Prinsep Ghat

Prinsep Ghat

A view of Prinsep Ghat, Kolkata in 1900s.
Location(s) Kolkata, West Bengal
Country India

Prinsep Ghat (Bengali: প্রিন্সেপ ঘাট) is a Ghat built during British Raj, along the river bank of Hooghly and on its bank on Kolkata side. The Palladian porch in the memory of eminent orientalist James Prinsep, famous for deciphering the inscriptions of Ashoka, was designed by W. Fitzgerald and constructed in 1843.

Prinsep Ghat Evening
Princep ghat

It is located between the Water Gate and the St George's Gate of the Fort William. It was built in 1841 and named after James Prinsep, the Anglo-Indian scholar and antiquary. The monument rich in Greek and Gothic inlays, was restored by the state's public works department in November 2001 and has since been well-maintained.[1] In its initial years, all the royal British entourages used the Prinsep Ghat jetty for embarkation and disembarkation.[2][3][4]

Prinsep Ghat is one of the oldest recreational spots of Kolkata[4] and people come here in evenings on weekends to have stroll along the bank, with many food-stalls selling variety of road-side foods. There also is an more than 40 year old ice-cream cum fast-food joint on the ghat, which is popular among the crowds, especially the youngsters. People can also have a ride in the river on the boats. A two kilometer stretch of the beautified riverfront from Princep Ghat to Babughat (Baje Kadamtala Ghat) was inaugurated on 24 May 2012.[5] The beautified stretch includes, illuminated and landscaped gardens and pathway, fountains and renovated ghats.

A song of Bollywood film Parineeta was shot here on the ghats.[4]

Prinsep Ghat also has a railway station named after it, which falls under Kolkata Circular Railway and maintained by Eastern Railway. The station code is PPGT.[6]

There is a jetty nearby called the Man-O-War jetty that belongs to the Kolkata Port Trust and commemorates the role played by the Port in the 2nd World war. The jetty is mainly used by the Indian Navy, and is properly maintained.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ "Hooghly River around Kolkata". Gits4u.com. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  2. ↑ "Ghats in Kolkata - Kolkata Ghats - Information about Kolkata Ghats - Kolkata". Kolkata.clickindia.com. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  3. ↑ "Princep Ghat Kolkata". Indfy.com. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Princep Ghat – Kolkata". Where Was It Shot. 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  5. ↑ "Swanky riverfront opens to public". Times of India. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "Princep Ghat/PPGT Railway Station Satellite Map - India Rail Info - A Busy Junction for Travellers & Rail Enthusiasts". India Rail Info. 2011-04-03. Retrieved 2012-08-03.

External links

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