132-year-old Minerva Theatre gets blue plaque heritage tag
Times of India | 27 February 2025
123 Kolkata: The 132-year-old Minerva Theatre at Beadon Street in north Kolkata, an iconic structure in the city's cultural map since the inception of modern Bengali theatre in the 19th century, has received Kolkata Municipal Corporation's blue plaque recognising it as a grade 1 heritage structure.
The blue plaque is a symbol that commemorates the heritage status and historical value of a building. According to KMC sources, the blue plaque was installed on the wall of the theatre a few months ago.
"We have listed the prominent heritage structures across the city for blue plaque installation, and majority of the work is done. The Minerva Theatre has been a part and parcel of Bengal's performing arts, and it is a grade 1 heritage structure. We have outsourced an agency for installing the plaques at designated structures, and Minerva is one of them," said an official of KMC's heritage committee.
The Minerva Theatre, a product of the Bengali Renaissance, embarked on its journey with Girish Chandra Ghosh's Macbeth staged on Jan 28, 1893. Prior to the journey of Minerva, the Great National Theatre of Girish Chandra Ghosh stood there.
Anup Gayen, secretary of Minerva Theatre, told TOI: "Minerva Theatre has been an integral part of Bengal's performing arts, and names like Girish Chandra Ghosh, Sisir Kumar Bhaduri, Utpal Dutt, and Uttam Kumar are associated with this historic structure. We are happy that the civic body has installed the blue heritage plaque, and the legacy of the theatre must be preserved for new generations."
Though Nagendra Bhusan Mukhopadhyay was the owner of Minerva Theatre, its ownership transferred over the years. Now the govt looks after the maintenance of this heritage property.
In 1922, the theatre had burnt down in a fire, and it rose from ashes three years later. Eminent singer-cum-actress Angurbala Devi provided financial aid for the reconstruction of the fire-ravaged theatre.
The first motion pictures made by Hiralal Sen in Bengali were also screened at Minerva, along with two other places like the Star Theatre and Classic Theatre. It's said that Girish Chandra Ghosh's last play, Balidan, was staged at Minerva in 1912.
Even as the craze for theatre seems to have declined in modern days, the stage of Minerva remains busy with stage productions throughout the year, according to Gayen. "Theatre groups from outside perform on this stage. Besides, Minerva Repertory stages its own productions there as well," he said.
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