It has been a long long time gap between me coming to know about this place and actually getting a chance to visit it. Besides never being on my bucket list, there was simply no pressing reason to visit it. I had read about it and seen it in a recent movie. Even then it was just a place of interest. When I actually walked into the great hall, all of a sudden I was one with this historic place of ideas and conversations.
A most interesting person recommended the movie “Aap Jaise Koi”. Now you have to understand this in the perspective that I rarely watch Hindi movies, even the alternate cinema. The movie is amazing and thanks to the one who asked me to watch it in the first place. It shows the first meeting of Tripathi and Madhu Bose at the Indian Coffee House. It was a view of the cafe up close. Being actually there was an entirely enriching experience than watching it in the movie. The loud noise of human chatter is what you get to see the moment you step in.
At least for this time, I have made a video exclusively to capture the converstations.
Location of Indian Coffee House, College Street
I don’t think there will ever be a problem to reach this place. It is well connected by bus, tram and cabs. There will only be an issue if you want to drive there in your own car. That is an impossible dream. Firstly you will need to drive through the intense traffic of Kolkata and after that there is virtually no parking space at all. In fact for my next trip I am planning to take a tram from Esplanade which will be Tram No 5 to the Presidency College Tram Stop. This time I will hunt for a parking space too.
But most important of all, I will be carrying my MacBook with a power bank so that I can sit for a whole day there composing my articles.
There are some interesting facts about Indian Coffee House which is going to come up next.
A historic place frozen in time
Nehru announced the launch of Quit India Movement from this place. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose conceived the idea of Azad Hind Fauj sitting in the great hall of the cafe. Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray and scores of artists have sat her composing their creations.
Did you know that one of the main national political party, the Indian National Congress has its roots at this location. Surendranath Banerjee founded the Indian National Association on 26th July 1876. It was one of the first of an Indian political organisation exclusively aimed at unity between the different religions of people of India. His oratory powers and nationalistic speeches fired the imagination of not only people of Bengal but the entire nation. Within five years, the association expanded. The first national conference of this organisation happened in this location in 1883 where hundreds of delegates came from across the country. From this conference was born the idea of creation of Indian National Congress in 1885 in Bombay. True to his beliefs, Surendranath merged his organisation with the Indian National Congress to make it a unified platform.
1876 is also the year when in April, reformed Keshab Chandra Sen created the concept of Albert Hall. Which means, in 2026, April, the Albert Hall will complete 150 years of existence. What a historic occasion. It was named after the prince of England.
In 1942, the Government of India acquired the Albert Hall and the Coffee Board decided to convert it into a Coffee House. It was officially named as India Coffee House in 1947 as part of a larger chain of such restaurants all over the country. Over the years because of the location it became to be known as the Coffee Street Coffee House.
The story of Indian Coffee Workers Co-operative Society itself is very interesting. Under the British rule, the government of India decided to setup the Coffee Board to promote sales and use of coffee. So the government in conjunction with the Coffee Board setup Coffee Houses all across the country. By 1957 all these Coffee Houses started running into losses and were suddenly discontinued by the government. All India Coffee Board Labour Union met the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who suggested them to start a Workers Co-operative Society. 13 societies were established all across the country. Their journey of nearly 70 years has not been a smooth one, but this is one workers co-operative which has stuck to the core and emerged victorious. A true workers movement.
College Street marks the location of one of the finest educational institutions of the country and students of these colleges started making Indian Coffee House as their go to place.
There were two instances when this place was actually shut down. One was the incident of 1957 and the second time was during the Covid phase when the place was shut down for 103 days.
I have saved this place under multiple lists since this is a historic place as well as a great cafe to sit and sip.
Historic Places of Kolkata
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8zQNqH1rPCCBEVjt8
Old Cafes and Restaurant of Kolkata
