The 88-page book with a black-and-white cover may not grab eyeballs, but flipping through it will make one realise what a treasure trove it is.

The first edition of Uttaradhikar, brought out by the Oriental Seminary archive, is not a mere school journal but a compilation of memoirs and tales about the city from a host of writers.

The bilingual publication edited by C.P. Ghoshal, a teacher at the school and in-charge of the archive, took around eight months to put together. “I wanted the contributors to write about Chitpore or their school memories or about the history of Calcutta in the 18th and 19th centuries. A publication by a school that goes back to 1829, should bring out the flavour of the various periods that it has been part of,” he said.

The book, being sold for Rs 50, has write-ups from current and ex-students as well as from historians and researchers. The English essays are by Subha Das Mollick, the founder-member of Bichitra Pathshala, and Mary Ann Dasgupta, an educationist.

Mollick writes about the Our Living Memory project that involved several schools in the city. The project attempted to link family history and collectibles to history textbooks and underline the latter’s relevance in today’s world. Dasgupta takes readers on a tour of St. Paul’s Cathedral and its relics.

Other contributors include historian Soumitra Srimani, researchers Simanti Sen and Rajat Kanti Sur and current student Ayan Ghosh.

There are six write-ups in Bengali – a heady mix of Calcutta in the 19th century, Chitpore’s culture, old boys’ memories and a current student’s journey. The book cover, designed by a former student, is a throwback to Chitpore’s popular woodcut printing.

The book was launched by former student and academician, Ashok Chowdhury, the current principal of the school, Diptiman Kundu, and Srimani at a cultural programme on the school premises.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph,Calcutta,India / Front Page> Calcutta> Story / by Chandreyee Ghose / Friday – April 01st, 2016