Hooghly Imambara: grandeur of the yesteryears

An architectural masterpiece of the 19th century is the magnificent Hooghly Imbabara in the town of Hooghly situated in the state of West Bengal. Hooghly or Hooghly-Chinsura as it also known lies about 30 k from the metro city of Kolkata.   Built by Hazi Mohammad Mohsin between 1841 and 1861, this historical structure doubles up as a mosque as well as an imambara, the latter refers to a building or room usually used during the festivities of Muharram.

Consisting of two storeys with a clock tower at the entrance, the building is flanked by two large towers that are as tall as 80 feet.  Built predominantly in the Islamic stle of architecture, the walls have numerous inscriptions of texts from the Holy Quran.

Intricate patterns adorn the walls and the interiors are decorated richly with lanterns and marble.

There are steps inside the clock tower that take you to the top that offer some panoramic views of the Hoogly river and the Jubilee bridge.

Views from top

The courtyard in the center has a fountain and the whole structure is a symbol of the erstwhile glory of the Nawab era in Bengal.   Some parts of the building are however, dilapidated and in need of some repairs and restoration.

The heritage structure is once again a reminder of our rich cultural past and is definitely worth a visit if you are history buff.