Bengal Ganges Cruise
Destination
Overview
Kolkata – famous flower market, Victoria memorial, Howrah Bridge and St. John’s church, Temples at Kalna, brass utensils making factory visit, visit the site of Battle of Plassey at Murshidabad, local markets at Farrakka.
Tour Description
Duration : 06 Nights & 07 Days
Accommodation : Hotel & Cruise ship
Best Time to Visit : Throughout the year
Journey Type : Group & Private Journey
Mother Ganga or "Ganga Mata" is the term generally used for Ganges River, the holiest river of India. A major population of India lives along the banks of this holy river and the reverence of this river is unexplainable. The Bengal Ganges Cruise will take you on a journey through the richness and the contrast that West Bengal has to offer, right from ancient temples, quaint villages, places with colonial history, pristine nature and a modern city.
Itinerary
The third largest city in India, Kolkata is charming, historical and utterly unique. It was formerly the capital of India, when it was under the British Raj. Today it's a city with a traditional soul, colonial architecture, cultural festivals, lots of car honking and street food. Kolkata is regarded as India's intellectual, artistic and cultural capital and continues to spawn generations of poets, writers, film producers and Nobel Prize winners. It offers a lot to the discerning traveller.
We will start our Kolkata tour by visiting the quaint heritage buildings in the colonial areas of the city. Some of the places we will see/ visit are
Writer's Building, General Post Office, High court, Raj Bhawan, Town Hall, Council House, Treasury Building and Reserve Bank of India
. We will also visit the Dalhousie Square and then drive past St. John's Church and end at vibrant Victoria Memorial.You will have ample time to explore Kolkata on your own as well, before our cruise sets sail for our next destination late evening,
Kalna
. This journey will take you through the areaKalna
is famous for its terracotta temples built in the 18th century, and is a gateway to the glorious days of Bengal's temple architecture. Located on the banks of Bhagirathi river in Bardhaman district, the town, also known asKalna
, is named after Goddess Kali. We will take rickshaws to get to the town ofKalna
, and visit the enchanting Rajbari complex that has the largest concentration of temples.Later in the day, we will return to the cruise and set sail for
Matiari
. We will cruise past the religious town of Mayapur, a temple town known for being the headquarters of the Krishna Consciousness Movement "ISKON". The town is situated on the banks of the confluence of the Ganges and the Jalangi rivers.The history of
Matiari
village dates back 100 years. The senior leaders of the village went to Kolkata to work in brass utensils making factory, but were sent back to their native place as they grew old and less efficient. These villagers no source of livelihood on returning, and so they did what they knew well - they started making brass utensils at there home. Today brass making has become main source of income for the people living in Maitari.We will explore this village and watch different processes of brass making. You can even pick up some artefacts and souvenirs from the artisans here.
We will return to the ship and cruise towards Murshidabad, sailing past Plassey - which is well known for the battle that took place in 1757 that turned around the history of India. In the Battle of Plassey, the British East India Company defeated the Nawab of Bengal Siraj ud-Daulah and his French Allies, establishing the company rule in India which continued over much of South Asia for the next 190 years
The last capital city of independent Bengal before the British rule, Murshidabad was named after Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the Dewan of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. It is situated on the banks of the Bhagirathi, and is a city of splendours and is famous for its silk. There are many places of interest here.
We will visit the Hazarduari Palace, built during the reign of Nawab Nazim Humayun Jah (1824 - 1838 AD) by an English architect, Duncan McLeod following the Greek "Doric" style. We will also visit the Katra mosque, built by the first Nawab of Murshidabad, Murshid Quli Khan in 1724-25.
Later in the day we will set sail for Jangipur.
The next morning we'll reach the historic
Farakka Lock Gate
, which was built during the years 1963-75. After crossing the Lock Gate we'll cruise through the connecting canal to the Ganges, viewing beautiful vast panoramas. We'll also see the Farakka barrage at a distance, which regulates the Ganges water into Bangladesh and India.In the afternoon visit the local market in Farakka and enjoy a nature walk on the shore. At night we will head back to the ship.
We will disembark early morning for the train to Kolkata, with packed lunch. You will be received at the station in Kolkata and assisted in your onward travel.
