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Sailing on Antique Steamboats! Our Heritage Paddle Steamers! The immense pleasure of traveling by a paddle steamer through the vast waterways of my country can not be felt or described by a person who is yet to travel by such a steamboat! I consider myself a lucky one as I had the opportunity to travel by theses paddle steamers for innumerable times during the life I spent so far until today since my birth in the port town of Chittagong in the undivided British India during the later part of the fourth decade of 20th century! I can still remember something of a combined Rail and Paddle Steamer journey that was undertaken by a 5 years old boy with his parents for safety fearing an imminent ground attack on Chittagong by the invading Japanese Army who had occupied a part of Kohima after routing off the Imperial British Army from Burma during Second World War!! Needless to mention here that these Paddle Steamships were the only means of quick waterway transports available to the traveling public of Southern Bengal during that time besides slow moving country boats! A paddle steamer is powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the ship through the water. These steamers once ruled majestically the waterways of the reverine Bangladesh but no more. Though some of these steamers are still in service, their days are now numbered. They can no longer compete with thousands of faster moving diesel powered modern vessels now plying through the waterways of this country carrying both passengers and cargoes! As the paddle steamer is spacious, having a strong hull and noise free, and can navigate the shallow water, it is still one of the best water transport to travel on in reverine Bangladesh. Readers may please view different pictures of these heritage steamers posted here under.           |
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Last picture shows a Deck Class passenger family passing time on a bed spread!
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Hopefully they will keep a few good ones for tourists and historical reasons. Would be a shame if they all went, and quiet is nice on the water. Judgment Day will be interesting - and all paths lead there.
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Hopefully they will keep a few good ones for tourists and historical reasons. Would be a shame if they all went, and quiet is nice on the water. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Four of these "Classic" vessels namely Mahsud, Ostrich, Tern and Lepcha (originally steamers but now dieselized) are still in service. These vessels offer accommodation in three classes and are used by regular paying passengers and tourists as part of organized holiday tours. I am glad to tell you, Hermit, that I have traveled by three of these steamers except Lepcha. Stay well always.
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When you travel on them now, does your mind wander back to the memory of a 5 year old boy, dazed and confused by the events of being uprooted from the life he knew and traveling to the unknown? Today, it looks like a quiet and pleasant way to travel, but I'm sure many would prefer something much faster. They look kind of out of place next to the towering city. Be a prism, spreading God's light and love, not a mirror reflecting the world's hatred.
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I remember a few times taking rides on the Julia Belle paddle boat that goes up and down the Illinois river near Peoria, Illinois. Great memories! They even had a band, dinner and dancing once in awhile on the weekend.
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When you travel on them now, does your mind wander back to the memory of a 5 year old boy, dazed and confused by the events of being uprooted from the life he knew and traveling to the unknown? Today, it looks like a quiet and pleasant way to travel, but I'm sure many would prefer something much faster. They look kind of out of place next to the towering city. Yes, when I travel on them now, my mind wanders back to the memory not only of a confused and an excited 5 year old boy traveling to the unknown but also to the memory of a young man and his wife undertaking for the first time a ride on one of this steamer a few days after they were married at Barisal, which was then the main hub of the Paddle Steamers! I do not travel by this steamers frequently nowadays because traveling by road in private car is much faster then traveling by a paddle ship though I miss such wonderful journeys so much! Thanks for reading the article. Stay well and happy always.
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I remember a few times taking rides on the Julia Belle paddle boat that goes up and down the Illinois river near Peoria, Illinois. Great memories! They even had a band, dinner and dancing once in awhile on the weekend. Thanks for stopping by and for your comments which I appreciate. I have posted a picture showing the dinning room of one of the steamer after reading your comments. Your inputs have also reminded me about the wonderful meals, breakfasts and snacks that the properly dressed Butlers used to serve to the first and second class passengers on board of these ships. You could also see the picture of a standard cabin for first class passengers with two beds and also a TV that usually is found in such steamboats now though the TV is a new addition obviously! Take Care and stay well always.
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