Trip to Mohor Kunja (12/04/2015)

The 12th day of April 2015 will always remain a memorable day in my life. This is the first time I went for a meeting of a photography group of which I am a member. The venue of this trip was Mohor Kunja, lying just opposite to Rabindra Sadan and it was organized by the members and Admins of the photography group - Exposure - A Happy Family. The objective of this gathering was to hold a general meeting of the members of this group and discuss the long-term objectives of the group. Besides this, an executive committee was also elected. The meeting started at around 3:30 pm in the afternoon and broke up at around 6 pm. I had the chance to communicate with a number of experienced photographers who were mostly senior to me.

After this, we had some tea and refreshments and visited a photography exhibition organized by Light and Shadow at Gaganendra Shilpa Pradarshanshala or Kolkata Information Center. It was a memorable experience for me and I am looking forward to more such trips.

A brief history of Mohor Kunja

Mohor Kunja, erstwhile Citizen's Park, is a popular urban park in the city. It is situated just opposite Rabindra Sadan, on Cathedral Road. It was first opened for the public in 2005 and then its name was Citizen's Park. The name of the park was changed to Mohor Kunja in 2007 in order to pay tribute to Kanika Bandyopadhyay, eminent Rabindrasangeet singer, who is famous among all Bengalis as Mohordi. Mohor Kunja is a top tourist draw in Kolkata not only for its musical fountains or lush green lawns, but also for its outdoor stage for organizing various cultural programs. There is no entry fee for this park.

Photo album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.954142464618112.1073741879.672990912733270&type=1 

Trips To Victoria Memorial (1 and 2)

I went to Victoria Memorial, one of the most famous architectural landmarks in Kolkata, on two occasions. The first trip was a solo trip and on the second one, I was accompanied by Kaushikda, who is also a photography enthusiast like me. The first trip took place on February 8, 2014 and the latter on September 18, 2014.

A Brief History of Victoria Memorial

Victoria Memorial, also known as the Victoria Memorial Hall, is a museum situated on the Maidan, by the riverbanks of the Hooghly river. This Indo-Saracenic revivalist style architectural wonder was constructed by William Emerson, a famous British architect. The construction activities began in 1906 and completed in 1921. So, it took almost 15 years to finish the construction work of this architectural marvel. It was built to pay homage to Queen Victoria and recently has been transformed into a tourist draw and museum and is under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. David Prain and Lord Redesdale planned the lawns of this place and when you visit this, you will see a blend of Egyptian, Venetian, Islamic and Deccani pattern architecture in this masterpiece. The entire building was constructed with marble.

Location

The closest metro station is Maidan and the address is Queen's Way, Kolkata, WB, India. It is just within walking distance from the metro station and Jawaharlal Nehru Road. A number of BBD Bag< Howrah and Esplanade bound buses also ply near this area.

Things To See

The Angel of Victory, a statue, lies over the central dome of the memorial. In addition, there are other attractions like the Royal Gallery, the Calcutta Gallery, the National Leaders Gallery, central hall, the Portrait Gallery, the Arms and Armory Gallery, the Sculpture Gallery, the lakes and the gardens. King Edward VII memorial arch is another aspect to be seen here and there are statues of governor generals such as Cornwallis, Hastings, Wellesley, Clive, Bentinck, Ripon, Curzon and Dalhousie.

Photo album links: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.719089784790049.1073741858.672990912733270&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.838911719474521.1073741866.672990912733270&type=3