The heat is killing you. A summer holiday evening. Or a cold, sunny afternoon in late December. You don't want to stay at home at all. You want to go somewhere with your loved one or alone, where in this busy city you will find many trees, gardens, beautiful architecture, the opportunity to watch the sunset on the Ganges, boat rides, as well as beautiful evening lighting, various tempting food stalls.
Then you will definitely go out, and if you want to visit such a place in Kolkata, that place is called Princep Ghat. Which has the dusty smell of history attached to it. But who is this James Princep? What is his relationship with the history of Kolkata? To find out, you have to go back.
The ghat was built in 1841 during the British era. Initially, all the British passenger ships used to ply at this ghat. The name of this ghat is almost on everyone's lips. Everyone knows the place. However, many Kolkatans may not know who the man associated with the ghat is, why such a large memorial monument is named after him.
James Prinsep gave new life to Indian archaeology. James Prinsep deciphered the inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka. When he deciphered Ashoka's long edicts in Brahmi script, no one knew anything special about Ashoka and ancient India.
The ancient coins had the king's name written in Greek and Brahmi script. Prinsep knew the Greek alphabet and was also proficient in Brahmi script. It was because of his hard work that people around the world came to know about Ashoka of Bihar, the powerful ruler of ancient India.
The same source also tells us about Gautama Buddha. His memorable contribution is recognized as a historical role in the rediscovery of the ancient history of India.
James Prinsep came to Chandpal Ghat from England at the age of just 20. He was appointed as an Assistant Assay Master at the Kolkata Mint. Then he was sent to Kashi to open a new mint. He returned to the Kolkata Mint as the Deputy 'Assey Master'.
He wrote a book called 'Views and Illustrations of Benares'. He edited a magazine called 'Gleanings of Science'. This magazine later became the mouthpiece of the Kolkata Asiatic Society. He was the editor of the Asiatic Society from 1832 to 1838.
Prinsep Ghat is not very old. There are many other ancient ghats in Kolkata. The ghat was built during the British era in memory of the orientalist James Prinsep, who deciphered the inscriptions of the famous emperor Ashoka, the ruler of ancient India.
The ghat's aesthetic and gigantic Palladian porch was designed by W. Fitzgerald. The ghat was built in 1841. The Vidyasagar Bridge connecting Kolkata and Howrah was built right next to this ghat.
Princep Ghat is located between the Water Gate of Fort William and St. George's Gate. In the early colonial period, Princep Ghat was used for the embarkation and disembarkation of all British passenger ships.
Princep Ghat is one of the most visited places in Kolkata. Many people come here on weekends. Many unspoken love stories are written in the history of this ghat.
There are also arrangements for food lovers. There are food shops on the road along the river. There is a forty-year-old ice cream and fast food center near the ghat. This center is quite popular among the youth. Many people go on boat trips on the river from here. The story of the couple's love is written on the chest of this ghat, holding their hands.
The two-kilometer stretch from Princep Ghat to Baje Kadamtala Ghat is beautifully decorated with lights, gardens, promenades, fountains along the riverbank, and the ghats in this part have also been renovated. A song scene from the Bollywood film 'Parineeta' was filmed at Princep Ghat. Romantic scenes from many Bengali films have also been shot here.
The year is 1773. Kolkata was the capital of British-ruled India at that time. The 'Governor General Supreme Council' and 'Supreme Court' of the British Parliament were established in this city. On October 19 of the following year, at 12 noon, a 'Sahebi Tari' arrived and stopped at a ghat a little south of Princep Ghat on the Ganges.
Let us recall that day 239 years ago—Sir Philip Francis, Lieutenant General Sir John Clavering and Colonel Monson, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sir Elijah Impey, and three Associate Justices John Hyde, Robert Chambers and Stephen Caesar Limester, were coming down one by one.
This riverside pier in Kolkata has found its place in the pages of history. Since then, all the great men, commanders, bishops and judges who have come to India have disembarked at this pier. From here, they have returned to their specific destinations by ship.
That Sahebi Tori is no more today. Even the sail-drawn boats no longer come to this pier. Along with the Sahebi Tori, cargo boats also used to come with fertilizer. The boatmen would pull their hooks and take a break under the shade of a tree—be it a banyan tree or a palm tree.
When they were hungry, they would buy food from the shops on the pier. Chandranath Pal was the owner of one such grocery store. That name became Chandpal in the people's mouth. It is said that the ghat was named after him.
At one time, this ghat was the main shipping pier of the city. Until the railways were opened during the British era, all the administrative heads or 'rajpurush' who came and went to Kolkata used to moor their ships at this pier. After the opening of Howrah Railway Station, the importance of this pier decreased. Even though ships no longer come here, regular ferry services operate from this pier.
If you look at history, you will see that although the name 'Chandpal Ghat' is mentioned on the map of 1774, it was not there in 1756.
Lovers and couples flock here, but you will see a lot of people walking around with cameras in their hands at Prinsep Ghat. Many want to be captivated by history and beauty.
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