The Bansberia River Ghat

A five-minute walk west of the temple complex brings you to the main ghat, a series of wide stone steps descending to the Hooghly. This is the social hub of the town at dawn and dusk: boatmen mend nets under the tamarind trees, women wash brass pots and the odd sadhu meditates at the water's edge with alarming serenity. The ghat itself offers a fine view of the river's expanse and, on clear days, the opposite bank's green strip. Flat-bottomed boats can sometimes be hired here for an informal river excursion, but bargain hard and fix a price before boarding.