Heritage
Halisahar, on the bank of River Hooghly, a city 50 km away from the Metropolitan city of Kolkata, falling in the North 24 Parganas under the jurisdiction of Barrackpore sub-division is one of the finest heritage places of India.
Walking around Halisahar, an impressive rich collection of terra-cotta temples, buildings, monuments and other points of interests connected with many great people of history such as Saint-Poet Ramprasad Sen, Sripad Iswar Puri- Guru of Sri Chaitannya Mahapravu, Lokmata Rani Rashmoni, Bipin Bihari Ganguly etc can be seen.With a deep-rooted reputation in art and culture, stunning vistas and proud old history Halisahar stands out as one of the excellent city to look around. There is the famous Ramprasad Vita, with the idol of Goddess Kali that was once worshiped by Saint poet Ramprasad Sen at his own abode at this place. Then there is the century old Chaitannya Doba where Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitannya once visited at the home of his famous guru and mentor Sri Iswar Puri. The land once belonging to Rani Rashmoni is also present where recently a marble statue of the famous lady has been installed. There is the ancestral home of great patriot Bipin Bihari Ganuguly still present.
The old city of Halisahar has a lot of temples demonstrating signs of a rich Hindu culture that once belonged here. There is Bangla charchala styled more than 150 years old Shivamandirs at Mather Bari and Bagan Bari area. Century old Khasbati Shiv temples and shivsundaritala bears the signs of old glory of the area. More than 300 years old terracotta temples with special panchachura styles can also be seen in the Vaidyapara area. There are equally old Shiva temples still present in the Varendra Goli and Shiver Goli areas. A very famous Siddheswari Kali temple established by the Sabarna Chowdhury dynasty more than 250 years before also belongs to Halisahar. 250 years old Shyamasundari temple, Samshan Kali temples too are here. Then the place also has a host of ashrams- Sri Sri Nigamanda ashram being the most famous one where the Yogi Nigamananda himself had been. Sri Swarupananda Giri Maharaj too founded one ashram here-SankarSwarup Math. The place also boast of a Anukul Thakur Math. The Pushan ashram, the Dadurami ashram in and around the city too make this place a very sacred one.
The Chasma Babar Majar and the Bager Masjid too can highten the tourist attraction of the place.
The Goodwill Fraternity of Halisahar is maintaining most of this old places more than as Religious places trying to give them 'Heritage' status and preserve them as major tourist attraction and as a good example of the richness of the old culture of Halisahar. The deep knowledged, friendly and hard-working Ratan Kr. Ghosh (President - Goodwill Fraternity) and Kartick Ch. Chakraborty (Secretary) and their counterparts genuinely did a world of good in this for the people of Halisahar to feel proud about.
