Howrah is a municipal corporation in West Bengal. Howrah is also famous as the “Twin city” of Kolkata. It is also the 2nd largest city in West Bengal in population as well as area. Howrah has a plethora of tourist spots which include churches, mosques, temples, gardens, parks, picnic spots etc.
Howrah is not only famous for its beautiful and scenic places of attractions but people from different places come here for shopping especially in the wholesale fish markets and the renowned jewelry shops in Howrah.
Howrah fish is exported to different parts of West Bengal, India and other countries as well. Howrah is also a place for food lovers. A range of scrumptious Bengali cuisines can be savored here on the streets as well as in the well-known restaurants of Howrah.
Travel in Howrah
The city of Howrah enthralls the tourists with its outstanding scenic places, picnic spots, lakes and gardens. It is also a place for shopaholics. The city also brags of some beautiful temples with marvelous architecture. Bengali is the native language for the locals residing in Howrah.
However, English and Hindi are also understood for the ease of travelers. The Bengali culture and Bengali cuisines of Howrah attract a lot of tourists from all parts of the globe.
Religious Spots in Howrah
Howrah is a religious hub with a lot of temples, churches and mosques located in and around the city. A few of them are:Temples in Howrah
A lot of travelers from India and abroad come to visit the beautiful temples located in and around Howrah. Some of them are-- Dakshineshwar Kali Temple: This is a Hindu temple which is nestled on the eastern bank of the river Hooghly. The main deity of Dakshineshwar temple is Kali. Rani Rashmoni erected this temple in 1855. Thousands of devotees take holy dip in the Hooghly River. There are 9 spires in the main temple and lots of small Shiva temples are located around the temple compound.
- Belur Math: Belur Math is the foremost temple located in the Howrah district of West Bengal. It takes just an hour by car from Kolkata to reach Belur Math. This temple was founded by the main disciple of Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda. Belur Math is positioned at the western bank of river Hooghly. The temple is noteworthy for its beautiful architecture which depicts a fusion of Christian, Hindu and Islamic motifs. This temple welcomes pilgrims from different religions all around the globe.
Churches in Howrah
Howrah brags of various Catholic churches among which the most important one is the St. Thomas Church.About St. Thomas Church, Howrah: This church is nestled in the St. Thomas school, Howrah, between the buildings of the junior and senior sections of the school. This church was built in 1830 and it was formerly popular as the Howrah church. Professor Homes was the main benefactor of this church who also used to be the principal of the Bishop College.
The church was sanctified by Bishop Daniel in 1832. It was renamed as St. Thomas Church in the year 1843. The church has the “Gothic style” architecture and William Jones was the architect who designed this beautiful church.
Click here to know about some more churches in and around Howrah.
Mosques in Howrah
Howrah includes majority of crowd belonging to the Muslim religion. Hence, here one can find a couple of mosques like- Tipu Sultan Shahi mosque, Hooghly Imambara and the Nakhoda mosque. Among these the Nakhoda mosque is the oldest and the most eminent mosque of Howrah.Nakhoda Mosque: This renowned mosque is located in Chitpur, Howrah. Nakhoda mosque was built by Kutchi Memon Jamat. The name Nakhoda stands for “Mariner”. The construction work of this mosque began in 1926. The prayer hall of this mosque is quite large and can hold approximately 10,000 individuals. The entrance of the Nakhoda mosque resembles the Buland Darwaza located in Fatehpur Sikri.
Click here to know in details about each mosque located in the region of Howrah.
Attractions in Howrah
Howrah is abundant with parks, picnic spots, gardens and scenic places. Here is a brief description of some beautiful spots to visit in Howrah:- Architecture- Howrah bridge (or Rabindra Setu) and Second Hooghly bridge (or Vidyasagar Setu) are the 2 most beautiful examples of architecture which are a must-see in Howrah.
- Picnic spots and scenic places- Howrah encompasses some beautiful picnic spots among which Gadiara, Mahishrekha and Garchumuk are worth mentioning.
- Deulti is a picturesque village located on the banks of the waters of Roopnarayan. This is the hometown of the renowned Bengali writer “Sri Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay”.
- The Indian Botanical Garden- This eminent garden of Howrah was formerly famous as the “Royal Botanic Gardens”. The prime attraction of this garden is the “Banyan Tree” which is about 250 years old. The Botanical garden is spread over an area of 285 acres and houses rare species of flora.
- Anand Niketan Kirtishala Museum- This is a renowned museum situated in Howrah which encompasses various ancient potteries, stone sculptures, terracotta figures, scroll paintings etc.
- Santragachi Jheel (lake) - This lake in Howrah is famous as a bird sanctuary where numerous migratory birds come from far-away places. The Santragachi Lake is a must-visit in Howrah and the best time to visit this lake is December-January.
For a detailed explanation of these attractions, click here.
Shopping in Howrah
Howrah is a hub for jewelry shopping and wholesale fish markets.Some of the renowned jewelry shops in Howrah are:
- Nnoni
- Anjali Jewelers
- Sonar Sansar Jewelry Shop
- Ansari Jewelers
- B N Jewelers
- Mahalaxmi Jewelers
- R. K. Jewelers
- New Anandmoyee Jewelers
- Shubh Laxmi Jewellers
Howrah is a place which has always been abundant with a variety of fish. Here there is a plethora of lakes, rivers and ponds which give shelter to a wide range of fishes from shrimps to crabs, koi, hilsa, rohu fish etc.
Majority of Bengali cuisines are prepared from fishes taken out from the fresh sweet waters of Howrah. There are a couple of wholesale fish markets located nearby Howrah station from where fishes are exported to different parts of West Bengal and other countries as well. Some of the well-known wholesale fish markets are:
- Naaz Fish Company
- Shah Fish World
- Popular Fish Seed Company
- Om Ma Chandi Fish Company
- Bharat Fish Market
- Ajmer Fish and Company
- Orient Fisheries and Company
- Avani Riverside Mall
- R D Mall
- Forum Mall
Hotels in Howrah
Thousands of tourists crowd Howrah almost every year. There is a plethora of hotels in Howrah to cater to the needs of the travelers. Howrah houses both reasonable and expensive hotels. Some of the eminent hotels located nearby the Howrah station are:- The Ashoka Hotel
- ITC Fortune Park Panchwati
- The Oasis Hotel
- Maya’s Villa
- Sonar Bangla’s Motel Midway
- The Howrah Hotel