IMAMBARA
AT
HOOGLY
It
is located in the hoogly district and state of west Bengal and it is a mosque
cum imambara. One of the biggest attractions of the area is undoubtedly the
huge Shia Imambara built by Haji Muhammud Moshin in late 19thcentury.
Imambara literally means the home of the Imams
who are the revered heads of the Shia Muslims and also denotes the assembly
hall for gathering during religious occasions like Muharram.
The Hooghly Imambara consists of many
attractive features including a mosque, a monument and the Ghorighor or the
clock tower. The mosque and the saraikhanas or inns for weary travelers were
built of Italian marble.
The
walls of the mosque are beautifully engraved with lines from the Holy Quran.
Stepping foot inside the mosque one is truck by the pretty chandeliers made of
delicate Belgian glass and stained glass windows that reflect the sunlight.
The
calligraphic inscriptions on the walls create an ambience of reverence and awe.
The Imambara has a madrassa as well where you can find dedicated young pupils
engaged in their studies of the Holy Quran. Haji Muhammud Moshin was a
philanthropist who donated money not only for the construction of the mosque
but also for a hospital and college.
The
mosque and the madrassa are not the only attractions. The Ghorighor or the
clock tower is located opposite the main building. The sundial and the huge
clock built by Black & Murray, London are magnificent to look at.
If you can climb up 152 stairs to reach the
top of the clock tower you will be amply rewarded by the view of three enormous
iron bells and a room full of intricate machinery. It is fascinating to watch
the technology.
The magnificent view of the Imambara
juxtaposed over a panoramic view of the river Ganga is simply from another
world.
The
walls are decorated with texts from Holy Koran and the interior is enriched
with marbles, candle and lanterns. The mosque is situated north of the building
and in the south there are graves of Mohammad Mohsin and his relatives.
By
Air
Nethaji
subash Chandra bose airport is an international one and excellent connectivity
to many places across the country.
By
Train
Hoogly
station is well connected to the city of Howrah as well.
By
Bus
Hoogly
district has good road connectivity and the transport options include buses,
trains and taxis.