Travelling Tim

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April 12, 2005

Visiting the Belur Math and the Dakshineshwar Temple

I thought I'd combine a bit of sight-seeing today, with my favourite pastime in Kolkata - riding the ferry boats on the Hugli River. First though, I needed to get some railway reservations for the next leg of my journey at the Eastern Railways Tourist Office, at Fairlie Place. Although on the same side of the river as me, Fairlie Place was quite a walk from Sudder Street, so the ideal solution presented itself, a ferry boat from Babu Ghat to Howrah, then another from Howrah to Fairlie Ghat.

The tourist office is a sea of calm and tranquility compared to the normal Indian Railways booking facilities at Howrah - Indian Railways really try their best to make travelling easier for their foreign visitors - something other countries should copy !! There are even special 'Tourist Quotas' on many trains, so a last-minute booking is often possible on a train that is otherwise fully booked for some days in advance. After a short wait on the comfortable sofas, my request was speedily and competently dealt with, and the tickets I needed booked for my next journey.

Back across the Hugli River, my next question was how to get to the Belur Math, a large temple complex to the north of Kolkata. I asked the question to a fellow passenger on the ferry, Mr Rupen Chatterjee, and as is so typical in India, although actually going to the station, he took the time to escort me to the Bus Stand, and after walking for some time, located the correct bus, and instructed the conductor to make sure that I was dropped off at the correct stop. This kind of incident happens a lot in India, and demonstrates the friendliness of most people that I meet.

The bus, an old but serviceable machine, hand-painted inside, with neat leather cushions, set off at a crawl through Kolkata's terrible traffic. The driver turned on the obligatory ear-splitting film music channel on the radio, and I was pleasantly surprised when the first tune was my favourite Indian film song, from the movie '1942'. I sang along, to the surprise of fellow passengers.

At the Belur Math, I arrived just after the gates had closed for the 1200-1600 recess, but a local guy suggested that I visit the Dakshineshwar Temple instead, about 5km away. First though, I walked by the side of the Math wall, through a series of twisting alleys to the river, where I was pleased to see a sign advertising boat trips to the Dakshineshwar Temple, for 6rs per person. After a short wait, the next boat arrived, a small, single engined ferry, which could take about 20 passengers. We all got onboard and the ferry set off up river, passing across to the east bank and under the Vivekanada Bridge to the temple nearby. The temple itself was also closed until 3pm, but the surrounding area was packed with many people admiring the view, eating picnics or snacks from the many food stalls, or buying souvenirs from the small market of vendors. I had a small lunch of puris and sabzi (puffed fried breads, and vegetable curry) then wandered around the market and gardens, taking a few photos and admiring the river view.

At 3pm, the main compound opened, and the faithful flooded in to see the temple, dedicated to the goddess Kali, and opened in 1847, though presently well maintained and in very good order. I had a good look around, then took the ferry back to the Belur Math, which by now had opened again. Headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, it was founded in 1899 by Swami Vivekananda, a disciple of the 19thC Hindu saint, Ramakrishna. The gardens inside are well planned and pleasant; the temple itself has a modern air, and is beautifully crafted in yellow sandstone. Inside is a single white marble statue of the saint. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed in the compound or temple.

I took another bus back to Howrah, and made my final, 6th river crossing of the day. Back on Chowringhee Road, the evening markets were in full swing, and beneath the neon signs, the stalls were doing a brisk business with the thousands of shoppers crowding the pavements. What a difference it all is to Ballyfarnon !

Posted by travellingtim at April 12, 2005 09:05 PM