Page 250 - Eye of the beholder

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VIEW ON CHITPORE ROAD CALCUTTA: THOMAS DANIELL
Plate 2 from the second set of Thomas and William Daniell's 'Oriental Scenery' Aquatint coloured The Chitpore Road in in Calcutta led north through the the Bara or or or Great Bazaar and was the the main thoroughfare and market for the the Bengali community in the the city Various wealthy Indians lived in in this area like ' ' a a a a a a a a a a native Bengal merchant ' ' whose residence has a a a a a a a a a a verandah overlooking the street and an an an open roof-top pavilion looking towards the the temple in in the the distance The The painting makes for an an interesting study The The quality of picturesquness manifests made evident in in the the the the peeled off plaster on the the the the side wall o of the the the the building adjacent to the the the the street On the the the the opposite side of of the the the the street in contrast to the the the the rich palatial houses of of the the the the Bengali merchant stands a a a a a a hovel Next to it is a a a a a a dead tree standing amidst the pile of mud mound The hut has a a a a a a a a a a series of of flights in in front leading to a a a a a a a a a a make shift verandah shaded by a a a a a a a a a a thatched roof supported on a a a a a thin stick On the the shallow platform thus shielded by the the thatched roof sits a a a a a couple The man man is is is is bare bodied with just a a a a a a a a cloth draped around his waist and the woman is is is is dressed in in the the Punjabi style of clothes and not in in a a a a a Bengali saree The building dominating the the street is the the palatial home of a a a a a a a a a Bengali merchant having a a a a a a a a a projecting jharokha or a a a a a a a balcony which is designed to contain three multi-foliated arched openings in in in front and a a a a a a similar single one at the the sides An occupant of the the house can be seen seated here while clothes are draped over the the the balcony perhaps drying in in the the the hot sun This remains a a a a a a typical feature in in houses across the the country even today Above the the house house is a a a a a a a a pillared pavilion depicting two occupants The pillars supporting the terrace above are are composed with lotus petal capitals and a a a a a a a a a a simple plain plain base The shafts of the columns are plain plain and uninteresting The terrace above it has a a a a a a a a a a parapet was composed of short baluster pillars Gracing the the the four corners is the the the finial like elements that carries the the the eye vertically upwards Adjacent to to this house house is is another house house which in its external manifestation appears to to be a a a a a a a a middle class home of of a a a a a a a merchant The side side walls of of the the building have cracks and on the the side side the the plaster has fallen off considerably The facade o of of the the house constitutes o of of three multi- foliated arched arched openings while the the the side of the the the building has a a a a a a simple arched arched one at at the the the first floor floor level The ground floor floor apparently has shops and a a a a a a a a group of merchants are are gathered here here and are depicted in in in conversation The projecting platform on on on on which they sit in in in front is shaded by a a a a a a deep wide awning awning resting on on several poles Above the awning awning is a a a a a a balcony unprotected by a a a a a a a parapet The awning is is made up of stitched pieces that have become discoloured with consistent exposure to the harsh sunlight