Situated along the Hooghly (the river that the British used to string together the three villages of Kalikata, Sutanuti and Gobindapur to create the bustling metropolis of Kolkata) are a series of jetties and ghats. The best maintained among these is Prinsep Ghat, which was built in 1843 in the memory of James Prinsep, an English scholar and officer of the East India Company who is most famous for deciphering the Brahmi script on the stone edicts of Emperor Ashoka in 1837.
The ghat also served as a picturesque backdrop in the Hindi film 'Parineeta' and was made famous by this song, with Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan on screen. It’s a pretty amazing place with the shimmering river flowing in front and the second Hooghly Bridge towering above. The pristine white memorial has majestic Gothic columns and beautiful Greek inlays, Palladian entrances and fluted Ionian columns. The James Prinsep Monument is also rated highly by visitors.
To reach there, take a metro ride to Esplanade station. From there, you can take a Minibus opposite Oberoi Grand, which will take you to Princep Ghat in less than 5 minutes. Once you reach there, you can take a ride on the Circular Railway, which goes right by the ghats, all with their own uniqueness. Or a boat ride on the Hooghly, passing barges, boats, and old warehouses towards the magnificent Howrah Bridge. Admire the Gothic columns and have some great street food at this centuries-old riverside place.
Timings: 6 AM to 8 AM and 5 PM to 7 PM are the best timings to catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset
Rating: 4.5/5 on Google
