চিতা শিকার-খেলার দৃশ্য, ব্যারাকপুর লাটবাগান, c১৮০২
Here is a colourful description of a cheetah hunt in Lord Wellesley’s Park at Barrackpore. A cheetah is chasing a deer with huntsmen on horseback and elephant at Barrackpore, located 14 miles from Calcutta and was originally a permanent barracks. When Marquess Wellesley took over the Commander-in-Chief’s residence in 1801, he decided to make improvements to the area. He created a summer residence for future Governor-Generals’ and he landscaped the gardens while adding an aviary, a menagerie and a theatre. As a result, Barrackpore Park became a popular place for leisure pursuits, including organised hunts, as seen in this image.
Watercolour by Sir Charles D’Oyly (1781-1845) painted in c1802
Cheetah Chasing A Deer, Barrackpore Park, c1802
PURONOKOLKATA 
I am writing a book which touches on Barrackpore in the early 19th century, before the 1857 revolt. I wish to get a feel of the place as it was then. But I find very little account of the place in the writings of people like Bishop Heber, Leopold Orlich, etc, or even in your Puronokolkata site. I also do not find any site plan of the place on internet as it was then. Can you help me find such a site plan? If not, can you tell me whether the Lat Bagan area included the present Mangal Pandey park and any other area? Is the Government House (the week-end retreat of the GG) still standing? Where exactly does it stand? Where were the native lines? And the European lines? Where was the menagerie in the Lat Bagan park? The internet has several photos of old dilapidated houses on the Riverside Road, like House No. 10, or 33, Middle Street. Can you tell me who lived there?
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ব্যরাকপুর বিষয়ে কোথায় অনেক কথা জানতে পেরেছিলাম, ছবিও দেখছি । মনে করতে পারছিনা কোথায়। তবে ভালো আলোচনা আছে এই দুটি বইএ, দেখতে পারেনঃ
Good old days of John Company / William Carey
Thacker’s Guide to Calcutta / Firminger
Calcutta past and present / Blechynden
বিশেষ সাহায্য করতে পারলাম না। শুভকামনা জানাচ্ছি।
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