DURGA PUJA
HAND PULLED RICKSHAW
KUMORTULI
STREET FOOD
TRAM
KOLKATA
Located at the Eastern banks of the Hooghly, Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. The city is home to the oldest functioning port in India and is the 3rd most populated metropolitan in India after Mumbai and Delhi. The region came under the Suzerainty of the Nawabs of Bengal under the Mughals and eventually the British who took full control of the city in 1772. The city is also the center of the industrial revolution in India and the birthplace of modern Indian cultural, poetic, artistic and literary movement in between the 19th and the early 20th centuries. The city was also the capital of India under the British and was the nucleus of the Indian Independence Movement. The various blends of cultures have garnered Kolkata as one of the major tourist destination in India.
Howrah Bridge
The construction of the sixth longest cantilever bridge in the world, the Howrah Bridge is one of the most famous landmarks of Kolkata. The bridge was originally called the New Howrah Bridge as it was meant to replace an older pontoon bridge on the Hooghly River. The bridge is often considered to be one of the major National Landmarks in India and is also called the Rabindra Setu after the famous Bengali literary figure Rabindranath Tagore.
Jorasanko Thakurbari
Jorasanko Thakurbari or the House of the Thakurs is the ancestral residence of the Tagore family. The mansion was built during the 18th century by Prince Dwarkanath Tagore the grandfather of Rabindranath Tagore. The place now houses the Rabindra Bharathi University and a museum that contains the various articles and articles that depict and describe the life and times of the Tagores.
Park Street
Park Street is also called Food Street and the Street that never sleeps by the locals due to the various restaurants and pubs located in the area. The place was one of the top night life spots during the 70’s and the 80’s. The street is one of the major attractions in Kolkata and is visited by a huge number of tourist and local crowds.
Indian Museum
The Indian Museum in Kolkata is the largest and the oldest museums in India and was established in 1814. The museum contains 6 sections which are further split in 35 galleries and contain a plethora of various antiquities, artifacts, paintings and mummies etc. The museum was established by a Dutch botanist under the British, Dr. Nathaniel Wallich and is one of the oldest museums in the world.
Victoria Memorial
Victoria Memorial is located on the plains at the banks of the River Hooghly and was completed in 1921. It is dedicated in the memory of Queen Victoria and is currently a museum. After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Lord Curzon commissioned the construction of this memorial and is built in a unique architectural blend of Mughal and British styles. The museum contains 25 galleries that house various antiquities and artifacts.
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
The Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is located at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas and is one of the major strongholds for the rare one horned Indian Rhino. The forest reserve is spread across an area of 216.51 square kilometers and is home to a huge variety of flora and fauna. The various animal species found here are the Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian Elephants, Sambar, Indian Bison and wild boar etc.
Birla Temple
The construction of the temple began in 1970 and took 26 years to complete. Birla Temple is one of the several Birla temple landmarks that are located in various major cities across India. The temple was commissioned by the Industrial Birla Family of India and is dedicated to Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. The temple is built in carved white marble and is spread across and approximate are of 130 acres of land.
Calcutta Racecourse
The Royal Calcutta turf club was founded in 1847 in the British India and was the 1st horse racing organization in India. The Calcullta or the Kolkata Racecourse was established in 1820 and is one of the oldest horse race courses in the country. The races are operated between the months of July to September and Novermber to March on Saturdays or any other public holidays.
Eden Gardens
The arrival of the British in India, gave the country its most favorite sport Cricket. Eden Gardens are a massive capacity cricket ground and is often called a Cricket Colosseum. The Eden Gardens are the largest capacity cricket ground in the country and the 3rd largest in the world. The Stadium is one of the most iconic cricket grounds in India and is home to the Kolkata Knight Riders cricket club in the Indian Premier League.
Marble Palace Mansion
The palatial was built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick and is a residence for his descendants till date. The architecture of the Marble Palace Mansion is neoclassical and is considered the best preserved sites of this style of architecture. The palace also houses a museum which contains various antique furniture and old paintings. The nearby zoo called the Marble Palace zoo is also a must visit.
Bandel Church
With a long list of miracles attached with this church, it would have been more appropriate if it was called “A God’s Blessing”. Such is the divinity of the Bandel Church in the Hooghly District of West Bengal. Standing as the memory of the Portuguese settlement in Bengal, it is one of the oldest Christian churches of the state. The present structure of the church was built in the year 1660 by Gomez de Soto and it still has the keystone of the old building with the date of 1599. The Bandel Church is one of the most attractive and prestigious churches of India. An arched gateway welcomes you as you enter the church on the banks of the Hooghly River. The church has three altars, several tomb stones, a small organ and a shrine of Mother Mary. A mast, which was presented by the captain of the ship which was saved by the blessings of Mary, stands proudly in front of the church and is one of major attractions here.
According to a popular belief, the wishes of every disciple who comes to this church are fulfilled by Mother Mary. The Bandel Church is visited by lakhs of visitors from all around the world. The magnificent beauty of this church is something best seen with your own eyes!
Kalighat Temple
The Kalighat Temple in Kolkata of goddess Kali is 20 kilometer north of Kolkata city, situated on the banks of river Hooghly. It was established in 1847. Kalighat temple is about 200 years old. Kalighat Temple of Kolkata is a significant religious place for the Hindus in eastern India.
This place of religious importance is visited by innumerable tourists as well as worshipers. The temple of Kalighat is regarded one of the 52 Shakti Peethas of India.
There are few temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Radha Krishna, sharing the same compound. The items required for worship such as garlands, flowers, sweets and utensils are available in the temple area. Shoes are not allowed inside the Kalighat Temple of Kolkata. This sacred place is visited by thousands of devotees every year.
The temple of Kalighat in Kolkata, West Bengal is open from 8 am to 9 pm. However the ideal time of visiting the Kalighat Temple is either early in the morning or in the late afternoon preferably between 3 to 5. You need not to pay anything to get an entry into the temple compound. One is not allowed to take photographs inside the temple.
Local buses and taxis can be availed to reach the Kalighat Temple of Kolkata. The nearest Metro station is the Kalighat Metro Station.
This age old temple of Kalighat is one of the major tourist sites of the city of Kolkata. So if you are in Kolkata, do not miss to visit the sacred Kalighat Temple of Kolkata.
Dakshineshwar Temple
Kolkata, the largest metropolis in India is famous for its religious places, Dakshineshwar Temple dedicated Goddess Kali is 20 kilometers north of Kolkata city and was established in 1847 by Rani Rasmoni.
Dakshineshwar Temple is also famous for Sri Ramakrishna, the renowned spiritual personality. The room he used to live in is now a museum. This 19th century complex with 12 temples is a major religious site for devotees of Shiva, Kali, Radha, and Krishna.
Dakshineshwar Temple is one of the largest temples of Kolkata, West Bengal. The presiding deity of Dakshineshwar Temple is Goddess Kali who is encircled by 12 other temples dedicated to Lord Siva. The main temple is known as Navaratna Temple. The temple, in conventional Nava-ratna style, measures 46 feet square and rises over 100 feet high.
This beautiful temple can be visited any time of the year and one is not required to pay any entry fee for it. The timing for the pujas are between 6 am to 12.30 pm and from 3.30 pm to 9.30 pm. Devotees can get flowers and sweets for the pujas from the shops outside the Dakshineshwar Temple complex. One has to enter the temple complex bare footed.
The Kali puja is celebrated grandly in the month of October at the Dakshineshwar Temple. On this day, the temple complex is thronged by hundreds of devotees who gather to pay their homage to the idol.
If you visit the city of Kolkata, then paying a visit to Dakshineshwar Temple is a must thing.
