Bengal Rowing Club (Kolkata)

 rowing club  Add category

 Upload a photo

The foundation of The Bengal Rowing Club (then Marwari Rowing Club) was laid on 25th August, 1929. It took six years to finalise all arrangements and the club took its position on the Rabindra Sarovar Lakes in 1935. Rowing was not taken seriously and was just a pastime for physical fitness. The rowing activities were suspended during the World War, 1942-45, as the premises were requisitioned for army use. It took four years to re-organise rowing.

It was their entrepreneurial ingenuity that brought residents from distant Rajasthan to Kolkata. While enterprising activities soon made them popular, it was the community’s unfailing loyalty to their traditional life-style that gave them the looks of a close-knit society. Therefore, when Kolkata was swept over by a wave of westernization during the 1920s, the community was able to hold itself together. At the same time, a need was felt for a common platform for some exchange of ideas. So the progressive men of the community came together to form a Club – ‘The Marwari Rowing Club’ was born.

Initially, the Club functioned out of the residence of its first Secretary Sri Kanai Lalji Jatia, a situation that would repeat itself during the Second World War when the Club was shifted to the residence of a member. With time and patronage, the Club spread its wings like a graceful swan. And even today, from afar, the quaint white building shines like the morning star that has cared to anchor itself in the verdant greens by the lakeside. Under the guidance of its first President Sir. B. D. Goenka and the illustrious founder members, the Club slowly built for itself a trustworthy reputation.

Even though it was born out of European concept, the Club maintained a traditional profile. When other Clubs of the city insisted on stricter procedures for membership; did not admit women as members, or enforced a formal and European dress code, the Marwari Rowing Club showed exceptional broadness of mind by allowing Indian attire and enrolment of women rowing members.

The kitchen dished out gourmet delights from Rajasthan. Even today, this is one of the rare places that have not lost its old culinary expertise. From the very beginning, the Club served only non-alcoholic beverages, a rule that is welcomed even today. By virtue of its upright rules and ways, the Club became a home away from home. With the coming of Independence, the Club changed its name to ‘Bengal Rowing Club’. But the ethos never changed. Since it’s beginning, people from most of the conservative communities of Kolkata came here. Since membership of this Club was never looked down upon, people from the various other communities – Gujaratis, Bengalis, Punjabis and others came here to enjoy a change from the daily routine. The concepts of proper etiquette and decent behavior remained the hallmark of the Club and the elders of the community preferred their younger members going to this Club than to any other westernized ones. In keeping with its name, ROWING was one of the earliest sports activities of the Club. Through hard work and discipline, the Rowing members began to earn laurels for the Club. The Club has Paddle Boats and Kayaking for pleasure rides and maneuvering skills in the Lake waters. The Billiards, Pool, Table Tennis and Card Rooms, the Badminton Courts, the Swimming Pool found the members taking a thoughtful cue or an energetic swing with the racket or a joyful plunge in the pool. Members tone themselves in the well equipped Gym.

It was Bengal Rowing Club who introduced Kolkatans to the game of Croquet. The club has a rich tradition of both intra-club and inter-club sports competitions. Played in the spirit of friendly competitiveness, these sports events bring out the best in the participants as the impartial spectators cheer them. The Club is proud that it’s Billiard Room is the regular venue for the State Championships.

Social gatherings during Diwali and Holi have turned into colourful pageants complete with fun and food, musical soirees and gala entertainments. The Bengal Rowing Club has always remained thoughtfully aware of the changing times and has expanded its activities accordingly. Facilities have been expanded and made more functional than decorative. Besides typical Rajasthani dishes, diners have choice of local, Chinese and Continental cuisine. But the old preference of vegetarian and no onion-garlic recipes is still very popular; the only concession being onions are being served separately when requested.

Children’s Corner and Carnivals for them find the tiny tots enjoying as much as the elders. The ‘2000 A.D. FASHION PAGEANT’ held in January 1993 received loud applause from the members. It was one of the most spectacular events on the Club premises. It shows the Club’s modern ideas in keeping with ethnic ethos. Unlike popular belief, the activities of the club over the years have proved that the so-called conservative communities of India are as open and broadminded as anyone else in the society. It is the determination, mutual respect and co-operation that hold the members of Bengal Rowing Club united.

And within the Club the feeling of camaraderie is so strong that the Club does not have to hold an election to select the governing committee appointing the incoming one, decision that has remained indisputable. Adding to the strength of the Bengal Rowing Club is the Waves & Words, a forum in print that will bind the members in a web of friendship, proving yet another avenue to exchange news and views.
Over the years the Club has built an excellent Boat House with an impressive collection of boats and oars, one of the best in the country! In 1949, the club was affiliated to the Amateur Rowing Association of the East (ARAE) and then, in 1978, to the Far East Amateur Rowing Association (FEARA). The Club is also the founder member of the West Bengal Rowing Association (WBRA).

The Club started training youngsters, organizing school and inter-collegiate regattas and then participating in the Open Regattas to a moderate extent. By sixties, the Club had been able to produce worthy oarsmen. The first victory was in 1959, when the Club won the Loser’s Scull event in ARAE 1959. In Nationals, the Club is playing an important role and the Bengal contingent contains a good number of rowers from the Club every year.

Today the Club’s oarsmen besides participating in domestic regattas are bringing laurels even in International events.Retracing the history of The Bengal Rowing Club, now brownish with age, is a rewarding experience. Custodian of the social upbringing of many eminent people of the City, the Bengal Rowing Club has well earned for itself a magnificent niche in the club world of Kolkata.