This 1907 Club Was Started To Protest The Anti-Indian Code In The Raj Era And It Is A Must Visit

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What Makes It Awesome

One of the oldest clubs in Kolkata, the Calcutta Club was set up way back in 1907, to bridge the gap between the colonisers and us Indians.

People thought of setting up this club after the discriminatory behaviour that was revealed at The Bengal Club, dictated by a policy based on race. The then Maharajah of Cooch Behar was the first president of this new club. They were quite sexist though, only accepting men as members (women were let in from 2007)!

It’s another of a long list of Raj-era clubs in Kolkata that feel like they are in a time warp: waiters bowing in traditional clothes, lots of vintage wooden furniture, old photos of (mostly) male members, a card room numerous chandeliers, and just the lingering scent of that time that prevailed 108 years ago.

If you are a member, you can avail of the heated swimming pool (with swimming coaching), a tennis clay lawn, a badminton court, table tennis and billiards table and a library. They also have a parlour and a barber shop for members.

Pro Tip

Earlier they had a rather archaic rule of barring youngsters. Now they have created a special zone for them with a special menu (including non-liquor drinks menu for those under 18). This is also the only place in the club that lets you take a break from their strict dress code.

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Call me snobbish, but I only prefer classics: like vanilla ice cream, and yellow Lays. My best friends think my autobiography should be named “But That’s Too Cliché” – apparently, I’m allergic to all things obvious. (I hope you see the irony).