Kolkata turf club

The Kolkata railway station

Victoria monument

Kolkata

After an excellent journey with Emirates I arrived in Kolkata at 7am yesterday. I was met at the airport by a representative from the Oberio who asked me to wait for another couple which I patiently did. As my family knows I am always happy to have a chat to a complete stranger and passed a marvellous hour chatting about modern India and modern UK with an elderly and utterly charming Indian lady waiting to meet her granddaughter coming home for England. Such a lovely way to arrive in India.

I arrived at the Oberio at about 9.00am to meet Paddy and Charlie McGowan in the lobby so off site seeing we went. First off the railway station. A great introduction to the amazing hustle and bustle of India but no longer any sort of architectural delight. st Pancras it certainly isn't! Then we visited the Queen Victoria monument built by Lord Curzon in the style of Kedelston for those with knowledge of Derbyshire. It is an amazing statement to the might of the India at the turn of the century.started in 1904. We then walked along the river meeting some divers who were looking for the divers father (slightly odd!) and watched people waning in the river whilst spreading their uncles ashes (even odder!). The off to the race course and home for tea.

I was due to meet my old friend B for a drink but his flight was delayed. B has lived and worked in north east India for the last 15 years and has arranged paddy and my trip to Dibrugarh at the end of the rally.for the first time he has had everything nicked and has to get a replacement passport so flew down to Kolkata. I hope all is now okay.

B arrived during dinner and we had a drink together which was fantastic. By the time I got to bed having not slept for 48 hours I was delirious. I slept for 4 hours and then woke thinking I wasn't going back to sleep! Ahhhhhhh...... The next thing I knew it was 11am this morning.

We had a 3 hour tour around Kolkata in a tram ( built in the 1930's) which was really interesting. The highlight beings cup of tea by an old street vendor who prepared my earthenware cup with such case. The cost 5rupees the equivalent of 5p.

Photos to follow. Our bags have been sent ahead so I don't have the lead to connect my camera to the iPad so I can only send the photos from my iPhone.

RHC

Sent from my slyPad

Boarded and ready for take off!

Final list of participants and their cars

No.	Driver	Co-Driver	Car	Engine Size (cc)
1	Max Stephenson	Julie Stephenson	1923 Vauxhall 23-60	4200
2	Bill Bolsover	Biddy Bolsover	1927 Bentley 3/8 Litre	3983
3	Chris Lunn	Nicola Lunn	1929 Bentley 4.5 Litre Le Mans	4500
4	Sir Gerry Acher	Lady Joyce Acher	1931 Ford Model A Tourer	3225
5	David Cohen	Adele Cohen	1931 Ford Model A	3285
6	Mark Winkelman	Dorinda Winkelman	1932 Plymouth PB3 Coupe	3213
7	Mark Seymour / Chris Evans	Louise Seymour / Sophie Evans	1936 Ford Phaeton	3200
8	Xavier del Marmol	Ines Bodmer	1937 Chevrolet Master DeLuxe DHC	4000
9	Richard Cunningham	Paddy Walker	1937 Buick Coupe 40hp	4000
10	Mark Robinson	Yvonne Fuller	1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30	4000
11	Frank Bird	Ross Oakman / Belinda Oakman	1939 Willys Sedan	3300
12	Jorge Ruiz	Agustin Panes	1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn	4556
14	Jose Romao de Sousa	Maria Romao de Sousa	1956 MG Magnette ZA	1798
15	Adrian Shooter	George Harding	1958 Morris Oxford	1489
16	Dougie Lawson	Kate Lawson	1959 Jaguar XK150 DHC	3442
17	Peter McLaughlin	Jane Kitchel	1964 Pontiac GTO	5508
18	Jan van Gemert	Marion Huijbregts	1965 Ford Mustang	5000
19	Alastair Caldwell	Snjezana Poljanec	1968 Porsche 912	1972
20	Roger Allen	Maggie Gray	1971 BMW 2800CS	2788
21	Alan Pontin	Carol Jessica Pontin	1973 Jaguar E-Type V12	5344
22	Gerd Buhler	Birgit Deymann-Buhler	1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC	4520

 

Further Godwin-Austen history in North East India

Last Saturday I saw Steven Godwin-Austen, Alice's first cousin who told me that Alice's Great Grandfather, Arthur Odling had been a tea planter near Darjeeling and that Alice's Grand Mother, Beryl, had worked at Dr Graham's school in Kalimpong. This was confirmed on Sunday by Richard Godwin-Austen at his 80th birthday lunch.

Arthur Odling was a partner in Armo Tea Company of which I haven't been able to find any current details. His daughter Beryl worked at Dr Graham's Orphanage in Kalimpong. The orphanage was founded in 1900 by Rev Dr John Graham a missionary of the Church of Scotland. The family of Homes that were created raise children through adolescence, their teenage years into adulthood and currently encompasses an area of some 400 acres.

Both the current Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonchen Ushering Tobgay and his predecessor, Lyonchen Jigmi Yoser Thinley (2008-13) attended Dr Graham's Home in Kalimpong.

Kalimpong is known for its educational institutions many of which were established during British Colonial rule. It used to be the gateway in the trade between Tibet and India before China's annexation of Tibet and the Sino-Indian war. China's annexation of Tibet in 1959 saw many Buddhist monks flee Tibet and establish monasteries in Kalimpong. They brought many rare Buddhist scriptures and in 1976 the Dalai Lama consecrated the Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery. the Sino-Indian war in 1962 resulted in the permanent closure of the Jelep Pass seriously disrupting trade and the local economy.

Driven by increasing local demands for independence the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council was founded in 1988, a body with semi-autonomous powers. Since 2007 the demand for a seperate Gorkhaland state has been revived by the Gorkha Jammukti Morcha and its supporters.