Hoogly

Hooghly

The district of Hooghly is just 47 km north of Kolkata and is steeped in history and heritage. Dotted with several small but important towns, the district is testimony to the rule of foreign settlers-the British and Portuguese at Hooghly, the Dutch at Chinsurah, the French at Chandernagore, and the Germans and Austrians at Bhadreswar. The Portuguese were the first to settle here in 1537, but were defeated by by Shah Jahan in 1632. The British East India Company then followed and set up a factory here in 1651. Chandannagore (Chandernagore) was once a French colony and is still under the influence of French language and culture. Chinsurah was a Dutch settlement from 1656 to 1825. It was later exchanged by the Dutch for the British-held Indonesian island of Sumatra in 1825. The Hooghly, as the Ganga River is called here, dominates the landscape and people use ferries to cross from one town to another.

For Accommodation Click https://bengaltourism.blog/bengal-lodges/private-accommodation/hoogly/

Dakshineswar

Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu temple located in Dakshineswar near Kolkata. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, an aspect of Kali, meaning, ‘She who liberates Her devotees from the ocean of existence i.e. Saṃsāra’. The temple was built in 1855 by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali. The temple is famous for its association with Ramakrishna, a mystic of 19th Century Bengal.

In the early 1800s, Dakshineswar was a small village along the eastern banks of the River Ganga. The picturesque details by J С Marshman in the January 1845 issue of Calcutta Review mentions “A little higher up we have the village of Dukhinsore, remarkable chiefly for the country seat, mapped down in the map of Hastie’s Garden, but which has repeatedly changed hands during the last thirty years. To the north of it lies the Powder Magazine. During the last four years which have elapsed since Joseph’s map was published, four elegant houses have sprung up to the south of the garden.”

Dense forest surrounded the area where the famous Dakshineswar temple stands today. It was 300 years back when Durgaprasad Roy Choudhury and Bhavaniprasad Roy Choudhury, members of the renowned Savarna Roy Choudhury family settled here. Yogindranath one of the successors of this family was an ardent devotee of Sri Ramakrishna who later was known as Swami Yogananda.

The famous Dakshineswar temple which houses the Goddess Kali was founded by Rani Rashmoni following a dream she saw when she was about to start on her pilgrimage to Benaras. A long term plan of the Rani materialized which she had longed to perform when her husband died with unfulfilled wish of constructing a Kali temple.

A dynamic woman, Rani Rashmoni took over the administration of the enormous estate her husband left her. The benevolent administrator, Rani Rashmoni was always in conflict with the stringent British laws and policies. People honored her and loved her for her daring and benevolent spirit. Dakshineswar temple, bathing ghats, a way from Subarnarekha River to Puri, Imperial Library (present National Library) and Hindu College (present Presidency College) are the testimonials to her benevolent nature.

The dream had moved the Rani intensely and she instructed her trusted people specially her youngest son-in law to look for plots to construct the Kali Temple. After a massive hunt for suitable plots, a 20-acred plot in the village of Dakshineswar was selected. The land resembled a hump of a tortoise. One part of this land belonged to a European Christian while the other part was a Muslim burial ground. The Rani began to construct this Hindu temple in 1847 on this very ground thus integrating different faiths. The Deed of endowment states “In order to fulfill his wish, on 6th September 1847 I purchased 54.4 bighas of land at the cost of Rs. 42 thousand and 500 from James Hasty. I made to build a puca Navaratna temple, twelve Shiva temples (twelve jyotirlingam), a Vishnu temple and a Natmandir on the land. On 31st May 1855 I placed luxminarayan Shila in the Navaratna temple as per the wish of my late husband and also for the welfare of his soul.” The deed was executed on 31st May 1855.

Swami Saradananda mentioned in the Lilaprasanga, ‘It is recorded in the Endowment document that the land of the Kali temple complex is 60 bighas.’ In the paper itself, we come across the fact that the plot calculated to 54 1/2 bighas, with the surroundings of the Ganges in west, the land of Kashinath Roy Choudhury in east and the constructions of John Hastie in south. Later a part of the plot was used for a railway line and for the Vivekananda Bridge. So the current sum of the land mass is around 58 bighas.

Installation of Ma Kali : The idols of the Gods and the Goddess was decided to be installed on the ‘snana-yatra day’, an auspicious days of the Hindus. 31st May 1855, more than 1 lakh Brahmins were invited from different parts of the country to grace the auspicious occasion amidst the controversy of the Rani being in no position to own a temple and to offer Brahmins to feed since she was of low birth.

Head priest selected: Rani Rashmoni being aware of the problem discussed in length with the pundits, but none could solve her problem. Only Ramkumar Chattopadhayay,Sri Ramakrishna’s elder brother suggested that dedicating the temple to a Brahmin could overcome the existing problem.

The temple was dedicated in the name of Rani’s Guru, and Ramkumar, was the head priest, who installed the idol of Kali in the new temple with a grand splendor on Thursday, 31st May, 1855. Many Intellectuals of shastras (scriptures), Brahmin pundits, and celebrated scholars arrived from distant places like Kashi, Orissa, and Navadvip.

Within a year he passed away leaving the entire responsibility to his younger brother, Ramakrishna, who during the subsequent thirty years became the seeker of the Goddess Kali and an ardent devotee who imbedded the seed of change in the socio-religious condition of Bengal and earned immense reputation for the Dakshineswar temple.
The exceptionally open-minded Rani wished that pilgrims of all casts and religions could offer prayers at the temple. Her dreams were fulfilled since irrespective of religion and castes Dakshineswar is thronged by millions of devotees and admired for its peaceful ambiance.

The Rani lived only for five years and nine months after the inauguration of the temple. She seriously fell ill in 1861. Realizing that death was approaching she decided to handover the property she purchased in Dinajput (now in Bangladesh) as a legacy for the maintenance of the temple to the temple trust. She accomplished her task on 18th February, 1861 and passed away on the subsequent day.

Bandel Church

Bandel church is one of the most magnificent and ancient churches of West Bengal situated 40 kilometers from Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). Established in 1660, the church forms a memoir of Portuguese settlement in this part of the country. This historical church dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosario, Our Lady of the Rosary, a great monument greatly enriches the national heritage of the country. Bandel was used as a port in the middle of 16th century by the Portuguese. Around 1571, the Mogul emperor Akbar permitted them to form a town in Hooghly. By 1598, the settlements of Portuguese began in the region and Christian priests, who came from Portugal, started baptizing natives.  This resulted in therise of   Catholics population  in the Hooghly area which reached around five thousand and included natives and mixed races. A port and a fort were built in 1579 along the bank of Hooghly River. The services of the largest religious body of Goa, a band of Augustinian Friars, also began in that period. The next year, permission was granted to Captain Pedro Tavares for preaching Catholic faith publicly and for the construction of churches. This led to the construction of  Bandel church in 1599.

In 1632, when Hooghly was attacked by the Moors, the church was burnt down. Afterwards in 1660, a new church was built by Gomez de Soto over the ruins of the old one. On the eastern gate of the present Bandel Church, the keystone of the older one can still be witnessed. This old church was declared to be Minor Basilica by the Pope Leo XIII in the year 1988.   Architecture of Bandel Church: In front of the church, a huge mast of a ship stands that was presented by the captain of a vessel to the church. The ship was caught in a dangerous storm in the Bay of Bengal  and its rescue was credited to the miracle of Mary. The church comprises a number of tombstones, three altars, a shrine to Mary and an organ. Constructed in the unique architectural style of the Portuguese, the Bandel Church attracts several thousand devotees from different religious communities of West Bengal. The interior of the Bandel Church is decorated with beautiful chandeliers. The colored glass windows and the Grand Tower Clock of the Bandel Church add to the glory of this religious monument. The statue of one Lady of Happy Voyage is worshiped by the Christian devotees with intense devotion and dedication. The exclusive significant religious monument of the Portuguese rule in Hooghly District, the Bandel Church brings out the glorious past of the region enriched by the Portuguese tradition and its legacy.

In 1950s, Bandel, (Bengali word “bandar” which means “port”) was an important port of Hooghly at the time of Portuguese and Mughals. Mughal Emperor Akbar give permission to build a town in Hooghly and Portuguese began using Bandel as a port in the sixteenth century.

Bandel church located in Bandel is known as one of the oldest churches in West Bengal, and this church stands as a memorial to the Portuguese settlements in Bengal. Dedicated to Nostra Senhora di Rozario, popularly known as Our Lady of the Rosary.

This first church of Bandel dated in 1599 was burnt and destroyed by the Moors in 1632. As history reveals, Emperor Shah Jehan attacked and destroyed the Portuguese settlements including the church. Four out of the five priests were killed and lone Father Joan da Cruz survived.

Father da Cruz was captured and taken to Delhi, but his miraculous power impressed Emperor Shah Jehan. Emperor Shah Jehan donated about 101.21 hectares to the local Christians,

Then the present form of church and monastery are said to be built in 1660 by Father Joan De Cruz, but the key stone of the old church was dated 1599 located at the eastern gate of the Monastery.

On November 25, 1988, Pope John Paul II declared the sanctuary a minor basilica.

What to see at Bandel church

• Beautiful holy church is surely the biggest attraction of this place. Especially I liked prayer halls, holly inscription, beautiful sculpture depicting crucification of jesus christ. This church has several altars and a shrine of Mary, who is known as Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Happy Voyage.
• Boating in Hoogly River. From the top of the church , you enjoy holiness of God with beautiful distant views of river hoogly. There is a small mela near hoogly bank. But , this is outside the church campus. We reached there taking a small lane to hoogly ghat. We also spotted many picnic parties enjoying pinic day near river bank.
• Boat trip to Imambara: This is another tourist destination located very close to Bandel church. You can go by auto and they charge Rs 10 per head. We went to church on 27th December, 2015. It being a heavy rush time we skipped this spot. We spent whole day in church’s ground.

Imambara

Hooghly Imambara, an architectural splendour of the 19 th century, is a holy shrine not only to the people of Bengal but also to the entire Muslim community of India. It dignifies the western bank of river Bhagirathi-Hooghly with fading grandeur whispering the story of its glorious past. Hooghly Imambara was originally set up by an eminent Persian merchant Muhammad Aga Motahar in 1717 A.D. He is supposed to have arrived at Hooghly in the very first decade of the 18th century with his salt business. Aga Motahar established a simple one-storied building on the land of present-day Imambara with the aim of residing with his family for the rest of his life. Being a rich person he probably maintained a sophisticated lifestyle. In words of Ibn-I-Imam, “He kept a big establishment of attendants and servants…”—which sounds quite natural for a man of his stature. Though. he was a fortunate man in the matter of wealth, he led an unhappy life with his family. In 1717 he dedicated his abode solely to almighty Allah and christened it with the name “Nazargah Hossein”. In 1735 his son-in-law Mirza Saleh-ud-din added another building to it which was named TAZIA KHANA. Thus finally it emerged as Imambara to the whole Muslim community men. The present Imambara does not have any trace of the older one. There is a statement about old Imambara recalled by Dr. Badan Chunder Choudhury, the first Assistant Surgeon appointed to Imambara Hospital in 1842 to George Toynbee, the Collector and Magistrate of Hooghly district. Toinbee noted down in his A Sketch of the Administration of the Hooghly District published in 1888:

Many of the suburban towns along the river Hooghly are old European settlements. Dotted with colonial style cottages, cemeteries and heritage buildings these towns have an old world charm that is irresistible to a city mouse like me. If you are fed up with the claustrophobic atmosphere of a metropolitan city then try out a tour in nearby Hooghly. You can pick one particular destination or take a leisurely trip down the river Hooghly visiting the Dutch, Portuguese and French colonial towns.

One of the biggest attractions of the area is undoubtedly the huge Shia Imambara built by Haji Muhammud Moshin in late 19^th century. Imambara literally means the home of the Imams who are the revered heads of the Shia Muslims and also denotes the assembly hall for gathering during religious occasions like Muharram. The Hooghly Imambara consists of many attractive features including a mosque, a monument and the Ghorighor or the clock tower. The mosque and the saraikhanas or inns for weary travelers were built of Italian marble. The walls of the mosque are beautifully engraved with lines from the Holy Quran. Stepping foot inside the mosque one is truck by the pretty chandeliers made of delicate Belgian glass and stained glass windows that reflect the sunlight. The calligraphic inscriptions on the walls create an ambience of reverence and awe. The Imambara has a madrassa as well where you can find dedicated young pupils engaged in their studies of the Holy Quran. Haji Muhammud Moshin was a philanthropist who donated money not only for the construction of the mosque but also for a hospital and college.

 Ghorighar in Imambara

The mosque and the madrassa are not the only attractions. Another spectacular wonder of this Imambara is its Clock which is placed at the middle of the twin towers erected upon the doorway of the main entrance. Each tower is supposed to be 150 ft. high and takes 152 steps to reach its top. The clock is really an object of wonder with its two dials, one facing the outer side and the other the inner. It has three bells with 30 mds, 40 mds and 80 mds of weight. The smaller bells cling at every 15 minutes’ interval whereas the bigger one clings at one-hour interval. This huge clock was brought by Syed Keramat Ali which was manufactured by M/s Black & Hurray Co., Big Ben, London with a cost of Rs. 11, 721 in the year of 1852. The Clock possesses a 20kg winding key which takes two young men to wind the clock for half an hour every week. The Ghorighor or the clock tower is located opposite the main building. The sundial and the huge clock built by Black & Murray, London are magnificent to look at. If you can climb up 152 stairs to reach the top of the clock tower you will be amply rewarded by the view of three enormous iron bells and a room full of intricate machinery. It is fascinating to watch the technology. The magnificent view of the Imambara juxtaposed over a panoramic view of the river Ganga is simply from another world.

If you get tired rest in the courtyard and watch the little gold fishes frolicking in the water tanks. Enjoy the light breeze beside the river and watch the changing colours of the water as the sun sets over the distant horizon. One can spend hours contemplating the meaning of the world and life in this peaceful setting enjoying the peaceful scenery. If you are a history buff then do not forget to check out the backyard where the last will and testament of the founder Haji Muhammud Moshin is inscribed. All in all a day at the Hooghly Imambara is fulfilling experience.

The present Imambara does not have any trace of the older one. There is a statement about old Imambara recalled by Dr. Badan Chunder Choudhury, the first Assistant Surgeon appointed to Imambara Hospital in 1842 to George Toynbee, the Collector and Magistrate of Hooghly district. Toinbee noted down in his A Sketch of the Administration of the Hooghly District published in 1888: “The old Imambara on the site of which the present buildings stand was an ordinary one-storied building. That portion in which the Mutwali used to live was, however, two-storied. The public road passed along its southern side. The door of the old building was large and wide, and roofed. The guards were placed on its western side. This door opened on to an open space, which were under the same roof with the prayer-hall. Pillars of a quadrangular form, painted with black and white stripes, supported the roof. On the southern side of this, lay a range of rooms, some of which were occupied by the officials, others being used for Toshakhana. The PrayerHall was on the eastern side of the open-space and its floor was little raised. It was very spacious.”

The present day Imambara was constructed just upon the debris of older one. It must have been under divine inspiration that Hazi Muhammad Mohsin dedicated the whole of his fortune in favour of imambara: for construction and proper maintenance.

The opposite side of the Imambara which faces the river Ganga, too appears grand in its view. This portion contains the English version of Mohsin’s Deed engraved on the upper wall of the back side imambara. There is a concrete Sundial at the open yard on the eastern most side of this institution. This is a 3ft. high concrete table with a fixed hand that still indicates an exact time from the very dawn to the time of sunset. The most interesting thing in the Imambara was a Turkish bath or Hammam exquisitely decorated with colourful glasses with no window inside. The aura of sunray, filtered through these glasses must have been creating a dreamy ambience which compelled the people to stick inside with an amazing charm.

Plasters are worn out at many places, many glasses are broken and not maintained properly. There are also ample scope to decorate the building with pots and plants, but the holders remain negligibly empty. Many parts are not allowed to see for their miserable conditions with no maintenance. The ‘Hammam’ today is a place of gloom. An electrical stuff screams in despair: “Everything is lost. I know everything about this Imambara. The throne of the Imam is said to have been once decorated with gold and silver creepers. But now they are all gone. The original brass-metal Sundial is replaced by a concrete one. Recent theft of a lamp of Zaridalan shows the practical worth of presentday Imambara. As the sun sets, the Imambara also sinks into oblivion before our helpless, indifferent gaze.

KMDA Park

KMDA Park also known as Wonderland Park is situated in the city of Chandannagar. The park covers an area of 135 bighas. There are more than 200 picnic spots here. A garden, boating complex, children’s park, fountains, toy trains and mickey mouse are added attractions of this park. Restaurants and guest houses are also there at Wonderland Park. You can buy arrangements for picnic from the local market. You can also roam around the city of Chandannagar which was once ruled by the French.

Hangseshwari Temple

Hangseshwari Temple is situated in Bansberia in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, as mentioned earlier in my previous blogs that I have visited Bansberia several times since my relatives stay there and surprisingly never visited this temple. I had visited this temple as a part of a day trip to this wonderful town where there is history in every corner Hangseswari temple or Hanseswari temple is a Hindu Temple of goddess Hangseswari (the goddess who came in a dream of Raja Nrisingha Deb Roy Mahasay) in the town of Banshberia at Hooghly District, Indian state of West Bengal. Banshberia is an industrial town positioned in between Bandel and Tribeni. Rani Hanseswari was the mother of Raja Nrisingha Deb Roy, hence the deity is worshipped as Maa Hanseswari. The deity is worshipped as a form of Maa Kali in Hindu mythology. The temple complex has another temple — Ananta Basudeba temple — besides the main temple. Also near is the Swanbhaba Kali temple built by Raja Nrisinha Deb Roy Mahasay in 1788. The Hanseswari temple has a distinctive architecture different from the usual pattern present in this area, consisting 13 minars or Ratnas, each built as a blooming lotus bud. The inner structure of the building resembles human anatomy. It was started by Raja Nrisingha Deb Roy Mahasay and later completed by his widow wife Rani Sankari in 1814.

The architecture of the temples is the representation of “Tantrik Satchakrabhed”.The structure tells about the structure of a Human Body. Because the five storied temple is like the five parts of our Human body, such as : Bajraksha, Ira, Chitrini, Pingala and Sushumn.

Ananta Basudeba Temple

Raja Mahasai Rameshwar Rai was a devote Hindu and a deep sense of belief of the Hindu God Vishnu also known as Basudeb. In his honour he built a beautiful terracotta temple in the year 1679. This is what we now know as the Ananta Basudeba Temple. This temple is one of the classic examples of the fine terracotta architecture of Bengal. There is a basalt slab attached in the temple which has the following inscription in Bengali (old).

Ananta Basudeba Temple is a temple of Lord Krishna in the Hangseshwari temple complex in Banshberia, in the Hooghly District in the Indian state of West Bengal. Built by Raja Rameswar Datta in 1679, this temple is noted for the exquisite terra cotta works on its walls. It is built in the traditional eka-ratna style, with curved cornices. The tower on top of the temple is octagonal. The terracota works depict stories from the great Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as from lilas of Krishna.

Hooghly River

The Hooghly River or the Bhagirathi-Hooghly, called ‘Ganga’ traditionally, is an approximately 260-kilometre-long (160 mi) distributary of the Ganga river in West Bengal, India. It splits from the Ganges as a canal in Murshidabad District at the Farakka Barrage. The town of Hugli-Chinsura, is located on the river, in the Hooghly district. Several bridges run over the Hooghly at Kolkata – Howrah Bridge, Vidyasagar Setu, Vivekananda Setu, Nivedita Setu (second Vivekananda Bridge), Jubilee Bridge (chinsurah) and Iswar Gupta Setu.

Sabuj Deep 

Sabuj Deep is a well known picnic spot in Bengal. Find detail travel information, location details, attractions charges etc. in the article. It is a picnic spot near Kolkata in winter. Sabujdeep is an attractive winter picnic spot in Hooghly district of West Bengal. The place filled with greenery at the middle of water can refreshes you. The place is near Bolagarh and Somrabazar station at Hooghly. The place is at the meeting point of Behula and Hooghly River.

You can take Katoa local from Howrah or Sealdah or Bandel station from Kolkata. Reach Balagarh or Somrabazar station. From there take van and reach Sukhriyagram pherighat. From there take motor driven country boat available to reach Sabuj Deep. The only Katoa local leaves sealdah station at 8.04 in the morning.

Children’s play ground, watch tower are there at Sabuj Deep. You can find green trees like Arjun, Mehagani, Ukaliptus etc in the island. The country boat riding in the river is also enjoyable.

Itachuna Rajbari

The other name for Itachuna Rajbari is ‘ Bargee Danga’. The term has been derived from Bargee, which was a name given by the bengali’s to the Maratha warriors. There was a time when Maratha’s attacked Bengal repeatedly to collect Chauth, which was 1/4th of the tax that was to be paid by the Nawab of Bengal( Sub-e-dar), Bihar and Orissa. Apocryphally, after Aurangzeb the downfall of Mughal empire had started. The Bargee’s attacked under the the guidance of Bhaskar Pandit and Raghuji Bhosle from 1742-1752. Katwa , near Hooghly was made the early centre which was later changed to Medinipur.

Though the Maratha warriors stopped their attacks after the assassination of Mir Habib, they gained control over Orrisa. As a result many maratha Bargee’s stayed back in Bengal and started their own trade. They amassed a lot of wealth. One of such Maratha warriors were the Kundans, now known as Kundu’s also settled here. The Itachuna Rajbari was built by the ancestors of Shri Safallya Narayan Kundu in 1766.

The Govt.of India’s policy of abolishing the Raj-culture hindered further flourishes of the Rajbari. It is the present inheritors of the family Shri. Rabindra Narayan, Shri. Dhruva Narayan and Shri. Basav Narayan Kundu along with Mylestones & Journeys who have decided to restore the glory and are making all efforts to maintain the royal heritage through regular upkeep. The Heritage Homestay is one such initiative through which village tourism may be promoted in this area.

Venture Around Rajbari

Mahanad Kali Bari, 8 km from Rajbari. This temple is more than 200 yrs old. The local priest tells us that Rani Rashmani came to this place to offer her puja and this inspired her to build the Dakhineswar Mandir.

Jateswar Shiv Temple, 2 km from Mahanad Brahmamayee Kali Bari. There is a big pond behind the temple with different stories of healing and rebirth.

Debipur, This place is known for Laxmi Janardan Mandir. The style of the mandir is old Terracotta of Bengal.

Pandua, This 13th century place is known for its Minar. The Minar soars up to 125 feet high.

Debanandapur – the birth place of Bengal’s Katha Shilpi and Sarat Chandra Chattapadhyay’s residence, a library named Sarat Smriti      Pathagar including a museum  containing photographs, letters, writings, 07 personal belongings of the famous writer is also present there.

The century-old Itachuna Rajbari, a brick-red magnanimous structure in the midst of lush greenery coupled with some great historic places around, Itachuna has all the potential to develop into a sought after weekend tour destination. It is a place where you can be yourself and connect with the nature without getting disconnected from the comfort of modern living. At the Rajbari, you can sense the royal aura, get a feel of living amidst history, relax in the garden behind the mansion and smell the odour of freshness or even cherish the engulfing calmness of the surrounding at night.

The Kundu family-owned Itachuna Rajbari, rich in heritage and history is a massive opulent structure to enter. The huge Itachuna Rajbari with five mahals, as we often read in story books “Panch Mahala Zamindar Bari” not only speaks of the rich legacy of the family but also about its affluence. The five mahals are the, Courthouse, Ballet Dancing Hall, Kitchen house, Guest house and an Andar Mahal for ladies. Long corridors surround each of the mahals and are separated from each other by separate doors.

The Ballet Dancing Hall or the ‘Nautch Ghar’ is particularly captivating with its beautiful chandelier and ancient hand-drawn fans mounted on the ceiling. Inside the Andarmahal premises lies the “Thakur Dalan” where the family deity, ‘Shreedhar Jeeu” is still today offered prayers four times a day, with occasional mass gatherings in the plush courtyard.

The rooms that are now provided to weekend travelers are all furnished with antique furnitures. The pictures of ancestors adorning the walls, old metal caskets, antique chairs, wooden tables, ornate bedposts and stretched low-lying sofas make time stand still. You will definitely have the feeling of breathing history, smelling the past and the British Bengal whispering and murmuring in your ears. All this will definitely transfer you to an era of royal legacy and will make your weekend tour a memorable experience.

In the backyard of the Rajbari, is a lush green area, erstwhile ‘Khamar Bari’, with a “Khidki Pukur”, a wall bound pond for the ladies. The place provides an ideal location for outdoor shooting and is perfect for get-togethers.

It’s worth mentioning about the roof top terrace connecting all the five mahals. The sight of the panoramic view of sunset behind the farmlands from such a long and wide rooftop will definitely make you spellbound. And if it is a moonlit night or even a moonless starry night, you will be mesmerized by the wonderful beauty of the place and will be surprised why the place remained unknown till recently. You will definitely advice or even force your friends, relatives and known ones to visit the place.

The Wonderworld

The Wonder World is an amusement park located at Diara in Hooghly district of West Bengal. There is a separate picnic spot situated in a lush green, peaceful and tranquil ambiance away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The picnic spot is adjacent to the amusement park. One can enjoy the various attractions of the park including artificial iceland, roller coaster, toy train, paddle boating and pirate ship. A separate children’s playground at the corner of the park enables kids to enjoy themselves with their friends. There is a multi cuisine restaurant too.

Toy Train.. Toy Car Drive for Kids.. Pirate Boat.. Like Inflatable… Baby Train

The Chandan Nagar Strand

The tree-shaded promenade along the river is about 1 km (0.62 mi) in length and 7 meters (23 ft) in width, and there are many buildings of historical importance along the way. It is a popular spot for local people and tourists alike, who love to stroll along enjoying the breeze and watching the small boats sail by. Along the Strand one can find the Vivekananda Mandir. (a meditation centre protruding into the river Ganges)

The Chandan Nagar strand is the most important and popular pathway in all of Chandan Nagar. The strand is built along the Ganges river, lined with trees and lights.

The most important feature of the strand is that in addition to the stunning riverside view, the strand has numerous monuments and historical spots along the region, making it a complete days worth of visit. The area also has a lot of restaurants to make sure you don’t go hungry. The Chandan nagar strand is celebrated as the most decorated strip of Ganges, in all it’s course right from the Himalayas.

A beautiful tourist spot along the banks of the river Ganges. It is a superbly decorated pavement studded with lights surrounded by lushly green trees. It is about 1km in length and 7 m in width, and many buildings with historical importance surround the spot. It is very popular visiting spot of the local people and the tourists would love to stroll along enjoying the mild breeze and watching the small boats sail by. Along the strand are present Vivekananda Mandir(a meditation centre) and a protruding structure into the river Ganges. This is supposed to be the best decorated bank of the river along its entire length of 2500 km.

Chandannagore Museum and Institute (Institut de Chandernagor)

One of the oldest museums of the region. It boasts a collection of French antiques (such as cannons used in Anglo-French war, wooden furniture of the 18th century, etc.) which are difficult to find anywhere else in the world. The institute still teaches French through regular classes. Jogendra Nath Sen, resident of Chandannagar who died in France fighting in the World War I. His personal items were sent to his brother in India who later donated them to the Intitut de Chandernagore in Chandannagar.^[2]The Museum is closed on Thursday and Saturday.

French CemeteryThe French Cemetery contains 150 tombs and is located on the Grand Trunk Road opposite Lal Dighi (a large lake). Amongst the remarkable people buried there, one can find the tomb of Duplessis, the founding father of French Chandannagar and also the one of pioneering meteorologist Henry “Storm” Piddington, who is mentioned in Amitav Ghosh’s novel The Hungry Tide

The Underground House (Patal-Bari)

The building is another beautiful example of the advancement in the knowledge of architecture and the aesthetic sense of the people of those earlier days. Its lowest floor is submerged in the River Ganges. The Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore frequently visited the place and appreciated a lot about the building. He felt that the place influenced him to a large extent and broadened his intellectual capabilities. He mentioned Patal-bari in many of his famous novels. The famous social reformer Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar also stayed in the building. The house was owned by the zemindars of nearby Bansberia.

Nandadulal Temple

Nandadulal Temple built in 1740 by Indranarayan Roychoudhury presents an excellent example of ancient Indian sculptures. There are many fascinating temples devoted to Kali, Shiva and other deities which show marks of brilliant craftsmanship and artistic taste.

Nritya Gopal Smriti Mandir

Built by Sri Harihar Sett, and donated to the people of Chandannagore. This building still serves as a theatre hall and a library. It was first of its kind in the entire locality. It has one of the largest collections of books in French, English and Bengali in the district.

Bishalakshmi temple

The temple is situated near Brahmin para, Boubazar in the western part of railway station. The history of this ancient temple is not known properly. The deity is worshiped regularly by the local people.

Chandernagore Heritage Museum

Archival materials on the history of Chandernagor and relics of Rabindranath Tagore are available at the Chandernagore Heritage Museum which is located in the vicinity of the Barabazar Auto Stop. (Please note that access to the archive is limited only to research scholars).

Radhanath Sikdar Himalayan Museum

The Radhanath Sikdar Himalayan Museum at Ananda Cottage, Bagbazar, sports a fine display of mountaineering equipment and the history associated with such artefacts

Danish Cemetery

Serampore remained under the Danish rule till 1845, after which the Danish Governor decided to sell it to the British East India Company.

Built in 1818, the Serampore College, with its grand facede, reminds one of the glorious days of Danish Serampore.

Danish missionary Carey, along with Ward and Marshman, started the Serampore Mission Press and published the first Bengali translation of the Bible. They also started the Friends of India newspaper.

Serampore also houses two Cemeteries dating back to the Danish days. The Baptist Mission Cemetery in Serampore contains the family graves of Carey, Ward and Marshman, while the Danish Cemetery houses several other Danish graves.

William Carey Graveyard

First known job was carrying mail on horseback. Being very thrifty he soon became a landowner. At one time he owned about 11,000 acres of land. He was clerk in the land office. He and his father-in-law, Thomas Wheeler, ran a freight line from Wheeler’s Station to Middlesboro Ky. The railroad terminated at Wheeler’s Station. He was also at one time County Judge.
Major troop movements by both Union and Confedrate armies passed through Campbell County,William was a Innkeeper at the time, he was killed during the Civil War.In correspondence connected with the movement of troops, government officials so frequently spelled Careyville without the “e” it soon became the form of spelling generally used.

Kamarpukur

Kamarpukur is a village of Hooghly district in West Bengal. Great religious prophet Sri Sri Ramkrisna dev was born in Kamarpukur on 17th February, 1836. Therefore Kamarpukur becomes one of the holy place. Famous artist Nandalal Basu planned for a marvellous temple of Sri Ramkrisna on his birthplace, Dhenkisal in 1951.

Site where Sri Ramakrishna played role of Lord Shiva-

In Kamarpukur, Chandramani, the mother of Sri Ramakrishna, saw a flood of light emanate from the Shivalinga and enter her body. And she felt that she was with child! Thus, Sri Ramakrishna was born in this age as the lingodbhava, the light of Shiva.

Sri Ramakrishna was born three days after Shivaratri, on 18 February 1836, a few minutes before the sunrise. Just as at the birth of the incarnation of this age, a light spread over the world, so, even today, the light of knowledge is spreading to every corner of the world, dispelling the hordes of darkness in the forms of ignorance.

As soon as the baby Ramakrishna was born, Dhani, the midwife, placed him on the floor to attend to the mother. On turning her attention to the child, she was surprised to find that he had somehow rolled into the fireplace, and was lying there all covered with ashes – like Lord Shiva! If our goal is God, the ashes symbolise the turning away from (or burning of) the sensual, a renunciation of the worldly to attain the spiritual. One Puranic story tells how Lord Shiva burnt to ashes the god of love (that is, sensual delights). Describing Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother said that renunciation was the  jewel of Sri Ramakrishna.

Kshudiram, the father of Sri Ramakrishna, named the child ‘Shambhuchandra’, one of the names of Lord Shiva.

Sri Ramakrishna performed various sadhanas and re-affirmed the validity of each. But he realised Lord Shiva without any effort. When he was nine, Sri Ramakrishna was asked to play the role of Lord Shiva in a dramatic performance on the night of Shivaratri. As he was adorned as Lord Shiva, he soared into a divine consciousness. And the devotees themselves were transported, as it were, to the very abode of Lord Shiva. Sri Ramakrishna remained in that ecstatic state for three days!

In the samudra-manthana episode, Lord Shiva took in the poison that emanated from the churning of the ocean by the gods and demons to obtain the nectar of immortality. At the end of his earthly life, Sri Ramakrishna had throat cancer. One viewpoint is that it was the result of Sri Ramakrishna’s swallowing the poison of the karmas of the millions of struggling souls who were seeking his shelter. Both drank the poison and kept it in the throat for the welfare of the world.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say: Jiva is Shiva, and Shiva is jiva. In other words, we ordinary beings are really Shiva but ignorant and bound. Our goal in life should be to reclaim our Shivahood.

Sri Ramakirshna certainly knew it by heart. One day he was reciting this hymn in one of the twelve Siva temples at Dakshineswar when he came to the following verse:
“Asitagirisamam syat kaijalam sindhupatre Surataruvarasakha lekhani patramurvi; Likhati yadi grihitva Sarada sarvakalam Tadapi tava gunanamisa param na yati.”
which means: “Oh Lord, if the blue mountian be the ink, the ocean the ink-pot, the biggest branch of the heavenly tree be the pen, the earth the writing leaf and taking these if Sarada, the goddess of learning, writes for eternity, even then the limit of Your virtues will not be reached.”

Reciting the aforesaid verse, Sri Ramakrishna entered into an ecstatic mood and cried out again and again, “O Great God, how can I express your great glory?” All came running towards that spot hearing the cries of Thakur. Mathur Babu was in the temple at that time. Hearing the uproar, he also came and prevented others from removing Sri Ramakrishna forcibly from the Siva temple. Mathur had already formed a high opinion about Sri Ramakrishna by that time. When Thakur came down to normal consciousness and saw the crowd, he asked Mathur whether he had done anything wrong. Mathur saluted him and said, “No, Ba Ba (father), you were reciting a hymn: I stood here lest some one should disturb you unthinkingly.” Thus Mathur Babu protected and served Thakur in all possible ways for fourteen years like Nandi who eternally serves Lord Siva. Truly Mathur Babu and Hriday were to Sri Ramakrishna, what Nandi and Bhringi are to Siva. At another time, Mathur Babu actually saw Sri Ramakrishna as Siva and Kali alternately, as Thakur was pacing up and down.

The verse from the Siva Mahimna Stotra which was recited again and again by Sri Ramakrishna is eminently applicable to his own life. Sri Ramakrishna himself is the Siva of this age, whose glories so many writers and poets are finding it difficult to express in words ! The words ‘Sarada Sarvakalam’ in the aforesaid hymn are very apt. The Goddess Sarada Herself was actually born as the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and was tirelessly repeating the glories of Ramakrishna-Siva ‘Sarvakalam’ (at all times); still the limit of his virtues could not be reached.

Attraction

Garbagriha, Exact spot where Sri Sri Ramkrisna dev was born

Temple of Sri Ramkrisna: Ramkrisna mission has enshrined this temple. The image of Sri Ramkrisna was made of white marble. The temple is opened from 6.00 – 11.00 a.m. and 15.30 – 20.30 p.m. in summer and from 16.00 – 21.00 p.m. in winter season. The ceremonial waving of light ( mangal arati ) can be seen with special arrangement at 4.00 a.m./4.30 a.m. ( winter season ). (Photography inside not allowed)

Raghubir temple : Raghubir temple is located at the left side of main temple, Birth place of Sri Ramkrisna Dev, Mango tree planted by Ramkrisna Dev, Haldar Pukur , at opposite of the misson, Sita Nath Pain’s House, Dhani Kamarini’s House, Jogi Siva Temple, Chinu Sakhari’s House, Bhutir smasan, Gadadhar Children Park, Laha Babu’s House, Pathshala and Bishnu Mandir, Gopeswar Siva Temple, Bisalakshi Temple, Garh Mandaran and Vitargarh, Gaji and Pir Saheb’s Darga, Ismail Gaji’s Cemetry, Devi Malini Pasan and Kajla Dighi, , Deer park, Lake, Dewan Pir’s Place, Durges nandini tourist spot (picnic spot), Time: 8am-7pm, Entry fees: Rs. 10, Telephone: 03211-244356 and Hooghly Zila Parisad, Telephone: 26802139, Saileswar siva Temple, Chandu’s sal forest by the side, of Darakeswar river, Dharma Raj thakur’s rather mela, Starts at Vijaya Dashami for 7 days, Mukundapur Siva Temple.

Bari Mosque

Pandua Bari Mosque is a long, low building established in 1300 AD. This masjid is a specimen of the typical brick style of Bengal. The building has dimension of 7041 m by 12.8 m. It has three aisles, with 21 door openings in front and three on the side. The roof has 63 small domes over brick arches resting on stone pillars that are influenced by Hindu architecture. Furthermore, the mosque also has a canopied platform

Antpur

Antpur is a village under the Jangipara community development block of the Srirampore subdivision in the Hooghly District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is around 20 km from Tarakeswar, the famous temple town and railhead for the Sheoraphuli – Tarakeswar section.

The most famous temple in Antpur is that of Radhagovindjiu with exquisite terracotta carvings depicting stories from all the 18 puranas. This 100 feet high temple was constructed by Krishna Ram Mitra, the Diwan of Bardhaman Raj in 1786 (1708 Shakabda). Its Chandi Mandap and Dol Mancha have beautifully crafted wood carvings and terracotta.

Antpur Radhagovindjiu Temple

The period when the temple was built was curious. Muslim rule was ebbing out and the Europeans were making forays into the country. It is said that Krishna Ram Mitra built the temple to enthuse the Hindus. Terracota work which was earlier an exclusive preserve of Bishnupur artisans was no more so. While Radha and Krishna are predominant in the carvings, there also is the goddess Durga, whose worship had been revived in a big way by Nabakrishna Deb of Shovabazar Rajbari in 1757.

Temples and Dolmancha at Antpur village, Hooghly. Besides the main temple of Radhagovindjiu are the temples of Gangadhara, Fuleswara, Rameswara, Jaleswara and Baneswara.

The holy place where Vivekananda other disciples took their vow of ‘sannyasa. Antpur. Hooghly

Antpur was the village home of Baburam Ghosh (later Swami Premananda). It was at Antpur where Swami Vivekananda and eight other disciples of Sri Ramakrishna took their vow of ‘sannyasa’ on 24 December 1886. The Ramakrishna-Premananda Ashram of Antpur has built a temple on the birthplace of Swami Pramananda.^[3]

Serampore Rajbari

The Goswamis of Serampore, are the descendants of one of the five Brahmin families whom Adisur, King of Gaur had invited to settle in Bengal, with gifts of land and monies, for the propagation of knowledge. One of his descendants was Lakshman Chakravarty. Lakshman was married to the daughter of Achyut Goswami, son of Advaitacharya Goswami, an ardent disciple of Sri Chaitanya. Lakshman settled in Shantipur, with Achyut’s family, and out of their marriage was born a son, Ramgobinda, who took on his mother’s maiden name, Goswami. It was Ramgobinda’s son, Radhakanta, who settled in Serampore.His grandson was Raghuram Goswami.Finding far too much fragmentation of his original property in Goswamipara, Raghuram left, to build a house for himself and his children and it was thus that the giant mansion known today to locals as “Serampore Rajbari” came up, sometime between 1815 and 1820, during or shortly after the construction of Serampore College. Although it is called Rajbari, author Kanailal Goswami, himself of the family in question, says that it would be more accurate to call it the “Thakurbari” or “Thakur Bati”, since a portion of it was made debottar property.

The house has two separate blocks. North and South. On the South is the portion that was probably originally allotted to Hemchandra Goswami. This two storied structure is now used both as a residence, as well as being hired out for marriage receptions, as well as other social functions.

The more magnificent section is the one on the North, with its driveway, ionic columns and cast iron gates. This is the portion of the house that was turned into debottar property. It is still used as a residential property today. A board announces that a portion of the house is used by the Government as a “Child Guidance of Durga Puja, the Chandni was the venue for feeding 500 people at a time, seated in long rows.

Raghuram’s son, Gopikrishna had five sons. The eldest among them, Krishnalal had a falling out with his father, and was disinherited as a result. The remaining four brothers, Nandalal, Kishorilal, Rajendralal and Radhikalal continued to live in this house as a joint family, until the death of Nandalal in 1908, caused family unity to disintegrate. Kishorilal had probably anticipated this, and had begun construction of a palatial residence on the river bank at the cost of Rs. 1,50,000. The property was protected by a formidable wall right from the river bed that afforded it an attractive river frontage, and made it possible to lay out a large garden. To this house, he moved his branch of the family in 1910. This building too is still standing, and in use, and is in far better shape than Raghuram’s original Rajbari.

Exactly how rich were the Goswamis of Serampore? Sample this. When the Danes, finding their factory in Serampore to be a losing concern, were looking for someone to sell their title of Serampore to, Raghuram Goswami offered to purchase it for the sum of Rs. 11,00,000! However the Danes found this sum to be inadequate and ultimately sold their possessions to the East India Company in 1845, for 12,00,000. The Goswamis of Serampore, are the descendants of one of the five Brahmin families whom Adisur, King of Gaur had invited to settle in Bengal, with gifts of land and monies, for the propagation of knowledge. One of his descendants was Lakshman Chakravarty. Lakshman was married to the daughter of Achyut Goswami, son of Advaitacharya Goswami, an ardent disciple of Sri Chaitanya. Lakshman settled in Shantipur, with Achyut’s family, and out of their marriage was born a son, Ramgobinda, who took on his mother’s maiden name, Goswami. It was Ramgobinda’s son, Radhakanta, who settled in Serampore. His grandson was Raghuram Goswami.

Inside, the most striking feature is the “Chandni”, or “Naatmandir”, a covered courtyard, measuring 120 feet by 30 feet. This spot was originally a tank from which water was drawn for domestic consumption. Unfortunately, Raghuram’s oldest son, Atmaram, drowned while swimming in that tank, at the age of 5. This accident caused Raghuram to have the tank filled up, and the Chandni was constructed.

The Chandni was used for festive occasions, such as Holi, for marriages, receptions and social gatherings and even for staging plays. On the occasion

The house remains standing, though it has clearly seen better days. While it appears on the outside to be two separate blocks, these blocks were infact connected by an intricate network of passages before walls were erected to separate the sections for brothers. On the South is the portion that was probably originally allotted to Hemchandra Goswami. This two storied structure is now used both as a residence, as well as being hired out for marriage receptions, as well as other social functions. The more magnificent section is the one on the North, with its driveway, ionic columns and cast iron gates. This is the portion of the house that was turned into debottar property. It is still used as a residential property today. A board announces that a portion of the house is used by the Government as a “Child Guidance Centre”.

Raghuram’s son, Gopikrishna had five sons. The eldest among them, Krishnalal had a falling out with his father, and was disinherited as a result. The remaining four brothers, Nandalal, Kishorilal, Rajendralal and Radhikalal continued to live in this house as a joint family, until the death of Nandalal in 1908, caused family unity to disintegrate. Kishorilal had probably anticipated this, and had begun construction of a palatial residence on the river bank at the cost of Rs. 1,50,000. The property was protected by a formidable wall right from the river bed that afforded it an attractive river frontage, and made it possible to lay out a large garden. To this house, he moved his branch of the family in 1910.

This building too is still standing, and in use, and is in far better shape than Raghuram’s original Rajbari.

Chinsurah

Chinsurah (also known as Hooghly-Chinsura or Hooghly) is a city in the state of West Bengal, India. It lies on the Hooghly River, 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Kolkata (Calcutta). It is in the district of Hooghly and is home to the district headquarters. Chuchura houses the commissioner of the Burdwan Range. It forms a part of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) region. The District Court building of Chinsurah is the longest building in West Bengal. Chinsurah is the home to the new state-of-the-art 1000 KW DrM transmitter of Prasar Bharti which enables ‘Akashvaani Maitree’ to be broadcast across Bangladesh. This Special Bangla Service of All India Radio was launched in the wake of the Bangladesh Liberation Movement and played a key role during the war, broadcasting Indian news bulletins in Bangladesh. It continued till April 2010, but was discontinued thereafter due to decommissioning of the Super Power Transmitter at Chinsurah. Chinsurah is also the home of the oldest Armenian church in India.

Rajrajeshwar Temple

The Parsis leave their dead bodies for the vulture to eat but for the Hindus vultures have always been considered as a symbol of misfortune and bad luck. So the image of vultures is the last thing you expect to see on the walls of a Hindu temple but the Rajrajeshwar Temple, in the remote village of Kotalpur, have a distinction of housing several images of vultures. One of the terracotta panels on the temple walls shows two vultures feasting on a human corpse and several other panels show vultures in different postures.

Bengal is known for its terracotta temples. Starting from temple complex Bishnupur to the temples of Aatpur, Bansberia, Guptipara and Kalna West Bengal has the distinction of housing some of the finest terracotta works in the world. But apart from these well known temples West Bengal is also home to hundreds of lesser known terracotta temples scattered in the remote villages of South Bengal. Kotolpur, in the Jangipara block of the Hooghly district, is one such village which has the distinction of housing one such terracotta temple.

Haripal is Kotalpur’s nearest railhead and for the most comfortable journey it is best to take the morning Tarakeshwar Local. From Haripal station a bus journey takes you past Jangipara to the village of Sitapur. Get down at Sitapur Bazar and follow the meandering village roads to the temple of Rajrajeshwar.

The huge aat chala temple is in bad shape and is over grown with trees. The roots have made their way deep into the structure and have developed deep cracks. The base of the temple is also covered with weeds making access to the temple almost impossible. The temple has long been abandoned and is infested with bats and possibly snakes.

Miraculously the front face of the temple, entirely covered with intricate terracotta, has survived the test of time and can still be admired to this day. Sadly the temple contains no foundation plaque so nothing is known about the construction date and the name of the founder. But historian Narendranath Bhattacharya puts the year of construction in 1694 in his book “Hooghly Jela r Purakirti” but no mention is made about the name of the founder.

The central panel of the triple arched entrance contains terracotta panels depicting the scenes of the Ramayana War, with Ram & Lakshman fighting against the ten – headed Ravana and an oversized Kumbhakarna.  A decorative wheel at the centre adds to the beauty of the central arch panel.

The base panels contain elaborate images of Krishnalila, royal processions and ships & boats. The strange panel of the vultures feeding on the human corpse lies on the lower part of the right arch panel. Slightly above lies the twin panels of Kali & Durga. But Kali is dressed in a sari, which is unusual in Hindu mythology.

It has been more than a year that the temple has been taken over by the West Bengal State Archeology but there are no traces of conservation and maintenance effort. Incidentally Kotalpur had another similar terracotta temple. Located next to the Rajrajeshwar Temple, this 1774 built temple was recently been brought down and replaced with a modern looking temple. Hope the State Archeology Department would prevent the Rajrajeshwar Temple from following the footsteps of its neighbor.

Fur Furah Sharif

In Jangipara a Sufi settlement established during Akbar’s reign. A mosque pre-dating the settlement was built by Muqlish Khan in 1375. Now a site for Muslim pilgrimage, especially during the Pars Mela every year.

Shanderswartala

It is the most important and oldest temple in Chinsurah.  From the Chinsurah Railway station it is about 5 Kms. to reach this temple.  The visitors can avail autorickshaw or paddle rickshaw to reach the place.  It is at the bank of the Ganges at the north of the Duttaghat. At 16th century Digambar Halder placed the Lingam of Shiva & afterwards the temple was established by Sidheswar Roychodhury. Dutch Governors presented a ‘Dhak’ made of brass which is still used in this temple.  There is also a Durga tmeple which was established on 1845.

WATCH TOWER- It is situated at the middle place of Chinsurah town.  The four faces of which indicate the directions.  In 1914 ‘British’ emperor the Edward established this steel made hollow clock tower resembling a tomb. On the top of the tomb there is aflag hoisting point.  In the four sides of which there are four beautiful lamp  sheds. The clock is  situated in the middle portion of the tomb

JOY KRISHNA LIBRARY

The library was established by the famous Social-reformer and Zamindar Joy Krishna Mukhopadhyay in the year 1261 (according to Bengali New Year).  The first free of cost and  largest reference library in India at that time.

SERAMPORE COLLEGE

Of all colleges in the district imparting general education, this college founded in 1818, is the oldest. Its first governing body consists of Willam Carey, Joshua Marshman, William Ward and the Danis Governor of Serampore. Its syllabus was designed as  Eastern literature and Western Science. From the very beginning there was a Theological department for training of Ministers for the Christian churches in India along-with the other wings. In 1827 King Frederick VI of Denmark granted the college a charter of independent university as Copen Hegen and Kiel, conducting the 3- year Bachelor of Divinity, 2- year Master of Theology and the Doctor of Divinity courses. Now a part of this college has been changed to the museum.

Carey Museum is still in it formative stage. It is to preserve the reminiscence of founders, but it also presents a vivid picture of awakening of Bengal during the years of its renaissance.

Pandua Bari Mosque

Pandua Bari Mosque is a long, low building established in 1300 AD. This masjid is a specimen of the typical brick style of Bengal. The building has dimension of 7041 m by 12.8 m. It has three aisles, with 21 door openings in front and three on the side. The roof has 63 small domes over brick arches resting on stone pillars that are influenced by Hindu architecture. Furthermore, the mosque also has a canopied platform

Jubilee Bridge

Jubilee Bridge over the Hooghly river provided an important connection between Naihati and Bandel. The Jubilee Bridge is one of the must see bridge of India.

Dutch Cemetery

The famous Dutch Cemetery in Chinsurah is one of the oldest Cemetery and has about 45 graves. Chinsurah also has famous structure of Tomb and Mosque.

Located in a very congested part of the town is the Dutch Cemetery, a Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected site. The cemetery contains a assortment of graves scattered under the shade of ancient trees. The oldest date back to 1743 while the newest one is on 1840. Apart from the Dutch and British the Armenians had also left their mark in the town of Chinsurah or Chuchura.

Rash Behari Research Institute

The Rash Behari Research Institute is a research institute located in Chandannagar (former French Colony in India) established in 1975, it includes, a library, a museum and a publishing house.The Rash Behari Basu Research Institute is dedicated to the study of Indian Freedom Movement, highlighting the role of India’s Great Freedom Fighter Rash Behari Basu. The objectives of this Institute : (a) To collect and preserve all relevant intelligence, de-classified documents and manuscripts, photographs and films, records and other objects and materials – relating to the life of Rash Behari Basu (Bose of Nakamuraya).

Shanderswartala Temple

Shanderswartala Temple is the oldest temple in Chinsurah. It is about 5 km away from the Chinsurah railway station. The temple is situated on the bank of the river Ganges, north of the Dutta Ghat. The temple was established by Sidheswar Roychoudhury after the Lingam of Shiva was placed by Digambar Halder in the 16th Century. This Temple has a ‘Dhak’ made of brass, which was presented by the Dutch Governor of that time and is still used. There is also Durga Temple which was established in the year 1845.

Zafar Khan Ghazi Mosque

Zafar Khan Ghazi Mosque and Dargah situated at Tribeni in Hughli district, West Bengal, India, are considered to be among the earliest surviving Muslim monuments in Bengal. According to an inscription, the mosque is dated 698 AH (1298 AD). The mosque represents the multi-domed oblong type developed by the Muslims in Bengal in which the number of domes on the roof equals the number of entrances in the east wall multiplied by those on either sides. The north and south walls have two doors each. There are thus ten domes roofing the mosque. The interior of the structure is broken into two longitudinal aisles and five short bays by means of stone pillars, creating ten equal compartments. The brick-built domes rest on stone pillars and pointed arches with brick pendentives at the corners.

Tarakeshwar Temple

Tarakeshwar Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and receives a huge number of local devotes on a regular basis. It is one of those places in Hooghly that remain densely packed with visitors throughout the year. The best time to visit this temple is the monsoon season as it hosts a grand fair for devotees during this period. Tarakeshwar temple has got a deep mythological value attached to it and it is believed that a visit to this temple in good faith can fulfil all your wishes.

Suakhal and Moyur Mahal

There are two picnic spots at the side of Delhi Road nearest to the Bandel station. In both the places people can enter by giving a nominal entry fee. In addition to other facilities boating also can be enjoyed in both places. At Suakhal there is an interesting science exhibition like talking robot, danger cave etc.

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