Guptipara (গুপ্তিপাড়া Guptipāṛā) is a village in SHooghly district of West Bengal. It is an important Vaishnav centre known for its temples and rath. The place has a rich history along with a mix of tradition and legends. Guptipara also plays a significant role in Bengal’s folk music and is the birthplace of famous kabial Bhola Moira. Bhola Moira was defeated by Anthony Firingi is a famous musical duel immortalized by Uttam Kumar’s movie. Sweets also play an important role in Guptipara and the first branded sweet of Bengal, Gupo Sandesh originates from Guptipara. Guptipara also happen to the first place for community puja when 12 friends got together to organize the first community Durga Puja of Bengal. This led to the introduction of the word Barowari (Baro means 12 and yari means friends) into the Bengali vocabulary.
Understand
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Guptipara is best explored in a day trip from Kolkata. It has several temples including the Brindaban Chandra Temple complex. The temples of Guptipara follows different temple styles like aat-chala, jor-bangla and ek-ratna. They also have their share of terracotta ornamentations, stucco art along with brightly coloured frescoes. Apart from the Brindaban ChandraComplex there are scattered temples in Guptipara and historic structures in Guptipara. Sweet shops sell Gupo Sandesh and other sweets.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]1 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport ((CCU IATA)). is the nearest airport. Driving distance between Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to Guptipara is 84 km (52 mi).
By train
[edit]- 2 Guptipara railway station Eastern . It is 75 km (47 mi) from Howrah by rail and 35 km from Bandel and is on the Bandel-Katwa line railway. It is well connected to both Howrah and Sealdah by rail and can be reached by taking the Katwa local from Howrah or Sealdah.
By car
[edit]Guptipara has bus connections with Burdwan, Tarkeshwar, and Chunchura. Distance from Kolkata to Guptipara is about 88 km (55 mi) via Delhi Road and State Highway No. 6.
By boat
[edit]It is connected by water to Shantipur in Nadia district on the other bank of the Ganges.
Get around
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You will find cycle rickshaws and totos outside the railway station. Cycle rickshaw charges are about ₹120 (however there is no fixed price and bargaining is possible).
See
[edit]- 1 Bindhyabasini Temple. The place of Bengal's first barowari (publicly organised) Durga Puja which introduced Sri Bindhyabasini Jagaddhatri Puja. Guptipara was a citadel of Vaishnavite culture.
- 2 Brindaban Chandra's Math. It houses four Vaishnava (of Lord Vishnu) temples: Chaitanya, Brindabanchandra, Ramchandra and Krishnachandra. The Ramchandra Temples contain many terracotta works, and the structures bear characteristics of the Bengal school of architecture, with carvings depicting scenes from the epics and Puranas.
- 3 Jagannath Masir Bari, Borobazar. The Temple where the Jagannath idols are kept during Rathayatra.
- 4 Deshkali Mandir (Desh Kalibari), Rath Sarak, Khat Rd. A dedicated shrine to the goddess Kali.
Do
[edit]The main festivals of Guptipara are Dol and Rath Yatra.
- Guptipara Rathayatra. Rathayatra is more than 400 years old. The present ratha or the chariot is a wooden Nabaratna temple having nine shikharas. The ratha has a square base measuring 34 ft (10 m) by 34 ft (10 m). It is four storied, having a height of 36 ft (11 m). Rathayatra procession starts from Shree Shree Vrindavan Chandra Jiu Math and proceeds towards Gundicha house in Gosainganj Barabazar, about 1.5 km away.
Buy
[edit]Gupo Sandesh considered to be Bengal's first branded sweet, originated from Guptipara. It is also known as Jora Sandesh. People also talk about the taste of the Makha Sandesh here.
Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Shree Hari Guest House, Barabazar, ☏ +91 9830449947, +91 7003615688, [email protected].