Page:A Statistical Account of Bengal Vol 1 GoogleBooksID 9WEOAAAAQAAJ.pdf/116

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TOWNS, ETC., IN THE 24 PARGANAS.
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in its vicinity, was situated the small Fort of Alígarh, and opposite to it, on the other bank of the river, was the Fort of Tanna, both of which were taken by Lord Clive in the re-capture of Calcutta on the 30th December 1756. Near the last house in Garden Reach, about five miles from Calcutta, the Revenue Surveyor mentions, in 1857, a broad ditch about a hundred feet in breadth, forming three sides of a square, which he thought had very much the appearance of a moat, and may have been the site of the Alígarh Fort. A short distance to the east of Alípur, and immediately south-east of Calcutta, is the suburb of Báliganj, within the limits of the South Suburban Municipality, and the residence of many European gentlemen. The lines of the Viceroy’s Body-Guard are situated here, and consist of brick-built ranges of barracks with stables.

Kalighat, celebrated as the site of a temple in honour of the goddess Kálí, the wife of Siva, is situated on the bank of the old bed of the Ganges, a few miles south of Calcutta. The place derives sanctity from the legend that when the corpse of Siva’s wife was cut in pieces by order of the gods, and chopped up by the disc (sudarsan chakra) of Vishnu, one of her fingers fell on this spot. The temple is supposed to have been built about three centuries ago. A member of the Sábarna Chaudhrí family, who at one time owned considerable estates in this part of the country, cleared the jungle, built the temple, and allotted 194 acres of land for its maintenance. A man of the name of Chandíbar was the first priest appointed to manage the aifairs of the temple. His descendants have now taken the title of Háldár, and are the present proprietors of the building. They have amassed great wealth, not so much from the proceeds of the temple lands as from the daily offerings made by pilgrims to the shrine. The principal religious festival of the year is on the second day of the Durgá-pújá, when the temple is visited by crowds of pilgrims, principally belonging to the District of the 24 Parganás and the surrounding villages.

Budge-budge (Bǎj-bǎj), a small village on the bank of the Húglí, in Alípur Subdivision, about twelve miles below Garden Reach, noted as being the site of a fort captured from the forces of Saráj-ud-daulá by Lord Clive in 1756.

Achipur, a village on the Húglí, a few miles below Baj-baj, and a telegraph station.

Mayapur, a short distance below Achipur, in South Baliá Fiscal Division. There is a powder magazine here, where all ships