When Kolkata’s streets became a moving museum

As the 55th edition of The Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally got into gear on Sunday, the city streets of Kolkata became a moving museum where two wheeler retro beauties dazzled the crowd with the rhythmic thrum of their engines, evoking nostalgia and eliciting wonder for their timeless craftsmanship and innovation. A standout presence that drew the eye was the 1923 Panther Sloper that is owned by Syed Kamal Uddin Hossain and is beautifully maintained by his brother, Syed Afzal Uddin Hossain.

This two-wheeler comes with a single cylinder, three gears, a hand-gear shift and an open valve rocker. In all probability, this is the only model in India that is still in running condition. Taking part in the vintage rally for more than 20 years now, this bike has been in the family for three generations. A particularly striking entry was the 1956 Lambretta Model that had been a part of the rally since 2018 and had fetched Nitin Shrestha several trophies, including ‘The HDFC trophy for the best restored classic motorcycle’ in 2023. Remember the 1953 classic ‘Roman Holiday’ movie, with its iconic scene featuring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck riding a Vespa scooter through the city’s landmarks?

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A 1956 Vespa at the event, with its timeless design and gleaming finishes, yet again proved why it became a global sensation. Launched in 1946, right after World War II, by Piaggio in Italy, it was a response to Italy’s growing need for affordable, practical transport. A visual marvel was the 1936 James Villiers, a single cylinder two wheeler owned by Late Dr. Abdul Karim and cherished and maintained by his son Mohammad Abdul Rahim. With a single cylinder and two-stroke engine, this bike was used in the Indian circuses till the 1990s. A new participant in the rally, a 1951 Matchless, was a visual delight. First manufactured in late 1941 for the British Army during World War II, it later developed into a post-war model for civilian transport and use.