Not so quite flows the Hooghly

May 1, 2012

Every river has a story to tell..of the people, the places, the times, and the cultures that come in her way as she flows. Rivers give a glimpse of not only the cities that thrive today but also how they came about. How can I miss this!! So, on my last visit to Kolkata aka Calcutta, I took a detour for a ride on a little rickety boat on the river Hooghly.

The serene Hooghly

Hooghly river is a distributary of the Ganga in West Bengal in India. It was an important transportation channel in the early history of Bengal. In its upper reaches the river is generally known as the Bhāgirathi, until it reaches Hooghly.

all set for a ride

The river banks hosted several battles towards the start of the colonial era, including the Battle of Plassey, as well as earlier wars against Maratha raiders.

The fisherman on Hooghly

The Hooghly river is a lifeline for the people of West Bengal. It was a main trade route in the past and through this river the East India company sailed in to Bengal and established their trade settlement. Kolkata was built around Hooghly river where Job Charnock landed here over three centuries ago.

after a dip in the river

Belūr Maṭh is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, a chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located on the west bank of Hooghly.

The Belur math, Ramakrishna Ashram

The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River. The presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, an aspect of Kali, ‘she who liberates Her devotees from the ocean of existence i.e. Saṃsāra’. The temple is famous for its association with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.