Largest island in Ganga Delta, the Sagar dwip or Saugor Island in South 24-Parganas situated at the confluence of Bay of Bengal, is famous pilgrimage site for Kumbhamela and Kapil Muni Ashram. Though till date approach to Saugor Island from main land is still difficult in absence of any bridge over muriganga river but in recent years mela and Kapil Muni Ashram surroundings was enormously developed by the West Bengal Government as a tourism site. But beside this Saugor Island carries an old history with the bay of lighthouses and lightships that guides the inward and outward ships to find their correct channel in bay of bengal. The Sagar Island has a 200 years old lighthouse in the vicinity of the Ganga Sagar beach at Beguakhali Mouza. Distance from Ganga Sagar beach to Sagar Light house is not more than 5 km. A sea side walk from Ganga Sagar towards light house give you a beautiful view of the surrounding places and a treatwise to those specially for photography fanatics.
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| Saugor Light House |
In the year of 1807, The Court of Directors, the executive body of East India Company sent two lantern for two light house, one is for Saugor to facilitates the navigation of River Hooghly. Commodore Hayes was entrusted to find a suitable site at Saugor Island. On December 1810, Commodore Hayes landed at Saugor and he reported that the South West corner of the island would be suitable location. Since the then saugor island was full of jungle, a proper examination of place was not possible until a considerable space was cleared. Then the Commodore, engaged 50 laskars to clear the jungle in the proposed location, giving them ration in addition to their pay otherwise people could not go there. Then construction of Saugor Lighthouse started in the year of 1815 by the East India Company (in other sources its 1821). That time light exhibited at the top of a 20 meter wooden tripod so then it is denoted as Saugor Tripod. Saugor Tripod was situated about a mile south west of present light house. Then light source was a revolving reflector array consisting of 14 lamps. Over the time, the erosion of the river front having rendered the original site unsafe. The principal changes in shore lines consists of large erosion all along the southern shore of Saugor Island averaging a mile in width since 1836. The Saugor Tripod was taken down on 1851 and the construction of Saugor Light house was then in progress. A light vessel named ‘Torch’ was moored for the intervening period. The lighthouse was completed in 1852. The lighthouse was designed by the Colonel Gordon. In 1911 the old lighthouse was dismantled and re-erected on its present sites. During 1852 lighthouse exhibited a light of 18000 candel-power, in 1884 light converted into an occulating light. In the year of 1909 the old light was replaced by 24000 candel power.
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Century old Light House keeper's residence.
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The present lighthouse is 24 m height round cast iron tower, painted
with horizontal red and white bands. The base of the lighthouse is surrounded
by a square pyramidal observation platform. Presently lighthouse have 2.4
meter dia lantern and revolving optical equipment that illuminate 400 watt by
metal halide lamp, flash white in every 3 second. The range of
lighthouse is 27.78 KM . Foot of the lighthouse contains a GTS bench mark.
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| Curtsy : DGLL |
Moreover Saugar Lighthouse is witness of historical incident of first rocket mail in India. How Indian can forget his kolkata based rocketeer Stephen H Smith. The rockets were resembling forms of larger versions of fireworks which used to delivering mails, food, medicines etc. They were approximately 6 feet in length with the body which carried the mail 2 feet long. They were launched by lighting a touchpaper from a sloping stand aimed in the general direction of the intended target. The rocket were used to launched at a variety of angles, 30, 45 even 80 degrees. The rocketeer was supposed to recorded details of the wind speed and direction and the distance the rocket covered for every launch. Such a Rocket mail, ship to shore, flown by Stephen H Smith on 30th September 1934, from Ship D.V. Pancy to Saugor Lighthouse with “To Lighthouse 1st Rocket Despatch” label attached. Unfortunately this rocket exploded in the mid air and all letters scattered in all direction. This rocket contains 143 letters of which 140 were salvaged and three were lost. This might be the first rocket mail experiment in India by the Stephen H Smith.
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1st Rocket Mail Despatch to Saugor Lighthouse.
| Curtsy : Ebay |
Historically Saugor Lighthouse which was erected by the East India Company, later vested upon to Kolkata Port Trust and presently under operation of Director General of Lighthouses and Lightships, Min of Shipping, Govt of India. Present Lighthouse complex at Beguakkhali comprises of 12 .73 acres of square shaped land. Complex having many important offices like pilot station and modern VTMS control station installed. Shore based Pilot station was constructed in the year of 2000 for the purpose of providing efficient pilot service navigational aids to the ships calling at the Kolkata port. Lighthouse complex is under control of Kolkata Port Trust and entry is restricted by tight security.
Old Picture of Saugor Lighthouse. Curtsy KoPT
In 2015 Ministry of Shipping, Government of India decided Sagour Lighthouse to be developed as a tourist attraction. It’s the lack of proper facilities that restrain the tourist to go this picsque location. But the nascent charm of silvery virgin beach with beauty of the nature at it’s best has every potential to be developed as tourist attraction.
Information Source :
The Calcutta Port Trust –A Brief History of Fifty year’s of Work 1870-1920. Published by Thackers ,Spink & Co, Calcutta and Simla 1920.
The Book “Bay of Bengal Pilot” Published by order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty London 1887.
Appendix to the third report from select commityee of the house of commons and minutes of evidence on the Affairs of the east india company 17th feb to 6th oct 1831.
Administrative report 1876-77. Commissioners for the making improvement of the port of the Calcutta.
The Good Old Days of Honorable John Company: Being Curious Reminiscences, Volume 2 1882.
