Chitpur Road (Rabindra Sarani)

চিৎপুর রোড

The oldest road in the city, lined with trades that survive nowhere else.

About Chitpur Road (Rabindra Sarani)

Chitpur Road was a pilgrim track before Calcutta existed and became the spine of the Indian town. Walking it south from Sovabazar you pass the booking offices of jatra companies with their painted hoardings, attar sellers, makers of brass and wedding goods, and, towards its southern end near Lalbazar, a long row of musical instrument shops selling sitars, tablas and harmoniums.

Why visit

A walk through crafts and trades that have held their ground for two centuries.

What to see and do

Jatra company offices and their posters
Attar and perfume shops
The musical instrument shops at the southern end
Old balconied houses above the shop fronts

Plan your visit

Area: Jorasanko & Chitpur, North Kolkata
Nearest landmark: Jorasanko Thakur Bari
Best time: Morning. October to March is the most comfortable time of year.
Time needed: About 1½ hours
Cost: Free
Entry: Open to everyone: a street, ghat, market or park you can walk into.
Metro: Girish Park, Mahatma Gandhi Road or Central (Blue Line)
Walking: A lot of walking
Photography: Good for photography.

Tip

Walk it on a weekday morning when the shops are open. The pavement is crowded; tram tracks still run down the middle.

Nearby and related places

Jorasanko Thakur Bari: The house where Rabindranath Tagore was born and died.
Nakhoda Masjid: The city’s principal mosque, in red sandstone.
Kumartuli: The lanes where the city’s gods are made from river clay.
Marble Palace: A merchant prince’s mansion crammed with European art.
Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House: The restored house where Narendranath Datta was born in 1863.
Zakaria Street: The kebab-and-haleem street beside Nakhoda Masjid.

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Last checked on 2026-10-02. Each place was checked to exist and its position confirmed. Timings, closing days and ticket prices are shown only where known and can change: confirm before you travel.