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The Maidan - literally "field" - which stretches from the area known as Esplanade in the north to the racecourse in the south, and is bordered by Chowringhee Road to the east and the Strand and the river to the west, is one of the largest city-centre parks in the world. This vast area of open space stands in utter contrast to the chaotic streets of the city that surrounds it, big enough to swallow up several clubs, including the Calcutta Ladies Golf Club, and the immaculate greens of the Calcutta Bowling Club. It was created when the now-inconspicuous Fort William was laid out near the river in 1758, and Robert Clive cleared tracts of forest to give its guns a clear line of fire. Originally it was a haven for the elite, with a strictly enforced dress code. Now, early each morning, ordinary citizens come to exercise, shepherds graze their flocks, and riders on horseback canter along the old bridleways. In the late afternoons, it plays host to scores of impromptu cricket and football matches, as well as games of kabadi.
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