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About Howrah

About Howrah

Every time while boarding a bus from Howrah, people have to cross the Howrah Bridge and that is the very particular time they feel the impact of the place and this continues.

As they cross the busy Howrah Bridge full of vehicles they also notice the Ganges below, they feel the vibe and warmth of the place and finally their vehicles are on the other side and here they are in Howrah. There is a lot more about Howrah that can be said. It can also be spelled as “Hoara”.

Howrah- Past and Present

It is situated on the western banks of the Hooghly River and it has a heavy industrial impact. There are four bridges that connects Howrah and Kolkata and they are the Howrah bridge (Rabindra Setu), Vidyasagar Setu (second Hooghly bridge), Vivekananda setu (Bally bridge), Nivedita Setu.

Howrah station is one of the most busiest and important junctions. Howrah’s history dates back to a long time. Cesare Federici, a Venetian explorer had his kingdom Bhurshut which is in present day the district where Howrah is situated.

Howrah in past and also in present days has been very important commercially due to the features of it having a port and commerce can be established that way. The British East India Company had sent a petition for settlement of five villages on western bank and thirty-three villages on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River. 

The legation was successful except for these five villages- Salica (Salkia), Harirah (Howrah), Cassundeah (Kasundia), Ramkrishnopoor (Ramkrishnapur), Battar (Bator). These are all localities of modern day Howrah.

A few years later, most of the resent day Howrah district was under two Zamindars. Howrah came under control of East India Company through the treaty signed with Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim after the Battle of Plassey.

Establishment of the railway terminus paved way for its most important industrial phase. Lot of mills was established including Flour and Jute mills. Howrah railway terminus was established around 1854. Railway workshop was established in Howrah due to its high demand for the work they provided in terms of repair and stocks. Rapid urbanization was witnessed due to industrialization.

Find more in History of Howrah.

Geography and Climate of Howrah

Geographically it is located at 22.59 degree north 88.31 degree east. The climate of Howrah is very similar to Kolkata. Howrah is divided based on two Agro-climatic regions.

To know more about the climate of Howrah click here.

Culture of Howrah

The major part of Howrah is populated by the “Hindus”. The residents of Howrah believe that the land was formed by blessings of Devi Chandi so it can be guessed that a strong Hindu culture is based that farther leads to a strong Hindu cult, though people also worship other gods and demi gods making the culture of Howrah vast and mixed.

Certain famous festive occasions of Howrah are Rashmela of Uluberia, Durga puja mela of Fort Gloster. On the other hand Kalyanpur and Bagnan are famous for fairs on the occasion of Gajan.

Howrah Tourism

Howrah tourism attracts a lot of travelers as well as the local dwellers due to its numerous places of attractions. Two famous places for tourist attraction are Belur Math and Botanical garden. The Ramkrishna temple is renowned because it is an important and religious tourist spot. The Headquarters and lawn of Ramkrishna mission are magnificent.

There are also educational institutions that the math includes. A myriad of people including Pilgrims gather here every year and on the ghats during Durga Puja to offer their prayers to goddess Durga. The place turns out to be very vibrant during Durga Puja.

The Botanical Gardens is situated at Shibpur and is famous for its Great Banyan Tree. People who love nature find themselves with an inner urge to make sure to visit the botanical gardens. Many tourists get attracted to its diversity and it is one of the oldest and important tourist spots in Howrah.

The Dakshineshwar temple is also a famous tourist spot in Howrah. Goddess kali is its main deity. Other small Shiva temples are also situated around the Dakshineshwar temple. Apart from these, there are also Catholic churches and Mosques. The most important church in Howrah is St. Thomas Church.

This Church is in St. Thomas School and was formerly known as Howrah Church. William Jones designed this church. There are a lot of Muslim regions in Howrah hence; a lot of mosques are situated in the region.

Famous ones are Tipu Sultan Shahi mosque and the Nakhoda mosque and Hooghly Imambara. Nakhoda mosque is situated in Chitpur and Nakhoda stands for ‘’Mariner’’. There is also Anand Niketan Kirtishala Meseum and “Santragachi jheel” which is a bird sanctuary where migratory birds can be seen.

Shopping in Howrah

Wholesale Fish Markets and Jewelry Shopping are most important shopping trends prevailing in Howrah. There are some very famous jewelry shops like Nnoni, Anjali Jewelers, Sonar Sansar Jewelry shop, Ansari Jewelers, R K Jewelers, Shubh Laxmi Jewelers.

Avani Riverside Mall is one of the most famous malls in this area. Since a vast variety of fishes is found in Howrah due to the presence of lakes, rivers and ponds and this is the reason that here the fish market is very well established.

Transportation in Howrah

Howrah being one of the busiest junctions, transportation is swift and amicable. There are trains to nearby districts and also other states. A lot of buses connect Howrah to Kolkata on the other hand. There is a well knit network of trams, steamers and boats from Howrah to the adjacent areas.

Click on transport in Howrah to know more.

Food in Howrah

Food consumption and food habit is diverse in Howrah. There are lots of hotels for tourists and commoners to pick up for a meal. People of Howrah are fond of fish and sweets. People consume rice and there are also a lot of local fries made out of “Besan” and different vegetables.

Famous hotels in Howrah are ITC Fortune Park Panchwati, The Oasis Hotel, Maya’s Villa, The Howrah Hotel and The Ashoka Hotel.

Click here to know more about food in Howrah.

Howrah being the twin city to Kolkata is much diversified with a mix of cultures and religion. Heavy industrialization has given it shape for rapid growth though there are also a lot of slums and the poverty line is well present. Howrah has always attracted tourists with its rich old history and diversification.

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