Prinsep Ghat, the Heart Beat of Kolkata
Bengalis and Kolkatans are by nature
romantic. They love to recite Tagore whenever got a chance. According to us,
Prinsep Ghat is one of the most romantic places in Kolkata. It is a perfect
place to meet up with friends, a great hangout place where you can gossip and
chat over phuchkas and bhelpuris, a good place for catching up with your old
friends. Located along the banks of the beautiful Hooghly River, the memorial
was built in memory of James Prinsep. The Vidyasagar Setu above adds to
its charm all the more.
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| Prinsep Ghat |
History
Prinsep Ghat is built in 1841 during the British Raj, along the Kolkata bank of the Hooghly River in India. The Palladian porch in the memory of the eminent Anglo-Indian scholar and antiquary James Prinsep was designed by W. Fitzgerald and constructed in 1843.
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| Old Prinsep Ghat |
Location
Located between the Water Gate and
the St George's Gate of the Fort
William, the monument to Prinsep is rich in Greek and Gothic inlays. It might seem
that Prinsep Ghat was not a proper ghat as it is located some distance away
from the river. But earlier, there were some stone steps leading to the river.
With time, the river has receded and the stone stairs are perhaps buried under
the earth.
In its initial years, all royal
British entourages used the Prinsep Ghat jetty for embarkation and
disembarkation.
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| Prinsep Ghat, 1900 |
James Prinsep
James Prinsep was the son of John Prinsep, a rich indigo planter who later became a merchant for the East India Company. James Prinsep studied architecture under the gifted Augustus Pugin. But he had to discontinue his studies because of an eye infection. James was appointed the Assistant Assay Master in Calcutta Mint and arrived at the city on 15th September 1819.
James Prinsep was a man of science
and had studied architecture and chemistry. Later in 1820, he embarked on a
budgerow (a barge with cabins) known as bajraa locally towards Benaras.
He took his equipment and books in a second boat.
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| James Prinsep |
He became the Assay Master of the
Mint in Benaras. His work was to test the proportion and quality of the
metals used in the coins. Apart from his regular duties at the mint, he also
did considerable pro bono work.
- He created two accurate maps of the Benaras in 1822,
one in Roman script for the administration and the other in Devnagari script for the locals. He had plotted all the important buildings of Benaras on the map.
- He was also the mind behind the building of a tunnel to drain the swamp outside the city. You can say that it was the precursor of modern-day infrastructure.
- He also repaired the minarets of the Alamgir Mosque.
After spending a decade in Benares,
he came back to Calcutta. He completed a project started by his brother in
building a canal to connect the distributaries of the River Ganga near the
delta in order to make them navigable. In fact, the present Inland Waterways project is an extension of this colonial engineering.
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| James_Prinsep_Medal |
As an assay master, James also
introduced a system of uniform coinage.
However, the most important
contribution of James Prinsep was decoding the rock edicts of Emperor Asoka
which was in Pali Script. In Kolkata, he was the editor of the Journal of
Asiatic Society. In this time, he collated all the available data that were
inscribed on the rocks and pillars and in 1837 decoded what is now known as the
Brahmi script. It was due to his work that the life and work of Emperor Asoka
were finally recovered in his homeland.
James also deciphered the Kharoshti Script that appeared in the coins from the regions now in modern Pakistan
and Afganistan.
His long hours of work eventually
took a toll on his health and he returned to England just before he turned 40
to recover his health. He died on 22nd April 1840 due to “softening of the
brain” which perhaps means some disorder related to the brain.
In 1843, the Princep Ghat Memorial
was built in his memory. The Palladian-style monument was designed by W.
Fitzgerald and the money to build the monument was collected through public
subscription.
More about Prinsep Ghat
Prinsep Ghat is one of the oldest
recreational spots in Kolkata. People visit it in the evenings on weekends to
go boating on the river, stroll along the bank and purchase food from stalls
there. A 2-kilometer (1.2 mi) stretch of the beautified riverfront from Prinsep Ghat to Babughat (Baje
Kadamtala Ghat) was inaugurated on 24 May 2012. It has illuminated and
landscaped gardens and pathways, fountains, and renovated ghats. One of the songs in the Bollywood film
Parineeta was shot here on the ghats.
It was considered to be one of the
grandest and best monuments found for access to a river. It was built to
replace Chandpal Ghat as the principal point of embarkment and disembarkment
for the important visitors to the city. In 1875, when Albert Edward, Prince of
Wales and the eldest son of Queen Victoria visited Calcutta, he was welcomed at
the Princep Ghat. Later in 1905, Prince of Wales (later King George V) and in
1911, the British royal family visited India, and Princep Ghat bore witness
to all these visits.
The Princep Ghat bears a resemblance
to Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, though on a much smaller scale. The monument is
built on 6 sets of Ionian columns holding a 40 feet roof painted in white. It
looks grand from a distance. The monument was neglected for a long time. But in
2001, the monument was restored by the city’s Public Works department as a part
of the government’s beautification project. The spot has been maintained since
then. It is now one of the most popular spots in Kolkata for locals and
tourists alike. You can sit on the lawn in front of the memorial, take a stroll
and even visit the riverside. You will also see a number of models and
photographers here on shooting assignments.
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| Man-O-War |
| Prinsep Ghat Station |
There is a railway station named Princep
Ghat. The station is part of
the Kolkata Circular Railway which is maintained by the Eastern Railway.
The station code is PPGT. A journey through this railway track will take
you through very beautiful landscapes and is highly recommended. Take a train
from Princep Ghat to Bagbazar. You will travel beside the Hooghly River and
below the Howrah Bridge. From Bagbazar, you can return back to Baboo ghat by
return launch.
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| Prinsep_Ghat_Railway_Station |
As you cross the railway track, you
see the serene Hooghly River welcoming you. You can sit at the ghat and enjoy
some tranquil moments. Watching the sunset is an added bonus. A boat ride in
the river is also a wonderful experience. With The Howrah Bridge and the
Vidyasagar Setu at the backdrop, a boat ride through the Hooghly River will
definitely leave you wanting for more! Boat rides can be taken from the ghat
for INR 300 for half an hour. It is surely an experience that must be indulged
in.
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| Boat ride in Hooghly River |
Entry Fees of Prinsep Ghat
There is no entry fee. You can enter visit the monument, sit on the lawn and take pictures at your will. However, I feel that the monument should be maintained in a better way and if required entry fees may be introduced.
Leave no Footprints
I have visited Prinsep Ghat a number of times and every time I saw some graffiti on the wall. I am not speaking of the artwork here, but the work of budding lovers who write their names on the walls as their declaration of love! Stains of betel spit are also found at the corners.
Well, we highly condemn such acts and try to stop them whenever we see such budding artists. There should be some guard at the place who should look after this so that this heritage structure is not destroyed in this manner. Finally, the onus is also on each of us to keep our city clean.
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| Footprints |
How to Reach?
Prinsep Ghat is located near Strand Road, beside the banks of the Hooghly River. There are several ways to reach the Ghat:
Bus: Several local buses can take you to Prinsep Ghat.
Train: Part of the Kolkata Circular Railway, Prinsep Ghat is a prominent station.
Cab: You can take a local cab to Prinsep Ghat or book a private cab from top car rental companies in Kolkata for your Kolkata tour.
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| Princep Ghat Sunset |
Places Nearby
The other major tourist attractions that are located close to the Prinsep Ghat are Rabindra Sadan, Nandan, St. Paul’s Cathedral Church, Victoria Memorial Hall and Birla Planetarium.
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| Princep Ghat |
However, Princep Ghat remains one of my favorite places in Kolkata. It is a splendid place to relax and reminisce. An ideal place to consider the future and renew the vows of life.
Thank You...
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