Kaler Shahar Kolkata by Siddhartha Ghosh [Hardcover]

"Scattered across Kolkata are numerous ancient relics of the industrial city, such as gas lamps, cast iron artistry, fire alarm boxes, red brick chimneys, and Fort William's ball tower. While we have heard many stories of how British civilization took root in this country over the past three hundred years, we did not know how we responded to the Industrial Revolution in England. However, Kolkata can be comfortably called India's first 'industrial city'. The windmill, steam engine, locomotive, mechanical boat, gramophone, camera, typewriter, and calculator - many products of modern mechanical civilization were either inaugurated, introduced, or adapted here. But was it merely the result of the will of the rulers and the work of foreign technologists? The glorious history of Kolkata's craftsmen had not been collected, resulting in our needless inferiority complex. For the first time, we learn about fascinating stories of the first Indian engineer of William Carey's era, Golok Chandra, the first electrical engineer Shivchandra, instrument maker Mohsin, indigenous companies, and 'Swadeshi' car maker Bipin Bihari. The accomplishments of nineteenth-century Hindu-Muslim skyline architect Nilmani Mitra are also uncovered.

‘Koleshahar Kolkata’ is a collector's item, combining stories, poems, songs, faded historical documents, Kalighat paintings, steel or wood engravings, and rare photographs and facsimiles. Siddhartha Ghosh's writing uniquely blends the diligence of a researcher with the charm of a literary author. Readers will find this uniqueness in the book ‘Koleshahar Kolkata’ as well."