The Danish came to this area in 1676 but Danish colony was started from Gondalpara in 1698, which was at the south east corner of French territory of Chandannager. This place was known as Dinermardanga (দিনেমারডাঙ্গা). With the help from the French the Danes came to Serampore in 1755 with a farman from Nawab Alivardi Khan (born 1671, regent 1740-1756) of Bengal in exchange of Rs 1,50,000 or more. It was just a trading post back then under the Danish Asiatic Company. For a note, the Danes came to India in 1620, and founded their first trading post at Tranquebar (now known as Tharangambadi), ~120 Km south of Puducherry.
Serampore came under the Danish Crown in 1777 from Danish East India Company and was developed into a well-planned town under Governor Colonel Ole Bie. It was called as Frederiksnagore (ফ্রেডরিকনগর) by the name of the king of Denmark, Frederik V (born 1723, regent 1746-1766). However the name Frederiksnagore was never common, rather Srirampur's Danish spelling, Serampore was commonly used. In 1845 the Danes left Serampore and administration of the city was handed over to the British after they lost the battle to the British. Peter Hansen was the Danish governor of Serampore at that time. Since 1845 Serampore was under the British rule til the Indian independence.
It is home to a number of impressive buildings of Indo-European heritage and exhibits a unique settlement pattern reflecting its relationship to the river. Post independence it was a rapidly developing industrial and commercial center based on local jute and cotton mills.
The rich history is being lost due to neglect from local people, most of them don't know about the history of the place nor interested in the past. High-rises look ill-fit surrounding old heritage buildings. Post independence the government also happened to be indifferent to the change of the city, though recently they became active - heritage commission has started working in the restoration project by the Danish Government.
Thankfully Danish restoration projects and Denmark Tavern have made a move to change the ignorance to the history, but that is mostly towards Danish history and heritage. (Read more at West Bengal Heritage Commission's Heritage Project Serampore Initiative - https://wbhc.in/home/serampore_initiative) But there were several Bengali businessmen who built grand palaces and mansions at different parts of the city. These buildings are still owned by the family members of respective owners, and many of them left the state or the country, leaving the mansion in a derelict state. Even Mahesh, the second oldest Rathyatra utsav in the world is yet to get any government support to turn into a regular tourist spot in Bengal.
I think I just got carried over with the introduction, let me tell you about this Serampore Walk trip. Since I came to know about the colonial history of Hooghly district I am planning for the trips to Serampore, Chandannagar, Chinsurah and Bandel - these were the colonies of the Danish, the French, the Dutch and the Portuguese respectively. Apart from the European colonial history, these areas, being located at the bank of river Hooghly/Ganga, are hotbed for history - before and after European colonization.
Word of caution: If you are a casual traveler looking forward to see extravaganza of Danish colony, I am quite sure you will be disappointed heavily. Because only a handful of spots are there which can amaze you. But if history is intriguing to you, come and walk across the streets, beside the river, enjoy the heritage!
Before we go out, I made a list of 'What-to-see' that was approved and localized by Ayindreela, who is a 'Seramporean'. We planned to go to the south part of the city first, starting with a breakfast. So on the day I reached Serampore by launch-boats from Barrackpore Dhobi Ghat.
As planned, we had a breakfast at Shibur Tiffin House with hot Hinger Kochuri with Alur torkari/Cholar dal. Opposite to this, Mahesh Chandra Dutta's oldest sweetshop is there, and we had a cup of 'white' sweetcurd. It is different from sweetcurds of others, as it has a sour taste alongwith. And sweetness is not too high to make you uncomfortable in the morning.
It is a very traditional mistir dokan, with limited items and made with extensive care and purity as sweets from this shop goes to the temple. Cost wise you will find it cheaper than Kolkata's but with great quality. At present there are two more branches of this sweetshop, at Chatra and Battala.
Must try: Sada Misti doi, Gutke sandesh, Manohora, Chhanar Murki, Jolbhora
Petpujo is done, let's roll !!
Our first stop is
Mahesh's Jagannath temple.
What we would see here: Main temple, Snan Mancha and the Rath/Chariot
Age of festival of Rath: 624 years
Age of the temple: 265 years
Age of the present Rath: 135 years
Why? World's Second Oldest Rathyatra!!
Mahesh is famous for its Rathyatra festival, and it is 624 year old. That notes that it is world's second oldest rathyatra (chariot festival) after Puri, and oldest in Bengal, been celebrated since 1396.
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| The idols made of Daru Brahma |
The history of Mahesh's Jagannath temple is pretty interesting. Legend says that a Bengali sadhu named Drubananda Bramhachari (ধ্রুবানন্দ ব্রহ্মচারী) went to Puri for pilgrimage. He had a desire to offer Lord Jagannath ‘Bhoga’ with his own hand, but he was refused by temple authority. heartbroken Drubananda went on to fast until death. On the third day, he heard the Lord’s order in his dream. He was told to return to Bengal and Lord will send huge Daru-Brahma (Neem trunk) at a place called Mahesh at the bank of Bhagirathi. He has to make idols of Jagannath, Balarama, Subhadra with this trunk. Then Lord will have Bhoga in his hand.
So Drubananda returned to Mahesh and started his Sadhana. Then in a scary rainy night, that Daru-Brahma appeared at Mahesh. He jumped into the water and received it. Then he made the Idols of the Holy Trinity and established a Temple. That was the fourteenth century.
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| Main Temple |
In the 15th century Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Mahesh when he was going to Puri. At this temple he lost his sense and attained deep samadhi. Later he renamed rechristened Mahesh as Naba Nilachal (নব নীলাচল / new Puri). Drubanada was very elderly then, and on his request Sri Chaitanya made his disciple Kamalakar Piplai, the fifth of his twelve Gopalas as the head priest, who would later go on to start the rath yatra. His heirs still lives in Mahesh as the Sebait (সেবাইত) or ‘Adhikary’ of the Temple. That time Rath was drawn to Gundichabati (গুন্ডিচাবাটি) of Chatra.
But that old temple and rath both lost in time. The modern Temple was made by Nayanchand Mallik of Pathuriaghata, Kolkata in 1755 at a cost of Rs 20,000. It is a simple structure of the Rekha Deul style of the Odishan school. The idols in the Mahesh temple do not undergo the Nabakalebar (নবকলেবর). The three original idols, made by Drubananda Bramhachari are still in place. However, the tradition of ‘angaraga’ (অঙ্গরাগ) or re-anointment takes place once every twelve years. Two days after the snanayatra (স্নানযাত্রা) and just two weeks before the Rath Yatra, the three day secret ‘angaraga’ ceremony is held. The idols are repainted using herbal pigments behind closed doors.
But that old temple and rath both lost in time. The modern Temple was made by Nayanchand Mallik of Pathuriaghata, Kolkata in 1755 at a cost of Rs 20,000. It is a simple structure of the Rekha Deul style of the Odishan school. The idols in the Mahesh temple do not undergo the Nabakalebar (নবকলেবর). The three original idols, made by Drubananda Bramhachari are still in place. However, the tradition of ‘angaraga’ (অঙ্গরাগ) or re-anointment takes place once every twelve years. Two days after the snanayatra (স্নানযাত্রা) and just two weeks before the Rath Yatra, the three day secret ‘angaraga’ ceremony is held. The idols are repainted using herbal pigments behind closed doors.
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| Snan Mancha of Sri Sri Jagannath Deb |
In 1797, Sri Ramkrishna Dev’s renowned disciple Balaram Basu’s grandfather, Shri Krishnaram Basu, donated a 5-pinnacled chariot to the temple. He also took care of the road construction from Mahesh to Ballavpur. His son Guruprasad Basu renewed the Ratha in 1835. But after some years the Ratha was burnt. Two other raths (donated by Kalachand Basu in 1852, Biswambhar Basu in 1857) also met with ill fates after this.
The present rath which you can see, resting at the side of G.T. Road was constructed by Martin Burn Co., financed by the donation by Krishnachandra Basu, the then Hooghly district dewan of the East India Company. The iron rath, with nine pinnacles, towers to a height of 50 feet and weighs 125 tons. Two copper horses are attached to the front. Running on 12 wheels of diameter 4 feet the rath was made at a cost of Rs 20 lakh and have been in operation since 1885. Today this gigantic rath is pulled in a wild rampage, through crowded streets under strict police supervision. There is fair (mela) organized for 8 days in the surrounding area - from Rath to Ultorath (উল্টোরথ) and extends upto a moon. The footfall counts more than 2-3 lakhs.
On the day of snanyatra, the idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra are bathed in generous quantities of milk and Ganges water. It is believed that the idols suffer from fever due to the heavy bath. So three physicians, one each from Arambag, Goghat and Ghatal are summoned to treat the deities. They offer a liquid mixture as the medicine, which are then administered on the idols. Gradually their fever lapses and they regain normal health.
Sri Ramakrishna and his wife Sarada Devi, contemporary dramatist Girish Chandra Ghosh, among others, have come to visit the famous fair. We can also feel the vivid picture of the Rather mela in ‘Radharani’ by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, one of the greatest Bengali novelist.
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| Work in Progress |
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| Mahesh Jagannath Temple (July, 2021) |
Inspite of being a popular pilgrimage, and second oldest rathyatra in the world, Mahesh is yet to get significant attention in the list of popular travel destination. It is yet to be listed as heritage site. Local people are trying to create proper infrastructure in that line. During our visit we saw those activities are on full swing, thanks to lockdown and Covid pandemic.
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| Jagannath Temple (from outside) |
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| Jagannath Temple |
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| Jagannath Temple - Welcome Gate on G.T. Road |
The renovation work of the main Jagannath Temple, Mahesh was completed on 4th December, 2021. Tourism department of GoWB will create a ecotourism resort at Mahesh which will include 7 cottages and dormitory, picnic spot, stage for local folk show and a park beside the river Ganges.
Next is to visit Masir bari of Sri Jagannath, Mahesh
It is the place where Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra bought by the Rath on the day of Rathyatra. They stay here for 7 days and return to Main temple on 8th day (Ulta Rath) by the Rath.
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| Jagannath's Masir Bari - Renovation in progress (December 2020) |
Though we were bit disappointed to see its condition, it is also being repaired. COVID and lockdown have given the authority good time to take care of the temple. Hopefully in next 6 months Masir Bari will be opened to public. And this lackluster show will be changed.
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| Jagannath's Masir Bari (July 2021) |
There is a ghat nearby, as named Jagannath Ghat. The main ghat building, accompanied with two Shiva temples each on each side of it are in a decrepit condition. There is a crematorium beside it. There is also a ferry service connecting to Laxmi Ghat.
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| Jagannath Ghat - Front |
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| Jagannath Ghat (from River side view) |
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| View of the river Ganges from Jagannath Ghat |
For more details - check facebook page of হুগলি জেলার ইতিহাস - https://www.facebook.com/groups/961975930909680/
There was also a factory of pre-independence era, which is Banga Laxmi Cotton Mill (or Bengal Luxmi) just beside Jagannath Ghat. Banga Laxmi cotton mill was established in 1906 by Byomkesh Chakravarti & his associates during the Swadeshi movement in India. The movement had started and the people were asked to ‘boycott’ Lancashire-made foreign fabrics.
During this phase, there were many cotton mills that started in Bengal. The expansion of mills in India helped to eradicate the ‘British’ share of products from the Indian markets. It was paved the indigenous industrialization in Bengal as well in India. In the Mahesh neighbourhood there was another cotton mill - Rampooria.
Both are now closed and turned into a real estate zone. 'New Kolkata' is being built up on Banga Laxmi while 'Solaris City' is being built on the land of Rampooria. As I moved beside the Banga Laxmi's area, there is no sign of the Cotton Mill, however the road is still being named as B.L. Road and the area is being inhabited mostly by the migratory labourers.
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| High Rises of New Kolkata from Jagannath Ghat |
There is a old temple by the side of G.T. Road on the way to Mahesh.
Johnnagar Church, Mahesh
Age: 199 years
Why? First Bengali Prayer Hall for Christians
The banner reads 'Serampore-Johnnagar Baptist Church'. It is located at Mahesh, but you may need the direction from local people. The church is a simple house, with a cross on it.
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| TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED PATHWAY OF JOHNNAGAR CHURCH (CNI) COMPOUND WAS BLESSED AND INAUGURATED BY THE RT. REV DR. PARITOSH CANNING, BISHOP OF CALCUTTA (CNI) ON 8TH DECEMBER 2020. |
Beside this church, we can see another old entity - Serampore Sub-divisional Sports Association, which was founded in 1948.
Nearby you can have a visit to Parameswari Balika Vidyalaya, a girls' school founded in 1924. The architecture of the building represents the British influence.
Next stop is Sri Sri Radha Ballav Jiu Temple of Ballavpur
Age: 256 years
with History of ~440 years
It was established in the year of 1764 A.D. by Nayanchand Mallik of Calcutta (Kolkata) but its history dates back to the 16th century. Rudraram, a pandit used to stay in the house of his maternal uncle in Chatra. Once he tried to worship Gouranga in the temple of his maternal uncle but was forbidden by his uncle as they were Shakta (Worshipper of Goddess Kali). Disappointed and heartbroken Rudraram left the house and reached the present day Serampore where he began to mediate. Here he was initiated to Vaishnavism by a Sannyasi. Upon receiving instructions from Radhaballav Jiu (antiquated form of “Ji”, the suffix of respect) in his dreams, Rudraram recovered the stone with special power from the terrace of the palace of the then Nawab in Gour. He built the idol of Radhaballav with it and established a temple in the year of 1577. But the temple was abandoned with the threatening of being washed away due to the perilously approaching Bhagirathi towards it.
There is a Natmandir in front of the atchala, which was constructed in 1913 (Bengali year of 1320) by Mahesh Chandra Dutta in memory of his son late Mahim Chandra.
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| Old building beside Radha Ballav Jiu Temple |
In a walking distance you will see Radha Ballav Jiu Ras Mancha and Radha Ballav Jiu Ghat at the bank of the Ganges.
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| Ras Mancha |
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| Work in Progress: Construction of Jetty at Radhaballav Jiu Ghat |
Here nearby there is Ballavpur cremation ghat, temple of Sashan Kali and Tara-tirtha Asram or Ma Tara Temple. Here tara-ma is the Ugratara, the fierce most form of Devi Kali.
Just opposite to Radha Ballavjiu Ghat, there is Rashmani Ghat on the other side of the Ganges. Rashmani Ghat once had operated a ferry service to connect the both ghats, but it is not operational now. We can assume that it may be resume in coming days as jetty at Radha Ballav Jiu Ghat is being constructed. Once the ferry services been restored, you can cross the river and visit the Rashmani Ghat (has a burning ghat) and near by Annapurna Temple easily.
Madanmohan Temple
Age 175 years
with History of approx 300 years
Madan Mohan Temple is located at Akna Choudhury Para, Serampore. Architecture wise it aatchala type of Bengal’s traditional temple.
There were some South Indian Vaisnavs of Ramanuja sect had founded a akhara at the location where present Walsh Hospital is positioned. In this prayer house they started worshipping an idol of Mahan Mohan with the help from Raja Manahar Roy of Sheoraphully. Later they left this place for some reason and the area turned to be desserted and full of jungle. The Danish government chose this spot to built a hospital (that's Walsh Hospital today). Walsh Hospital was built in 1836.
During construction, the idol of Mahan Mohan was found, and Danish Government and local Hindu community gave it to Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay, a high rank official of Danish Govt. He started worshipping this idol in his own house.
In 1845 when British took control of Serampore and they stopped yearly Rs 120 donation to Gopal babu, but they gave him Rs 10,000 as one time donation. He had started the construction of the temple but could not see the complete work. His third and fourth wife completed the work. Today daily workship is continued, and Jhulan, Janmastami, Rash and Dolyatra are also grandly celebrated here.
Henry Martin's Pagoda/Bhanga Mandir
Age: ~443 years
I came to know about this structure via RJ Deep's post on it (Link). It was the actual temple of Radha Ballav which was made by Rudraram in 1577. It was abandoned due to land erosion by the river, and now the idol is being worshipped at the present temple. The temple was once decorated with terracotta floral patterns, but now all are gone with the time.
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| Before Restoration (source: internet) |
Interestingly it is one of the oldest architecture in the Hooghly district, that was turned to be a Church by Henry Martin who came to India in 1806 to “burn out for God”. Many started calling it as Henry Martin's Pagoda. There was Aldeen House nearby, which was owned by Rev. David Brown (bought in 1803). Martin made the Pagoda quite habitable to turn it into the favorite meeting ground for the missionaries of the area. One wedding ceremony was conducted here. And surprisingly there was no protest from the local Hindu community.
However it was abandoned again, when David died in 1812, and Martin went to Kanpur and actual churches are being built. In 1845 it was used as “Pagoda Rum Distillery”. In 1852 the surrounding area was taken over by Howrah Waterworks and both Aldeen House and Henry Martin's Pagoda were left abandoned. Both were in pathetic condition with trees covering the roofs. Locals used to call it as Bhanga Mandir/Broken Temple.
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| Henry Martin's Pagoda in December 2023 |
Finding this place on Google Maps is easy, but finding the route while you are on the ground is not easy. You have to go through a small jungle, though the beaten path is easily founded from the back of the Jolkal.
There is another way to reach Henry Martin's Pagoda. You have to come to Dey Ghat, there is gate nearby to enter Jolkol area. Inside you would meet three old buildings of British period. From there you have to go through the ponds to reach the Pagoda.
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| জল পেরিয়ে যেতে হবে.... |
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| The left-sided tree is a Syaora Gach (শ্যাওড়া গাছ) which is believed to be infested with ghosts in popular Bengali literature. |
While going to the Pagoda, you will find a deserted house on the left, crossing the square tanks - that's Aldeen House where the seeds of modern education in Bengal were sown under the tutelage of William Carey. While Henry Martin's Pagoda is restored (though in a very rough way), Aldeen House is in ruins, neglected, covered with trees with walls and roofs cracked by meandering of the roots.
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| Aldeen House in ruins |
Aldeen House had been a centre of learning where a 37-strong batch of mostly European students learnt Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, astronomy, geology and botany since July 25, 1818. They were the first students of Serampore College, which shifted to its current campus in 1821. The property was initially bought by Rev. David Brown as I mentioned earlier. He was a chaplain of the East India Company who founded the Calcutta Bible Society. I did not find any document/post referring to the origin of the building’s name.
This is the end of Mahesh & surrounding. In the Part 2 we will see more interesting places of Serampore.
Part 3 of the Heritage Walk through Serampore
Part 4 : Seoraphuli
In case you are amazed, and want to take a tour of Serampore, you can make it by toto or auto (though auto is more comfortable). We took a reserved auto tour by Rudra Ghosh (98748 72738).
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