Prinsep Ghat

4.5

Location: Strand Rd, Maidan, Fort William, Hastings, Kolkata, West Bengal 700021, India

Estimated visiting time: 1 hour

Along the banks of the River Ganges, Prinsep Ghat is situated. In regular intervals, there are stone steps, along this bank, that lead you down to the waters. To sit and watch glorious sunsets, infringed are benches for you, over the water while watching ships sail past you. You can spend time wonderfully nestled amidst nature. For its Greek and Gothic inlays, the palladian porch is significant. Supported by Ionian columns that support a forty-foot ceiling, the structure is square in shape. Standing out as a prominent aspect of our history, the entire structure is white in color.

Attraction

The monument to Prinsep is rich in Greek and Gothic inlays, located between the Water Gate and the St George’s Gate of Fort William. In November 2001, by the state’s public works department, it was restored and has since been well-maintained. In its initial years, the Prinsep Ghat jetty was used by all royal British entourages, for embarkation and disembarkation. One of the primitive recreational spots of Kolkata is this Prinsep Ghat. To go boating on the river people visit it in the evenings on weekends, stroll along the bank and purchase food from stalls there. On 24 May 2012, from Prinsep Ghat to Babughat was inaugurated, a 2-kilometer stretch of the beautified riverfront.

History

For a variety of reasons and the most important one is the heritage it holds, Prinsep Ghat is an iconic location in the city. During the British Raj in India, it was built in the year 1841. James Prinsep, an ingenious Anglo-Indian researcher and scholar, was the founder of this ghat and it was named after him as well. In the fields of meteorology, Indian scriptures, archaeology, etc, James Prinsep made remarkable contributions. He deciphered the Brahmi script of Emperor Ashoka from inscriptions on rocks and was also the Secretary of the honorable Asiatic Society. A Palladian porch was built by W. Fitzgerald, upon his death, in the year 1843. Earlier, for boarding and onboard passengers, British royalty used the Prinsep Ghat jetty.

Inside/Outside Views

There are fountains, renovated ghats, and illuminated and landscaped pathways and gardens as well. Here, on the ghats, one of the songs in the Bollywood film Parineeta was shot. It has also a railway station named after Prinsep Ghat. Maintained by Eastern Railway, the station is part of the Kolkata Circular Railway. Belonging to the Kolkata Port Trust and commemorating, there is a jetty nearby called the Man-O-War jetty, the role played by the port in the Second World War. The Indian Navy mainly uses the jetty.

Opening Hours

At Prinsep Ghat, there is no entry fee or fixed timing. Whenever you get time and wish to pay a visit to one of the most tranquil spots in the city, it is open for one and all. The place is ideal for a day out with your family, romantic getaways, and hanging out with your friends it is also a fun spot.