Tiger Woods' latest fall from grace poses questions for the future running of men's professional golf as well as the personal life of the 15-time major champion. Such has been Woods' standing in the game, his influence has grown with seniority despite a history of wayward driving stretching back
Some stories feel too sudden, too heavy to fully take in. What began as just another working day for a beloved actor has now left an entire industry in shock, struggling to process a loss that came without warning. Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee died on Sunday (March 29) after an accidental
Italy have one more obstacle standing between them and a return to the World Cup in the shape of Bosnia and Hercegovina, who host the Azzurri on Tuesday in what promises to be a tense qualification play-off final in Zenica. The prize for Italy is a spot in Group B at this summer's finals alongside
Days after drawing scrutiny during a recent AI summit in Delhi, Galgotias University has withdrawn a controversial policy that penalised teachers with pay cuts if their students scored poorly, barely two months after rolling it out. The private university was recently under scrutiny and online
Seven months ago, few outside of the Australian state of Victoria had heard of the town of Porepunkah, with its population of just over 1,000 people. But the fatal shooting of two police officers by local Dezi Freeman last August, and the manhunt that followed
The Indian city that sparkles like Paris at night
The Indian city that sparkles like Paris at night
As the air-conditioned bus weaves through the bustling traffic of the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, tour leader Sujoy Sen lists the many sights on the itinerary.
It sounds like a snapshot of the city's cosmopolitan history - colonial buildings like the General Post Office and the former British viceroy's mansion, Hindu and Jain temples, Greek Orthodox and Portuguese churches, an Anglican cathedral, the homes of freedom fighters who fought the British Raj and Indian merchants who prospered under it.
But unlike most heritage tours, this one happens after sundown. And its main focus is not just the history or architecture but the lights illuminating the buildings.
Kolkata Illumination Project is the latest addition to the city's many heritage tours and walks. Mr Sen, who runs a tour company, chanced upon a newspaper article about city enthusiasts lighting up some of the city's grand but often neglected heritage buildings. He obtained a list of buildings and went to check them out.
I was stunned," he says. "I have seen Paris by night. I didn't realise Kolkata could be like that also. I wanted other people to see it as well.
Himanjali Sankar, born and raised in Kolkata, now living in Delhi, joined the tour. She says the buildings themselves are familiar to her but the illumination changes them. "It is like they are coming alive, reclaiming their grandeur."
The project is the brainchild of a citizens' group called Kolkata Restorers.
"But it's not a real organisation. There is no committee, no president. It's just a label. A WhatsApp group," says Mudar Patherya, the force behind the endeavour.
He says he didn't start out with plans to light up the city. He came upon an old market crowned with a grand dome and a broken clock that had numerals in Bengali, the language most commonly spoken in the city. An avowed Kolkata evangelist, he wanted to paint the dome and raised the money for it from friends and associates.
But then I realised while it looked good during the day, in the evening it could not be seen at all," he says. "So I again passed the hat around and raised money to illuminate it.
He ended up with some funds left over. So he also lit up a temple tucked away in a storied north Kolkata neighbourhood. The temple's intricately carved stone facade came alive in the soft yellow glow of the LED lights in a way it could not in harsh sunlight.
Mr Patherya was hooked. Within weeks he had lined up the imposing British neoclassical colonial building housing the Geological Survey of India. Soon he got permission to light up one of the city's most famous addresses - Raj Bhavan, the governor's mansion, once the residence of the British viceroy.
In about 21 months we are at about 92 buildings," he says. "The model is simple. It's your property, my lights. You only pay for the electricity and I work out that cost in advance.
Getting the light intensity right required trial and error, says lighting designer Suyash Narsaria.
We reduced the wattage to make it more efficient, changed the positions, put lighting in layers to highlight columns, railings and murals.
But as the project expanded, Mr Patherya realised there was one problem he had not foreseen, beyond squirrels chewing through the wires. The buildings were often in a state of disrepair and the illumination highlighted that. Before they could illuminate, they needed to be repaired and restored.
For example, the 150-year-old Hogg Market, a huge Gothic market where one can find everything from parrots to hyperlocal Bandel cheese and Christmas cakes from a Jewish bakery.
But the clock on its clock tower had stopped working. They found the roof had worn away and the floorboards had rotted in the rains. The tower had to be repaired first. But it's not easy to fix clocks that are over a century old.
Luckily, Mr Patherya found the man who could help him.
Swapan Dutta, a fourth-generation clock repairer, traces his lineage back to a great-grandfather who worked as a clock technician for the British-era firm Cooke and Kelvey.
Mr Dutta, nicknamed 'Ghari-babu' or Clock-man, is excited to work on the Hogg Market clock, which he calls the star of Kolkata's tower clocks. It's a clock that chimes every fifteen minutes, a different tune for every quarter hour, a sound the city has not heard in years.
"These clocks had stopped working for years...We have to examine them, make calculations and reconstruct all the missing parts," says Mr Dutta sitting in his tiny workshop. But he is confident Kolkata's tower clocks will chime again. Mr Dutta has already repaired over half a dozen clocks for Mr Patherya, in churches, a synagogue and old markets.
What Kolkata Restorers are really trying to restore are not buildings but a sense of pride in the city.
Once the capital of British India, the city's fortunes have waned since independence. Its eclectic mix of neoclassical, Gothic and Art Deco architecture is fast disappearing, as old houses give way to apartments and malls - the land valued more than the heritage, with owners unable to maintain what remains.
Mostly we talk about how Kolkata is not keeping up with the times," says Himanjali Sankar. "It is wonderful to see people who are excited and passionate about the city and its buildings.
But in a city anxious to woo business, heritage is often dismissed as an expensive luxury and a low priority.
Mr Patherya wants to show that heritage restoration can be citizen-led and crowdsourced.
An apartment in one of the city's poshest complexes can cost about 150 million rupees (around $1.7m)," he says. "With just 22 million rupees, we've restored 92 buildings, eight or nine clocks, and some 1,300 tombstone plaques.
Mr Patherya is not done.
On the Kolkata by night tour, he gestures towards almost an entire block lit up by Kolkata Restorers: all imposing red-brick neoclassical buildings closed on a Sunday evening but glowing warmly yellow.
I want to get to 200 buildings," he says. "Then it would be one of the most wondrous cities at night in the country. Because the architecture is already there.
Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Chef Ricardo Chaneton Weaves MONO’s Latin Soul Into Modern Gastronomy In India Delhi Traffic Police issues traffic advisory for Martyrs’ Day at Rajghat Man drives 932km through China’s holiday traffic to propose with banner plea More than 1,400 flights cancelled as US air traffic cuts enter second day Stuck in traffic with toxic air Hundreds of air traffic controllers take second jobs as US shutdown continues Air traffic controller shortages to drag on Major US air traffic staffing shortages hits thousands of flights amid shutdown Drone sightings halt air traffic near Dutch city of Eindhoven What caused air traffic control outage in Florida
US President Donald Trump has indicated that he may send troops to seize control of Iran's key oil export terminal at Kharg Island in the northern Gulf. So what's behind this, how would it work and what are the risks? Kharg Island has long been Iran's chief outlet for its oil exports
1 hours ago
Tottenham Hotspur have entered into advanced talks with Roberto de Zerbi, with the former Brighton manager now willing to take charge immediately, according to sources. Multiple sources had said that while the Italian was open to the head coach role
1 hours ago
In call with Dutch PM, Modi flags need for early peace in West Asia amid Iran warIndia and the Netherlands have strengthened cooperation in areas such as water, health, clean energy, defence and security in recent years. Published on: Mar 31
1 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Struggling with lumpy smoothies? Try these 10 powerful juicer mixers from Sujata, Prestige, Philips, moreThese appliances come with powerful motors that are ideal for extracting fruit
1 hours ago
RBSE 12th Result 2026: Where, when and how to check Rajasthan Board Class 12 results Updated on: Mar 31, 2026 7:52 AM IST By HT Education Desk | Edited by Papri Chanda Prefer HTon Google Quick Read Share via Copy link The Board of Secondary Education, Rajasthan
1 hours ago
Ranbir Kapoor introduces Ramayana at LA event, calls Lord Rama ‘conscience keeper of billions’Ranbir Kapoor, director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra spoke about their upcoming film Ramayana at a special screening in Los Angeles recently. Mar 31, 2026
1 hours ago
As March 31 falls on a market holiday next week, investors effectively have just one final window — March 30 — to optimise their tax outgo for FY26 through tax-loss harvesting. With March 31 (Tuesday) falling on a market holiday next week, investors effectively have just one final window —
1 hours ago
A recent report by the Auditor General of Canada has found that countries with a high risk of fraudulent student visa applications usually have low approval rates, with India being an “important exception”, The Indian Express reported on Monday
1 hours ago
Asian markets today: Asian markets declined on Tuesday, March 31, as surging crude oil prices and the escalating Middle East conflict kept investor sentiment fragile. South Korea’s Kospi fell more than 4%, while the small-cap Kosdaq declined over 3%. The South Korean won weakened 0.63% to 1,526
1 hours ago
For many young people, their love for animals is more than simple admiration. Today, there are several meaningful career paths that let you work closely with animals while supporting their welfare and conservation. Here are eight careers that unite passion with purpose.For many young people
1 hours ago
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Brijesh Sharma made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings. Sharma, bought at his base price, impressed in the Bengal Pro T20 League with his wicket-taking ability. His journey from humble beginnings highlights the growing talent pool from the region
1 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Amazon Gaming Fest brings up to 75% off on gaming laptops, consoles and gaming gearScore exciting gaming deals on brands like ASUS, Lenovo, Sony
1 hours ago
In a recent public statement, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her election campaign's lack of depth. Pradhan argued that this has led her to divert attention towards less significant matters. He emphasized urgent issues such as the rising youth
2 hours ago
Man accused of exposing himself to woman, touching her inappropriately at Whole FoodsThe Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in identifying the 6-foot-1 man accused of exposing himself to a woman. Published on: Mar 31
2 hours ago
The war between the United States and Iran has entered its fifth week, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly suggesting that the conflict is nearing its end. However, behind the messaging lies a more complicated, and potentially contradictory, reality
2 hours ago
Senior Maoist, 8 other operatives surrender in APCPI (Maoist) leader Chelluri Narayana Rao surrendered to Andhra police, citing the movement's decline and loss of public support, along with eight others. Published on: Mar 31, 2026 7:42 AM IST By Srinivasa Rao Apparasu
2 hours ago
United States President Donald Trump on Monday said that the US military will “obliterate” all of Iran’s electricity plants, oil wells, the Kharge island and “possibly all” desalinisation plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by Tehran
2 hours ago
In a strong move, the Education ministry in an order has constituted a three-member probe panel to review the affairs regarding the leadership, functioning and management at the National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra, as per sources in the ministry
2 hours ago
Comedian Pulkit Mani’s video mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for how he interacts with foreign dignitaries had notched 16 million views on Instagram when it was taken down by the platform in mid-March on the orders of the government. Two days later
2 hours ago
It's been more than four years since the troubled teens of East Highland High School were last on our screens and now the long-awaited show returns on 12 April for a third season. The latest trailer sees the characters leave the classroom behind and follows them in early adulthood
2 hours ago
Tensions are high in Manipur's Ukhrul and Kamjong districts following the alleged killing of four NSCN-IM cadres by a rival faction. In retaliation, an NSCN-IM office was torched. Naga organizations are demanding a transparent inquiry, while the Chief Minister urges peace and assures government
2 hours ago
Pisces Horoscope Today for March 31, 2026: You may handle some crucial responsibilitiesPisces Horoscope Today: Those who are into arts, music, and painting will have new opportunities. Published on: Mar 31, 2026 5:11 AM IST By Dr J.N Pandey Share via Copy link Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20) Daily Horoscope
2 hours ago
In its order, a two-member bench of the appellate tribunal said the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has clear jurisdiction under Section 60(5) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to hear such matters and pass necessary directions
2 hours ago
American actor and retired professional wrestler John Cena will be making a return to the grandest stage, this time as host of WrestleMania 42. Cena announced on social media that he is headed to Las Vegas. After retiring from in-ring competition last December after his defeat to Gunther at
2 hours ago
Who are Jaden Ivey’s parents? Meet mom Niele Ivey and dad Javin Hunter Published on: Mar 31, 2026 7:03 AM IST By Shirin Gupta Share via Copy link NBA player Jaden Ivey was waived by the Chicago Bulls. His mom, Niele Ivey, is a basketball coach at Notre Dame, and his dad, Javin Hunter
2 hours ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his home state, Gujarat, on Tuesday, 31 March. The prime minister will inaugurate the Samrat Samprati Museum in Gandhinagar on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti and the Kaynes Semicon Plant at Sanand, Ahmedabad
2 hours ago
Bengaluru doctor shares frustration as 1 hour of rain cuts power 20 times: ‘We talk of AI and whatnot’Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, took to X to express his frustration, posting that in just one hour of rain, electricity had gone off and returned 20 times. Updated on: Mar 31
2 hours ago
