Hooghly, West Bengal

Balagarh Dingi Boat

A traditional wooden boat (dingi) built by hand in Balagarh, a village on the river Hooghly about 115 km north of Kolkata, where the boat industry is around 500 years old and is considered the heart of Bengal's indigenous boat manufacture. Workshops clustered around Sripur market still uphold centuries-old techniques that have barely changed since the medieval period, when Saptagram port created a ready market for these boats. The craft received its GI tag in 2026. Buyers - fishermen, river transporters and collectors - commission boats directly from the boatmakers or take home carved dingi models.

Typical price: ₹custom orders (boats vary; no fixed retail price)

Buying tip: Visit Balagarh near Sripur market to see boats under construction; commission boats straight from the boatmakers, or look for small carved models as souvenirs.