Sleepy Industrial Towns Of India(Part III) - Farraka

The memories of Farakka township is like a mist - sometimes so dense that I cant even see through it.Where is Farakka?ummm...somewhere in West Bengal???When did we stay there?How long?blah blah!!!And suddenly when the mist clears,I see it all.Me,Mom,Dad and Sis in the 3rd floor flat of the NTPC temporary township.Temporary?Well!Let me explain it!

Farakka is famous for the huge dam/barrage that divides the temporary township(the first township during inaugural project of NTPC in this region) from the permanent.Completed in 1974-75 ,the Farakka Barrage is a dam on the Ganges River located in the Indian state of West Bengal, roughly 10 kilometers from the border with Bangladesh. The dam was built to divert the Ganges River water into the Hooghly River during the dry season, from January to June, in order to flush out the accumulating silt which in the 1950s and 1960s was a problem at the major port of Kolkata on the Hooghly River. Bangladesh and India have had many debates about how the Farakka Barrage cuts off Bangladesh's water supply. This is the longest barrage in the world and has recently been entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. The barrage was constructed by the Hindustan Construction Company Limited.

(Source : Wikipedia) 

My father worked with NTPC(National Thermal Power Corporation) while at Farakka.I shall always remember the place for some really unique things.

A. Bangladesh TV : Would you believe if I say that in between 1986-88,we watched on our b/w television "Night Rider" , "Remington Steele" , "Dynasty"...no,not on cable...but on the Bangladesh TV channel as our neighbouring country was just 10 Km's away! Today when I look at the my TV and surf the hundreds of channels at my disposal,I still wish Bangladesh TV could pop up and the "Night Rider" opening titles would come:-)

B. Murshidabad and it's Palaces : The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a tributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawab's of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this city.About 30 Km's from Farakka,Murshidabad is a great place to see the glorious history of the Bengal Nawabs.The Hazarduari Palace(Palace of a thousand doors) looks quite grand and British in its construction.The Muradbagh palace and Khushbag Cemetary(Where the remains of Siraj-Ud-Daulah is kept) are also two nice places to see.

C. The Farakka Dam during Monsoons: As our school was in the Permanent township(15Km's from the temporary township where we stayed),we used to go via the bridge besides the dam.During rainy season,the thunderous sound of water hitting the barrage walls used to be scary.Many a times,we used to see animals,human bodies flowing in the turbulent waters.But yet,apart from seemimg dangerous,when we used to return in the evening and the water flow was less turbulent,the dam under the setting sun looked majestic.

I am sure today Farakka is a neo modern township,but I would like to picture it my way...with the b/w Televisions,the VCR's,the antennas on the roofs,the slight snobbishness of the permanent township people,strict bengali tecahers behaving like Britishers and last but not the least - the picteresque West Bengal landscape all around.

(Source for photos : www.hccindia.com)