Spectacular Hooghly River: The Collision of Beauty and Spirituality
Devotee praying in the Hooghly River in front of the Vivekananda Setu.
I’ve had the good fortune to travel to India on numerous occasions. But it wasn’t until my most recent trip that I was able to explore Kolkata and the spectacular Hooghly River. What I discovered was spectacular, authentic and deeply moving.
Fundamental to life in Kolkata, the Hooghly River (also known as the Hugli River) is a distributary or channel of the holy Ganga or Ganges River. The Hooghly River showcases the human condition and the collision of beauty and spirituality that's so quintessential to an India travel experience.
Rising in the western Himalayas the might Ganges River splits into two branches when it enters West Bengal. The Padma River continues on through Bangladesh, till it reaches the Bay Of Bengal, while the other branch becomes the Hooghly River.
160 mile (260 km) in length, and with a maximum depth of 117 meters, the Hugli River is a major waterway providing a year-round water supply to the plains of West Bengal.
While polluted the Hooghly River is an important water source for human and industrial consumption and provides fish for significant populations along the river’s course.
The East India company sailed along the Hooghly and established their trade settlement, Calcutta, which became the capital of former British India. Calcutta is, of course, now called Kolkata.
Hooghly River photography and Story Telling
While there’s a lot to see and do in Kolkata, you really won’t make the most of your Kolkata photography opportunities without spending some time exploring the Hooghly River.
Needless to say it’s around the edges of the day when you’ll be able to make the most atmospheric images.
I discovered this devotee bathing in the waters of the Hooghly River in front of a local river boat taxi and the famous Vivekananda Setu or Bally Bridge in Kolkata, India.
I knew immediately that I needed to photograph this timeless scene. Here’s how I went about doing just that.
Narrative is an important element that’s often overlooked in photography. Personally I love making photos that tell a story.
It makes the viewing experience so much richer and encourages longer and deeper consideration of the message, meaning or theme explored.
The devotee in the foreground is the most important subject or focal point in my picture of the Hooghly River.
While a relatively small element within the frame, I feel the devotee adds context by allowing us to discover and explore the spiritual narrative within the photo.
He’s a critically important visual element in the image and I’ve tried to find a balance between the devotee, the boat load of locals in the middle of the image and the Bally Bridge in the background.
The trick was to weave these otherwise dispirit elements together into a cohesive, harmonious image.
It’s quite a challenge given my desire to tell a compelling story through a visually dynamic composition that incorporates a variety of interesting subject matter.
The challenge was particularly demanding given the scene was unfolding right before my eyes.
I needed to construct a good composition, while photographing into the light, at the Decisive Moment when exposure, composition and gesture came together to create a cohesive and harmonious result.
Vivekananda Setu Spans the Hooghly River
Completed in 1932 the Vivekananda Setu, also known as the Bally Bridge, is a multi span steel bridge that crosses the Hooghly River between Howrah and Kolkata.
At 880 meters (i.e., 2,887 feet) in length the Vivekananda Setu is an architecturally impressive structure.
I remember thinking how the modernity of the structure provided an interesting contrast with the timeless spiritually being displayed by the devotee.
That notion was central to the reason why I made the photo and, as a consequence, to the way I composed the image inside my camera’s viewfinder.
I love exploring such dualities in my photos so I did what I could to ensure that the Bally Bridge was incorporated into the composition.
Vivekananda Setu and Symbolism
The Vivekananda Setu or Bally Bridge is one of several quite spectacular bridges linking the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata in West Bengal.
It’s a powerful symbol that speaks to the history and promise of these great city.
Understanding Bengal and Bangladesh
Bengal was separated from India and became known as East Pakistan following partition in August 1947. What was formerly known as East Bengal is now the independent nation of Bangladesh.
Operation Searchlight resulted in brutal suppression of the people by the Pakistan Army. As a result the Bangladesh Liberation War commenced on 25 March 1971.
On 16 December 1971 East Pakistan was officially disbanded and the new independent state of Bangladesh was created.
Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and is located 320 km from the border with Bangladesh.
Devotee, in a moment of rapture, in the spectacular Hooghly River, Kolkata.
Kolkata Photography and the River Hooghly
I made most of the photos in this post at the bottom of some ghats, behind the famous Dakshineswar Temple, on the Howrah side of the River Hooghly.
A ghat is a series of steps leading down to a body of water and, in this part of the world, ghats often run down to holy bodies of water.
The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a major tourist site in Kolkata that’s dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali.
Fortunately I was able to anticipate the devotee immersing his hand into the waters of the Holy Ganga.
It was a lovely moment, particularly given the significance of the location and the warm sunset light.
The circular pattern that formed in the water is an added bonus which might also suggest the universal concept of totality or, if you prefer, the infinite or eternal. Alpha becomes Omega is another way to think of it.
Either way the notion of the seemingly endless circle does lead me to think of the Hindu concept of reincarnation.
Hindu Goddess Kali
India is a deeply spiritual country and Kolkata is its former Capital. In fact the word Kolkata comes out of the word Kalikata, meaning Land of Kali.
Kali is the dark and powerful deity considered the goddess of time and change.
Represented as the consort of the Lord Shiva, the Hindu goddess Kali is regarded as the extreme mistress of the universe.
This knowledge can only help travels from the West better respect the spiritual practices of local Hindu devotees.
Devotee and their shadow during ritual washing in the Hooghly River.
Hooghly River Silhouette
I photographed this devotee taking a ritual wash, in front of the Vivekananda Setu, at sunset.
I remember how the warm light raked across the waters of the Hooghly River producing great textural qualities on the surface of the water.
The shadow of the devotee’s upper body, formed on the cloth held in front of him, adds a great graphic element to this photo.
I opted for a somewhat antique rendering of the scene to emphasize the mood and deep sense of spirituality I experienced at the time.
If you find yourself visiting Kolkata I’d definitely recommend a visit to the ghats below the Dakshineswar Temple at sunset.
The tranquility you’ll experience will be a delight and should ease the mind and body of even the most jaded traveler.
Naturally you want to be extremely respectful of anyone following their religious practices. Ideally you should ask for permission before making any photos.
In my case, as I wasn’t about to get into the water, I simply gestured with my camera and was greeted with a nod and, more often than not, a friendly smile.
Not wanting to be a distraction I made my photos quickly and then retreated back up the gnats to watch the sunset and life on the river unfolding from a more discrete distance.
River taxi ferries people along the Hugli River at sunset, Kolkata.
Hugli River Sunset Cruise
Next time I visit Kolkata I’m going to take a cruise along the sublime Hugli River.
Sunset would definitely be the best time to take the cruise for anyone seeking great Kolkata photography opportunities.
And don’t worry if the boat above is not to your liking. Passenger ferries also run tourists up and down the Hugli River.
Either way it looks like a blast and a telephoto lens would open up many opportunities for great photos looking towards either side of the river.
River Hooghly Solo Travel
India is a culturally rich, diverse and vibrant country with a wealth of fantastic photography opportunities for the intrepid traveller.
But, unless you’re going on a top-notch, five star tour you’ll likely have to deal with a range of annoyances during your visit.
Each time I’ve travelled to India I’ve done so as a solo traveller. But not everyone is cut out for that kind of adventure.
Perhaps what makes India such a challenging travel experience is the range of dualities so openly on display.
Rich and poor
Beauty and ugliness
Joy and despair
Compassion and cruelty
Love and, on rare occasions, hate and violence
However, as long as you take obvious precautions you'll likely be treated to potentially life changing experiences.
Take care to keep yourself healthy and safe, and be careful with whom you interact.
From my own experience as a solo traveler it’s important to take particular care when interacting with touts and rip off taxi drivers.
Is solo travel to India right for you? Only you can say.
Believe me it’s not for everyone and, if you’ve never traveled on your own before, you might want to try another, less taxing destination first.
My own approach is to be as prepared as I can be and take the risk. It's called life!
India is certainly one of the most spiritually alive countries I’ve visited. That’s important to me and, despite getting really sick on each of my visits, I still find India to be a really worthwhile travel destination.
I’ve already visited India on five occasions over the years and I most certainly hope to return. The landscapes are spectacular, the architecture grand and the people engaging.
Water is important, for all manner of reasons, to the life of everyday Indian people.
If you’re looking to explore Hindu spirituality on your own travels to India then watercourses like the mighty Ganges River, which represents the god Shiva, and its Hooghly River channel will provide truly mesmerizing experiences.
If you’re looking for culture, history and spirituality, but don’t think you’ll be able to cope with big crowds, head to Rajasthan or Ladakh.
Conversely, if you’re wanting to experience a big city with a slower pace than Mumbai or Delhi, then Kolkata might be just the place for you.
While I make no promises about the traffic in Kolkata, I can certainly recommend that your visit includes an exploration of the fabulous Hooghly River.
