Location: Imambara road Hooghly, near D.M Banglw, Chowk Bazar, Chinsurah, West Bengal 712103
Opening time
Thursday 8 am–5:30 pm
Friday 8 am–5:30 pm
Saturday 8 am–5:30 pm
(Christmas Day) Hours might differ
Sunday 8 am–5:30 pm
Monday 8 am–5:30 pm
Tuesday 8 am–5:30 pm
Wednesday 8 am–5:30 pm
Ticket: 10 rupees per person
Hooghly Imambara is one of the great Shia Muslim congregation halls and mosques in Hooghly, WB. The meaning of Imambara is Shrine of Muslims. But here in the Hooghly Imambara, you will find something different.
In 1841 Haji Muhammad Mohsin started this Imambara construction and it takes 20 years (1861) to complete. This Imambar has a two-storied structure. And in the middle part of this Imambar, you will see a big clock.
In the place of Hooghly Imambara, you can explore the 12 best old-time views. You don’t need to grab or take local vehicles. You can go everywhere (12 places) with the help of your foot.
This place is well-known for Haji Muhammad Mohsin. This man is a great munificent with a great human mind structure. People are coming always here, some for Haji Muhammad Mohsin and some for this Hooghly Imambara.
It’s time to explore the Hooghly Imambara with 12 great memorials of Haji Muhammad Mohsin. Let’s first start with Haji Muhammad Mohsin.
Who is Haji Muhammad Mohsin?
Haji Muhammad Mohsin (1733 – 1812, 29 November) is the son of Haji Faizullah and Zainab Khanam in Hooghly, WB. He is well-known as a philanthropist. Most people know Mohsin for munificent.
Do you know the Bengal Famine of 1770? If not then you should know this. Crop failure takes an unexpected turn and by the East India Company, 30 million people lost their lives.
During that time Haji Muhammad Mohsin helps helped a huge number of people without watching who is Hindu, Muslim, Buddha, or Christian. From here people started watching from a different angle (Great man).
Haji Mohammad has made so many educational institutions and religious programs with his trust even now you can find his trust proven by Hooghly Imambara.
Read: Fauti Mosque – The incomplete mosque
Hooghly Imambara
Hooghly Imambara is a congregation hall for Muslims. This place is developed in 1861. In 1841-1861 this Imamabara takes 107434 INR to complete the whole task. Here in Hooghly, you can explore 11 places except for Hooghly Imambara. Let’s explore them one by one.
Before you enter the main area you have to take the ticket (per head 10 rupees). You can see there are 12 places marked on the ticket and you can enter every place by using this ticket.
If you are carrying a camera then this ticket-man will warn you not to take a photo of the pose even if you can see the warning just like the image.
From the ticketing area go left (Lady’s area for the clock tower) or right (Gent’s area for the clock tower) and you can see a board called “Way to clock tower gents only ladies not allowed”.
Clock tower
There are 152 stairs and after taking some steps you can take a rest. Some people say this place is famous for its vaunted clock. There are two clocks, one clock you can see from the front part (roadside) and another one you can see from the inside area.
The height of this clock tower is 85 meters. The clock tower is divided into two-pillar. As I told you before one is for men and another one is for women.
The clock that you will see here is the second-largest watch in the world. It was brought in 1852 using 11,721 rupees by Syed Keramat Ali. And the manufacturer of this clock is M/s Black & Hurray Co., Big Ben, London.
On the top where the clock is set, you can see three bells. The first one is 3200 kg (80 MDS), the second one is 1600 kg (40 MDS) and the third one is 1200 kg (30 MDS). The second and third ring after every 15 minutes and the first one ring after every 1 hour.
This clock is based on wind. Every week two-man use their hand power for 2 hours to wind this clock and the weight of this clock’s key is 20 kg. Just imagine the wind power.
We watched the bells and the clock. From the top where the stairs finish, you can see the bells that are protected by the door. When the clock needs wind, only at that time you can see the open door.
View from the clock tower
Viewing from the clock tower’s top is really mind-blowing. The gap in the window makes this easy. You will definitely like the view of the Hooghly river. Not only you but everyone who will climb up the clock tower will see this beautiful scenery also.
Your eyes will cover Imambara Courtyard and the visitors will look small from the clock tower top area. You will like most the Hooghly river view. It’s time to go down.
Imambara Courtyard
When you will come down then make a difference between the top and the courtyard. Most visitors skip the clock towers just because of the height. This doesn’t make any sense.
You are traveling for the adventure but you are skipping the risk part. This way you are just wasting your time. Compare to other high distances this is too short.
The total area of the courtyard is approximately 0.2145 acres (13 Katha). In the middle point, you can see a small pond with some fish. The color of this water is green.
From the courtyard, you will see a small waterfall just in the middle point of the small pond. You can do photography or you can take a single shot. On the stairs, you can sit or you can walk around the courtyard.
Things that you need to keep in your mind are you can’t through your all waste paper. Because the courtyard is neat and clean.
In front of the ticket man, you can see a small board, where you will see some written in the Bengali language. This board is all about the clock tower.
You can read this notice in the English language. We have done this for you.
Clock tower notice board
There is a pinnacle at the entrance of Imambara which is approximately 150 feet high, there are stairs on both sides to reach the pinnacle, there is a wonderful clock in the middle of this pinnacle. Mir Keramat Ali bought it from Bilat for 11.621 rupees.
You have to breathe on the clock once a week. It takes at least two people to breathe. The key used for breathing weighs about 20 kilograms. There are two dials on each side of the pinnacle.
There are three-sized clocks weighing a few quintals just above the machine room. Its weight is 60 MDS, 40 MDS, and 3:30 MDS respectively. Medium and small hours every 15 minutes
The bell and the big bell ring every one hour. The hands of this watch are still running regularly and its work is being done properly. Probably nowhere else in India is there such a huge clock.
The second clock in the world is the Bigben in London. When the clock goes home, the woman will go towards the woman, the man will go towards the man’s side.
The prayer hall
Inside the prayer hall, you will have the best silent and peaceful time ever. Artitec building engineer of Hooghly Imambara (Sayed Molvi Karamat Ali) and the founder of the Hooghly Imambara’s photo you will see here.
When you will enter the prayer hall, you have to put off your shoes. Otherwise, the guard will stop you to go inside. Take care of your head because so many pigeons are here. You can ask your question to the guard.
Inside the prayer hall camera is not allowed, so we can’t attach any photos. But we have the best peaceful time.
The Sundial
Just imagine a clock without hands. And the clock is telling you the correct time. This is the first time when I have seen a clock without hands. You will get an exact time in the daytime.
Sundial is using sunshine to mature the time with the help of shadow. If you want to see the sundial just come to Hooghly Imambara. Your mind will blow.
Very first there was a brass plate for every alphabet but after stealing the brass plate you will see a rock plate. Approximately 50-60 years ago this sundial was established here. Theft is everywhere.
Just down the sundial, you will see some food stalls. If you have forgotten to carry your food then you can finish your food time here with the beauty of the Hooghly river.
The sitting area is also available. Outside of Imambara (in front of Imambara) and besides sundials only these two places are available for food time. If you love to take photos then you can take some photos from here.
Hooghly Imambara Musafirkhana
In Muharram time huge people come here to celebrate the Islamic new year. During this time some people come from a long way and they need a place where they can stay.
This area is under CCTV. If anything occurs wrong, the organizer will take action. Tourists are not allowed to see the inside of the room. But we can say, this place is good for the people who are interested to stay here during Muharram.
As you can see the lighting system here is very old. You can cover the whole Imambara Courtyard. You can spend your time, nobody will disturb you.
Madrasa in Hooghly Imambara
A local boy can read it here. Madrasa is open to locals and outside of the Hooghly district. This is really a good feeling for those students who are reading here on behalf of Haji Muhammad Mohsin.
On the top floor (2nd story) students read and the ground floor is for the official task. When you will come here, you will see some of the students are leaning out. They never make sounds.
All the time you will get a silent environment here. I love this type of place really. This is a higher religious education entry. You can see the name of this Madrasa in the attached photo.
Tomb of Haji Mohammad Mohsin
Take the left side road from Imambara for 3 minutes and you will see the tomb of Haji Mohammad Mohsin. Where Mohsin and his family’s tomb you will see.
This place is awesome and peaceful. From here you can touch the Hooghly river, so you can imagine how near the river is. You can sit here. All these areas are well-maintained.
You will see quotes in the Arabic language everywhere in the tomb area. We have seen some local boys playing here. When we reached here the construction was a going process of the tomb.
This tomb is very old and the committee of the Hooghly Imambara made this tomb new. Being very old we have to face problems to recognize which one is Muhammad Mohsin’s tomb.
From here we have finished your journey of Hooghly Imambara. Now it’s your time to explore everything. All the sites remind you of the name of Haji Muhammad Mohsin.
How you will come
Train: A train journey is better than another journey. First, you have to come to Hooghly Ghat station. If you are coming from Kolkata then grab Sealdah to Naihati. Then come Naihati to Hooghly Ghat.
If you are coming from Murshidabad then you have to come through Katwa Jn. So, after reaching Hooghly ghat then you can take Toto or you can come on your foot (7 minutes road).
Bus: Kolkata to Hooghly Imambara distance is 53.8 km, Ranaghat to Imambara 44 km, Krishnanagar to Imambara 86.8 km, and Murshidabad to Hooghly Imambara is 180 km.
Conclusion
Hooghly Imambara is dedicated to Haji Muhammad Mohsin. This great person was a very rich person. The whole property he has contributed to the empty stomach. With the help of his trust, so many people and students are getting help.
Here you will see the world’s second-largest clock and India’s old timing system (The sundial). I am still thinking about how the builder hangs the 3200 kg weight bell on the 85 meters high.
If you have any ideas then feel free to comment down your thoughts. Anyway, we enjoyed and have an adventure time with an old-time structure.
