NikeNuara at 06:27, 8 March 2026

2026-03-08T06:27:09Z

>Billjones94 at 17:41, 13 June 2021

2021-06-13T17:41:50Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{short description|Road in Kolkata, India}}
{{Infobox street
| name = College Street
| native_name =
| marker_image =
| image = File:College Street - Kolkata 7402.JPG
| caption = Book stores along College Street
| other_name =
| former_names =
| postal_code = 700012, 700073
| addresses =
| length_km = 0.9
| length_ref = <ref name='Gm'/>
| width =
| location = [[Kolkata]], India
| metro_system = [[Kolkata Metro]]
| metro = [[MG Road metro station, Kolkata|MG Road]], [[Central metro station, Kolkata|Central]] and [[Sealdah metro station|Sealdah]](under construction)
| client =
| maint = [[Kolkata Municipal Corporation]]
| coordinates = {{coord|22.575514|N|88.363354|E|display=title, inline}}
| direction_a = north
| terminus_a = Barna Parichay Market
| direction_b = south
| terminus_b = [[Bowbazar]]
| junction =
| commissioning_date =
| construction_start_date =
| completion_date =
| inauguration_date = 
| demolition_date =
| designer =
| known_for =
| status =
}}

{{OSM Location map 
| coord = {{coord|22.575514|88.363354}} 
| zoom = 15 
| label = College Street
| mark-coord = {{coord|22.575514|88.363354}}
| label-pos = right
| float = left
}}
'''College Street''' is a 900 metre long street in Central [[Kolkata]] in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]]. It stretches from [[B.B. Ganguly Street]] crossing ([[Bowbazar]]) to [[MG Road, Kolkata|MG Road]] crossing (Barna Parichay Market) via Dr. Lalit Banerjee Sarani crossing and Colootola Street/Surya Sen Street crossing. South of Bowbazar, College Street becomes Nirmal Chandra Street and north of Barna Parichay Market, College Street becomes [[Bidhan Sarani]].<ref name='Gm'>Google maps</ref><ref name = "heritagetour"/> Its name derives from the presence of many colleges (Presidency University, The Sanskrit College and University, City College of Commerce & Business Administration to name a few). The road houses many centres of intellectual activity especially the [[College Street Coffee House|Indian Coffee House]], a café that has attracted the city's [[intelligentsia]] for decades.<ref name="collegestreet3">[http://www.westbengaltourism.gov.in/web/guest/college-street Kolkata Heritage- College Street] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902162432/http://westbengaltourism.gov.in/web/guest/college-street |date=2013-09-02 }} ''westbengaltourism.gov.in''. Retrieved 24 March 2013</ref> Kolkata’s historic College Street is India’s largest book market, lending it the endearing nickname ''Boi Para'' (বইপাড়া; Book Town).

==Book Stores==
The College Street is most famous for its small and big book stores, which gives it the [[nickname]] ''Boi Para'' (Colony of Books).<ref name="heritagetour">[http://www.astrainfotech.org/kolkatainformation/calhert/col_street.htm College Street or the Boi Para] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116073220/http://www.astrainfotech.org/kolkatainformation/calhert/col_street.htm |date=2013-11-16 }} ''astrainfotech.org''. Retrieved 24 March 2013</ref><ref name="collegestreet2"/> People from the whole city and different parts of the [[West Bengal|state]] gathers here for their books. Many bigwigs of the [[Bengali language|Bengali]] publication industry (like: [[Ananda Publishers]], Mitra and Ghosh Publishers, DasGupta and Company Pvt. Ltd, Dey's Publishing, [[Rupa & Co.]], [[Asha Book Agency]] etc.) are situated here. The street is also dotted with countless very small book kiosks which sell new and old books.<ref name = "heritagetour"/> An article in the journal ''[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]'' described College Street as ''...a half-mile of bookshops and bookstalls spilling over onto the pavement, carrying first editions, pamphlets, paperbacks in every Indian language, with more than a fair smattering of books in and out of print from France, Germany, Russia and England.''<ref name="smithsonian July 91">{{cite journal |last= Hollick |first= Julian Crandall |date=July 1991 |title=Amid Calcutta's poverty, there's no dearth of cultural wealth |journal= [[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]|volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=32–41 |issn=0037-7333}}</ref>
One can buy rare books at throw-away prices and extensive bargaining take place.

==Recognition==

In 2007, College Street featured among the famous landmarks of India which have made it to [[6pm to 9pm Magazine]]'s "Best of Asia" list.<ref name=states042807>{{cite news
|author=Press Trust of India
|authorlink=Press Trust of India
|title=Mehrangarh Fort, College Street, figure in Time’s Best of Asia
|url=http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?date=2007-04-29&usrsess=6003163792904&clid=2&id=182261
|work=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]
|date=28 April 2007
|accessdate=2007-05-05
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929130304/http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?date=2007-04-29&usrsess=6003163792904&clid=2&id=182261
|archivedate=2007-09-29
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

==Educational institutes==
Well-known academic institutions situated on this street include
* [[Presidency University, Kolkata|Presidency University]], established in 1817, making it one of the oldest educational institutions of [[Education|western education]] in [[South Asia]].
* [[University of Calcutta]], established in 1857 and one of the first major multidisciplinary university in South Asia.
* [[Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata]], established in 1835, first college of [[Medicine|European medicine]] in [[Asia]].
* [[The Sanskrit College and University]], established in 1824, and [[Sanskrit Collegiate School]].
* [[Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management]], established in 1953, affiliated to University of Calcutta. It is India's first [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]] offering institute.
* [[Hare School]], established in 1818.
* [[Hindu School]], established in 1817.<ref name = "heritagetour"/><ref name="collegestreet2">[http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20070217/594898.html Kolkata's historical College Street 'Boi-Para' ceases to exist] ''webindia123.com''. Retrieved 24 March 2013</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:College Street - Kolkata 7397.JPG|College Street view
File:College Street WP 20171224 10 55 39 Pro.jpg|College Street on Holiday
File:College Street WP 20171224 10 57 08 Pro.jpg|[[Trams in Kolkata|Kolkata Tram]] route no. 5 on College Street
File:College Street Crossing - Kolkata 7413.JPG|College Street and [[MG Road, Kolkata|MG Road]] Crossing
File:Collage_Square_Kolkata_01.jpg|College Square at Night
File:College Square swimming pool.jpg|View of College Square Swimming Pool
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.mapsofindia.com/kolkata/college-street.html College Street in Maps of India]

{{Streets of Kolkata}}

[[Category:Streets in Kolkata]]

College Street (Kolkata) - Revision history

NikeNuara at 06:27, 8 March 2026

>Billjones94 at 17:41, 13 June 2021