2007 is a significant year for India with the 150th anniversary of the Indian Mutiny and 250 years since Clive’s victory at Plassey changed the country’s historical path. It is also the year that sees the launch of the first ever passenger cruise ship along the entire length of the River Hooghly.

Flowing 250 miles from the Ganges to the sea – and once a main trading artery for the East India Company – the river is now navigable all year round and provides a pleasant stay in the sub continent at a time of year usually best avoided.

Bengali terracotta temples, early Islamic monuments and the handsome Georgian mansions of Calcutta can all be seen from the river or close to its banks, while the former Nawabian capital of Murshidabad and the striking new ISKCON (The International Society for Krishna Consciousness) headquarters demonstrates how this little known part of India blends ancient and modern to great effect.

A new seven-night cruise with Assam Bengal Navigation allows travellers to experience the region from the comfort of a small ship. Departures are scheduled for July and August 2007 – close to the actual date of the Plassey anniversary, when the surrounding countryside is at its most lush and when some rain is accompanied by sunlight hours comparable to a western European summer.

Contact: Steve Pettitt on 01892 515966.