Calcutta had developed beside the Hooghly River — a tributary of the mighty Ganges. It’s tale dates back much before 1690 A.D. when British executive, Job Charnock reached the small Village of Sutanuti. This river has played a very important role in the lives of the inhabitants for hundreds of years and helped shape the city of joy.
There are many ghats along the river bank with architecturally significant structures, evidence of the rich heritage of colonial Calcutta. These ghats are like living history. In Bengali, “ghat” means a series of steps that lead to a water body.
Many prosperous businessmen had built magnificent structures just above the stairs which provided shelter for the people taking a bath or visiting the river for rituals. Some of these beautiful structures still exist though the maintenance and supervision are minimal. These derelict ghats are evidence of the extent of indifference towards the city's heritage with the passage of time.
Come, explore the history of these Ghats with our team, The Ganges Walk. We will tell you the story of the Dying Ghats. Our walk will start-off from Motilal Seal Ghat in Strand Road, along the Hooghly River to Nimtala Ghat.