Trip to Howrah Bridge ( Rabindra Setu ) Kolkata
Image Credit: Ovjtphoto | wikimedia.org
I have cordial relationship with Howrah Bridge. My grand mother is behind this. She used to refer Howrah Bridge whenever someone desired to visit Calcutta. She very often said to the people, “ If you don’t visit Calcutta and don’t see the Howrah Bridge, it means you are still in your mother’s womb. ”
It was the year 1958 and I was a student of class IX and as such I was quite ignorant of so many things what speak of Calcutta and Howrah Bridge, but one important matter that drew my attention was the repentance of expression made by my grand mother particularly about the Howrah Bridge. To children like me she advised to see it in bioscope. My mother’s curiosity was multiplied to visit Calcutta with a view to seeing the Howrah Bridge as she heard saying about it. I assured my mother I would take her to Calcutta when I would become young and would earn money.
In school some notorious boys who had been to Calcutta and had seen the Howrah Bridge teased their colleagues by asking question , “ Mr.! how many pillars are there in the Howrah Bridge ? ”
Even the seniors not knowing the exact number, had to keep mum. After a few months a bioscopewala was heard shouting to see Howrah Bridge , Calcutta , Tajmahal, Agra , Qtub Minar , Delhi … so on. I called the bioscopewala who stopped and kept the bioscope from his head on the ground. We were five boys and peeped into the holes of the bioscope.
He started saying , “ Aagre ka Tajmahal dekho, Delhi ka Qutub Minar dekho, Calcutta ka Howrah Bridge dekho …( Look at the Tajmahal of Agra , look at the Qutu Minar of Delhi, look at the Howrah Bridge of Calcutta ) ”
To hear about the Howrah Bridge dekho I was so excited that I forgot to mark its pillars . I requested to show the bioscope once more. He said I would have to pay do paise more. I agreed to it . This time I was very alert and saw the Howrah Bridge attentively and noticed that it had ( has ) no pillar at all in it , rather it was hanging without pillars from one corner to the other.
Really unbelievable ! I came to know then as to why my grand mother used to emphasize to visit Calcutta and see the Howrah Bridge. I replied my classmates boldly that the Howrah Bridge has no pillar at all.
It was mere coincidence that the company ( PSU ) where I held the post of an executive granted Block LTC once in a four years anywhere in the country with family . I loved my mother most and always taking care of her wishes seriously. The moment I completed four years’ service, I applied for visiting Calcutta along with my family. My wife, my daughter, my son and my mother were with me. The very purpose of visiting Calcutta was to fulfill the desire of my mother and ours too to see the Howrah Bridge with our open eyes. When we were crossing the river Hooghly in a ferry ( A bigger motor boat ) , I asked my mother to look at the gigantic Howrah Bridge stretching from one corner to another connecting Howrah station to Calcutta ( Now Kolkata ) almost without pillars . My mother’s eyes at the first sight remained wide open in astonishment. My wife asked a question against many questions as to how that bridge stood up without pillars’ support. There must be strong support somewhere else to hold the bridge.
My son ( now he is a Sr. Architect in MNC ) said , “ Papa ! , look at both the ends, there is a strong support which holds the whole of the bridge. ”
It was really controlled from both ends strength. My daughter exclaimed with surprise, “ Papa ! How wonderful it is! , for the first time I am seeing such a gigantic hanging jhula without any underneath support. ”
So many queries the children made ,but at that time I could not reply.
After that I visited Calcutta many a time but not as a writer and journalist. It was 18th April 2014 when I had to visit Kolkata ( Calcutta was renamed as Kolkata ) along with my grand son and grand daughter on some urgent assignment. Once again we crossed the Hooghly river in a ferry. I showed them the Howrah Bridge . I wanted to know their opinion.
“Amazing! Wonderful construction! Unique of its kind in our country ” Nanaji! We will be free after lunch, so tell us in details about Howrah Bridge.
“OK, be ready and come to my room at 2PM.”
The boys were so curious that they came in time. We sat face to face that we could listen to each other better and could react if required. The bridge you have noticed for the first time in your life was merely an imagination – a dream as to how conveniently the busy traffic of that time could be controlled particularly the vehicles and the pedestrians from Howrah station to the different parts of Calcutta. It was the year 1859-60. For a few years the idea thought of earlier in 1859-60 was in dormant stage but not dead. The proposal was once again revived in 1868. Calcutta Port Trust was established in 1870. With a view to making the project a real one “ The Howrah Bridge Act 1871” was passed which was under Bengal Act IX 1871. Again amendment was made in the Act which is known as “ The Howrah Bridge (Amendment) Act 1935 ”. From the next year i.e. from 1936 the construction work was started in full swing . It took nearly 6 years for its completion. It was almost ready for opening in 1942 but due to certain reasons arising out of 2nd. World War , its opening was kept in abeyance.
“Nanaji !, then when was it opened for public ?” – asked Monika.
It was a memorable day in the history of West Bengal in particular and India in general that on the auspicious day of 3rd. February 1943 it was opened for public without any toll charges. When commissioned in 1943 it was reckoned the 3rd. longest cantilever Bridge (457 meters i.e. 1500 ft. ) in the world being behind such bridges in Canada namely Pont de Quebec ( 549 meters i. e. 1801 ft. ) and Forth Bridge ( 521 meters i.e. 1709 ft. ) in Scotland.
“Nanaji ! who dared first to pass through it?” – intervened Shubham.
The first passenger vehicle to use the Howrah Bridge was a solitary tram. At the beginning period the trams were running besides cars, trucks, horse and bullock carts and a large number of pedestrians to and from the Howrah station – a center of almost all the railways routes from the different parts of the country. It carries traffic taking into account its average daily traffic close to nearly 1.5 lac pedestrians and 1 lac vehicles. Its connection has not only facilitated the people but saved their money, time and energy also in going and coming from one corner to another i.e. from the Howrah station to Kolkata and vice versa. Tram transport at the minimal fare could be possible from the Howrah station to the different important business/trade places etc. of Kolkata i.e. Raj Bazar, Sealdah, High court, Dalhousie Square, Park Circus, Shyam Bazar and so on. But due to excessive load on the bridge – from 1993 the transportation of trams on the bridge was stopped for ever.
“Nanaji ! which river follows under the Howrah Bridge?”- said Monika. It is the Hooghly River. The total expenditure incurred on this project is 24,63,887 pound.
“How much would be in rupees?” – said Shubham. It is about 25 crore.
People coming from the different parts of the country as well as from abroad like to see the Howrah Bridge and enjoy its beauty even from the distant places particularly while in ferry or motor boats crossing the Hooghly River from one corner to the other. Wordless to describe its beauty while it is looked at from the middle of the river. Due to all such unique characteristics it has had within and outside of its superb construction, some of the good films were shooted – Howrah Bridge ( 1958 ), China Town ( 1962 ), Amar Prem ( 1971 ), Ram Teri Ganga Maili ( 1985 ), Barfi ( 2012 ) and very recent film Gunday ( 2014 ) – all Hindi films . In Bengali also some of the good films are Bari Theke Paliye ( 1958 ), Paras Pathar ( 1958 ), Neel Aakasher Neechey ( 1958 ), Calcutta 71. “Nanaji ! we are fortunate to see Barfi along with you when it was released in Fame in Dhanad. Isn’t it?” – asked Monika. Of course! When your mama recommended I took both of you to see this movie. Even today its craze in the heart and head ( दिलोदिमाग ) of the people has not decreased. Lacs and lacs of visitors come every day to Kolkata and do see it curiously. It has become an iconic landmark and a glorious symbol of Kolkata.
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Writer : Master Durga Prasad, B.Com., M.A.( Labor & Social Welfare ), M.A. ( Hindi – Part I ), PGD ( Journalism & Mass Communication ), PGD /M.A. ( Human Rights ), Diploma In Business Admn. , B. L. Courtesy : Wikipedia
18th. April 2014 , Esplanade ( Kolkata )
