A corner of Bengal

So impressed was Tagore that he lauded the club’s efforts towards preserving Bengali culture–several hundred miles away from Bengal. The club has hosted many other notable figures,including Subhas Chandra Bose who attended the Kashmiri Gate Durga Puja in 1935. Time was when this place was frequented by the who’s who of Bengali literature and arts world–be it sitar maestro Ravi Shankar or actor Utpal Dutt. Today, the club,established in 1925,is struggling for its survival.

The structure is one of the 746 heritage buildings notified by the MCD–a fact that’s a deterrent for its repairs as it requires permission from the civic body. One of the wrought iron pillars supporting the balcony has been damaged. The roof has cracks. Last year,the pathetic condition of the iconic club prompted Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna to ask the MCD to take care of its urgent repair. But no repair or restoration work has been started as yet. The club,which organises the city’s oldest Durga Puja–the more than hundred-year-old Kashmiri Gate Durga Puja–has been sending reminders to the MCD and DDA regarding the repair work,but without any success.

“We have given reminders to the civic authorities and police stating that given the condition of the structure and with our repeated requests for permission to carry out repairs not been taken note of,the club should not be held responsible for any mishap. The last such reminder was sent in June,” says Samarendra Bose,who’s been associated with the organisation for nearly five decades besides being one of its key office bearers.

The club is a typical British structure–high ceiling,arched windows and wooden staircase. It also has a library with more than 6,000 Bengali books and journals.

“Till the late 70s-early 80s,the club looked ‘busy’ during evenings. Then,as the Bengali population moved from the north towards south and east,the club’s attendance started going down. Of the 170-odd present members,most are senior citizens. The younger generation doesn’t have time,thanks to their hectic work schedule,and most children these days don’t read Bangla. Once this place was a theatre hub,now we try and organise a two-month Bengali language course during summer vacations for students who would like to brush up their vernacular language skills,” says Bose,adding that nowadays there are very few visitors to the library.

With Durga Puja,the barometer of ‘Bengaliness’ and cultural identity of the community,just round the corner,the club is witnessing some activity these days as it prepares for the five-day event. For the community,spread across NCR and with more than 400 pandals to visit,the Kashmiri Gate Puja is still a must on the itinerary on those days. Besides the rituals,get-togethers and cultural programmes,one of the attractions in this pandal is a food stall run by the Bengali Club that serves authentic ghoogni and other snacks.