Homey History

Ever wanted to stay in a quintessential north Kolkata neighbourhood? Calcutta Bungalow will help make your dream a reality, says Uttara Gangopadhyay

- Uttara Gangopadhyay

I can’t tell you if 5, Radha Kanta Jeu Street has a ‘calling bell’ or not. The metal rings against the dark wooden door looked so tempting that I rattled them until a face, with surprise writ large on it peered out to see who it was. The door opened and I stepped in.

Tucked inside a quiet, north Kolkata neighbourhood, the Calcutta Bungalow is the newest addition to the city’s heritage lodgings. The nearly century-old building—sporting a mix of colonial and local architecture, reminiscent of 20th century Calcutta—would have given way to a modern high-rise, if it wasn’t for two friends, Iftekhar Ahsan and Chris Chen. With their own funds, the duo bought the decrepit house in 2015, its insides piled with rubble and furniture scraps, and decided t