Kolkata, a city steeped in history and culture, is now seeing its architectural gems come to life in a whole new light — literally. If you have noticed an iconic heritage building of the city illuminated in the evenings, chances are you’ve witnessed the magic of The Kolkata Restorers and Mudar Patherya. This team is spearheading The Calcutta Illumination Project, an initiative with a bold goal to illuminate 500 of Kolkata’s cultural properties over the next seven years.
This project is about more than just lighting up buildings; it’s about breathing life into the city’s heritage structures and one of the ways the team is doing that is through the power of music. The Calcutta Illumination Project’s series, Tribute to Kolkata, is a perfect marriage of sound and structure. Musicians are invited to perform mini sets in front of these lit-up monuments, and the recordings are shared on social media, creating a visual and auditory feast.
The debut episode of the series was shot at St James’ Church with violinists Trina Basu and Arun Ramamurthy. For the second episode, the spotlight shifted to the Ali Ghani Brothers, who brought their soulful music to the heart of the city, performing against the backdrop of a historic property on Harish Mukherjee Road.
A Padma Shri legacy
The Ali Ghani brothers are exponents of Rajasthani Maand folk music and were awarded the Padma Shri
Padma Shri awardees, the Ali Ghani Brothers — Ali Mohammed and Ghani Mohammed — are exponents of the Rajasthani Maand folk music gharana. For the ‘Tribute to Kolkata’, they put up a truly special performance beginning with a sher (poetic verse) in ode to the city. The stage was set at 25 Harish Mukherjee Road, the grand old mansion of the Ghose family, which exudes old-world charm, and the brothers added their own musical magic to the evening.
They performed two soulful classical pieces — the first, a tribute to the spirit of Kolkata itself, and the second, a traditional Maand folk song. Mohit Chohan accompanied them on percussion, adding rhythmic layers that perfectly complemented the soulful renditions.
A family legacy
The iconic heritage Ghose property on 25 Harish Mukherjee Road
The historic property at 25 Harish Mukherjee Road, where the Ali Ghani Brothers performed, is owned by the Ghose Family. Senior advocate and barrister-at-law Pradip Kumar Ghose calls this place home, and for the series, his daughter advocate Pronita Ghose has taken up the mantle of preserving its legacy. “Shri Ali Mohammed and Ghani Mohammed’s performance against the lit-up facade on a beautiful night was just magical. It was a mesmerising experience. As we see the heritage buildings getting illuminated around the city, stories of these heritage structures are preserved and passed on generation after generation,” said Pronita.
She also adds how her father has even enjoyed going around the city looking at the different illuminated buildings. “One evening, my father went out for a drive to see these illuminated structures, and he came back feeling exhilarated as he is an avid history and art lover,” she added.
Ali Mohammad and Ghani Mohammad perform in front of the illuminated facade of the Ghose mansion on Harish Mukherjee Road
For the Ali Ghani Brothers, the experience was as enriching as the music they performed. “We liked the idea and the video that they made is very nice. We also liked the property and how it was done up, and complimented the team for how well the video turned out,” they said, reflecting on the shoot.
Kolkata Creativity Centre collaborated in the event by ‘sharing’ performer schedules. “The performers had come to Kolkata for one of our KCC events but when he came across this proposal by The Kolkata Restorers, we responded immediately by saying yes,” said Richa Agarwal, Director, Kolkata Centre or Creativity. “The time has come for disparate Kolkata organisations to collaborate so that a better face of the city can be presented to the world.”
Man on a mission
Mudar Patherya, the man behind The Calcutta Illumination Project
At the heart of The Calcutta Illumination Project is Mudar Patherya, a man with a mission. His vision for the project goes beyond just lighting up buildings; it’s about creating a cultural renaissance in Kolkata, one that can be shared with the world through the power of the internet.
“Events like this are crucial for a virtual audience. It’s more than just a performance — it’s a statement. We’ve got these amazing properties all over Kolkata, and by lighting them up and pairing them with select performances, we’re boosting the impact of the art, reminding people of the city’s unique charm, and shining a spotlight on these hidden gems. The message? Kolkata isn’t just a city; it’s one of the largest open-air auditoriums in the country,” he explained, outlining the broader vision behind the project.
