Zakaria Street
{{short description|Road in Kolkata, India}}
{{Distinguish|Zakaria Paliashvili street}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{infobox street
| name = Zakaria Street
| native_name = {{Plainlist|*{{native name|bn|জাকারিয়া স্ট্রিট}}
- {{native name|ur|زکریا اسٹریٹ}}
- {{native name|hi|ज़कारिया स्ट्रीट}}}}
| marker_image =
| image =
| caption =
| other_name =
| former_names =
| postal_code = 700073
| addresses =
| length_km =
| length_ref =
| width =
| location = Kolkata, India
| metro_system = Kolkata Metro
| coordinates = {{coord|22.5771521|N|88.358129|E|display=title, inline}}
| metro = M.G. Road, Central Metro
| client =
| maint = Kolkata Municipal Corporation
| direction_a = West
| terminus_a = Rabindra Sarani
| direction_b = East
| terminus_b = Chittaranjan Avenue
| junction =
| commissioning_date =
| construction_start_date =
| completion_date =
| inauguration_date =
| demolition_date =
| designer =
| status =
| known_for = Restaurants
}}
Zakaria Street is a street that joins Rabindra Sarani with Chittaranjan Avenue (Central Avenue) in Central Kolkata. Nakhoda Mosque is situated in this street. It is the biggest ramadan market in Kolkata.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/my-kolkata/news/ramazan-mirrors-spirit-of-kolkata/cid/1859481|title=Ramazan mirrors friendly spirit of Kolkata in face of divisiveness|first=Debraj|last=Mitra|date=7 April 2022|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=26 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626165827/https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/my-kolkata/news/ramazan-mirrors-spirit-of-kolkata/cid/1859481|url-status=live}} Mohammad Ali Park is located very close to this street.{{cite news|url=https://bengali.indianexpress.com/photos/lifestyle/kolkata-zakaria-street-ramzan-iftar-special-food-107302/|title=খাবারের গন্ধে ম-ম জাকারিয়া স্ট্রিট|language=bn|date=29 May 2019|newspaper=The Indian Express|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=28 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628213440/https://bengali.indianexpress.com/photos/lifestyle/kolkata-zakaria-street-ramzan-iftar-special-food-107302/|url-status=live}} This street is very popular to food bloggers.{{cite news|title=Zakaria Street is a heaven for food bloggers|first=Bishwabijoy|last=Mitra|date=30 May 2019|newspaper=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/zakaria-street-is-a-heaven-for-food-bloggers/articleshow/69583312.cms|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=26 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626170215/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/zakaria-street-is-a-heaven-for-food-bloggers/articleshow/69583312.cms|url-status=live}}
History
During the colonial period, the British authority divided the city of Kolkata into two parts. There was a part of the British whose name was White Town. Zakaria Street was then part of Black Town.{{cite web|url=https://www.vervemagazine.in/travel-and-spaces/just-passing-through-kolkata|title=JUST PASSING THROUGH KOLKATA|first=Neal|last=Bhaumik|date=11 September 2019|website=Verge|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=27 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627144242/https://www.vervemagazine.in/travel-and-spaces/just-passing-through-kolkata|url-status=live}} Zakaria Street was developed as a residential area in the past. In the nineteenth century, Haji Nur Muhammad Zakaria, a Muslim businessman from the Kutchi Memon community, lived on Armanitola Street. This street is named after him. Later, especially after the riots of 1910, some Muslim families left the area. In 1911, as part of the development work of Calcutta Improvement Trust on the street, it demolished several slums owned by some Muslims, leading to frequent inter-communal territorial fights between the prosperous Marwaris and working class Muslims of this area.{{cite book|first=Ritajyoti|last=Bandyopadhyay|title=Streets in Motion: The Making of Infrastructure, Property, and Political Culture in Twentieth-century Calcutta|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2022|url=|isbn=9781009109208|doi=10.1017/9781009109208|s2cid=250200020 }} Then several Marwari families started to dominate in this area. Frequent riots drove many Marwaris away from the street in the 1950s.{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/research/streetwise-kolkata-beyond-food-and-citys-largest-mosque-zakaria-street-is-a-story-of-muslims-and-marwaris-7246388/|title=Streetwise Kolkata: Beyond food and city's largest mosque, Zakaria Street is a story of Muslims and Marwaris|date=30 March 2021|first=Neha|last=Banka|newspaper=The Indian Express|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=26 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626154035/https://indianexpress.com/article/research/streetwise-kolkata-beyond-food-and-citys-largest-mosque-zakaria-street-is-a-story-of-muslims-and-marwaris-7246388/|url-status=live}}
Food street
There are about 100 temporary stalls on this street during the month of Ramadan. There are also at least thirty restaurants open throughout the year.{{cite news|title=Have the polls impacted the Ramzan mood on Zakaria Street?|first1=Bishwabijoy|first2=Shamaymita|last1=Mitra|last2=Chakraborty|date=14 May 2019|newspaper=Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/kolkata/has-the-polls-impacted-the-ramzan-mood-on-zakaria-street/articleshow/69309668.cms|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=26 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626162808/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/kolkata/has-the-polls-impacted-the-ramzan-mood-on-zakaria-street/articleshow/69309668.cms|url-status=live}} A variety of food is sold in front of the Nakhoda Mosque on the street. This place is usually famous for sahri and iftar food during Ramadan season. A variety of kebabs are available on this street. Haleem is available at Sufia and Aminia Restaurant on Zakaria Street. Chicken Changeji, a North Indian dish, is sold on many more restaurants, including Dilli 6 on this street. Halwa and Lachcha Sewai are also available here.{{cite web|url=https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/5-foods-to-try-at-kolkatas-zakaria-street-2877139|title=Food Trail: Explore Kolkata's Zakaria Street For The Most Indulgent Iftar Treat|date=14 June 2022|first=Somdatta|last=Saha|website=NDTV|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=26 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626165819/https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/5-foods-to-try-at-kolkatas-zakaria-street-2877139|url-status=live}} Royal India Hotel sells mutton chap and biryani here.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/kolkata/zakaria-street/amp_poishow/38485689.cms|title=Zakaria Street: Eating out in Kolkata|date=17 June 2015|newspaper=Times of India|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=26 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626160653/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/kolkata/zakaria-street/amp_poishow/38485689.cms|url-status=live}} This street is popular for Bakarkhani.{{cite news|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/lifestyle/zakaria-street-in-ramzan-looks-like-a-food-street-1.626370|title=রমজানি স্বাদে জাকারিয়া যেন শহরের ফুড স্ট্রিট|language=bn|first=Rriju|last=Basu|date=11 June 2017|newspaper=Anandabazar Patrika|access-date=26 June 2022|archive-date=28 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428164818/https://www.anandabazar.com/lifestyle/zakaria-street-in-ramzan-looks-like-a-food-street-1.626370|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}