On the eve of the 78th Indian Independence Day, as the clock edged towards midnight, history came alive on the streets of Kolkata. A heritage tour, aptly titled “Freedom by Midnight” by historical and cultural tour curators Kunal Guha and Sudipto Lahiry, took eager participants on a journey through time, showing the monumental buildings that silently bore witness to the nation’s relentless struggle for freedom. But the night wasn’t just about revisiting the past; it was also about reclaiming the present. As heritage enthusiasts wandered through these historic sites, thousands of souls took to the streets, their voices rising in unison for the “Women, Reclaim the Night” movement. It was a night where the echoes of freedom fighters intertwined with the powerful chants of modern-day warriors, both groups united by a common thread—freedom, in all its forms.

Talking to The Statesman, Kunal Guha, one of the partners of Calcutta by Night, said, “For the first time in Kolkata, we’ve unveiled the concept of night tourism, offering a glimpse of the city in a whole new light—literally. As we explore the illuminated wonders of Kolkata, we step into a different paradigm altogether. This special tour was organised to commemorate the midnight of 15 August 1947, when India gained independence from the British Raj.”

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Sure, we had eager participants on the tour, but for those of you who missed it, fear not—I’m about to be your guide through this literary stroll. So, lace up your mental walking shoes as we embark on a journey through these sheets of paper, exploring the iconic Kolkata landmarks that played a decisive role in India’s freedom movement.

NETAJI BHAWAN

If you’ve ever strolled down Elgin Road in Kolkata, you’ve surely noticed the yellow-walled property with green windows that stands at 38/2. This stately home, originally built in 1909 by Janakinath Bose, was once the ancestral residence of the Bose family and now stands as Netaji Bhawan, a memorial dedicated to Subhash Chandra Bose.

The exterior of Netaji Bhawan, with its traditional pillars and porticos, reflects the quintessential architectural style of a 20th-century Bengali mansion. As you step inside, you’re greeted by a striking relief profile of Netaji’s face, crafted by artist Sunil Paul, which adorns the right side of the front portico. On the left, marble plaques display two pages from Netaji’s “Political Statement”, written in his own hand during his hunger strike in prison in November 1940.

As you venture further, you’ll encounter the iconic 1937 German Wanderer sedan, quietly parked yet rich with history. This car played a key role in Netaji’s daring “Great Escape” to Gomoh railway station in Jharkhand in 1941, from where he embarked on his journey to Germany. The Wanderer W24, with its 1767 cc, 4-cylinder engine producing 42 hp at 3,500 rpm, could reach a top speed of 108 kmph. Paired with a four-speed manual transmission, this Auto Union-manufactured vehicle was a rarity, with only 22,500 units ever made.

“In November 1940, Netaji began a hunger strike, and fearing his death in custody, the British released him on 5 December but kept him under tight surveillance. I’ve seen British documents revealing that 14 intelligence officers were assigned to watch him when he returned home. One day, Netaji asked my father, Sisir Bose, if he could do some work for him. This marked the start of planning his escape. By late December, Mian Akbar Shah, a close ally, arrived from Peshawar, and together they bought clothes from Wachel Molla’s shop on Dharmatala Street to disguise Netaji as Mohammed Ziauddin, a north Indian Muslim insurance agent. On the night of 16-17 January 1941 at 1.35 a.m., Netaji and my father left the house, putting their escape plan into action. Later, while travelling from Peshawar to Kabul, Netaji disguised himself as a Pathan despite not speaking Pashto. To avoid suspicion, he pretended to be mute and deaf. Subsequently, he adopted the alias Orlando Mazzotta and used a fake Italian passport to journey from Kabul to Berlin, passing through Samarkand and Moscow,” professor Sugata Bose, grandnephew of Netaji, informed.

Walking upstairs inside the house, you would discover Netaji’s bedroom, complete with his and his father’s beds, as well as his study, still filled with his books. The upper floor also features a central gallery, Sarat Bose’s room, the Asia room and the Europe room—all meticulously preserved, with every piece of furniture, documents and other belongings intact.

AKASHVANI BHAVAN

Though this building isn’t tied directly to the Indian independence struggle, the importance of radio during that time cannot be overstated. Sudipto Lahiry, co-founder of Calcutta by Night, shared the story of Usha Mehta, a courageous Indian student who ran a secret radio station for the independence movement.

“This is the Congress Radio calling on 42.34 from somewhere in India,” the broadcasts would begin. Mehta, along with activists Chandrakant Babubhai Jhaveri, Vithaldas K. Jhaveri and Nanka Motwane, launched the station on 14 August 1942, with the help of Nariman Printer, an amateur radio operator. They initially broadcast twice daily in Hindi and English but later reduced it to once in the evening, constantly moving to evade the police.

The station aired crucial news, from merchants refusing to export rice to the arrests of leaders. In November 1942, a police raid, tipped off by Printer after his arrest, led to the discovery of the station. During the raid, Mehta and her colleagues made a final broadcast, playing “Vande Mataram” as the authorities broke in. The equipment was seized, and Mehta, along with four others, was arrested. After a lengthy investigation, she was sentenced to four years in prison, being released in April 1946.

THE RODDA ARMS HEIST

Standing below the illuminated Standard Life Assurance Building at Dalhousie, Kunal Guha narrated the events that led to the momentous event of the Rodda Arms heist.

On 26 August 1914, a daring heist unfolded in broad daylight in Kolkata’s B.B.D. Bagh. A group of revolutionaries managed to steal 50 Mauser C96 semi-automatic pistols and 46,000 7.63 mm x 25 mm Mauser cartridges from Rodda & Co., (a prominent British-owned gun store situated at the time in Vansittart Row in Calcutta) executing the robbery so skillfully that it took authorities three days to realise what had happened. The theft, reported to Sir Charles Augustus Tegart of the Detective Department on 29 August, was traced back to the involvement of Shrish Mitra, a clerk at Rodda & Co., who had helped orchestrate the heist.

The plan, hatched by Shrish Paul and Anukul Mukherjee of the Anushilan Samiti and Dacca Mukti Sangha, involved disguising a bullock cart as part of a larger convoy and redirecting it to a secret location. On the day of the robbery, six carts delivered the arms to Rodda & Co., while a seventh cart, carrying the stolen goods, was rerouted and unloaded elsewhere.

The stolen arms were then distributed to various locations, including the house of Bhujanga Bhushan Dhar and other safe houses. Despite several arrests, none of the revolutionaries received life sentences or the death penalty, although many weapons were later recovered. Shrish Mitra, however, evaded capture and disappeared.

The significance of the Rodda Arms Heist can be best understood from a statement made in the report of 1918 by the President of the Sedition Committee S.A.T. Rowlatt. On page 56 of the report, he mentions “The authorities have reliable information to show that 44 of these pistols were almost at once distributed to 9 different revolutionary groups in Bengal, and it is certain that the pistols so distributed were used in 54 cases of dacoity or murder or attempts at dacoity and murder subsequent to August 1914. It may indeed safely be said that few, if any, revolutionary outrages have taken place in Bengal since August 1914, in which Mauser pistols stolen from Rodda & Co. have not been used.”

The arms heist quickly became a sensation, with The Statesman declaring it as “The greatest daylight robbery” in its 30 August 1914 edition.

Although no revolutionaries were killed and no shots were fired during the heist, the stolen Mauser pistols proved crucial to India’s fight for independence. Key figures such as Rash Behari Bose and Bagha Jatin wielded these pistols in their struggle. At least one of the stolen Mausers was used in the Chittagong arms robbery of the 1930s. Both Bhagat Singh and Chandrasekhar Azad received Mauser pistols from the loot. The Mauser C96 also played a significant role in the Ghadar conspiracy of 1915.

ARYA SAMAJ MANDIR

The connection between Bhagat Singh and the Arya Samaj temple at 19, Bidhan Sarani, Kolkata is far from forgotten. His brief stays at the temple are considered a notable chapter in the institution’s history. Bhagat Singh’s first visit to Kolkata was to acquire materials for bomb-making. He stayed at the temple while sourcing supplies from the nearby Rajabazar area before returning to Lahore.

In 1928, following the assassination of British police officer John Saunders in Lahore by Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev, he made a return visit to the Arya Samaj temple. To evade capture, Bhagat Singh travelled disguised as a family man, accompanied by Durgawati Devi, the wife of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association member Bhagwati Charan Vohra, and Sukhdev posing as their help. During his final visit to the temple, Bhagat Singh left his utensils with an employee, remarking that they might one day become historically significant artefacts.

GANDHI BHAVAN

We stood beside Gandhi Bhavan (formerly Hyderi Manzil) located at 150B Beliaghata Main Road, engrossed in Mudar Patherya’s storytelling, as the clock struck midnight. With the national anthem playing, it marked the arrival of 15 August — the 78th year of India’s independence from the British.

“This is the place where Gandhiji held his 16th fast out of the total 17 fasts throughout his lifetime,” said Patherya. The fast lasted for 73 hours and its outcome “was considered to be a miracle”.

The story began in July 1946, as Muslims demanded a separate homeland and realised the challenges ahead. Despite calls for peaceful rallies and seminars, Kolkata erupted into brutal communal riots on 16 August 1946, following the Muslim League’s Direct Action Day. The violence continued for three days, resulting in 5,000 deaths and 15,000 injuries, according to documented records. “Former chief minister Jyoti Basu was trapped in Creek Row for three days, which was believed to be ankle-deep in blood with vultures overhead. Yet, Gandhiji did not arrive in Kolkata until 9 August of the following year, marking the beginning of a miraculous turn,” Patherya remarked.

It was here that Gandhi faced a hostile mob thirsting for blood. By fasting for over 73 hours, he compelled the city to embrace peace and persuaded the rioters to lay down their arms.

THE ORGANISERS AND PARTICIPANTS SPEAK

“The night offers a unique energy and tranquillity,” Lahiry said. “With fewer crowds and hawkers, we can truly appreciate historic buildings. These walks challenge the stereotype that nights are ruled by vampires, thieves and rabid dogs. Under the city’s illumination, Kolkata sparkles as the sun sets.”

Guha added, “Calcutta by Night is also planning a moonlit tour of white heritage buildings, possibly in November. There has been significant interest in this venture, and properties typically closed at night have opened their doors for us during the tour.”

Mudar Patherya’s vision for The Kolkata Restorers—to illuminate 500 buildings within 7 years—is progressing well. His plan involves lighting up Calcutta while mobilising donations from private citizens at no cost to property owners. He emphasises keeping all donations anonymous and negotiating aggressively with lighting vendors. Transparency in accounting and reporting is crucial, alongside swiftly executing projects and enhancing the city’s pride. The goal is to adorn Calcutta with lights, aiming for 500 illuminated facades by 2030, and to incorporate clocks, gongs, and domes.

Talking to The Statesman, Patherya noted, “Illuminating St Paul’s Cathedral was the most challenging due to its scale and height. It took us three months to get the mood right, ensuring the illumination was subtle.”

The Kolkata Restorers have already brightened landmarks such as the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, Burhani Masjid, Royal Insurance Building, General Post Office, Akashvani Bhavan, Standard Life Assurance Building and several churches, to name a few.

Rajita Banerjee, a South Asian history student at Columbia University, commented, “Seeing these historic buildings in person is fascinating, especially as someone who has only read about them. Moreover, night tours like these fuel the ‘Women, Reclaim the Night’ movement by enhancing safety for women at night.”

“Exploring illuminated heritage buildings at night offers a unique atmosphere. The accompanying history lessons add an educational bonus, enriching the experience,” added Arjun Nair, another participant in the “Freedom by Midnight” tour.