Canning, South 24 Parganas
Encyclopedia
Canning (also referred to as Port Canning) is headquarters of a subdivision of the same name, a town with a police station and a community development block in South 24 Parganas district
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. Carrying the memory of an abandoned port, the town is dependent to some extent on the changing fortunes of the Matla River
. It is a major centre for the supply of fish to Kolkata
.
. He was Governor General of India from 1856 to 1858, and Governor General and Viceroy from 1858 to 1862.
writes, “The year 1864… It witnessed also the speculative mania over an unlucky scheme for the reclamation of the Sunderbands, of which nothing remains but the deserted wharves of Port Canning, but which resulted in ruin to many.” The idea of developing a major port at Canning faded with the choking of the Matla river as a result of inadequate headwater supply.
Lord Canning
wanted to build a port that would be an alternative to Kolkata and a rival to Singapore
. What no one heeded were the warnings of a lowly shipping inspector Henry Piddington, who had lived in the Caribbean
and knew all about hurricanes and storms. He wanted the mangrove
s to be left alone, as they were Bengal’s defensive barrier against nature’s fury and absorbed the initial onslaught of cyclonic winds, waves and tidal surges. They went on to build a grand Canning with a strand, hotels and homes, but in 1867, the Matla river surged its fury on the new port-town, reducing it to a “bleached skeleton”.
In 1862, the Calcutta and South-eastern Railway opened a southward line from what was then known as Beliaghata station to Port Canning. In the same year, the East Bengal Railway had opened its line from Sealdah
to Kushtia
. It also opened its own southern line to Diamond Harbour
. Calcutta and South-eastern Railway was taken over by the government in 1863. East Bengal Railway was taken over by the government in 1887. Services on the eastern side of Hooghly River was unified under Eastern Bengal State Railway and after further amalgamation in 1942, the Bengal Assam Railway.
. It is situated on the south bank of the Matla River. It is part of the Kolkata Suburban Railway
system and is connected to Sealdah
station and is also connected to Kolkata by road. One can cross the Matla River and then proceed to Basanti for a boat to the interior of the Sundarbans
or hire a motor launch for travel to Sundarbans at Canning itself. The first watch tower at Sajnekhali is about 5 hours away.
The Matla River is so silted up that during the dry season, boats cannot come to the jetties. They have to be stationed 500 yards away. During the monsoons, the river becomes so turbulent that boats cannot ferry people across the river. The Sunderban Development Board has decided to build a bridge on the river Matla at an estimated cost of Rs. 29 crore
.
A 644 m road bridge across the Matla, was inaugurated by Buddhadeb Bhattachajee, Chief Minister, in January 2011. It links Canning with Basanti.
has lost out in the competition.
Next big festival is “Sunderban Utsav.” This mainly conducted by the administration to bring up people of Sunderbans together and to interact.
South 24 Parganas district
South 24 Parganas district is an important district of West Bengal State with its district headquarters in Alipore. It has the urban fringe of Calcutta on one side and the remote riverine villages in the Sundarbans....
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Carrying the memory of an abandoned port, the town is dependent to some extent on the changing fortunes of the Matla River
Matla River
Matla River forms a wide estuary in and around the Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.The main stream of the Matla River is divided into two arms near Purandar. One passes through Kultali-Garanbose and then passes through the Sundarbans...
. It is a major centre for the supply of fish to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
.
Etymology
The place is named after Lord CanningCharles Canning, 1st Earl Canning
Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning KG, GCB, PC , known as The Viscount Canning from 1837 to 1859, was an English statesman and Governor-General of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.-Background and education:...
. He was Governor General of India from 1856 to 1858, and Governor General and Viceroy from 1858 to 1862.
History
H. E. A. CottonH. E. A. Cotton
Sir Harry Evan Auguste Cotton CIE was a barrister, administrator, journalist, historian and writer...
writes, “The year 1864… It witnessed also the speculative mania over an unlucky scheme for the reclamation of the Sunderbands, of which nothing remains but the deserted wharves of Port Canning, but which resulted in ruin to many.” The idea of developing a major port at Canning faded with the choking of the Matla river as a result of inadequate headwater supply.
Lord Canning
Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning
Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning KG, GCB, PC , known as The Viscount Canning from 1837 to 1859, was an English statesman and Governor-General of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.-Background and education:...
wanted to build a port that would be an alternative to Kolkata and a rival to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. What no one heeded were the warnings of a lowly shipping inspector Henry Piddington, who had lived in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and knew all about hurricanes and storms. He wanted the mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s to be left alone, as they were Bengal’s defensive barrier against nature’s fury and absorbed the initial onslaught of cyclonic winds, waves and tidal surges. They went on to build a grand Canning with a strand, hotels and homes, but in 1867, the Matla river surged its fury on the new port-town, reducing it to a “bleached skeleton”.
In 1862, the Calcutta and South-eastern Railway opened a southward line from what was then known as Beliaghata station to Port Canning. In the same year, the East Bengal Railway had opened its line from Sealdah
Sealdah
Sealdah is one of the major train stations serving Kolkata in India, the others being Howrah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata Railway Station. Sealdah is one of the busiest rail stations in India and an important suburban rail terminal...
to Kushtia
Kushtia District
Kushtia, Kushtia district or Kushtia Zila is a district in the Khulna administrative division of western Bangladesh. Kushtia has existed as a separate district since the partition of India. Prior to that, Kushtia was a part of Nadia District under Bengal Province of British India. Kushtia was home...
. It also opened its own southern line to Diamond Harbour
Diamond Harbour
Diamond Harbour is in the southern suburbs of Kolkata, on the banks of the Hooghly River quite near where the river meets the Bay of Bengal. This small town is a popular weekend tourist spot located in South 24 Parganas district....
. Calcutta and South-eastern Railway was taken over by the government in 1863. East Bengal Railway was taken over by the government in 1887. Services on the eastern side of Hooghly River was unified under Eastern Bengal State Railway and after further amalgamation in 1942, the Bengal Assam Railway.
Geography
Canning is located at 22.32°N 88.67°E. It has an average elevation of 4 metres (13 feet). It is gateway to the SundarbansSundarbans
The Sundarbans [Sundarban Tour Booking-9051115228] is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.The name Sundarban can be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language...
. It is situated on the south bank of the Matla River. It is part of the Kolkata Suburban Railway
Kolkata Suburban Railway
The Kolkata Suburban Railway is the rail system for the suburbs surrounding the city of Kolkata . Railways such as this are important and heavily-used infrastructure in India....
system and is connected to Sealdah
Sealdah
Sealdah is one of the major train stations serving Kolkata in India, the others being Howrah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata Railway Station. Sealdah is one of the busiest rail stations in India and an important suburban rail terminal...
station and is also connected to Kolkata by road. One can cross the Matla River and then proceed to Basanti for a boat to the interior of the Sundarbans
Sundarbans
The Sundarbans [Sundarban Tour Booking-9051115228] is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.The name Sundarban can be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language...
or hire a motor launch for travel to Sundarbans at Canning itself. The first watch tower at Sajnekhali is about 5 hours away.
The Matla River is so silted up that during the dry season, boats cannot come to the jetties. They have to be stationed 500 yards away. During the monsoons, the river becomes so turbulent that boats cannot ferry people across the river. The Sunderban Development Board has decided to build a bridge on the river Matla at an estimated cost of Rs. 29 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
.
A 644 m road bridge across the Matla, was inaugurated by Buddhadeb Bhattachajee, Chief Minister, in January 2011. It links Canning with Basanti.
Fish centre
Canning is a major market for supply of fish to Kolkata. The fishermen of the area bring their catch to the all-night fish market at Canning. Here the commission agents receive the fish and auction them. It is bought by the wholesalers and transported to Kolkata for sale to retailers, who sell it in the different markets. As greater part of Kolkata’s fish now come from South India and Madhya Pradesh, local wholesale trade at Canning and BagnanBagnan
Bagnan is a census town in Howrah district in the state of West Bengal, in eastern India. It has one of the busiest railway stations in South Eastern Railway Zone within West Bengal.-Geography:...
has lost out in the competition.
Sunderbans' Gateway
Canning is the gateway to Sunderbans, the fascinating mangrove forest. Canning is connected to Kolkata by railway and roadways. Train can be availed from Sealdah South Section and fair is only Rs.11. There are two roadways: one is via E.M. Bypass and Baruipur; the second is via Basanti Road. Numerous travel companies business in Canning and the cost vary depending on the service quality. Individual launch (boat) can be rented to visit Sunderbans. It takes around 4 hours to reach the Sunderbans.Festivals and Fairs
Canning is a host of festivals and fairs. Most of them are timed during winter season. “Sunderban Mela” is the biggest fair of Canning and of entire South 24 Parganas. This fair is conducted by “Bandhumahal Club” of Canning from 3rd to 12th January every year.Next big festival is “Sunderban Utsav.” This mainly conducted by the administration to bring up people of Sunderbans together and to interact.