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Every well-known or lesser-known club and restaurant draws large crowds of eager celebrators during Christmas and New Year's, while an equally large number of people wait outside these establishments for their turn to enter. The atmosphere of these places is reminiscent of the modern-day Uncle Scrooge and his Christmas-killing spirit.
But in Bow Barracks, the scenario is completely different, and people get a very homely vibe. There are no waiting lines or anybody to tell them to wait outside. Everyone here is welcome to participate in their Christmas celebrations and be treated with respect and equality.
As people enter the narrow lane just behind the Bowbazaar Police Station off Central Avenue in Calcutta, they can see an area steeped in colonial legacy. These alleys keep tales and incidents from the city's lengthy colonial history.
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The Story Of Bow Barracks
During World War I, Bow Barracks were built as barracks or quarters for British troops. The troops were expected to be assigned flats based on their rank. But the troops declined to settle here and chose to remain at Fort William. These quarters were later made available to the Anglo-Indian community, which at the time was a significant part of the British workforce in India. Anglo-Indians were seen in significant official positions along with a large number of clerical positions.
These red-coloured quarters now house approximately 130 families. As the Anglo-Indian population is starting to decline, other communities are finding a home in these historic barrack areas.
Celebrating Christmas At Bow Barracks
The narrow lane is surrounded by three-story red-brick buildings, and the green window frames give the space a rustic medieval feel. Don't be surprised if music like some Bob Dylan, John Lennon, or Elvis Presley is heard in the background!
During Christmas here, everything is bright and happy. Christmas remains a time for Anglo-Indian families in Kolkata to indulge in homemade cakes, wine, and customary dinners. Every festival in Kolkata revolves around food, and Christmas is no exception. Christmas in Kolkata is one big feast for the palate, with delectable treats ranging from fruit cake to rose cookies and kull-kulls, homemade wine, and classic lunches and dinners.
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The Unique Homemade Cake Of Bow Barracks
Most Anglo-Indian families choose to prepare their own cakes, though many depend on the neighbourhood roti-wala (breadman) and his pre-made cakes. They blend the ingredients at home and then take the mix to the neighbourhood bakery for baking. They deliver them to a huge oven in Colootola to bake, receiving the final product by evening.
About a month prior to the Big Day, the ingredients for the cake are picked up in New Market. Each store has glass bottles filled with red, yellow, and green tutti-frutti, red and green "dyed" orange peels, coated red cherries, green and black raisins, almonds, walnuts, and cashews. The entire area takes on a vibrant and celebratory appearance.
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Salted Beef: A Traditional Meat Recipe
The salted beef is prepared using at least a minimum of 8 to 10 kg of beef rump and punched holes in it. It is soaked in a huge earthen pot mixed with water, salt, saltpetre, and lime for 10 to 14 days. The meat is flipped over every few days so the liquid can seep into every hole. The beef was then thoroughly cleaned, cooked over low heat until it became tender, and drained until it was dry yet not so dry that it tasted like cardboard.
This tender, salty-limey beef is incredibly delicious on its own, in sandwiches, or served as a side dish with a traditional Christmas dinner. It used to be common for most families to prepare this at home, but now very few make them.
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The Special Christmas Wine
The Christmas special wine is also prepared by the people of the community. They start by fermenting it in their kitchens from the staring of the year in January. The wine they offer is generally prepared with grape and ginger varieties. For many years, the recipes have remained unchanged. Their wines have a very rich, sweet flavour. The wine is so well-known among people that every year, every batch of wine gets completely sold out.
The majority of the homes in the narrow red-brick street have newly packaged bottles of wine sitting on their countertops, eagerly awaiting the "Boro Din."
Each year the place sees a large number of visitors from all over Kolkata, which strains the last-minute production of the highly sought-after wine and cake. So it is quite possible that many visitors might miss out on sampling this special cake. Worry not! A heritage shop in Bow Barracks offers a similar type of cake prepared from a recipe used by generations.
Visit The Legendary J N Barua Bakery
This 70-year-old store is tucked away down a lane near neighbourhood of Bow Barracks, so it is easy to miss it. Their wine cakes, made in the winter, are highly renowned.
They stay open late on Christmas Eve to accommodate the needs of those who queue to get their hands on the delicious cakes personally made by J. N. Barua. They even rent out their oven and bakers for people who want to celebrate Christmas with a homemade cake from their own recipe.
The bakery's bestselling cake is the fruit cake, which has a rich flavour that lingers in the mouth. The deep flavour of fruits transports people back to a bygone era when everything had an authentic flavour. Between December 22 and 25, there are three Christmas celebrations during which about 500 pounds of fruit cakes are sold daily. These cakes taste nothing at all like chemicals. The plum cake is just as delicious.
Even though a lavish Christmas dinner is typically associated with Boro Din, this is not always the case. People also have lavish lunches. There's probably going to be three varieties of vindaloo, yellow rice, kofta curry, and some sort of roasted bird with filling. When people host a dinner, they tend to become more formal. At least a few roasts will be there. Even though turkey and duck are prepared, they are a bit pricey and difficult to prepare, so many people choose to substitute chicken. Liver and gizzard stuffing, topped with generous amounts of garlic butter, parsley, and dill, is an absolute necessity.
There must be a little bit of something to drink to wash it all down, whether it's lunch or dinner. There are bottles of rum, whisky, vodka, gin, and brandy on the bar, along with their special housemade Christmas wines. They have it all, as the Angelos know how to have fun!
The fact that there is a location in the centre of the city where people enjoy giving and sharing despite all the commercial excitement is encouraging. It's a setting where a community unites to make numerous children and senior citizens smile, and there is an overwhelming feeling of mutual bonding among its members.
