Gariahat junction, Calcutta in 1990

Gariahat junction, Calcutta in 1990 with cobbled roads and tramlines before the flyover was constructed. 

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* Indian Roadie Recollections

Bullock carts outside Howrah Station 1875-76

Bullock carts queued up at the designated stand outside Howrah Station to pick up and drop passengers, luggage and other goods in 1875-76. 

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* Indian Roadie Recollections

Indian Roadie Recollections - Harrison Road, Calcutta in 1920

Harrison Road, Kolkata (erstwhile, Calcutta) in 1920. 

This and similar photos from yesteryears are bound to excite every road travel and automobile lovers not only in India but all over the world. 

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* Indian Roadie 

* Bengal Roadie 

* Indian Roadie Recollections

Indian Roadie Recollections - Fort, Bombay in 1900

Fort, Bombay in 1900 when there were no fancy Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Volvo, Mercedes or even Premier Padminis or Maruti Altos zooming around in the streets of South Bombay. 

Owning and riding a bullock cart was aristocracy. 

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* Indian Roadie Recollections

Bristol Hotel, 2 Chowringhee Road, Calcutta - permanently shut since 1950s

Bristol Hotel was opened by P. Magre in 1897 at 1, Chowringhee Road (at the corner of Dharmatala Street). The hotel had earlier operated under the names of the Palace Hotel and the Hotel D’Europe. The Bristol subsequently shifted to the premises next door at 2, Chowringhee Road but shut down in the 1950s and at present all that remains is a dilapidated façade. However you can see the past glory in the old photos of the multi-floor twin building that is capped by two domes with a central staircase. 

Other interesting facts: 
During World War II, it served as the officers' mess for the US Army.
It also housed the office of the largest film society of India, Cine Central Calcutta, which had Satyajit Ray as its founding vice-president. 

Courtesy: unknown 

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* Bengal Trails 

* Memories From 1950s To 1990s 

* Indian Roadie Recollections 

* Bengal Roadie 

Mercedes Benz Streamliner 1935

1935 Mercedes Benz Streamliner. 

These buses with streamlined bodywork were built for pre-war use by the Deutschereichsbahn on Germany's new intercity highways. 

Has anyone seen or driven one anywhere around the world? 

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* IndianRoadieRecollections 

* Indian Roadie Recollections Of Old Automobiles 

* Old Automobiles 

* Mercedes Benz

My 1st day in Castrol on 1985-08-12, exactly 38 years ago

On this day exactly 38 years ago, viz. 12th August 1985 (it's 12th August 2023 today), I had climbed upto the 3rd floor in a wood, brass and iron caged lift and walked in with pride through the huge and dark polished teak door into the portals of INDROL Lubricants and Specialities Limited (the erstwhile name of Castrol India Ltd those days) at 14 India Exchange Place, Kolkata 700001 as an Executive Trainee, almost fresh out of B-school. 

Ever since that day Castrol runs through my blood. It's almost like I dream, drink, eat, breathe, smell, bathe and of course worship Castrol everyday, although I had called it quits after a shade lesser than 7 years in January 1992. Without elaborating further, I can only say that the umbilical cord with Castrol India Ltd has remained firmly attached till this day and has only grown stronger with every passing year. Hopefully, I will be able to hold on to the attachment till the day I breathe my last. 

Castrol made me a truly confident man. 

Castrol made me a real roadie. 

I love Castrol from the core of my heart ❤. 

P.S: On this day I can't stop thanking the three stalwarts who mentored me, had total confidence in me, gave me absolute liberty to perform and treated me with so much of love, warmth and affection. Thank you Late Dr Bijoy Kumar Barman Sir (ex- MD cum CEO), Dilip Guha Sir (ex- Director Marketing) Sir, Ramesh Chandra Mahajan Sir (ex- GM East) 🙏. 

Sirs, wherever you are, please keep showering me your affection. 

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* Indrol 

* Castrol 

* Castrol India Ltd 

* Castrol India 

* Indrol Lubricants And Specialities Ltd 

* Castrol Made Me A Roadie 

* Indian Roadie Recollections

Fond recollections of my visit to Delhi for ASIAD 1982, exactly 40 years ago

ASIAD 1982 (9th Asian Games 1982) was unveiled on the afternoon of 19th November 1982 at the spanking new Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. 33 Asian countries participated in 21 sports. 

It's unbelievable that on yesterday, 40 years have gone past since 1982-11-19.
It was on that date 40 years ago that Baba, Na Kaku (uncle) and me reached New Delhi from Asansol by 81Up Airconditioned Express (renamed, Purva Express years later) to spend a fortnight of fun, masti, stadium hopping and food with Sejo Kaku (another uncle of mine), kakima (auntie), cousins Tito (Arnab) who was still in school and Tina (Tulika) who was a kid then, at their place in Rajouri Garden.
Almost a month prior to the Opening Ceremony, train tickets for the onwards and return journeys were booked. Tickets for every event of the Asian Games were in huge demand. I used to stand for hours in long queues outside SBI branches in Asansol and Kolkata to procure as many games tickets as possible. My uncle who was employed with CPWD in Delhi also managed to procure quite a few tickets. Unfortunately, we couldn't procure even a single ticket for the opening and closing ceremonies 😩.
Typical of the Congressi era, tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies vanished within 2 hours of commencement of sale. Almost immediately thereafter, the same tickets were sold in the black market at a huge premium. 

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* Timeless fond recollections 

* Indian Roadie Recollections 

* Recollections

History of Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles in India

History of Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles in India. 

Ideal Jawa (India) Ltd was an Indian motorcycle company based in Mysore which sold licensed Jawa motorcycles beginning in 1960 under the brand name Jawa and from 1973 as Yezdi. The catchphrase for the bikes sold by the firm was “Forever Bike Forever Value”. The company stopped production in 1996.

The Jawa motorcycle, which derived its name from the first two letters of the words Janacek, founder of the ‘Wanderer’ bike, was the darling of the motocross and rallying circuit in Europe.

Production was carried out directly in India by Ideal Jawa India Ltd based out of Mysore .The Yezdi factory was located along the railway line which heads to Mysore Junction. The factory was inaugurated by the then Governor of Mysore State, His Highness Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore in 1961.

During the mid 50’s, the Indian Government stopped the import of cars and bikes.  However, assembling foreign machines by domestic companies was allowed. That prompted Rustom Irani, the country agent of Jawa in Mumbai, to set up his production unit, with his brother, collaborating with the Czech company Jawa.  The Czech bikes had, meanwhile, also found their way into the heart of none other than the Mysore King Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, as the bikes had a fearsome reputation on international racing circuits.  As soon as he heard that the bikes were being imported from the Czech Republic, he insisted tha thtye start an engineering industry in Mysuru.  So, in 1961, the Maharaja himself inaugurated the Ideal Jawa India Ltd. factory and insisted that the company establish itself in Yadavgiri.  The Maharaja and the two siblings, Mr.Rustom Irani and Mr.Farrokh K Irani, set up the factory over 25 acres of land, in the Yadavgiri industrial area. The factory had an initial investment of Rs.51 lakh in 1961, and the Maharaja himself was one of the stakeholders.  Yezdi’s were preferred rally bikes in the 80s and 90s.

The Yezdi Roadking was produced at Mysore from 1978 to 1996. It was based on the CZ 250 motocross (type 980.5) ridden by Jaroslav Falta to the runner-up spot in the 1974 Motorcross World Championship. It was sold under the brand name Yezdi.. The bike won several Indian rallies and road races. The bike had a 250 cc engine with dual exhausts and a semi-automatic clutch and Jawa/CZ’s trademark integrated gear shifter/kick-starter. The collaboration between Jawa and Irani ended sometime around 1973 and 1974.

For Indians, the Jawa-Yezdi nostalgia largely centres around the Jawa 250, commonly referred to as the ‘A’ Type, which was offered under licence, Yezdi 250 ‘B’ Type, Yezdi Roadking, Yezdi 350 Twin and Yezdi Monarch.  The smaller Yezdi 175 and the Yezdi 60 Colt, a moped, also continue to have a lot of traction among classic vehicle enthusiasts and collectors.

There is even a club, called the Bengaluru Jawa Yezdi Club founded in 2007, that celebrates the second Sunday of July as Yezdi day.  The 4 founders – Lokesh, Amrit, Brian and Sam – are all hardcore Yezdi enthusiasts, whose sole aim is to bring back the fame and glory that the iconic motorcycle enjoyed through its golden years.

What drives people to ride and like a Yezdi?  Well, there can be no logical answer to that question.  It is a choice of pure love.  Whether it is the loud roar of the engine, the legendary twin silencers, or the cold solid metal body that warms the heart, everything about the Yezdi is pure nostalgia.

When the company was forced to shut down, it was producing the 175, Monarch, Deluxe, Road Kings and CL II. The main reason for the company’s collapse was labor trouble and increasing levels of pollution control norms which were making the two stroke bikes that the company produced obsolete. With the advent of Yamaha and Honda in India, these bikes lost their status as Yezdi’s were heavier and in some cases slower with lesser fuel efficiency. 

* Indian Roadie Recollections 

* Indian Roadie Recollections Of Old Automobiles 

* Jawa 

* Ideal Jawa 

* Yezdi