HOWRAH station building - perhaps the largest Rly. Station building in India
Click on the image to view what it would be like. Howrah Station area,  our "DREAM HOWRAH"


To Know more about Howrah Station please read  extracts from the "Vibrant Edifice" published during centenary celebration of Howrah Station

HISTORY  
 When East Indian Railway was first started, a ticket counter was opened at Armenian ghat (on the eastern bank of river Hooghly opposite Howrah station). Passengers used to buy tickets from this counter and a steamer of railway company used to transport the passengers to and from Howrah Station. The Station with a line and two platforms was situated to the south of the present building somewhere near the DRM's office. The space of the present building was occupied by an orphanage and a church run by the Roman Catholics. Later the orphanage was shifted to Calcutta and construction of Howrah station building was started in 1901. It was completed in 1906

 

 Howrah in 1930s  Courtesy 
John Lacey(au)

Howrah Station new building in 1928

The passenger concourse in 1943

1944 - Pilgrims from
north india waiting for
connecting train

1905 Immediately
after construction
 of the new building

Howrah Stn. 2005
As the edifice
looks like now.
 

 

 Howrah Station has been divided into two parts. The old Station has Platform nos. 1 to 15 split by a cab road between Platform nos. 8 and 9. Platforms 18 to 21 are new addition for arrival and departure of trains for South Eastern Railway.  

           The oldest in Eastern Railway Howrah Division connects Calcutta with other parts of India through  Railway traffic system. One can proceed to almost all the state capitals from here. Major long distance  passenger trains, including those of S.E.Rly Rajdhani and Shatabdi Expresses are run from here. It also serves the purpose of en-route diversion link for trains of other Railways. This division provides  services to Thermal Power Stations, Automobile, Tyre, Iron & Steel Products and Explosive Industries.

SHEDS

Howrah division with a track kilometre of 1269 Km (including 945 electrified) has the following sheds for maintenance of assets.

Diesel Loco shed at Bardhamaan -    75 locos
Diesel Loco shed at Bmangachi    -    65 locos 
Electric Shed at Howrah                -    25
EMU car shed at Howrah               -    9X40, 10X10
EMU Car shed at Bandel                -
Coaching maintenance shed at Tikiapara - This is one of the biggest coach maintenance depot of IR holding fluctuates between 1700 to 2000 coahes

 
Heritage Loco RAJNANDINI at Howrah Station

Belur Math

The headquarters of the World famous   Ramakrishna  Mission set up by Swami Vivekananda

Nabadwip Dham 

      A Vaishnab Pilgrim spot and birth place of Sri Chitanya. Famous for several old temples. Nabadwip is located in at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Jalangi rivers. It is the birth place of Lord Chaitanya, the founder of Vaisnava sect. Nabadwip is called the     Varanasi of Bengal . It's one of the most important pilgrimage centers for the Hindus and famous for its sanctity. This place served as the capital of the ancient Bengal during the reign of the Sena's. It is the center for the traditional Sanskrit schools. According to the Municipality record, there are 186 temples at Nabadwip. Located in Bandel-Katwa section. Mayapur  Located on the bank of Bhagirathi river opposite to Nabadwip Dham is famous for Headquarters of ISKON.


Shantiniketan



Famous for the ViswaBharati University set up by Rabindra Nath Tagore.Shantiniketan means abode of peace. In 1863, a meditation center was founded at Shantiniketan by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, the father of the world famous bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore established the Brahmo Vidyalaya and in 1901 another open-air laboratory school. In 1921, it had expanded into Visva-Bharati University. Visva-Bharati is a residential university with International body, hostels and extensive grounds. It includes separate colleges for fine arts and crafts, dance, music, teachers training, Asian Languages, technology, post graduate studies and research. "Rabindra-Sadhana" is the university's museum and the center for the study of Tagore. There is another institution for rural reconstruction, health, social welfare, and the revival of the folk arts at Sriniketan , which is very close to Shantiniketan. This institution also founded by Tagore in 1922. Located on the Sahibganj loop.


Tarakeswar

Hindu Temple Famous for the Shiva Temple located on Sheoraphuli-Tarakeswar branch. Thousands of devotees run with sacred water from the Ganges to pour over the Lord Shiva

  
Bandel

The Bandel Church as popularly known for its heritage being the oldest  church outside Kolkata. Its calm and scenic atmosphere attract many visitors through out the year particularly during Christmas


Shrirampur
&
Chandannagar

Srirampur(Serampore)
 Danish colony founded in 1616 called Fredricknagore First Bengali press established by William Carey in 1779. First Bengali newspaper Samachar Darpan. Museum of priceless collections of Bibles in 40 Asian languages. Mahesh – famous for Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath.
Shrirampur college founded in 1818.
 

Chandannagar
French colony founded by Bon Deland
Patalbari – inspired Rabindranath Tagore to compose many poems
Greatest attraction – Jagaddhatri Puja with massive images and decoration with electric light.without the help of any modern gadget.
Duplex college established by the French – the language still studied here

Bardhamaan 

A very important place in Bengal. The district is said to be the granary of Bengal. Important Business centre.

 Places to visit 
              1. Shivalinga known as Bardhamaneswar  of Sen Dynasty. 
              2. Devi Sarbamangala Temple, 108 shiva temple at one place.
              3. Siddhapith of Kamalakanta .
              4. Bardhamaan University.
              5. Tara Bag and Deer Park.
              6. Tombs of Sher - Afgan  and Kutubuddin Ibaq.
              7. This place is famous for sweets "Mihidaana" and "Sitabhog",  but please go inside the
                  town to get real stuff.

Here are two rare pictures of Howrah Station. Click to view larger image


Note in the left picture the Pontoon Bridge on the right. The structure of the building has not changed.


This is probably the first Howrah Station (1855) building, instead of the "tin-roofed " bldg. as believed.



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