Hooghly Imambara

01-February-2021

I visited Hooghly Imambara in the last week of January 2021. I started out on normal highway bike ride. But halfway-through I took the right turn towards the old GT road and decided to visit the Imambara.

This is a very old structure and its bell tower has one of the largest clock bell in India. I believe each bell weights more than 6 tons. They were originally cast in England and transported to Bengal. The structure was built by Muhammad Mohsin in 1861.

There is a large central courtyard which has been spruced up now and has a fountain. I don’t think this was a part of the original design. But it looks good. When I visited, the Imambara did not look very well maintained. It needs to be whitewashed/painted/colored very badly. They had opened the monument post the lockdown just a few days before I visited. I am guessing that they would have come down to cleaning it up eventually.

The approach roads to the Imambara pass through congested by lanes. So one has to drive carefully if on a 4-wheeler. There is ample parking in front of the monument, one has to pay a small fee to the local persons who manage the parking space. There is no eating place in or around the Imambara. The best one can have is a cup of ‘Chaa’

The best time to visit is the morning, and before 12 noon. Post that the place becomes humid and hot. Its located just on the banks of the river Hooghly.

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