Howrah – Page 2 – Blog of Kinjal Bose

Rasbari Garden House, Belur, Howrah

Belur Rasbari in Howrah district of West Bengal is located close to Belur Math and just opposite to Kuthi Ghat in Baranagar on the other side of the Ganges. This Rasbari was founded by Purna Chandra Dawn, eldest son of Shiv Krishna Dawn of Jorasanko on 21st Jaistha, 1297 and according to Gregorian calendar it was in June, 1890.

Durga Puja of Howrah’s ‘Bonedi’ families (Part-II)

In my first blog on Howrah’s ‘bonedi‘ families published a few days back, I have covered the houses of Bally, Belur and Salkia. But there are also some houses in Andul and Shibpur, where Durga Puja is not only old but also equally famous. In Part-II of my blog on Durga Puja of Howrah’s ‘bonedi‘ families, I try to include them.

Durga Puja of Howrah’s ‘Bonedi’ families (Part-I)

1. Buri Maar Aaatchala, Chaitalpara, Bally

According to Shri Suniti Ganguly, Vice-President of Bally Chaitalpara Buri Maar Aatchala Puja Committee, this puja dates back to nearly 400 years and was started during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Acutally this puja was a household puja but now it has been taken over by the puja committee. This puja is named as Buri Maar puja only because of its age; it started nearly four centuries back.

Coomar’s Shiv Mandir, Bally

One can find a number of old temples in Bally of Howrah district. One such old temple, I mean two old aatchala temples in one raised platform at 15, Kali Prasanna Coomar (Kumar) Street (which was previously known as Sen Para) in Bally deserves mention. There are actually two temples placed side by side opposite to a pond known as Coomar (Kumar) Lake.

Twin Shiva Temples, Bally

Shiv Mandir (Temple) is pretty common in West Bengal and mostly they are of aatchala (eight rooofed) type. Among them some are pretty old and have undergone restoration and while others have not. Many contain terracotta panels and during restoration some got damaged. Another thing while undergoing restoration work, many temples lost its old charm.

Kalyaneshwar Shiva Temple, Bally

Kalyaneshwar Shiva Temple is located by the side of the Grand Trunk Road in Bally of Howrah district. The Hooghly river flows near the temple. It is also close to Belur Math. History says that the temple is pretty old, more than six hundred years ago.

Belur Rashbari

A beautiful forty feet high nabaratna (nine pinnacled) temple dedicated to Shri Shri Radharaman Jiu along with a magnificent rasmancha was built by Late Purna Chandra Dawn, the eldest son of Shiv Krishna Dawn of Jorasanko Dawn family in Belur Howrah in the year 1890 (21st Jaistha, 1297). This temple is very close to Kalyaneswar Shiv Mandir of Bally.

Radha Krishna Temple, Chakraberia, Howrah

Radha Krishna Jiu’s Temple of 267, Mahendra Bhattacharjee Road, Chakraberia, Howrah – 711104 (prevously 745, Circular Road, Howrah) was founded by Preo Nath Ghosh for daily worship in the year 1897.

Semaphore Towers

Semaphore (seema – sign and phoros – carrying) telegraphic system conveys information through visual signals using towers with shutters. Signals were transferred from one tower to another by means of telescope. The information is encoded.