An unusual journey to an usual destination :Princep Ghat

It takes a huge space on Digital media. The big celluloid dreams of Bengal circled around this beautiful place.

My plan to visit Princep Ghat was random. I came out of the Mullick Ghat flower market with a heavy load of fragrance ,accompanied by my friend and the memory of the rainbow bazaar. We turned to left from the bend and the sight of great Vidyasagar bridge enchanted my mind.

“Let’s visit Princep ghat”,my feeling was intense, and I was destined for another photo walk.

Sayan could no longer resist so he suggested to carry some water bottle along with.

I must admit, in the month of June, around 8:30 AM, it was very humid. Though ,partly floating clouds were evident of some passing shower, but still heat was unavoidable.

I was not sure how long it would take if we walk across the line. I know the distance between Howrah Bridge and the Vidyasagar Bridge is not a mere one. It took more than half an hour to cross less than half of the distance, and already we were down with our stamina. Sweat encapsulated our skin and exhaustion covered our mental fortitude. Every pedestrian beat our pace, even cows and dogs seemed to have more frequency than that of ours.

“Mate, we can see Princep ghat if we are alive’’, a dried out mouth of overly nurtured frame of Sayan, whispered.

I knew that we should drop the idea of adventure in that extreme humid condition. Frankly speaking, we were out of breath. So we covered the rest of the distance by one of the famous yellow taxis.

We reached at the bottom of the Vidyasagar setu, leaving our worries and fatigues behind. It was a wonderful sight after a crazy run.

We entered the main gate and found the Princep Memorial welcoming us with its huge white pillars. All brought a sense of European architecture. The memorial is erected in the year of 1841 in the memory of James Princep ,who was an eminent Anglo-Indian Scholar. The Palladian porch is located between water gate and the George’s gate of Fort William. It reflects a great example of Greek and Gothic inlays.

We were finally there. It is considered as the oldest recreational spot in Kolkata. A wonderful place ,overlooking two masterpieces (the suspension bridge of Vidyasagar setu and the cantilever bridge of Howrah ).

We rested at the feet of James Princep memorial. We spent few hours in adoring the wonderful architecture of the gothic architecture. Then we opened our Camera-pouches and brought our weapons to caricature with the light.

We walked by the mighty river. On the riverfront everything seemed very peaceful. I saw the riveting size of the Vidyasagar Bridge which literally hangs overhead. It surely reflects the artistry of engineering.

I glared at the distant Howrah bridge and contemplated on how the river passing gently across the horizon. When we reached the main ghat (by the bank of the river),we saw few boats were anchored to the stairs of the bank. The boats were balancing themselves like some trapeze artists. I found it absolutely marvelous to just stare at them .Though, it attracted us to have a ride, but we confined ourselves only to capturing its beauty through our lenses.

We took our breakfast at a small tea-stall by the bank. Our tenacity for the photo walk finally paid off. When we started we didn’t know how it would shape up, but when we covered our lenses around 10:30 AM, we knew we had a great morning by the beautiful river. Though,the river is struggling to maintain its natural flow, but it is just the same mighty river which breaks the mountain at Himalayan terrain, and flows softly at Kolkata by the James Princep Memorial.

So if you you need a change in your daily life. If you want to explore a peaceful sight. Away from the hustle bustle of the city, Princep ghat can be your next best choice.

How to reach:

It is located at Fort Willinam,Hastings,Kolakata. Please follow the link and check your route

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/James+Prinsep+Ghat

It is close to Howrah station. So when you reach Howrah just take a ferry and reach to the other side on the water bank of Princep ghat. Or else you can take a cab. Hire Ola/Uber, if you want it comfortable.