A SECULAR WEEKEND

On the chilly January, Saturday we decided to visit Bandel. It was the coldest day of this season. At around 10 a.m. we boarded a train from Howrah station. Trains from Sealdah station are available as well. Traveling on local trains is fun on weekend.  We munched on different snacks like jhalmuri etc. as we traveled. At 11 a.m. we reached the Bandel station. From the station, you can take a rickshaw or an auto to Bandel Church. We first visited the Church. I don't think it's necessary to write the history of the church. It's a very old church, nicely maintained and functional. After Christmas, you can see the lawns are decorated. You can see locals selling candles so that you can offer. The church is on the bank of the river Ganges, from the top you can have a wonderful view of the river. The time we visited, was during service, and we witnessed it. It will take you around 45 minutes to go around the Church. Photography is not prohibited. There are a number of temporary stalls around the church selling various religious as well as fashion items. You can take souvenirs from there. The next destination was the Imambara. You can drive down the road to Imambara, but going by boat is a nice option. We choose to go by boat. It was an indigenous boat, with the boatman sailing it manually. We enjoyed the cool breeze of the Ganges as we rowed down to the Imambara. On reaching, we climbed up the stairs from the ghat and entered. The most interesting thing to me about Imambara is the sun clock or surya ghori. The clock is so designed that it tells you the right time by the aid of a shadow. The Imambara is also functional. There is a clock tower inside. You can take photos inside go around. We stayed there for half an hour. Again we rowed back near the church. It was lunch time. Now, you cannot expect beautiful restaurant there. But there are decent eateries. We had biriyani but other cuisines are also available. Then it was time to visit the temple. Hanseswari temple in bansberia was our next destination. The temple is not adjacent to the area. You can take a toto or an auto. We took a toto and drove down there. It was a chilly winter afternoon. We shivered as we walked into the temple. The temple is also a functional one. The uniqueness is its design and terracotta work. It takes around half an hour to go around. After the temple visit, it was time for us to return. Returning from there has some options. You can drive back to bandel station. But we preferred to come back through Bansberia station. Trains to Howrah as well as Sealdah are available but are less frequent. On that chilly winter evening, we sat on the platform, shivering and having tea ( Bhanr e cha). The sky was crystal clear and we watched the stars glitter and moonshine. We boarded the train at  6 p.m. We thoroughly enjoyed our secular trip on a chilly winter day.