Go East, Young People!

It's come down to the last 24 hours before leaving for Kolkata. I thought it would be fitting to list our itinerary. The vast majority of the 29 people [this number includes three faculty -- Elizabeth Dean Hermann (Landscape Architecture), Nick DePace (Architecture), and Jonathon Highfield (English, Dept. Head)] are traveling by bus, while a few of us have made other travel arrangements to JFK. The flight leaves at 11pm and with a few hours layover in Dubai, we'll be arriving in Kolkata on the 20th.

This morning we'll be compiling our individual atlases into the atlas-- sorry, THE ATLAS. :) We have the afternoon off to pack.

Schedule updated Wednesday, March 18 @ 12pm:

Mar 20 (F)

Arrive at Lytton Hotel (Sudder Street) mid morning. Walking tour of Park Street, Park Street Cemetery, Nature Park, Shakespeare Sarani, Kansari Lane artisans, Kalighat (overview) with Maitreyi Brahmachari (ISUS)

Mar 21 (S)

Walking tour of Dalhousie Square area (former British city); flower market; Howrah Bridge; Kumartuli artisan area in North Kolkata (in front of the Great Eastern Hotel gate, 7:00am). Walk the Adi Ganga canal (as time allows)

Mar 22 (SU)

Departure 4:30 AM - tour of East Kolkata wetlands and Mudialy wetlands/Fishermen’s Cooperative with Supriyo Nandy (Centre for Built Environment/CBE) and Maitreyi Brahmachari (ISUS). Afternoon return to Kalighat (including Kali Temple, cremation ghats, individual neighborhoods). Walk the Adi Ganga canal (as time allows). Evening work session – document first impressions

Mar 23 (M)

Early morning taxi ride to Dakshinishwar Temple complex and Belur Math complex (North Kolkata). Afternoon visit to Horticultural Society (w/ Mahua Ghosh, landscape architect and member of CBE; Anupama Mitra and Subhojit Lahiri, Agri Horticultural Society), 1A Alipore Road, Kolkata. Late afternoon /evening program (mapping flows – part 1) for New Light NGO, Kalighat. Those not at New Light work on presentation for CBE and American Center/US Consulate

Mar 24 (T)

All-day transect charrette - Kalighat. (Lili meet with Anjan). Evening program (mapping flows - part 2) for New Light NGO, Kalighat. Those not at New Light work on presentation for CBE and American Center/US Consulate

Mar 25 (W)

Morning meeting with Anjan Mitra (The Appropriate Alternative), architect in charge of Kalighat redevelopment effort
4:30-7:30 Seminar: Water & City @ CBE (water resources, ground water, waste water recycling, canals, rainwater harvesting, drainage and flooding in Kolkata). Academy of Fine Arts, Cathedral Road, Kolkata (conference room open from 4.00 to 8.00 p.m.)

Chairman: Prof. Santosh Ghosh, Centre for Built Environment

Sobhanlal Bonnerjee, Secretary General, CBE

dinner with Centre for Built Environment/CBE members

Mar 26 (TH)

river tour of ghats, temples and industrial waterfront, foreign tradingposts and outlying village craft community (led by Calcutta Walks)

evening discussion in preparation for American Center presentation

Mar 27 (F)

10:30 presentation at American Center)

• Kolkata Municipal Corporation (Anindya Karforma)

• West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (TVN Rao)

• Centre for the Built Environment

• US Consulate representatives

• Indian Institute of Management (Public Policy and Management

group; Entrepreneurship and Development group)

• Students from local Architecture and Business programs

(Jadavpur University etc)

• reporters from Times of India and the Telegraph

Mar 28 (S)

tour of Howrah bustees (informal settlements) with Sobhanlal Bonnerjee (CBE)?; tour jute mill

final site documentation through photography and sections

possible afternoon visit to the Weaver’s Studio exhibition

depart Kolkata 8:30 pm

Mar 29 (SU)

arrive JFK 7:45am