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Located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, Sovabazar-Sutanuti is among the oldest quarters of Kolkata. Contained within its centuries-old lanes and back alleys is the layered history of Kolkata's transformation from a Mughal-era river settlement into the erstwhile colonial capital of British India. Originally, Sutanuti was a weaving cluster, one of the three hamlets alongside Govindapur and Kalikata that the East India Company purchased in the late 17th century to form the nucleus of modern Kolkata.
By the mid-18th century, the area rose to prominence under the patronage of influential Bengali families, known as Bonedi Bari, such as Raja Nabakrishna Deb of Sovabazar Rajbari, whose palatial residence became a hub of cultural and political life. The Sovabazar Rajbari's Durga Puja emerged as a meeting ground where East India Company officials, Bengali aristocrats, and local communities crossed paths — symbolizing the social negotiations of a changing city.
Through the colonial period, Sovabazar–Sutanuti retained its character as a neighbourhood of heritage mansions, narrow lanes, bustling bazaars, and religious institutions. It became the fulcrum of Bengal's cultural awakening, producing numerous reformers, writers, and artists, while preserving traditions of festivity and craft. Today, despite urban pressures, the area remains a living archive of Kolkata's layered past, reflecting the interweaving of indigenous life with the colonial influence.
Today, although Sovabazar remains central to the city's life, much of the neighbourhood's built heritage from the colonial era has fallen into disrepair. Sovabazar, like many of India's old neighbourhoods, has succumbed to the inevitability of urban decay.
This is where Calcutta Heritage Collective (CHC), a citizen-led initiative founded in 2018, comes in. CHC works to preserve, restore, and reimagine Kolkata's built heritage by bringing together architects, conservation specialists, artists, entrepreneurs, residents, and stakeholders who share a commitment to protecting the city's historic identity while making it relevant to contemporary life.
CHC's work goes beyond traditional preservation. The collective promotes adaptive reuse and sustainable approaches to heritage, seeing old buildings not just as relics but as assets that can be integrated into the city's future. The group undertakes advocacy, research, awareness campaigns, and hands-on restoration projects, aiming to safeguard Kolkata's cultural and architectural history. Some of its initiatives include the restoration of the historic Chaitanya Library and conservation work at the Baneswar Shiva temple in Kumartuli.
Last weekend, in collaboration with the School of Architecture at CEPT University, Ahmedabad, CHC unveiled the Sovabazar Urban Conservation Exhibition at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity. The exhibition demonstrated how thoughtful conservation can extend beyond preservation, serving as a catalyst for urban renewal.
The exhibition, the outcome of a semester-long conservation studio at CEPT, featured proposals by graduate architecture students who studied Sovabazar's layered history — from its colonial-era mansions and sculptural traditions in Kumartuli to its fragile canals. Their designs included adaptive reuse, public realm enhancements, and policy toolkits, aiming to shift the conversation from monument-centric preservation to holistic urban regeneration.
The opening panel discussion brought together leading voices in the field of conservation such as conservation architect Vikas Dilawari from Mumbai, Gurmeet Sangha Rai of Delhi-based CRCI, and CEPT academic-practitioner Sonal Mithal, alongside industrialists Hemant Bangur and Apurva Salarpuria. Moderated by faculty members Ayan Sen and Sonal Mithal, the dialogue focused on 'Conservation as a tool for sustainable urban future' and 'Architectural alchemy — turning heritage into opportunity'.
The exhibition also marked the launch of CHC's Volunteer & Association Program, inviting citizens to directly participate in heritage preservation through documentation, research, awareness campaigns, and restoration work. Speaking at the occasion, Mukul Agarwal, Founder-Trustee of CHC, said, "the Sovabazar exhibition is not just an academic showcase; it is a call to action. It exemplifies our belief that preserving any city's built heritage is the road to a sustainable future and Kolkata definitely deserves this as a collective effort. We want that conservation inspires the future, where Kolkata's timeless past finds new life!"
Although the proposals showcased at the exhibition are purely theoretical and academic exercises at this time, they represent a roadmap towards sustainable futures for the city's architectural heritage that will, one day, materialise this vision.
Follow the Calcutta Heritage Collective here.
