Bengal146;s Renaissance man remembered afresh

The house of the Renaissance man, however, was lying in neglect. Less than a decade ago, 36 Vidyasagar Street was just another decrepit building in a north Kolkata neighbourhood, popularly known as 8220;Badurbagan8221;.

With squabbling tenants and the structure in total disrepair, there was nothing about the two-storeyed building that could lay claim to an illustrious past. It was in this building that the nineteenth century social reformer, Ishwar Chandra Bandopadhyay spent his last years until his death in 1891.

Constructed in 1876, the building was heading for ruin until local citizens persuaded the civic authorities to take over the structure and declare it a heritage building in 2000. The maintenance was handed over to the VCW.

Thanks to the relentless efforts of the college authorities, the premises has been restored to its old grandeur.

Rechristened 8220;Vidyasagar Smriti Mandir8221;, the building has received a complete facelift and now has two archive rooms on the first floor documenting the life of Vidyasagar. The tranquil surroundings provide the perfect space for people willing to flip the pages of history.

8220;This was the house where Ramkrishna Paramahansa had visited Vidyasagar. The building changed many hands since his death and its facade underwent many changes made by the tenants,8221; said Pulakesh Roy, professor of history at VCW. The renovation undertaken by the college also offered chance discoveries. 8220;Rummaging through the waste, we came across a portrait of young Iswar Chandra painted by an Englishman. The painting was later restored at the Victoria Memorial,8221; said Roy.