CHANDANNAGAR, HOOGHL – 44 KMS. FROM KOLKATA

• Weekend Tour

Chandannagar, formerly spelled as Chandernagore is a Corporation city and former French colony located 35 kilometers (22 mi) north of Kolkata, in West Bengal, India. It is headquarters of a subdivision in Hooghly District. It is one of the 7 municipal corporations in West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. Located on the Hooghly River, the city has been able to maintain a separate identity different from all other cities and abide by her own characteristics. The total area is 19 square kilometers (7.3 sq mi), and had a population of 166,867 at the 2011 Census.

The name Chandannagar is possibly derived from the shape of the bank of the river Ganges which is bent like a half moon (in Bengali, Chand means moon and Nagar implies city). In some old documents the spelling of Chandannagar was Chandernagore which probably came from Chandra Nagar. To mention, Chandra is the Bengali of Moon. Others believe it might have been taken from the flourishing trade and business of sandal wood (Bengali:Chandan) at that time. One more reason behind the name is, in Chandernagore there is a temple of Goddess ‘Chandi’. So it might come from there. But earlier people knew the place by the name Farasdanga as it was a French colony (Bengali: Farasi means French, danga means land).

Nearby attractions:You can make a trip to the temple of Hanseshwari housing the deity of Goddess Kali, on the bank of the Ganges at Bansberia, located 25 km. from Chandannagar. The temple with a towering height of 90 feet and featuring 13 peaks was built with limestone brought from Chunar, near Allahabad. Each peak of the temple represents a blooming lotus bud. There is also a Ananta Basudeba temple and a Swanbhaba Kali temple built by Raja Nrisinhadeb Roy Mahasay in 1788 located nearby and Patal Bari or the underground house.

The clock of Bandel Imambara is another sightseeing interest for the tourists. This 100 years old antique clock made of solid brass features letters in Arabic and measures around 3 ton. The Bandel Imambara truly offers visual pleasure with its magnificent structure. The interior of the mosque is decked with several chandeliers, Iranian carpets and the teachings of Koran are inscribed on the wall. The Portugese Church in Bandel built in 1599 is also a must visit for tourists.

Best visit time: Though the climate of Chandannagar is similar to Kolkata, winter with pleasant climatic condition is the ideal time for visiting the place. Chandannagar is also famous for the five-day long Jagadhatri Puja which is held with tremendous fervor and pomp during November every year. You can visit Chandanagar during this time of the year too.