Kolkata, erstwhile Calcutta, is about three hundred years old. It could be dubbed upstart in comparison to most other Indian cities. Stones were alien here in the Gangetic plain. Mostly, built structures used burnt clay bricks and tiles glued with shell lime mortar. These are almost temporary compared to stone-built ones in some other cities. It was crucial to record such weak structures for future restorers.

Evaluations based on old naval charts kept in Victoria Memorial clarified strategic reasons for English settlement in Kolkata. East India Company records, cartographic studies, and field investigations charted the development of Dalhousie Square and Chowringhee Road. Ad-hoc early town planning assumptions were proven contrarily in the context of newly found clues. Maps and charts aided the comprehensive study of the hectic Dalhousie Square developments and upheavals of Chowringhee.

Field investigations in St. Paul’s Cathedral and Victoria Memorial Hall used sensitive instruments. Many of the distresses not known earlier were identified. Manuscripts and records unearthed in the archives in Kolkata, Delhi, and London led to a combination of desk and field studies. It allowed us to report critical observations essential to the restorations of these two vital edifices.

Other efforts in the Metropolitan Building, Great Eastern Hotel, Sister Nibedita Museum and Swami Vivekananda’s house exemplify restoration activities in Kolkata.

More than two hundred photos and a companion website provide lucid illustrations.