Chinsurah Cityscape, Mayurpankhi Ghat, River Ganges

© Shubhankar Adhikari

Watercolor Painting on paper 

Chinsurah is a beautiful historical town situated beside the river Ganges in Hooghly district,West Bengal.  I often like to visit this town for a day or two for my creative inspirations. Chinsurah has a rich historical past . The Dutch formed their East India Company (O.V.C.)  around 1602 in Chinsurah.The town is filled with Dutch memories and architectures. Dutch ruled here till May 1825. 

Mayurpankhi Ghat is beautifully constructed concrete boat in the shape of a peacock.This ghat  serves as a resting place for the local residents and passenger boats passing through the river. There were nearly thirty ghats in Chinsurah. Still we can find these following  ghats namely Tulapati Ghat,Battalar Ghat,Seal’s Ghat,Shyambabur Ghat, Shandeswar Talar Ghat, Shandeswar Ghat,Dhala Ghat,College Ghat,Ghanta Ghat,Hanuman Ghat,Dun Sahib’s Ghat, Dutta Lodge’s Household Ghat,Twin Ghat (Joraghat),Shiv Mandir Ghat etc. “Vande Mataram” ,the theme song for the Indian freedom movement was created by Sri Bankim Chandra Chatterjee while staying in a house adjacent to Jora Ghat ,Chinsurah.

  

I also like the Chinsurah Maidan (Chinsurah Ground) ,stretching along the banks of river Ganges. Here we can enjoy the beauty of four huge green playgrounds and several smaller ones. The Chinsurah Maidan  area is enriched with beautiful parks, Rabindra bhawan, a tennis court, swimming pools, historic town club etc.

Bandel Church (Oldest church in Bengal), Hooghly Imambara, Jubilee Bridge, Hooghly Collegiate School (second oldest high school in Bengal) , Chinsurah Court (longest building in Bengal ) Dutch Cemetery,Vande Mataram Bhawan, Hooghly Mohsin College are the must visit place for all.