-era department store Whiteway, Laidlaw & Co. In the lower left stands the historic Bristol Hotel, established in 1897 by a British proprietor. Before adopting its famous name, it operated as the Palace Hotel and Hotel d’Europe. The Bristol later relocated to the neighbouring domed building at No. 2 Chowringhee Road, while its former premises became the Chowringhee Hotel. The hotel remained one of Calcutta’s leading accommodations into the 1940s before eventually closing in the following decade. Click image to enlarge.
Did you know – Chowringhee Road was among the grandest avenues in Asia, often compared with London’s finest streets during the British Raj.
