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Burrabazar is the nucleus of commercial Calcutta. Even in the days of yore, when the British reigned, it used to be the
business hub of the city. It was also known as Bazar Kolkata.
Burrabazar stretched from the Writers' Building territory. From a report of the 'Bengal Consultations' published on 12th June, 1707, one can get a clear picture of the then 'Bazar Kolkata'.
Bazar Kolkata stood on a sprawling 488 bighas and 12 cottahs (1 bigha = 20 cottahs) of land. The residential area covered is more than 400 bighas. Some of the distinguished Bengali inhabitants of the then Bazar Kolkata were the cloth-merchant Basaks, the gold-merchant Mullicks
and men of their ilk. These people were the famous 'Babus' of
British Calcutta. At present, the Babus are an extinct race and so
are their extravagant life styles. But the affluence and pomp of the place is conspicuous in several palatial edifices where dwell many of the business linchpin of the city of dreams.
From the mid-nineteenth century, Burrabazar began to grow as a
stronghold of Marwari businessmen. By the 1870s, they gained control
over the inland trade in jute and cotton goods.
By the end of the century, they had virtually monopolized the
indigenous banking system as well. Their growing power and
importance in the city was indicated by the foundation of the
Marwari Association in 1898, for promotion of 'social, moral, intellectual as well as commercial
well-being' of the Marwari community. About 1892, when Harrison
Road (now Mahatma Gandhi Road) was
constructed, the land flanking the road was sold in small plots.
The Marwaris purchased most of them. The mansions they built,
inspired by memories of Rajasthani architecture, still give
Burrabazar its characteristic splendour.
Burrabazar is a sort of Utopian land where anything and everything is available to satisfy the needs of all and sundry. It is quite difficult to enumerate the population of Burrabazar or the shops, business establishments etc. situated therein.
Burrabazar is in fact synonymous with narrow lanes and alleys, tumultuous throng, malodorous air with
garbage and squalor, the tinkling and mad rush of rickshaw pullers, honking of vehicles etc.
Everyday, thousands of people come to Burrabazar for buying and selling of commodities. The traders and businessmen of the metropolis and its suburbs as well as those from the adjacent towns,
buy their requisites from this business hub of Calcutta. To this day, Burrabazar is the ultimate word for business transaction and is ever-increasing in volume .... and activities .... and hurly-burly.
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