The Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta scans the old areas of Calcutta, where heritage houses and history fill every crowded lane and secret courtyard. Languishing in another time and place, at the end of narrow lanes and behind untidy shop-fronts, Calcutta’s rich heritage waits to be rediscovered. The ‘Great Houses’ of Calcutta are an important but forgotten part of Calcutta’s architectural history. While British colonial architecture and lifestyle has been extensively photographed and written about, very little has been done on the indigenous equivalent. Focussing on Calcutta’s heritage mansions and palaces, The Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta, makes an important contribution to the architectural history of both Calcutta and India. The Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta received the Best Book Award, 2007, in Book Cover Category from the Federation of Indian Publishers.

This illustrated book provides an account of the architectural and topographical history of Calcutta, which in 1990 celebrates the 300th anniversary of its foundation. Published to accompany an exhibition of the same title at The British Library, its illustrations are drawn mainly from the collection of plans, prints and drawings at the India Office Library and 25 are reproduced in colour. A work of reference for historians of India and the architecture of the Raj, it also has much to interest the general reader, print collectors and those who know modern Calcutta.