Explore the Ghats of Kolkata

                                                          The Ghats????
 "The Ghats are a series of steps leading to a water body (river).There were around forty one ships of the East India Company which moved in and out of Calcutta, the need of Ghats or wharfs became necessary, the east India Company used to operate from the old fort william (now the site of the G.P.O at B.B.D Bag) therefore the English built the first Ghat or the wharf in 1710."

So by now you should know where I am heading? Yes, I am heading to explore some of the Ghats on the River Hoogly.

 Kolkata looks more voluptuous and fresh in the morning , It is best time to visit these placid Ghats in the early part of the morn. I started from Home very early, accompanied by a friend of mine. The street were bathed with the heavy downpour of the previous night, we drove through the bypass, the road was quite and I could feel the fresh breeze assaulting my face, I love the smell of the earth; as If mother nature is cooking its favourite food.

                                                   Sweetened tea in clay cups

These rickshaw pullers are sipping the early morning tea.

Like most of them I usually start my day with a cup of Coffee or sweetened tea, It is easy to find a tea shop in Kolkata, we stopped at one of the tea shops in North Kolkata, had tea in the bhar (earthen tea cup)and nibbled on few biscuits, here we met some rickshaw pullers having tea, One will be surprised to know that tea- shop owner earns I.N.R 1000 per day which is equivalent to the Salary of an M.B.A working for some multinational company. Many a times I heard this phrase” money flies in Kolkata ...and one needs to catch it” now I know why they say so....
                                                                                 

We crossed the Famous Nimtalla Ghat or the burning Ghat of the Hindus, I had no intention to Visit this Ghat as I was reluctant to watch people mourning and crying for their lost beloved. We parked our car close to this Ghat and walked towards the adjacent Ghat, for a moment I felt as If I lived in a Village, where I could see men,women and children bathing, the wooden boats or budgerous , the fishermen busy with fishing nets and the greedy crows hovering over the fresh fish for a royal breakfast, this was the view I was longing for, here I captured some beautiful picture.

         Ferries carry passengers to and fro the River from early morn to late evening

Crows hovering over the fresh fish for a royal breakfast.

The Howrah Bridge is India’s biggest, world’s busiest, and longest single span and the third longest cantilever bridge in the world.

The Floating Pontoon Bridge was built in 1874 by Sir Bradford Leslie over this riverHoogly. It would become very steep during monsoon and the Bullock-carts found it difficult to move across and there were more traffic Jams during the rains therefore the English Government came up with the Idea of Howrah Bridge in 1875. Its original purpose was to facilitate military transportation between Kolkata and the industrial town of Howrah during World War II.

      The Floating Pontoon bridge or as I call it the Baby Howrah Bridge :-)

This Bridge was unfastened everyday, particularly during the night for safe passage of steamers, boats and other marine vehicles during the British Raj.

Imagine the City without the Howrah Bridge? The Howrah Bridge: A great legacy left to Indian by British engineers.

Each Ghat has a Temple dedicated to some Deity or God, after taking a holy dip in the river the Hindus offer prayers in these temple, there are separate changing rooms and wash rooms for men and women in each of the Ghats. Yes, Hygiene again is a big concern here.

                                         Temple of Lord Hanuman at the Ghat

Temple of Lord Rama

          My friend had asked me to pose for this pic with the Howrah bridge behind me

I had zoomed the lens of my camera for a closer view of one of the busiest bridges of the world, the red colour building is the famous Howrah station, again one of the busiest junctions of the eastern Railways.

                                                 Changing room at the ghat

                                       changing rooms at the Ghat

                                               Pay toilets at the Ghats

after taking a walk through the Jagganatha Ghat we came back to our car and set off to explore the streets of old Kolkata once called the Black Town by the English.

                                    We passed by this temple amidst the busy streets of Kolkata....

The Vaykunthnath temple built in a south India style, this temple was built by the Bhangar family dedicated to  lord Vishnu.       

Now heading towards the decorators lane.... Old Calcutta is a collection of Beautiful houses.

City of Joy.......Explorer Indu with Tourists from across the World.

 In the 18th century Tank Square was, in the heart of the city,It was the favourite Great Tank or Lal Dighi of the English. It is mentioned in one of the Bengali novel that the British did not drink water from that tank but they sometimes dropped the fishing lines in the afternoons or embarked upon swimming competitions. The water in the tank was protected for possible use in case of a sudden fire somewhere. Natives were prohibited from going there.

Indu at Lal Dighi with Ms. Constance from Germany(Nov 2011)

At the Flower market, can you see the Howrah Bridge Behind us...

A tour with Mr and Mrs Kirkbride from U.K at Kolkata.

As it was the day of the festival of goddess Laxmi(goddess of wealth), 

the market was crowded with beautiful flowers. Mr & Mrs. Kirkbride enjoyed being present at this market.

Flowers for decoration

These are the wreaths for the goddess Laxmi

A sip of coconut water in the morning cools the stomach according to some locals.

Christine(from Germany) and Explorer Indu at St.John's Church,Kolkata(Nov 2011)

Christine and Constance

The largest Organ(musical instrument) in India at the St.John's church.

With Valentina (U.K) at the Chinese temple.

At Kumar tulli

Walking is the best way to explore this City.

Kolkata Fish market.

At the Chinese temple, we were luck to visit this temple on its 100th birthday.

Outside the temple there is market by the street, here we spotted out some lovely prawns.

Now we are at Kumartulli, here idols of the god and goddess are made..very artistic!!

In the evening I took my guests to the fair at Park Circus.

If you are thinking of tasting the best Biryani in Kolkata then its non other than Arsalan at Park Circus,the kebabs and the egg roll is also quite famous....and don't forget to taste the Fhirni(rice pudding)

The marigold flowers

Beetle leaves are used as offerings in the puja of the Goddess Laxmi.

The Tulsi or holy basil is an important symbol in the Hindu religious tradition and is worshipped in the morning and evening by Hindus at large. The holy basil is also a herbal remedy for a lot of common ailments

To taste the best authentic Bengali food step into Bojohari Manna at Hati bagan, the food is quite reasonable and tasty, one of the Guests had the above meal which consisted of Rice, Bhatki fish curry(less spicy), Rohu fish curry, Aaloo Posto(potatoes with poppy seed paste), lentils and Rice followed by sweet yogurt, this is a typical Bengali meal consumed almost everyday by the Locals.

The oldest Gun Shop in Kolkata/Calcutta.

At B.B.D Bag

Its 7:30a.m, the market is quite crowded.

At Dalhousie

At new market

Here we are having the famous samosas of Kolkata with sweetened tea.

This is the vegetable market at the New market. the guests enjoyed the walk through this market. 

Mrs Kirkbride bought Cinnamon( 1 kg for Rs 185) from this market.

Explorer Indu with Jenny from U.k at St.John's church Kolkata India

Jenny enjoying the man powered rickshaw ride at Park street

Jenny at Dalhousie

The 125 years old flower market near the Howrah Bridge

"Anywhere is walking distance if you got the Time" 

                                           

Indu with Louise at the Botanical Garden.

Have you ever seen this Big single Tree? Yes, this is the Great Banyan Tree(250 years) Of Kolkata. Planted by the British. This tree's name is registered in the Genesis Book of  world records as the largest tree in the world.

At St. John's Church

Louise from Australia at Kalighat( Kolkata, India)

The dropping down roots of the Great Banyan Tree at Botanical Garden

Maa manasa(One of the Indian snake Goddess) worshiped in West Bengal

A small Pujor ghar (worship place ) of a Bengali family

God & Goddess Radha Krishna

The Shiva Ling(union of the male and the female part :It is the symbol of "the origin of life')

Explorer Indu with guests from Dubai(Having sweetened Yogurt at Ganguram) Kolkata is famous for sweets and Misti doi(sweetened yougurt)

At Dalhousie

At St.Jhon's Church (During the British rule in India this was the office of Warren Hastings)

Tomb of the Black Hole Tragedy

This is the same place where a bomb was dropped during the world war II, fortunately the bomb did not explode.

Tomb of Lady Canning: According to the locals many have seen the spirit of Lady Canning at Night.

City tour .....

Tourists from Thailand at Kolkata

Explorer Indu explaining about the tour to the tour leader from Thailand

In the Bus

Tour Guide talking about the City and its History

Inside St.John's Church

At Job Charnok's Mausoleum, the founder of Kolkata(Calcutta) 

At Victoria Memorial, This grand monument was built in the memory of her Highness Queen Victoria of England

We arranged Dinner for our Guests at an Indian Restaurant

Explorer Indu giving gifts to one of the tourists

At the Maidan

See Off at the airport