HOOGHLY TOURISM | PLACES TO VISIT & TOUR PACKAGES
Heritage | Pilgrimage
About Hooghly
Country: India | State: West Bengal
#9 of 9 Places to visit in West Bengal
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Nearest City to Hooghly: Kolkata (50 Kms), Howrah (48 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Hooghly: October to February
Peak Season: November to January
At a distance of 20 km from Barrackpore, 48 km from Howrah, 50 km from Kolkata, 150 km from Haldia, 155 km from Kharagpur, 158 km from Midnapore, 177 km from Murshidabad, 469 km from Bhubaneshwar, 478 km from Tatanagar, 526 km from Puri, 531 km from Siliguri, and 589 km from Darjeeling, Hooghly is a historical city & district located in the Indian state of West Bengal. Also known as Hugli or Hooghly-Chuchura, it is one of the popular places of heritage in India and among the must include tourist destinations in West Bengal Tour Packages.
The town of Hooghly got its name from the famous river that flows through it. The name of the place is also spelt as Hugli & Hoogli. It shares its borders with Howrah in South, Bardhaman in North, River Hooghly flows in its East, and Medinipur in West. Between the 13th-15th centuries, the Hooghly town used to be an important sea route for the trade carried between India & other countries. Hooghly port was the place where the 1st cross-trade began between India & Portugal.
Dotted with several small but important towns, the district of Hooghly is among the few places in India that features remnant culture-based influences of several civilizations like Portuguese, Dutch and British. The Portuguese were the first to settle here in 1537 but were defeated by the Mughal armies in 1632. Hooghly was regarded as the first English settlement in Lower Bengal after the British East India Company set up a factory here in 1651. Later, it was abandoned in 1690 when the trade and commerce in the Bengal province shifted from the town of Hooghly to Calcutta. After the Battle of Buxar, this region was brought under direct British rule until India's Independence in 1947. After Independence, this district merged into the state of West Bengal.
Located within easy reach of Kolkata, the Hooghly district is dotted with places that can be explored on a day trip from Kolkata. From historical buildings to various religious centers and modern attractions, Hooghly offers several tourist attractions that attract a huge number of tourists every year. Hangseshwari Temple, Tarakeshwar Temple, Bandel Church, Hooghly Imambara, Chinsurah Dutch Cemetery, Antpur Radhagovindjiu Temple, Chandannagar Museum, etc., are some of the top places to visit in Hooghly. Apart from the historical places and monuments, delicious Bengali food is another promising feature of this town.
The people in Hooghly celebrate almost all the festivals with much pomp and excitement. The Jagadhatri Puja is one festival which is celebrated with full zeal in Chandannagar locality of Hooghly. This festival is celebrated after the Durga Puja and Kali Puja. Grand pandals are created and the goddess is carried out throughout the city. Other major festivals celebrated here are Durga Puja, Kali Puja, and Diwali. The city is lightened up making it look very beautiful.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata is the nearest airport which is about 53 km from Hooghly. It has well connected direct flights from Guwahati, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Agartala, Bhubaneswar, Dibrugarh, Goa, Bagdogra, Pune, Patna, Surat, and Jaipur. Hooghly Railway Station is the nearest railhead that has well-connected trains from Howrah, Bardhaman, Muzaffarpur, Rampur, and Bandel. Howrah Junction, about 50 km, is the nearest major railhead from where one can hire taxi, bus, or cab to reach Hooghly. There is a good network of roads that connects Hooghly to many nearby cities like Kolkata, Howrah, Muzaffarpur, Barrackpore, Haldia, Rampur, etc.
Ranging from budget to luxury, there are several accommodations available in Hooghly which helps the tourists to stay and explore the nearby places. Being proximity to Kolkata, one can also stay at Kolkata and explore Hooghly as a day trip.
October to February is the best season to visit Hooghly when the weather is pleasant a favorable for sightseeing. Summers are quite uncomfortable because of blistering heat and heavy rainfall is witnessed in monsoons. So, better to avoid visiting Hooghly during these seasons.
None