Bagbazar, a historic neighborhood in North Kolkata, was originally part of Sutanuti, one of the three villages that formed the foundation of the city of Calcutta. Its name is primarily derived from the Bengali words 'baank' and 'bazaar', denoting its location on a bend of the Hooghly (Ganga) River, where a garden owned by British merchant Captain Charles Perin, was later converted into a marketplace by the East India company.

Historically, Bagbazar served as a strategic military point. In 1756, British forces there briefly repulsed an advance by Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah. By the 19th century, it evolved into a prominent citadel for the Bengali aristocracy and a vibrant hub for the Bengali Renaissance. It holds deep cultural and spiritual significance as a residence for figures like Sarada Devi and as the site of the Ramakrishna Sarada Math.

Today, it is perhaps most famous for its kilometre-long Bagbazar Street food trail, the historic Bagbazar Ghat, and its iconic community Durga Puja, which was the first in Kolkata to transition from elite private celebrations to a public 'Barowari' format under the leadership of none other than Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

(Shot on VIVO X200)