KOLKATA: THE RIVER

HOOGHLY RIVER:

Until silting rendered it impractical for large ships, this tributary of the Ganges was responsible for making Calcutta a bustling port.

Ghats: these are flights of stairs leading down to the river.

• those lining the river's east bank serve as landings and places of ritual ablutions
• Nimtolla Ghat is one of the city's main cremation grounds and shielded from public view
• Kumartuli Ghat is home to a community of artisans who make the images of deities used for the major festivals
• Baghbazaar Ghat is the Garden Market
• Mullik Ghat is the flower market
• Armenian Ghat is where traditional gymnasts and wrestlers, devotees of Hanuman the monkey god, come to practise
• Babu Ghat is used for early morning bathing: not the cleanest of water!

The river epitomises the Old and New in 21st century Kolkata: the centuries-old practice (and necessity) of using the river for the daily washing needs of the poor; and evidence of India's Economic Boom with improved transport links but mountains of (largely plastic) consumer waste and disastrously polluted water.

RIVER CRUISE:

We were sceptical about just how interesting this afternoon cruise was going to be as we had seen few pleasure boats on the river so far, and what we had seen of the river suggested it would be too polluted and neglected to offer either conventional tourist fare or an added insight into this city. So was this to be an example of Saga and a local tour firm cashing in on expectations of a City Break?
Certainly, our vessel, on the left, was far from conventional.

And it was part of a fleet.

We were shown some new developments and some significant landmarks were pointed out ....

.... as were some ghats.

Ubiquitous rubbish, but interestingly a more middle class area

The only really interesting sight we saw were these fishermen's boats which amazingly had had solar panels installed on their roofs! This enabled their owners both to fish later in the day and also even meant that some lived on their boat.

MALIK GHAT FLOWER MARKET:

Market entrance

The Flower Market is busy at the best of times but as it was Diwali when we visited it was especially so as hotels, businesses and individuals flocked to buy flowers and garlands to celebrate.
As we passed the entrance to the indoor part of the market it didn't look very inviting with its mounds of rubbish and general air of dirt and neglect, not helped by  it being a dull and wet day.
But, warned to be wary of thieves and pick-pockets, as we followed Rudy into the warren of alleyways behind the entrance we were assailed by a riot of colour, beauty and enterprise as Steve's pictures show.

Never be without your mobile!

We thought he must be a gang-master

Before ...

.... and after.

You didn't have to look far, though, to see that the obvious hard work, and the money that changed hands, did very little to much alleviate the poverty in which these workers lived.

Admittedly better than for those living on Kolkata's streets, but still very hard to accept in a country which is regularly lauded in the UK as an emergent economy. For some, certainly, but ever for these people?