Maidan: Green Zone

The Maidan (literally open field) is the largest urban park in Kolkata and is one of the most picturesque areas of Kolkata . It is a green expanse which is all of 400 hectares. From the north to south, it stretches 3 Kms and is bound by the majestic Strand Road to the West and the famous Chowringhee Road to the east. Tolly's Nulla happens to be the southern boundary where the Kolkata Race Course and Victoria memorial are located.

From the North you can view the majestic Raj Bhawan or the Governor's House.The stretch of ground came into existence when the tiger-haunted jungle was cleared off which gave rise to the movement towards Chowringhee around 1746 from then onwards there was an effort to keep the greenery.

It is a vast stretch of field and home to numerous play grounds, including the famous cricketing venue Eden Gardens, several mini football stadia, and Kolkata Race Course. Maidan is dotted with several statues and pieces of architecture, most notable being the Victoria Memorial.

It was once home to the oldest golf club outside Great Britain - the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. Due to the freshness and greenery it provides to the metropolis, it has been referred to as the "lungs of Kolkata". Maidan is a property of the Indian Army, and hosts the Fort William, the Eastern zone high command of the Indian Army.

Kolkata is famous for political rallies and the vast expanse of the Maidan is much preferred by the political parties. The rallies at Maidan attract huge crowds who converge at the picturesque Maidan and their passion reaches a crescendo when charismatic political bigwigs deliver fiery lectures on burning issues of the day.

The Maidan had also been host to numerous fairs and exhibitions – Kolkata Book Fair, Handloom Expo, Industrial India Trade Fair, Travel and Tourism Fair, Vidyasagar Mela, Lexpo and so on.The roads on the Maidan are dotted with tiny greenish bungalows (club houses) belonging to various sports clubs.

There are numerous patches for playing. Some of the larger clubs occupy the fields with wooden galleries, like the Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and the Kennel Club and Press Club also capture the limelight. The Maidan is not just cricket, football and hockey, apart of course from army parades. It is so many things to so many people.

There are shepherds tending their flocks, the health conscious citizens taking their morning walks, the last vestiges of the horse-drawn hackney carriages plying on its fringes  The core of the Maidan has remained untouched except for roads and tram tracks across it

For many, Maidan is a place for rest and relaxation, particularly in the scorching summer months when the temperature hovers around 40 degree Celsius. The lush greenery of Maidan is an open invitation for morning walkers and joggers. Fitness fanatics come to the Maidan and can be seen performing yoga. There are a few laughing clubs as well.

During the afternoon when it is lunch time in corporate Kolkata, executives come to the cooler confines of the Maidan to relax. Jhall Muri, a lip-smacking roadside snack is very popular with the corporate crowd. Maidan comes alive during holidays and weekends. But the young and the old come to Maidan to chill off from the drudgery of everyday living.

A carnival atmosphere prevails and children can be seen playing cricket, football and badminton in the lush green expanse while the elderly are busy gossiping about anything from local politics to rocket science. To entertain the stressed out city souls, street musicians play traditional instruments and one is also likely to come across the nomadic Baul musicians who sing enchanting Bengali melodies, just to keep the crowd in good spirits.

A novel way of experiencing the soothing beauty of the Maidan and its surrounding tourist landmarks like Victoria Memorial, Fort William and Birla Planetarium is by hiring a horse driven carriage. The beautifully designed horse carriages are designed as replicas of yesteryears royal chariots which were very popular with both British as well as Indian royalty. As you ride along the contours of the sprawling Maidan, you are transported to the nostalgia of the British Raj.

Maidan area is highly cherished by the people of Kolkata and abroad and it is a great heritage to have it among the public. This area is known as a major place for just lasting around. The place been the hub of these cultural actions in Kolkata.

The great Maidan presents a most refreshing appearance to the eye, the heavy night dew, even in the hot season.

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