Antara River Cruises, pioneers of river cruising in India, just lately hosted 50 Brokers from the UK on the river ship Antara Ganges Voyager II for 3 nights and 4 days from June 8-11, 2024.
The meticulously deliberate three day cruise, to showcase the joys of cruising on the Ganges and excursions into the cities alongside the banks, was an enormous success with the visitors.
Raj Singh Promotor and Managing Director Antara Cruises welcomed the visitors on board with a conventional welcome of garlands and tikas and mentioned, “ We’re delighted that they might expertise crusing on the Indian waterways, notably on the sacred river Ganga, flowing greater than 1,500 miles from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. It was on the banks of the Ganga in Sarnath that the Buddha preached his first sermon in 528 BCE, and it was alongside these waters that the British constructed the primary capital of the British Raj, Kolkata”.
The cruise itinerary included the next highlights:
Day 1 Crusing on the river and seeing the sights of Kolkata from the river with colonial buildings just like the Excessive Courtroom, Belur Math, Howrah prepare station and the completely different bathing/ferry ghats (river banks) of Kolkata .
Day 2 Tour of Kalna , the place the visitors took a journey on electrical rickshaws to the enchanting Rajbari Temple Advanced, which has the best focus of temples within the area and the Nabakailas Temple, in-built 1809 by the Bardhaman Maharaja, which comprises 108 eight slope-roofed shrines devoted to Lord Shiva. In addition they stopped by a neighborhood market promoting seasonal greens and fruits.
Later they sailed downstream in direction of Chandernagore to discover, a French colony established in 1673 as a buying and selling submit on the riverbanks. Right here they walked alongside the promenade, and visited a couple of colonial buildings together with the previous French governor’s residence, now transformed to a museum and the Sacred Coronary heart Church, designed by French Architect Jacques Duchatz inaugurated in 1884.
Day 3 The visitors sailed again to Kolkata and launched into a metropolis tour of Kolkata beginning with the distinctive and bustling Flower Market positioned beneath and adjoining to the cantilevered Howrah Bridge that spans the Ganga. Thereafter they visited Kumartuli, a conventional potters’ quarter in northern Kolkata, famend for its sculpting prowess, which not solely manufactures clay idols for varied festivals but in addition usually exports them.
The tour ended with a Panoramic Tour of Kolkata, that includes the nicely preserved British colonial buildings in Kolkata: Author’s Constructing, Normal Put up Workplace, Excessive Courtroom, Raj Bhawan (Governor’s Home), City Corridor, Council Home, Treasury Constructing, Reserve Financial institution of India and Dalhousie Sq.. A should go to is the St. John’s Church, the oldest Anglican Church in Kolkata, in-built 1756 and naturally, the grand Victoria Memorial for a photograph op!
The Antara Story: Antara believes one of the best ways to see South Asia is from the river. What started in 2003 as a dream for journey trade pioneer and naturalist Raj Singh has right now was Antara’s thoughtfully designed, well-appointed fleet of 9 ships that sail South Asia’s most iconic rivers. Antara affords its visitors lovely perches on shifting water from which to get pleasure from vibrant and meditative landscapes, individuals, crafts and wildlife. Our philosophy is to deliver the area’s indigenous environments and cultures to the world, sustainably, and with its famend hospitality, in ships which might be designed with thought, luxurious and care. Antara cruises embody the Ganga, the Padma and the Brahmaputra River programs to make the world’s longest river cruise. In 2024, Antara commenced crusing the 4 rivers that inundate Bhitarkanika Nationwide Park, India’s second largest mangrove forest.
