How Kolkata Has Changed Dramatically in the Last 11 Years

The changes and non-changes I observed

The interior courtyard of the Oberoi Grand Hotel, established in 1888 (credit: Monica Ray)

As Kolkata came into view from the airplane, it brought back a smorgasbord of memories. My last visit was 11 years ago when we stopped over for a few days on our way to Hong Kong.

I lived here as a child from the ages of 6 until a young teen. During this time, life was largely simple and structured, devoid of too many global influences, apart from India’s flirtation with the USSR in the 80s.

I remember how many families including mine subscribed to bilingual English/Russian magazines and how we gifted each other books like ‘Baba Yaga’ and ‘Fairy Tales from Estonia’. Those were interesting times.

The Kolkata I witnessed in February 2024 was an entirely different beast.

A brief history

Victoria Memorial (1906) from a moving car (credit: Monica Ray)

Kolkata, India, was founded in 1690 by the British East India Company and designated as the capital of British India in 1772, mainly because of its geographical location on the river Hooghly, aiding trade and commerce greatly.