Cohosted by Sayan and his father Amitabh Basu, Oh Kolkata – Sutanuti Homestay is a telling example of remarkable restoration efforts by a family. Conserving and maintaining their heritage property was no mean task but their efforts yielded unimaginable results. Nestled in one of the lanes of Shyambazar, an old neighbourhood in North Kolkata, the interiors enamor you with their vintage aesthetics and comforting feel of authentic Bengali lifestyle. An exclusive dekko by Vibezeen magazine.
Shyambazar, Kolkata – history richly brewing in the here and now
Even the most vividly descriptive literature falls short of recreating history the way people and places do in real time. Let alone the factual textbooks of school. Some alleys and bylanes of the present-day Kolkata take you on a fascinating flashback into a time and space that has indeed been part of living memory for many. Shyambazar, a neighbourhood in the north of the city, is dotted with old-world mansions, double-storied residential buildings, and private and commercial theatres. Interestingly, Hatibagan market in the locality is the very same place where Japanese airstrikes dropped a bomb during World War II but fortunately it never exploded. In fact, the erstwhile Calcutta was immensely impacted by such devastating events and their catastrophic consequences. The city not only became an unsuspecting target of the global conflict owing to Japanese bombing in 1942 but also witnessed the disastrous Bengal famine in the subsequent year. A single ride or walk through this old neighbourhood is enough to spot several subtle and glaring traces of all that may have stirred Dominique Lapierre to pen down his 1985 novel City of Joy, after which the city is nicknamed.
From the glorious colonial architectural splendor that celebrates its nostalgic charm to antiquated glimpses of a bygone era seen in its disintegrating structures, trams and hand-pulled rickshaws, Kolkata has history richly brewing in the here and now. One is amazed to see the harmonious coexistence of the vintage aesthetics with the modern sleekness.
Oh Kolkata – Sutanuti Homestay – a telling example of restoration efforts of family
What better way to experience this symphony of past and present than to stay at a place that brings the best of both worlds under one roof? Oh Kolkata – Sutanuti Homestay, a more than 80-year old building turned into a homestay accommodation turns out to be one such discovery for Vibezeen magazine. Cohosted by Sayan and his father Amitabh Basu, it is a telling example of genuine restoration efforts that paid off in unimaginable ways.
During the COVID period, Sayan and his family had to move into this ancestral building that was languishing in neglect for decades. Sayan’s maternal side of the family were zamindars in the pre-Independent India and were based in the present-day Bangladesh. With the turn of events during the Partition period, the family migrated to the city. The 3-storied property is owned by his grandmother Bithika Mitra, who Sayan looks up to with great admiration and fondness. Ms Mitra’s father had initiated the construction of the building in 1935. However, the work was stalled with the onset of the World War II and picked up gradually. Many of the raw materials, including the marbles were sourced from Italy and mirrors from Belgium. The home was finally completed in 1944. But for some or the other reason, with the passage of time the house was left abandoned for decades. It was only during the pandemic years that Sayan decided to restore the structure bit by bit. Today, the family resides in one part of the building while letting out the remaining for homestay.
Comforting aesthetics of an authentic Bengali lifestyle
Enter the place and you are transported into a space done up with comforting aesthetics of an authentic Bengali lifestyle. The sprawling Victorian tiles and louvered windows are instant mood uplifters. Antique furniture, including a poster bed with vertical columns, dressing mirrors and wooden shelves lend a vintage look and exquisite feel. The sight of round knockers on doors and horizontal wooden bar locks evokes amazement and curiosity, especially among those who are accustomed to the millennial and Gen Z modular living. “The intention is to keep the old glory intact,” says Sayan.
If you get a room with a long verandah with cast-iron railings, you will love to relish your morning and evening cuppa with the view of the bustling locality that still holds the allure of “once upon a time”.
Be it solo globetrotters, expats visiting for family reunions or international tourists on wanderlust sojourn, Sutanuti Homestaygives every traveller their own unique reason to experience antiquity with all the modern comforts in the City of Joy.
In the Vicinity
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