A
Peek Into The History Of Chittaranjan Park
By Jaya Ray ( B 292, 3rd
Floor, CR Park)
Let’s take a moment to flip over a page
into the history of the colony. For all our young CR Parkzens, this is a story
that will take you all back in time to 1969!
It was way back in 1954, an association was formed for the
inhabitants from East Bengal who were displaced from their homes in East
Pakistan during the Partition of India and the associated Partition of Bengal
(1947). A large group of government officers hailing from the erstwhile East
Bengal migrated to Delhi and lobbied for a residential neighbourhood.
Spearheaded by stalwarts such as Chandra
Kumar Mukherjee, Subodh Gopal Basumallik, Ashutosh Dutta, Bimal Bhusan
Chakraborty, and the Chief Election Commissioner, Shyamaprasanna Senverma, the
movement gained momentum and finally took shape when, land was assigned in a
barren rocky area in the-then distant Southern areas. Members were required to
provide some documentation of their birth and migration status, and were
required to be "already residing in Delhi and gainfully employed in the
capital". Based on this verification, 2147 people were given plots of
land, initially on lease for 99 years and were asked to start construction of
houses in their plot of land. The
allotees were also sometimes given the option of choosing a specific block
based on certain terms. Over the next 2 years electricity and water connections
were instated.
I fondly remember my childhood days when
I used to ride piggy back on my grandfather’s and father’s shoulders at 5.30 am
in the morning to fetch milk from the DMS shop near Mela ground. People used to
reserve their places with glass milk bottles and go for their morning walks.
And surprisingly, everyone were back just in time for the stall to open and get
their milk supply!
Markets were shacks with again Bengali
vendors selling fresh vegetables, meat and fish apart from grocery, one
medicine shop and one doctor.
Durga Puja was first started in C R
Park, by a motley group of 20 energetic
and visionary Bengalis who dreamt of making a quiet but determined entity of
the colony by introducing the landmark festival in the present C Block ground.
History was written there, when there were just a handful Puja celebrations at
that time in Delhi with Karol Bagh, Kashmere Gate and a few other significant
Bengali associations having started their Durga Puja celebrations. Another
entity created by the enterprising residents around this time was instituting
Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir Society. What started with a small Shiva temple,
has over the last 45 years has metamorphosed into a world famous Kali Mandir,
the biggest hub of a massive confluence of spiritual, religious and cultural
conglomeration. CR Park has evolved as the melting pot of multi-cultural, multi
ethnic identities, creating a confluent synergy with other communities
participating in Bengali activities with equal enthusiasm, fervor and
creativity.
The evolution of CR Park has happened
significantly after the 4 markets have been re-constructed and the fish markets
have also a legitimate place to sell the only universal identity of a true –
Blue Bengali! Having said that, I have lovely memories of my childhood, when I
used to hop across to the market and buy tit bits and small grocery.
Cut to the present, GenX of CR Park is
proud to be a CR Parkzen with the regular green drive that has become
synonymous with the colony. Parks, grounds and lanes are lined with umbrella
like green covers from large trees dotting them. Ample walking space for elders
and playing space for the tots is a pleasure to see in today’s times when open
spaces are a thing of luxury in most colonies of Delhi.
Reliving my childhood through my son,
who loves to play soccer in the open grounds of J block, it gives me and many
parents of my generation, pleasure and peace to think that, the colony able to
impart a clean, healthy and safe environment to our children!
