The Bhagirathi Hooghly River (Anglicized alternatively spelled ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli'') or the 'Bhāgirathi-Hooghly', called the Ganga or the Kati-Ganga in mythological texts, is the eastern
distributary
A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. Distributaries are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation. The opposite of a distributar ...
of the
Ganges River
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
in
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, rising close to
Giria in
Murshidabad
Murshidabad fa, مرشد آباد (, or ) is a historical city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, a distributary of the Ganges. It forms part of the Murshidabad district.
During ...
. The main distributary of the Ganges then flows into
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
as the
Padma
The Padma ( bn, পদ্মা ''Pôdma'') is a major river in Bangladesh. It is the main distributary of the Ganges, flowing generally southeast for to its confluence with the Meghna River near the Bay of Bengal. The city of Rajshahi is sit ...
.
Today there is a man-made canal called the
Farakka Feeder Canal
Feeder Canal is a canal associated with Farakka Barrage. It is located in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. The canal is 38.3 km(26 miles) long. The Ganges water from the Farakka Dam is being conveyed to Bhagirathi by way of this canal. D ...
connecting the Ganges to the
Bhagirathi
The Bhāgīrathī (Pron: /ˌbʌgɪˈɹɑːθɪ/) is a turbulent Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism. In the Hindu fa ...
.
The river flows through the
Rarh
Rarh region () is a toponym for an area in the Indian subcontinent that lies between the Chota Nagpur Plateau on the West and the Ganges Delta on the East. Although the boundaries of the region have been defined differently according to various ...
region, the lower deltaic districts of West Bengal, and eventually into the
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between ...
. The upper riparian zone of the river is called Bhagirathi while the lower riparian zone is called Hooghly. Major rivers that drain into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly include
Mayurakshi
''Mayurakshi'' is a 2017 Bengali film directed by Atanu Ghosh and produced by Firdausal Hassan & Probal Halder for Friends Communication. The music was composed by Debojyoti Mishra. The film won the award for Best Bengali feature film at the ...
,
Jalangi
Jalangi is a Bazaar, with a police station, identified in 2011 census, in Jalangi CD Block in Domkol subdivision of Murshidabad district in the state of West Bengal, India. This Bazaar is situated beside the Padma River
Geography
Location
J ...
,
Ajay,
Damodar,
Rupnarayan and
Haldi Haldi may refer to:
* Ḫaldi, an Urartian god
* ''Haldi'', Hindi/Punjabi/Bengali/Urdu/Gujarati name for the spice turmeric
* Haldi, Estonia, village in Estonia
* Haldi, Baltistan, a village in Pakistan
* Haldi River
Haldi River is a tributary o ...
rivers other than the Ganges.
Hugli-Chinsura
Hugli-Chuchura or Hooghly-Chinsurah is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the bank of Hooghly River, 35 km north of Kolkata. It is located in the ...
,
Bandel
Bandel is a neighbourhood in the Hooghly district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is founded by Portuguese settlers and falls under the jurisdiction of Chandernagore Police Commissionerate. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Me ...
,
Chandannagar
Chandannagar french: Chandernagor ), also known by its former name Chandernagore and French name Chandernagor, is a city in the Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is headquarter of the Chandannagore subdivision and is part ...
,
Srirampur,
Barrackpur
Barrackpore (also known as Barrackpur) is a city and a municipality of urban Kolkata of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA ...
,
Rishra
Rishra is a city and a municipality in Srirampore subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
History
The origin of Rishra situate ...
,
Uttarpara
Uttarpara or Uttarpara Kotrung is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Uttarpara is located at , within 10 k ...
,
Titagarh
Titagarh is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is close to Kolkata and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Geography
Location
Titaga ...
,
Kamarhati
Kamarhati is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is close to Kolkata and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
History
Kamarhati was earl ...
,
Agarpara
Agarpara is a locality in Panihati Municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is close to Kolkata and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).Agarpara has two p ...
,
Baranagar
("City of hogs")
, settlement_type =
City
, image_seal =
, image_skyline =
, image_alt =
, image_caption =
, pushpin_map = India West Bengal#India3#Asia
, pushpin_label_ ...
and
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
are located on the banks of this river.
Like the Ganges, the Hooghly is held as sacred to
Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
.
Course
The vast majority of the water that flows into the Hooghly River is provided by the man-made
Farakka Feeder Canal
Feeder Canal is a canal associated with Farakka Barrage. It is located in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. The canal is 38.3 km(26 miles) long. The Ganges water from the Farakka Dam is being conveyed to Bhagirathi by way of this canal. D ...
, rather than the natural source of the river at Giria. The
Farakka Barrage
Farakka Barrage is a barrage across the Ganga river located in Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal, roughly from the border with Bangladesh near Shibganj. Farakka Barrage Township is located in Farakka (community developmen ...
is a dam that diverts water from the
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
into the Farakka Feeder Canal near the town of Tildanga in
Murshidabad district, located 40 km upstream from Giria. This supplies the Hooghly with water as per the agreement between India and Bangladesh. The feeder canal runs parallel to the Ganges, past
Dhulian
Dhuliyan is a municipality town in the Jangipur subdivision of Murshidabad district in the state of West Bengal, India. This municipality was established in the year 1909 and comprises 19 wards. It is located between the Ganges and the Feeder ...
, until just above
Jahangirpur where the canal ends and joins the Bhagirathi river. The Bhagirathi then flows south past
Jiaganj Azimganj
Jiaganj Azimganj is a city and a municipality in Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Location
Jiaganj and Azimganj- the two towns located on opposite sides of the Baghirathi River, Jiaganj (Ziaganj) on the eas ...
,
Murshidabad
Murshidabad fa, مرشد آباد (, or ) is a historical city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, a distributary of the Ganges. It forms part of the Murshidabad district.
During ...
, and
Baharampur
Berhampore (, ) is a city and a municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. As of 2011 census, Berhampore urban agglomeration had a population of 305,609 and is the seventh largest city in West Bengal (after Kolkata, Asansol, Siliguri, D ...
. South of Baharampur and north of
Palashi
Palashi or Plassey ( bn, পলাশী, Palāśī, translit-std=ISO, , ) is a village on the east bank of Bhagirathi River, located approximately 50 kilometres north of the city of Krishnanagar in Kaliganj CD Block in the Nadia Distric ...
it used to form the border between
Bardhaman District
Bardhaman district (, ; also spelled Burdwan or Barddhaman or Vardhaman) was a district in West Bengal. On 7 April 2017, the district was bifurcated into two districts: Purba Bardhaman and Paschim Bardhaman district. The headquarters of the dis ...
and
Nadia District
Nadia () is a district in the state of West Bengal, India. It borders Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Purba Bardhaman to the west, and Murshidabad to the north.
Nadia district is highly influentia ...
, but while the border has remained the same the river is now often east or west of its former bed. The river then flows south past
Katwa
Katwa is a sub-divisional town and railway junction in Purba Bardhaman district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Katwa subdivision. The town was built at the confluence of Ganga and Ajay. Katwa is a border ci ...
,
Nabadwip
Nabadwip (), also spelt Navadwip, anciently Nadia or Nudiya, is a heritage city in Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is regarded as a holy place by Hindus, and is the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Famous for Rass fest ...
,
Kalna and
Jirat
Jirat is a census town located in Hooghly District in the Indian State of West Bengal. It is the administrative headquarter of Balagarh Block. It is birthplace of the Dr. Gangaprasad Mukherjee, Writer
Charuchandra Banerjee, Tollywood actor ...
. At Kalna it originally formed the border between Nadia District and
Hooghly District
Hooghly district () is one of the districts of the Indian state of West Bengal. It can alternatively be spelt ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli''. The district is named after the Hooghly River.
The headquarters of the district are at Hooghly-Chinsura (''C ...
, and then further south between Hooghly District and
North 24 Parganas District
North 24 Parganas (abv. 24 PGS (N)) or sometimes North Twenty Four Parganas is a district in southern West Bengal, of eastern India. North 24 Parganas extends in the tropical zone from latitude 22° 11′ 6″ north to 23° 15′ 2″ north and f ...
. It flows past
Halisahar
Halisahar is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
History
Halisahar is believed to have existed from ...
,
Chinsurah
Hugli-Chuchura or Hooghly-Chinsurah is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the bank of Hooghly River, 35 km north of Kolkata. It is located in the ...
,
Naihati
Naihati is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Naihati Municipality is one of the oldest in the whol ...
,
Bhatpara
Bhatpara is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Overview
Bhatpara is situated on the bank of Hoogh ...
,
Konnagar
Konnagar is a town and a municipality of Hooghly district in the state of West Bengal in India. Konnagar has a railway station that connect with Howrah. It is under Uttarpara police station in Serampore subdivision. It is a part of the area co ...
,
Serampore
Serampore (also called ''Serampur'', ''Srirampur'', ''Srirampore'', ''Shreerampur'', ''Shreerampore'', ''Shrirampur'' or ''Shrirampore'') is a city of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarter of the Srirampor ...
, and
Kamarhati
Kamarhati is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is close to Kolkata and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
History
Kamarhati was earl ...
. Then, just before entering the twin cities of
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
(Calcutta) and
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
, it turns to the southwest. At Nurpur it enters an old channel of the Ganges, and turns south to empty into the
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between ...
through an estuary about wide.
Ain-i-Akbari
The ''Ain-i-Akbari'' ( fa, ) or the "Administration of Akbar", is a 16th-century detailed document recording the administration of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar, written by his court historian, Abu'l Fazl in the Persian language. It for ...
, a book by
Abu'l-Fazl
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, also known as Abul sharma, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami (14 January 1551 – 22 August 1602), was the grand vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar, from his appointment in 1579 until his death in 1602. He was the aut ...
, describes that the river Ganga and river Sarwasati (Sarsuti) streams of lower Bengal had different flows. According to the footnotes of this book, the colour of the water of the Sarawasati was white, the colour of another stream named Jamuna was blue, and the colour of the Ganga was muddy and yellowish. From Kolkata the main flow of the Hooghly-Bhagirathi (or Ganga) used to run along the side of the
Kalighat
Kalighat is a locality of Kolkata, in Kolkata district, West Bengal, India. One of the oldest neighbourhoods in South Kolkata, Kalighat is also densely populated — with a history of cultural intermingling with the various foreign incursions i ...
temple,
Baruipur,
Jaynagar
Jaynagar Majilpur () is a town and a municipality of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the southern suburbs of Kolkata. As an urban setup in the vicinity of Kolkata, the town is within the a ...
,
Chhatrabhog
Chhatrabhog is a village within the jurisdiction of the Mathurapur police station in the Mathurapur I CD block in the Diamond Harbour subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
Many '' janapadas ...
and Hatiagarh. At that time, between Khiderpore and Sankrail no flow existed. Presently, the stream between Khiderpore and Sankrail became known as KatiGanga. A channel had been dug at the time of Alibardi Khan in the middle of the 18th century. This happened with the assistance of Dutch traders, who also set up a toll point on the Hooghly river. So the present reach of the Hooghly is the lower part of the historical Saraswati.
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
the capital of West Bengal is located on the banks of the Hoogly river.
Tidal bore
![Hooghly_River_@_Serampore](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Hooghly_River_%40_Serampore.jpg)
The tide runs rapidly on the Hooghly, and produces a remarkable example of the fluvial phenomenon known as a
tidal bore
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* Tidal (servic ...
. This consists of the head-wave of the advancing tide, hemmed in where the estuary narrows suddenly into the river, and often exceeds in height. It is felt as high up as Naihati, and frequently destroys small boats.
A tidal bore which overcame the banks of the river in 1876 was reported to have killed up to a hundred thousand people.
The difference from the lowest point of low-water in the dry season to the highest point of high-water in the rains is reported to be . The greatest mean rise of tide, about , takes place in March, April or May - with a declining range during the rainy season to a mean of , and a minimum during
freshet
The term ''freshet'' is most commonly used to describe a spring thaw resulting from snow and ice melt in rivers located in upper North America. A spring freshet can sometimes last several weeks on large river systems, resulting in significant in ...
s of .
History
In its upper reaches the river is generally known as the Bhāgirathi, until it reaches Hooghly. The word Bhāgirathi literally means "caused by
Bhagiratha
Bhagiratha (Sanskrit: भगीरथ, ''Bhagīratha'') is a legendary king of the Ikshvaku dynasty in Hindu literature. He is best known for his legend of bringing the sacred river Ganges, personified as the Hindu river goddess Ganga, from heav ...
", a
mythical
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrati ...
Sagar Dynasty prince who was instrumental in bringing the river Ganges from the heavens on to the earth, in order to release his 60,000 grand-uncles from a curse of the saint
Kapila
Kapila ( sa, कपिल), also referred to as Cakradhanus, is a sage in Hindu tradition. According to Bhagavata Purana, he is the son of the sage Kardama and Devahuti, the daughter of the Svayambhuva Manu. Kardama had nine daughters, who wer ...
.
In 1974, the
Farakka Barrage
Farakka Barrage is a barrage across the Ganga river located in Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal, roughly from the border with Bangladesh near Shibganj. Farakka Barrage Township is located in Farakka (community developmen ...
began diverting water into the Hooghly during the dry season so as to reduce the silting difficulties at Kolkata's port.
Like the rest of the Ganges, the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly is considered sacred to
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
s, and its water is considered holy.
Bridges and Tunnels
![Sunset at Hooghly](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Sunset_at_Hooghly.jpg)
The following bridges currently span the Hooghly/Bhagirathi River; listed from south to north (mouth to source), until the Farakka Feeder Canal meets the river:
*
Vidyasagar Setu
Vidyasagar Setu, also known as the Second Hooghly Bridge, is a toll bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India, linking the cities of Kolkata and Howrah.
Opened in 1992, with a total length of , Vidyasagar Setu is the first and longes ...
(Second Hooghly Bridge)- inaugurated in October 1992, connecting
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
and
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
*
Rabindra Setu
The Howrah Bridge is a balanced cantilever bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal. Commissioned in 1943, the bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it replaced a pontoon bridge at the same location linking the citie ...
(Howrah Bridge) - inaugurated in February 1943, connecting Howrah and Kolkata
*
Nivedita Setu (Second Vivekananda Bridge) - inaugurated in July 2007, connecting
Bally
Bally may refer to:
Places
*Bally, a historical spelling of Bali
*Bally (from the Irish ''baile'') or townland, a traditional division of land, as well as a common prefix in the names of settlements throughout Ireland
*Bally, Bally-Jagachha, a c ...
and
Dakhineswar; runs adjacent to Vivekananda Setu
*
Vivekananda Setu
Vivekananda Setu (also called Willingdon Bridge and Bally Bridge) is a bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. It links the city of Howrah, at Bally, to Kolkata, at Dakshineswar. Completed on 1931, it is a multispan truss bridge a ...
(Bally Bridge; road and rail bridge) - inaugurated in December 1932, connecting
Bally
Bally may refer to:
Places
*Bally, a historical spelling of Bali
*Bally (from the Irish ''baile'') or townland, a traditional division of land, as well as a common prefix in the names of settlements throughout Ireland
*Bally, Bally-Jagachha, a c ...
and
Dakhineswar; runs adjacent to Nivedita Setu
*
Sampreeti Setu (New Jubilee Bridge; rail only) - inaugurated in August 2016, connecting
Bandel
Bandel is a neighbourhood in the Hooghly district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is founded by Portuguese settlers and falls under the jurisdiction of Chandernagore Police Commissionerate. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Me ...
and
Naihati
Naihati is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Naihati Municipality is one of the oldest in the whol ...
; replaced the now-decommissioned
Jubilee Bridge
*
Ishwar Gupta Setu
Ishwar Gupta Setu () is a long road bridge that crosses the Hooghly River in Bansberia, Hooghly and Kalyani, Nadia in West Bengal. Kalyani Expressway crosses the bridge connecting National Highway 12 with National Highway 19.
History
The ...
(Kalyani Bridge) - inaugurated in 1989, connecting
Bansberia
Bansberia is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is about away from Kolkata, at the western end of the Iswar Gupta Setu ( Kalyani-Bansberia) Bridge. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Me ...
and
Kalyani
*
Gouranga Setu - connecting
Nabadwip
Nabadwip (), also spelt Navadwip, anciently Nadia or Nudiya, is a heritage city in Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is regarded as a holy place by Hindus, and is the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Famous for Rass fest ...
and
Krishnanagar Krishna Nagar or Krishnanagar may refer to:
Places India
* Krishna Nagar, Delhi
** Krishna Nagar metro station (Delhi)
** Krishna Nagar (Delhi Assembly constituency)
* Krishna Nagar, Hyderabad
* Krishna Nagar, Lucknow
** Krishna Nagar metro s ...
*
Ramendra Sundar Tribedi Setu - connecting Khagraghat and
Baharampur
Berhampore (, ) is a city and a municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. As of 2011 census, Berhampore urban agglomeration had a population of 305,609 and is the seventh largest city in West Bengal (after Kolkata, Asansol, Siliguri, D ...
* Jangipur Bhagirathi Bridge - connecting
Raghunathganj and
Jangipur![Jubilee Bridge (Naihati-Bandel) by Piyal Kundu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Jubilee_Bridge_%28Naihati-Bandel%29_by_Piyal_Kundu.jpg)
The following bridges are under various stages of development:
*
Nashipur Rail Bridge
Nashipur Rail Bridge or Nashipur – Azimganj Rail Bridge will connect Murshidabad railway station and Azimganj Junction railway station across the river Bhagirathi of district Murshidabad in West Bengal.
The 785 meters long bridge existed du ...
(rail only) - partially constructed; connecting
Azimganj
Jiaganj Azimganj is a city and a municipality in Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Location
Jiaganj and Azimganj- the two towns located on opposite sides of the Baghirathi River, Jiaganj (Ziaganj) on the eas ...
and
Murshidabad
Murshidabad fa, مرشد آباد (, or ) is a historical city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, a distributary of the Ganges. It forms part of the Murshidabad district.
During ...
* Kalna - Shantipur Bridge
- announced
* Fuleshwar - Budge Budge Bridge
- announced
The following tunnels are situated under the Hooghly River :-
*
CESC Tunnel
The CESC Tunnel is situated under the Hooghly River in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. This is the first underwater tunnel in Asia, completed in 1931. It is using for electric power transmission from Kolkata to Howrah.
History
This tunnel was not m ...
- This tunnel is using for electric power transmission between Kolkata and Howrah. It is the first
underwater tunnel
An underwater tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or wholly constructed under the sea or a river. They are often used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is unviable, or to provide competition or relief for existing bridges or ferry li ...
of
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, as well as
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The construction of this tunnel was completed in 1931.
*
East West Metro Tunnel
East West Metro Tunnel is a constructed underwater river tunnel of Kolkata Metro in Kolkata, West Bengal. The river tunnel is constructed underneath Hooghly River. After the CESC Tunnel in 1931, this is the second underwater river tunnel of Ho ...
- The tunnel is been completed in 2021. This tunnel is the first underwater river railway tunnel in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is a metro railway tunnel, connecting
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
to
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
.
Economics
![Ferry Howrah Bridge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Ferry_Howrah_Bridge.jpg)
The Bhāgirathi-Hooghly river system is an essential lifeline for the people of West Bengal. It was through this river that the East India company sailed into Bengal and established their trade settlement, Calcutta, the capital of British India. People from other countries such as the French, Dutch, Portuguese, etc. all had their trade settlements by the banks of this river.
The river provides a perennial supply of water to the plain of West Bengal for irrigation and human & industry consumption. The river is navigable and a major transport system in the region with a large traffic flow. For a long time, the
Calcutta Port
Port of Kolkata or Kolkata Port, officially known as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Trust (formerly Kolkata Port Trust), is the only riverine major port of India, located in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, around from the sea. It is the olde ...
was the biggest port of India. Although in the past its significance had gone down, recently it has reached the 3rd position in the list of Indian Ports. The modern container port of
Haldia
Haldia is an industrial port city in Purba Medinipur in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a major river port and industrial belt located approximately southwest of Kolkata near the mouth of the Hooghly River, one of the distributaries of ...
, on the intersection of lower Hooghly and Haldi River, now carries much of the region's maritime trade. One new port will be built in the deep sea to reduce the load on Calcutta port.
Despite the river being polluted, the fish from it are important to the local economy.
![Howrah Pano 4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Howrah_Pano_4.jpg)
The Hooghly river valley was the most important industrial area of the state of Bengal. Despite a decline of the
jute industry, the prime industry of this region, it is still one of the biggest industrial areas of India. It has a number of small cities which form the
Greater Kolkata agglomeration, the second biggest Indian city and the former capital.
In September 2015, the
Government of West Bengal
The Government of West Bengal also known as the West Bengal Government, is the subnational government of the Indian state of West Bengal , created by the National Constitution as the state's legislative, executive and judicial authority. The ...
announced that renovation of the Hooghly riverfront in Kolkata will be completed with the help of
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
funding under the
National Ganga River Basin Project Scheme.
Hooghly River in arts
Literature
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work.
...
wrote an article, ''On the Banks of the Hugli'' (1888), and a short story set on the Hooghli, ''An Unqualified Pilot'' (1895).
Cultural events
The Silk River project aims at exploring the artistic relationship between Kolkata and
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
through artistic exchange from 10 locations each along the Hooghly River and the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...
. The 10 places along the Hooghly River are
Murshidabad
Murshidabad fa, مرشد آباد (, or ) is a historical city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, a distributary of the Ganges. It forms part of the Murshidabad district.
During ...
,
Krishnagar
Krishnanagar (; also spelled Krishnagar) is a city and a municipality. in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarter of the Nadia district.
History
Krishnanagar municipality was established in 1864 and is one of the oldest municipali ...
,
Chandernagore
Chandannagar french: Chandernagor ), also known by its former name Chandernagore and French name Chandernagor, is a city in the Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is headquarter of the Chandannagore subdivision and is part ...
,
Barrackpore
Barrackpore (also known as Barrackpur) is a city and a municipality of urban Kolkata of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA ...
,
Jorasanko
Jorasanko is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district, West Bengal, India. It is so called because of the two (''jora'') wooden or bamboo bridges (''sanko'') that spanned a small stream at this point.
History
Apart from the disting ...
,
Bowbazar
Bowbazar ( bn, বৌবাজার, also spelt ''Boubazar''; formerly known as Bahubazar) is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
On Lt. Col. Mark Wood's map of 1784, the portion o ...
,
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
,
Kidderpore
Khidirpur or Kidderpore is a neighborhood of metropolitan Kolkata, Kolkata (Calcutta), in Kolkata district, West Bengal, India.
Etymology
Most plausibly, the name is a corruption of ''Khidrpur'' or ''Khizarpur'', Khizr/Khidr being the guar ...
,
Botanical Gardens
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
and
Batanagar
Batanagar is a neighbourhood in the Maheshtala of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
History
Batanagar was established t ...
. Ten scrolls, painted in the
Patua
The Patua (Bengali: পটুয়া, ''paṭuẏā'') are an artisan community found in the state of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha in India and parts of Bangladesh. Some Patuas are Hindus, while others are Muslims. Hindu Patuas are ...
tradition, depicting the 10 places will be carried along the Hooghly River. The event began at Murshidabad on 7 December 2017 and ended at the
Victoria Memorial
The Victoria Memorial is a large marble building on the Maidan in Central Kolkata, built between 1906 and 1921. It is dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria, Empress of India from 1876 to 1901.
The largest monument to a monarch anywhere ...
, Kolkata on 17 December.
Gallery
File:Hooghly River in Kolkata, India.jpg, Boats on Hooghly River
File:Hooghly Riverfront in Kolkata, India.jpg, Hooghly River in Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
Image:Hooghly River 1915.gif, Boats and men on the banks of the Hooghly river, 1915
File:Manor Floatel - Hooghly River 2012-01-14 0915.JPG, The Floatel in Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
located on the river
Image:Prinsep Ghat.jpg, The Prinsep Ghat
Prinsep Ghat is a '' ghat'' built in 1841 during the British Raj, along the Kolkata bank of the Hooghly River in India. The Palladian porch in the memory of the eminent Anglo-Indian scholar and antiquary James Prinsep was designed by W. Fitzger ...
which is located on the bank of the Hooghly River
File: Bansberia Ganga.jpg, Char on the river at Bansberia
Bansberia is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is about away from Kolkata, at the western end of the Iswar Gupta Setu ( Kalyani-Bansberia) Bridge. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Me ...
, Hooghly district
Hooghly district () is one of the districts of the Indian state of West Bengal. It can alternatively be spelt ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli''. The district is named after the Hooghly River.
The headquarters of the district are at Hooghly-Chinsura (''C ...
File:Shimurali river bank.jpg, Boats on the river at Shimurali
Shimurali (often spelled 'Simurali') is a census town in Chakdaha CD block in the Kalyani subdivision of the Nadia district in the state of West Bengal, India.
History
Shimurali is a culturally diverse place. In the past, it was best known ...
, Nadia district
Nadia () is a district in the state of West Bengal, India. It borders Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Purba Bardhaman to the west, and Murshidabad to the north.
Nadia district is highly influentia ...
File:Bhagirathi River Behind Hazarduari Palace Murshidabad.JPG, The river behind Hazarduari Palace
Hazarduari Palace, earlier known as the ''Bara Kothi'', is located in the campus of Kila Nizamat in Murshidabad, in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated near the bank of river Ganges. It was built in the nineteenth century by archit ...
in Murshidabad district
File:Kolkata - Hooghly River 2012-01-14 0924.JPG, The city of Kolkata lies along the banks of the Hooghly
File: Hoogly_River.JPG, Boat seen from the bank of the Hoogly River at Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
See also
*
List of rivers of India
This is a list of rivers of India, starting in the west and moving along the Indian coast southward, then northward. Tributary rivers are listed hierarchically in upstream order: the lower in the list, the more upstream.
The overall discharge of r ...
*
Kolkata Eye
Kolkata Eye (or Calcutta Eye) was the proposed name for a giant Ferris wheel which it was hoped would be constructed in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It was announced in 2011, and in May 2014 Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, state ...
References
*
External links
Hugli Riverat
NASA Earth Observatory
NASA Earth Observatory is an online publishing outlet for NASA which was created in 1999. It is the principal source of satellite imagery and other scientific information pertaining to the climate and the Environment (biophysical), environment whi ...
Hooghly District Information
{{Authority control
Distributaries of the Ganges
Rivers of West Bengal
Geography of Kolkata
Howrah
Sundarbans
Tourism in West Bengal
Rivers of India