"Open Air Theater" Chowrasta Darjeeling inaugurated - architectural heritage erased by modern towers

October 6, 2014: Bimal Gurung, GTA chief, inaugurated the "Open Air Theater" (OAT) at Chowrasta today.

"Open Air Theater" Chowrasta Darjeeling inaugurated

As part of the Mall Beautification Project under the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), the Brabourne Park (which was known as JB Thapa Park,) located on the Chowrasta in Darjeeling, is now replaced by a 300 Capacity Open Air Theater, with estimated cost of Rs. 3.24 Crores (structure works of the OAT,) the construction was started on March 2012.
The Brabourne Park (later known as JB Thapa Park) was a rich part of Darjeeling architectural heritage date back to 1897. People of Darjeeling had expressed resentment and demanded that the heritage be preserved, a cross section of Darjeeling society had written to then West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan and chief minister Mamata Banerjee, however, 160 years old Heritage Park was dismantled for modern structure.
“The Brabourne Pak (later JB Thapa park) more than 160 years old is the architectural heritage face of Darjeeling. It’s a landmark like the Victoria Memorial (older than the Victoria Memorial (Kolkata) which was built in 1921.) People visit Darjeeling to enjoy the peace and see the colonial heritage structures. They don’t come to Darjeeling to see modern structures which are aplenty in the metros. A heritage premise should not be disturbed” stated late Nayan Subba, historian, in 2012.
The current OAT land was gifted to the Darjeeling Municipality by the Maharaja of Cooch Behar in 1897 specifically for a Children's Park. The Park was named after Lord Brabourne, the then Governor of Bengal.

Source: DT

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