Top Things to do in Hooghly
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The 6 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Hooghly, West Bengal
Discover the best top things to do in Hooghly, India including Bandel, Shrine Basilica Bandel, Tarakeshwar Temple, Hangseshwari Temple, Hooghly Imambara, Chandannagar Museum.
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1. Bandel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 55 reviews
Reviewed By asrbanerjee
|| Tour de Bandel || There was a long wish to go for local site-seeing of Bandel. The bucket list includes - Hangseshwari Temple, Bandel Church, Hoogly Imambara & Lahiri Baba Ashram. • So finally selected this Sunday and started our journey by car in the morning 8 o’clock. We took Kalyani Expressway and followed the same for next 44Kms. After Jounpur More, we took left and reached the famous 220 years old Hangseshwari Temple built by Raja Nrisingha Deb Roy Mahasay. • The architecture of the temples is the representation of "Tantrik Satchakrabhed".The structure tells about the structure of a Human Body. Because the five storied temple is like the five parts of our Human body, such as: Bajraksha, Ira, Chitrini, Pingala and Sushumna. The main shrine is surrounded by 12 Shiva lingas. The main deity is quite different from traditional Kali idol. • Here the form of Kali is sitting on a Lotus which is coming out from the Navel of Shiva lying down & with one feet of Hangseshwari touching the the chest of Shiva as in the form of Dakhina Kali but without a protruding tongue, which is only superficially attached on the night of Kali Pujo. • Spoke to the pujari and got to know that the main deity is also 220 years old made of Neem wood, painted once in 12 years. Bhog is available @ Rs.40 for which you need to collect coupon from the main temple by 9 o’clock. • Beside the main shrine, there’s an eye catching Terra cotta temple - Ananta Basudeba temple of Shri Narayana in its four-armed form which is very rare in Bengal. It is built in the traditional eka-ratna style, with curved cornices. The tower on top of the temple is octagonal. The terracota works depict stories from the great Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as from lilas of Krishna. From a local resident, got to know that the Ananta Basudeba temple is much older than the current main shrine of Maa Hangseshwari. • The complex also hosts beautiful Gardens and seasonal flowers. There’s a place to deposit your shoes @ Rs.2. The temple remains open from morning 6 AM to 12:30 PM and thereby distribution of Bhog at 1 PM. It re-opens at 4PM. There’s a shop inside the temple where one can buy idols, photos, key chains & books at reasonable rates. There’s a car parking zone chargeable @ Rs.25. • The Rajbari is just opposite to the temple complex where no lineage stays. Only few Rajsewaks resides there. Beside the Rajbari there is also a very old building which the locals say was once a hospital made by the Rajbari for the locals. • From Hangseshwari temple, we headed towards another famous destination – Bandel Church which was founded in 1599. Some points to note while visiting Bandel church on Sunday. Mass service is performed till 12:30PM when no visitors are allowed inside the church. One can still enjoy the church complex, roof top and other areas. There’s a shop inside the church where one can buy souvenirs at reasonable rates. There's also a Ship's Mast of a Portuguese ship from 1655 which has been restored here in a separate enclosure. Here we ate our breakfast from a very clean and hygienic restaurant – Lokenath Family Restaurant with Peas Kochuri. Cars are parked on road which are also chargeable. • Next, we headed towards Hoogly Imambara which is also very near to the Church. Entry fee is Rs.10 per head. Hoogly Imambara is a Shia Muslim congregation hall and mosque started by Muhammad Mohsin in 1841 and completed in 1861. The mosque has intricate designs and texts from Quran engraved on the wall which is really magnificent. • The Imambara complex also hosts a wonderful Clock Tower or Minarets which is approx 150 ft high and one can reach the top by climbing 152 stairs. Separate stairs for Gents & Ladies. The panoramic view from the top is just unexplainable. At the backyard of the Imambara, a beautiful Sun Clock which gives an exact time of the day. Behind the Imambara there’s the beautiful Ganges and on the shore there are small stalls of Phuchka & Gola. One can book small boats to roam on the river Hoogly. The cost is Rs. 150 for 3 persons for 30 minutes. Cars are parked on road which are also chargeable @ Rs.50 which is really too high. • Next, we headed towards Lahiri Baba Ashram which is approx 8kms from there but by then the Ashram was closed and re-opens at 3:30 PM. The road towards Ashram is extremely narrow. The day tour was really replenishing from city’s honking, crowd and pollution.
2. Shrine Basilica Bandel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 92 reviews
Reviewed By IndrajitB_12 - Chennai (Madras), India
Well maintained old Church. No entry fee. A great place to visit during Christmas. Can be reached by car, rickshaw, toto or auto. Lots of eateries outside. Near to Hoogly river. Nearest rail station Bandel Jn. A learning place for interested persons.
3. Tarakeshwar Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By udaykumarh2015 - Kolkata (Calcutta), India
Reached after visiting Antpur Ramakrishna Mission, some temples of Antpur and Rajballavi (Swet Kali) temple, Rajbalhat. We reached Tarakeswar Temple at about 3.30 PM. Parking facility for four-wheelers and two-wheelers is available. We were fortunate enough to the puja preparatory custom sequentially. We could view bathing of the Shivlinga. Then the Shivliinga was covered with silver. Then plenty garlands with different flower were used. Finally gold and silver chains were used. The above is termed as Rajbesh. God Taraknath is dressed with Rajbesh on every Purnima (full moon) and Amavasya (अमावस्या–complete dark). We could view the God peacefully with the Rajbesh. We collected Bhog Prasad also. Photography inside the temple is strictly prohibited. After spending more than two hours we started our return journey. We returned via Singur Highway, Durgapur highway to our residence very near to Kolkata Airport.
4. Hangseshwari Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 50 reviews
Reviewed By saronichatterjee27 - Kolkata (Calcutta), India
Great place for a half day tour ! It is not like any other temple, it has an unique architecture.The main deity is Sri Hamseshwari Ma, made of wood. There is a temple adjacent to the main temple Anant Vasudeva Temple. It is also an old temple of Lord Vishnu.
5. Hooghly Imambara
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 42 reviews
Reviewed By Natalie1204 - Kolkata (Calcutta), India
The structure, the grandeur, the clock tower - all so underrated. The prayer room and monument was built for the Shia Muslim community. The tazia for the Muharram procession leaves from here. The clock tower is quite a climb but worth the efforts. The entry to this place is only ₹10 and a donation in the inner prayer room is optional. No photography allowed in the inner prayer room. It’s easily accessible by road from Calcutta (an hour 15 away). If you prefer the train, alight at the Hooghly or Bandel station. Can also take a boat ride down the Hooghly from near the Basilica of the Holy Rosary, Bandel. History buffs will love it. I did.
6. Chandannagar Museum
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By arnabc_iitm - Kolkata (Calcutta), India
Glimpse of French ruled India can be experienced. Good collection and good maintenance. The place is located at the bank of river Ganga. Such a nice destination for one day tour.
