History of Howrah Bridge, Kolkata

History

of

Howrah Bridge

Click on thumbnails for full sized pictures

Photo Gallery

Click on thumbnails for full sized pictures

Hooghly River	Howrah Bridge (Old)
Howrah Bridge (Old)	Old Port
Old Court House	River Bathing Ghat
Shipping at Hooghly 1905	Writers Building
The first railway train on the East Indian Railway	Calcutta in 1850
Calcutta (1852)	Fairlie Place Old
Howrah Bridge (Old)	Hooghly Bathing
Fort William	Kalighat Temple

A Flashback: The Seamless Bonds of Time
The end of the 17th Century Kolkata witnessed the gradual emergence of the city of Kolkata brought about by the merger of three villages - Kolkata, Sutanati & Gobindapur,on the eastern bank of the river Hooghly, the other name of River 'Ganga'. On the western bank, Howrah came up as a bustling site of commerce.

The twin cities of Calcutta (re-named as Kolkata in the year 2001), and Howrah , were separated by the River Hooghly, and shared a common historical linkage towards the eventual construction of the Rabindra Setu, more commonly known as Howrah bridge. While Kolkata, from a small sleeping hamlet of artisans and mercantile community eventually developed , as a commercial hub of a modern metropolitan city , Howrah (virtually the store house of raw material resources) became its industrial satellite.

Kolkata was declared the capital of India by the British and remained so till 1911. The railway station at Howrah set up in the year 1906 and the bridge (later popularly known as Howrah Bridge) thus served as the logistic link with the country's one of the oldest metropolies, Kolkata. The Legislative department of the then Government of Bengal passed the Howrah Bridge Act, in the year 1871, under the Bengal Act IX of 1871.

Sir Bradford Leslie's famous floating pontoon bridge, the earlier avatar of the modern Howrah Bridge, was initially set up   in 1874, almost coinciding with the establishment of the port of Calcutta in 1870 (www.kolkataporttrust.gov.in).

For the convenient plying of passenger and vehicular traffic, the pool was connected as a whole. However, this was unfastened everyday, particularly during the night for safe passage of steamers, boats and other marine vehicles. From 19th August, 1879, the bridge was illuminated by fixing electric poles at the centre.This was done by using the electricity rendered from the dynamo at the Mallick GhatPumping Station. The Bridge was then 1528 ft. long and 62 ft. wide. On both sideswere pavements 7 ft. wide for the sake of pedestrians. The 48 ft. road in between,was for plying of traffic."

The emergence of Kolkata as the political capital of the nation and expanding volume of merchandise routed through the port of Kolkata had a synergistic effect on the commercial importance of the bridge.  The location of the initial pontoon bridge, was around 100 yards down-stream of the present Howrah Bridge (renamed as Rabindra Setu in the year 1965) after Rabindranath Tagore, the philosopher - bard and one of the most important nineteenth century renaissance personalities to leave a lasting impression on modern India.

The Early Initiatives 
The newly appointed Port Commissioners in 1871 were also appointed Bridge Commissioners and were enjoined to take charge of the structure . The Commissioners took over the management of the Howrah Bridge in February, 1875. Since the early part of the 20th Century, the bridge showed signs of duress for catering to the increased traffic load. The Commissioners of Port of Calcutta instituted a Committee under the convenorship of Mr. John Scott, the then Chief Engineer of the Port. The other members included Mr. R.S. Highet, Chief Engineer, East Indian Railway and Mr. W.B. MacCabe Chief Engineer, Calcutta Corporation. 

The telling observations made by the Committee make a fascinating reading even today. The committee observed that "bullock carts formed the eight - thirteenths of the vehicular traffic (as observed on 27th of August 1906, the heaviest day's traffic observed in the port of Commissioners" 16 day's Census of the vehicular traffic across the existing bridge). The road way on the existing bridge is 48 feet wide except at the shore spans where it is only 43 feet in road ways, each 21 feet 6 inches wide. The roadway on the new bridge would be wide enough to take at least two lines of vehicular traffic and one line of trams in each direction and two roadways each 30 feet wide, giving a total width of 60 feet of road way which are quite sufficient for this purpose.................... The traffic across the existing floating bridge Calcutta & Howrah is very heavy and it is obvious if the new bridge is to be on the same site as the existing bridge, then unless a temporary bridge is provided, there will be serious interruptions to the traffic while existing bridge is being moved to one side to allow the new bridge to be erected on the same site as the present bridge".

(Source : Adapted from the Resolution adopted by the Commissioner's of Port of Calcutta).

The Options at Hand 
The committee explored six major options viz:-

a) Large ferry steamers capable of taking vehicular traffic (One time set up cost Rs. 29 lakhs, annual cost: Rs. 4.37 lakhs).

b) A transporters bridge [One time set up cost Rs. 20 lakhs]

c) A tunnel [one time set up cost Rs. 3382.58 lakhs, annual cost: Rs. 17.79 lakhs]
d) A bridge on piers (One time setup cost: Rs. 225 lakhs)

e) A floating bridge (One time cost: Rs. 21.40 lakhs; annual maintenance cost: Rs. 2 lakhs).
f) An arched bridge (Cost to be ascertained).

The committee, after considering the financial aspects and traffic potential, zeroed in on installation of some form or other of a floating bridge. It decided to call for tenders from 23 firms for design and construction of the new bridge. A prize of money £ 3,000 (Rs. 45,000, at the then exchange rate) was earmarked for the firm whose design would be accepted.

The Aborted Attempt 
The construction of the bridge, in spite of an early and well meaning effort, had to be postponed because of outbreak of the First World War (1914 - 1919 ). The bridge was partially renewed in the years 1917 and 1927.

The Renewed Efforts: Small Steps Towards the Final Grail

1921 : A committee of Engineers, named the 'Mukherjee Committee', was formed, comprising Sir R.N. Mukherjee, Industrialist, Sir Clement Hindley, Chairman of Calcutta Port Trust and Mr. J. McGlashan, Chief Engineer.

1921 : The matter regarding construction of the bridge on piers was referred to Sir Basil Mott, an expert. He proposed construction of single span arched bridge.

1922 : (New) Howrah Bridge Commissioners to the Government of Bengal was set up. Mukherjee Committee submitted its report.

1926 : New Howrah Bridge Act. passed. The Commissioners for the Port of Calcutta, for the time being, were made the Commisioners for the new bridge

1929: M/s. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton submitted their report and alternative estimates for a cantilever and a floating bridge were drawn up.

1930 : A committee (Goode Committee) comprising Mr. S.W. Goode, C.I.E, I.C.S., as President, Mr. S.N. Mallick, C.I.E. and Mr. W.H. Thompson, M.L.C. was constituted to investigate and report on the advisability of constructing a pier bridge between Calcutta and Howrah.

1930: Report submitted by the officiating Chief Engineer to the Chairman, Calcutta Port Commissioners. He recommended that M/s. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton be asked to consider the construction of a 'Suspension' bridge and attached the plan of a suggested type of suspension bridge prepared by Mr. Walton, Chief Draftsman. 

1935: New Howrah Bridge Act. amended

The Renewed Start

M/s. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton submitted their report including the design and drawing of the bridge. The construction of the bridge was awarded to a British firm viz. Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company Ltd. on the basis of a global tender invited during 1934-35. The construction of the new bridge commenced in 1936 under the supervision of the Howrah Bridge Commissioners under the aegis of the then Commissioners of the port of Calcutta.

The Impending War Clouds
The Second World War was looming large and the bridge was constructed under the tense and formidable war pressures. It was completed in 1942 and opened to public in February 1943.

The Final Deliverance : The New Structural Wonder

The new Howrah Bridge, the fourth cantilever bridge in the world, was commissioned (under the aegis of the then commissioners of the Port of Calcutta) in February 1943. It consumed 26,500 tons of steel and was constructed at an approximate cost of Rs. 250 lakhs. No incidents of major casualty were reported during the construction phase of the bridge.

Brief Technical Parameters of the Bridge
Rabindra Setu is a suspension type balanced cantilever bridge with central span1500 ft. between centers of main towers. The Anchor arms are 325ft. and the Cantilever arms are 468 ft. long at both ends. While the middle suspended span is 564 ft., main towers are 280 ft. high above the monoliths and 76 ft. apart at the top Bridge deck width is 71 ft. with two footpaths of 15 ft. on either side.
All members of the super structure comprise built-up reverted sections with a combination of high tensile and mild steel. Between towers, bridge deck hangs from panel points in the lower chord of the main trusses with a series of hangers (39 pairs). Roadway beyond the towers is supported on ground leaving anchor arm free from deck loads. Bridge deck comprises 71 ft. carriageway and 15 ft. footway, projecting either side of the trusses and braced by longitudinal facia girder.

Maintenance & Repair : Living up to Future Expectations.
Since inception, Kolkata Port Trust is the custodian of the bridge, responsible for carrying out elaborate maintenance and repair works needed for refurbishment/restoration of distressed components etc. All these years, it has withstood the unprecedented changes in the mode of transportation and traffic density and silently borne the ravages of time. Yet it has successfully stood the test, remaining as functional and reliable as ever.

The City of Joy and the Rabindra Setu : A Saga of Shared History
The New Howrah Bridge, which in itself is a structural marvel, and considered one of the wonders of the world is of immense heritage value. True  to Joseph Jonhert's observation, " The monuments are the grappling irons that bind one generation to another ".  It has been binding different generations of people crossing the bridge  and has stoically borne the weight of nearly a lakh of vehicles and innumerable pedestrians crossing it daily, thus registering itself as one of the busiest bridges in the world. For more than sixty years now, it has come to be recognised as the living symbol of the city of Kolkata, sharing a totemic relationship with its growth and evolution. It has become the 'Gateway of Kolkata', the veritable 'city of joy'.   The city of Kolkata with a strong socio-cultural and historical moorings is but a fitting citadel to cradle this technological marvel for present & future generations, including engineers, architects, city planners & other professionals from diverse walks of life to marvel and appreciate this superb work of craftsmanship. The city, justly sharing the epithet of 'Cultural' capital of the country, apart from  nurturing the flame of the eighteenth century renaissance in the whole country, has provided the  intellectual stimulation for such savants from the scientific, literacy & cultural circuits viz. Acharya Satyendranath Bose, Acharya Suniti Kumar Chattopadhyay, Satyajit Roy etal who had trodden the world stage as colossuses.

The city is directly associated with the life and works of Nobel laureates viz. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore (1913), Dr. C.V. Raman (1930),  Mother Teresa (1979) and Prof. Dr. Amartya Sen (1998).
The city has the oldest major port of India (Port of Calcutta - 1870) and the first underground railways in 1984 apart from housing the largest library (The National Library) and Museum (The Indian Museum etc.)

The Re-Christening:
The New Howrah Bridge was re-christened as the Rabindra Setu in the year 1965, in the honour of the country's first Nobel laureate Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore. The city of Calcutta was renamed as 'Kolkata' in the year 2001.
 

The Twins:
With the phenomenal increase in city traffic and to partially release the pressures of the Rabinda Setu,  the largest cable stayed bridge (in Asia) over the River Hooghly was constructed  by a consortium of Indian P.S.U. and private firm under the consultancy of S&P Germany & FFP of UK. The Bridge was commissioned in the year 1992 under the aegis of Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners. This bridge was christened "Vidya Sagar Setu", after the country's greatest educationist-reformer and freedom fighter, Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar.

Bridge Details

Brief Details

• Bridge type : Suspension type Balanced Cantilever
• Central span 1500 ft between centers of main towers
• Anchor arm 325ft each
• Cantilever arm 468ft each
• Suspended span 564ft
• Main towers are 280ft high above the monoliths and 76 ft apart at the top
• Bridge deck width 71 ft with two footpaths of 15 ft either side

Other features of the Bridge

• All members of the super structure comprise built up riveted sections with a combination of high tensile and mild steel
• Between towers bridge deck hangs from panel points in the lower chord of the main trusses with a series of hungers(39 pairs)
• Road way beyond the tower is supported on ground leaving anchor arm free from deck loads
• Bridge deck comprises 71 ft carriage way and 15 ft footway projecting either side of the trusses and braced by a longitudinal fascia girder.

More about the Bridge

• The deck system consists of cross girders hung between pairs of hungers  with pinned connection.
• Six rows of longitudinal stringer girders  span between cross girder.
• Floor joists supported transversely on top of stringers.
• They support a continuous pressed steel troughing system.
• Over which deck concrete is laid out.

Joint System of Bridge (Expansion Joints)

• Longitudinal expansion and lateral sway movement of the deck are taken care of by expansion and articulation joints.
• There are two main expansion joints, one at each interface between the suspended span and the cantilever arms.
• There are expansion joints at the towers and at the interface of steel and concrete structures at both approach.

Articulation Joints

• There are total 8 articulation joints.
• 3 at each of the cantilever arms.
• 2 in the suspended portions.
• They divide the bridge into segments with vertical pin connection between them to facilitate rotational movements of the deck.

Camber and Traffic clearance

• Bridge deck has longitudinal ruling gradient of 1 in 40 from either end
• They are joined by a vertical curve of radius 4000 ft.
• Cross gradient of deck is 1 in 48 between kerbs and central 4.9mtr. is level to provide tramway housing channel in between troughing.

Foundation

• The main tower is founded with single monoliths which are 55.31 x 24.8 m in plan with 21 chambers
• Monoliths at Calcutta and Howrah side are founded 31.41 m and 26.53 m in below ground level respectively.
• Minimum headroom in carriageway is 5.8 m
• Freeboard for river traffic is 8.8 m

• Present Status of the Bridge
  
  

  • Bridge is open to traffic round the clock except for goods vehicles, Inter- State transport buses and All India Tourist buses (only Three- -Wheeler-Goods vehicles are allowed at night)

  • Special repairs and restoration of bearings in the under-structures  have been completed

  • Mechanised trolleys installed under the Bridge are used for routine inspection.

  • Thorough painting of the bridge was completed in June 2005.

  • Total renewal of mastic asphalt topping of bridge was completed in December 2006.

  • Bank protection scheme around Tower Monoliths is being finalised.

  • Decorative Illumination of the Bridge Structure was inaugurated in 23.11.2006 and is operated daily.

  • Close Circuit T.V is being installed in the Deck level and under structure of the Bridge to monitor the traffic at the deck level and along the river.

Bridge Maintenance

A New Coat of Paint for the Bridge KoPT started painting of Rabindra Setu in December 2004.  Painting was completed in June 2005 More than 26500 liter of Aluminum paint was required to cover 23500 ton steel with a surface area of 22lakh sq. mt.        Click images for larger pictures (Hit BACK Button of your browser to come back to this page) The damage caused to the under-structure of the bridge occurred due to the entanglement of vessel M. V. Moni has been restored. Transformer building had been constructed to house HT transformers, LT panels and controlling panels to operate Decorative Illumination of Rabindra Setu. The expansion and articulation joints at deck level are being inspected and the defective elastomeric slab seal type joint pads are being replaced. The work will be completed by December 2008. As a sequel to the condition survey done in 1983, thorough Investigation of Rabindra Setu including detailed Design Audit will be taken up shortly.       Bridge Maintenance till 1983  ·         Thorough painting (once in 5/6 years) ·         Patch painting as and when needed ·         Emergency repairs to dislocated joint  covers and railings Survey Work in 1983 ·         In 1983 M/s Rail India Technical & Economics Services Ltd (RITES) were assigned the work of condition survey of the bridge. ·         They had associated  M/s Rendel Palmer & Tritton Ltd., the original bridge designer, and Central Road Research Institute and Consulting Engineering Services Scope of Survey §         Detection of major defects and damages and assessment of the condition of the paints §         Verification of geometry and distortions structure (if any), condition of road surfacing §         Assessment of stress level under present day traffic. §         Assessment of traffic density §         Scope for restoration of distressed components §         Formulation of maintenance procedure §         Ascertainment of ground movement, settlement characteristic of foundation Major Findings   . ·         Corrosion is the main cause of damage Corrosion initiated by adverse atmospheric condition ·         Aggravated by human and vegetable waste                                                                                                                                                        Bridge Parts  which Suffered the Most ·         Tower base and adjoining structure ·         Hanger bracing ·         Fascia Girders ·         Junction of hunger and cross girders, sliding bearing assembly and stringer nose ·         Plates holding pin at articulation joint ·         Horizontal members of super structure (e.g Gussets and batten plates) . . Monolith Chamber Other Observations ·         Stress level at different portions are safe ·         Settlement of monolith has reached steady state and differential settlement is negligible ·         Magnitude of tilting is also very low ·         Mechanical  components (e.g. Pins, locating , gears etc) show no abnormality ·         Further study about scouring near foundation was recommended Open Hangerhood Rehabilitation Programme Following jobs were mainly undertaken during restoration process Restoration of corroded stringer nose with bearing assembly Replacement of old defunct joint system and articulation pins Restoration of super structure members Restoration of hanger bracing and hanger Restoration of fascia girder including C.I. railing posts Restoration of damaged structural around tower Restored Hanger Restoration of Sliding Bearing  Assembly with Portion of Stringer Nose and Brackets   The work of restoring stringer –cross girder sliding arrangement keeping the bridge under full traffic  was really challenging. Due to corrosion the sliding movement of  stringers have ceased to take place, which in turn could result in generation of  secondary stresses. Around the Bridge Click on thumbnails for full sized pictures Kolkata Port Trust (Head Office) Kolkata Port is India's only riverine port with two dock systems - Kolkata Dock System at Kolkata with the oil wharves at Baj Baj, Anchorages at Diamond Harbour, Kulpi, Sagar and Sandheads and a deep water dock system at Haldia Dock Complex, Haldia  . It has the most sophisticated port facilities with extensive storage facility for diverse cargo. (www.portofcalcutta.com) Raj Bhavan The Governor's residence, is the finest example of Georgian architecture in India. It was the official residence of the British Governors during the pre independence period. The Throne Room contains Tipu Sultan's throne and its ballroom has the finest polished dance floor in India. Writers Building Built in the year 1780, Writers' Buildings, a major landmark in Kolkata, is famous for its Corinthian facade. Originally built as a residence for the British East India Company's clerical and administrative staff, it today houses the main state secretariat. The tall columns, the corridors flanked by ornate arches and the pavilions that grace the center, exhibit the best of colonial architecture.  Howrah Railway Station The Howrah Railway Station set up in 1906, is one of the largest in the world with rail connections dispersing to all major Indian cities and towns. Howrah Station also serves as an important terminus for the suburban railway services of the Eastern and theSouth Eastern Railway. Belur Math Located on the west bank of the river Hooghly 6 kms from Howrah Bridge and sprawling over several acres of land, it is the headquarters of the famous Ramkrishna Math and Mission.   Set up in 1899 by Swami Vivekananda, it is a holy pilgrimage for multitudes of devotees, thronging from various corners of the globe. The Ramakrishna mission runs among other things, an art college, an industrial school and charitable dispensary. Botanical Gardens The extensive Botanical Gardens, along the westen bank of the Hooghly river, stretches  1 km along the river and occupy 109 hectares. The gardens were originally founded in 1786 and administered by Colonel Kyd. It was from these gardens that the tea now grown in Assam and Darjeeling, were first developed. Trees of the rarest kinds, from Nepal, Brazil, Penang, Java and Sumatra can be found here. There are towering mahogany trees, an avenue of Cuban Palms and an Orchid House. Mango and Tamarind trees provide a cool canopy to the grassy lawns.   The main attraction of the garden is the 200 plus year old Banyan Tree, claimed to have the second largest canopy in the world. It is the world's largest, having a circumference of 330m. Victoria Memorial Victoria Memorial, built with white-marble, in memory of Queen Victoria between 1906 and 1921 is one of the structures that the city can justifiably boast of. This now serves as a museum of memorabilia of the days of British Raj. The memorabilia includes portraits, statues and murals of almost all the main events and participants of British India.   Prinsep Ghat James Prinsep was a renowned researcher in field of meteorology, chemistry, Indian scriptures, numismatics, archaeology, mineral resources etc. He carried out the famous research of deciphering the doctrines of Emperor Ashoka, from the inscriptions in rocks and boulders. Prinsep Ghat named after him was constructed in 1843. The princes and the royal emissaries who came to Calcutta after Lord Attenborough, used the Prinsep Ghat to arrive and board ships. Eden Gardens   The garden, along the bank of Hooghly river, is a place of attraction for nature lovers of the city.Eden Gardens, named after the sister of Lord Auckland, the former governor general, was developed in 1840 . The name of the garden is, however, associated with the international  cricket stadium with a capacity of more than a lakh spectators. The stadium is located alongside the garden. The idea was to make a Biblical - style garden of Eden in India. Millennium Park The Park is situated on the banks of the river Hooghly. This has been developed by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority on the land belonging to Kolkata Port Trust in an endeavour to promote tourism and to beautify the riverfront. The park has been a major attraction of the city and draws thousands of visitors round the year. Shahid Minar The City of Calcutta dedicated this 165 ft. High monument in honour of  the freedom fighters of India. This was erected by public subscription in 1828, to honour Sir David Octerlony, a one- time resident of Malwa & Rajputana. This monument, renamed as 'Saheed Minar' is an important landmark in Kolkata. Tagore House ( Jorasanko Thakurbari) The Tagore House is the ancestral abode of the Tagores,  a museum of world acclaim and a centre for promotion of Indian dance, drama, music and other arts. This is the birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore, India's greatest poet, and  also the place where he breathed his last. It's just off Rabindra Sarani, North of BBD Bag. The adjoining place also houses the Rabindra Bharati University. Vidyasagar Setu  Vidyasagar Setu, the look alike of Golden Gate Bridge, 2kms downriver was completed in 1992. It is a modern day engineering marvel and one of the largest cable stayed bridges in Asia. The bridge connects the twin cities of Calcutta and Howrah. Birla Planetarium  The planetarium   is one of the largest in the world and is located at the inter-junction of Jawaharlal Nehru Road/ Cathedral  Road.  The daily  stellar and cosmic shows are a huge attraction and a source of educational entertainment for all. Set amidst trees and lawns, here one finds science out of doors and alive Science City    It is located on Calcutta's Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. This 21st century marvel of science, communication and environment is the first and only institution of its kind in India.The pioneering effort of National Council of Science Museums (NSCM), in setting up open air Science Parks has now added a new dimension to science learning through an interactiveprocess of simulation and discovery. With financial and material contribution from Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), a new Maritime Centre was setup, with a ship-shape look and housing artifacts, murals, dioramas etc., chronicling the world and Indian maritime culture and evolution. The centre was thrown open to public on the occasion of KoPT's 133rd Anniversary on  17th  October, 2003. Indian Museum  This museum was established in 1878. The museum, considered as the largest museum in the country, is built in Italian architectural style. The entire collections are housed in six different  sections: Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Industry. From the Egyptian mummy to the skeleton of the whale and some rare statues, it is a virtual treasure trove for all, the initiated and the sundry.  One of the rooms has a collection of meteorites. The museum also has a unique fossil collection of prehistoric animals which includes a giant crocodile and a huge tortoise. The art collection has many fineries from Orissa and other temples with superb works of Buddhist, Chola and Gandharan art. Zoological Gardens Calcutta's zoo, the oldest in India and set up over a sprawling area, was the creation of Sir Richard Carnac Temple,  the then Governor of Bengal from 1874 to 1877. It was opened on Jan 1st 1876, by the Prince of Wales. The 16 hectare ground houses a wide species of animals & birds including the rare white Bengal Tiger. There is a separate reptile house and a children's zoo. Migratory birds, even from Siberia, find  a safe roosting place  in the zoo every winter. The aquarium in front of the Zoological Gardens contains sea-fishes of exquisitevarieties. Rabindra Sadan   Situated on the southeast corner of the Maidan, the Rabindra Sadan is the seat ofOriental - culture where every evening, drama cultural programmes & exhibitions are held to regale the culture conscious citizens of the city. Birla Mandir Located on Ashotosh Chowdhury Avenue near Ballygunj Phari, it is one of  the latest additions to the places of visit in Calcutta. Built over twenty- two years of painstaking labour, it is an all marble structure with very high quality Rajasthani engravings.   Kalighat Temple Despite the influences of globalization  and cosmopolitanism in the commercially bustling city of Calcutta, the Kalighat temple continues to attract devotees from all over the world. References of this temple are found in Biprodas Pipalai's Manasa Mongal (1545), Mukundaram Chakraborty's Chandikabya (1577-1592) and even in Ganga Bhakti Tarangini (1740 AD) .Later, the temple received ample patronage from ancestors of Sravarna Chowdhury  of Barisha , and other wealthy gentry viz. the Rajas & Zamindars of Sovabazar, Hatkhola, Paikpara & so on. It is an important tourist land mark of the city and frequented by scores of pilgrims from the country & abroad. Kali Temple of Dakshineswar The temple complex , built in the western bank of river Hooghly between 1847 & 1855 under the spiritual mission of Rani Rashmoni is an important religious seat where pilgrims from different corner of the globe congregate, in search of peace and salvation. It has as its centre piece, a shrine of the goddess Kali and temples dedicated to other  deities viz. Shiva & Radha-Krishna . The temple also have intimate association with the life and spiritual pursuits of Paramhansha Shree Ramakrishna. Jain Temple   The Jain temple was built in 1867 by Ray Badridas Bahadur.  The Jains worship Pareshnath in this temple. Mahabodhi Society Maha Bodhi Society endeavours to initiate and sustain programs of action in conformity with the principles of Buddhism. Marble Palace This was built in the year 1835 by the Bengali Zamindar Raja Rajendra Nath Mullick in the city of Kolkata.  One can find a succession of large halls and marbles everywhere - of 90 different varieties. Nakhoda Mosque Nakhoda Mosque on Rabindra Sarani is the biggest Muslim Mosque in Kolkata.  St. Paul's Church The Church one of the wonderful buildings in the city of Kolkata  is first Episcopal Church of the Orient. Its Indo-Gothic architecture is credited to Major W.N. Forbes. The original Church, which was 61 meter high, was built in1847. After being destroyed due to earthquake the Church was rebuilt (24 meter high) as a replica of the Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral. Nicco Park Nicco Park, set up in line with the Disneyland, is situated at Salt Lake. This Amusement park has variety of  games and rides. Nalban A fishary run by local fishermen, a part of which has been converted into an amusement park. Nalban is especially dear to the nature lovers of the city because of visit by migratory and local birds in large numbers almost all through the year. Aquatica A huge water theme park near Nicco park that boosts of world class recreational facilities drawing number of visitors round the year.