Chittaranjan Park, popularly known as CR Park, is the cultural heart of Delhi’s Bengali community. Located in South Delhi, the neighbourhood is famous for its bustling fish markets, traditional sweet and food shops, and grand Durga Puja celebrations.
However, long before it became a thriving residential and commercial enclave, the area was a stretch of barren, rocky terrain allocated by the government for the rehabilitation of East Bengali refugees. The displacement of Bengalis didn’t happen at once but unfolded in prolonged, agonising waves. As the neighbourhood developed, residents lobbied for a name that reflected their heritage rather than their displacement. A pioneer of the non-cooperation movement in Bengal, he co-founded the Swaraj Party alongside Motilal Nehru.
Affectionately called Deshbandhu (Friend of the Nation), Das emerged as a leading figure in the Indian National Movement, serving as the President of the Indian National Congress at the 1922 Gaya session. He went on to become the first Mayor of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation in 1924.
When the government first allotted land to refugees, the area was named “East Pakistan Displaced Persons Colony,” abbreviated as EPDP Colony.
