Kolkata/Calcutta Tourist place

Tourism in Kolkata is on its boom these days. There are lots of places to see in Kolkata. In this section, we will provide you with Calcutta tourist attractions guide. 

Indian Museum

Indian Museum is a wonderful place for art & artifact lovers in Kolkata that one may see & explore. It is the largest museum in India and was founded in 1814. Dr. Nathaniel Wallich was the founder curator of the museum. At present it has more than sixty galleries dedicated to Geology, Archeology, Zoology, Anthropology, Art and Botany. The place is funded by the Department of Culture, Government of India. Popular exhibits are the skeleton of dinosaurs, painting on illustrated palm-leaves, collection of meteorites, miniature paintings, Ashoka Pillar, Buddhist Stupa, other remaining of the ancient civilizations and many more rare collections. This museum is the ninth oldest regular museum in the world. More on Indian Museum

Asiatic Society

The Asiatic Society in Kolkata started functioning from the year 1784. The Indian museum first came into existence within the building of Asiatic Society. The museum was later shifted to a separate building and is still situated there. Initiated by Sir William Jones, the Asiatic Society is home to a rich repository of Relic that represents different eras of time. The library inside the building consists of Rare Manuscripts and Books, which are written in most of the languages around the world. Original Painting, Manuscripts, Engraving, Asokan Rock Edict and Coins are some of the things one may explore while on a visit to the place. More on Asiatic Society

Victoria Memorial

Built in the memory of Queen Victoria the memorial is made of white marble. The foundation stone was laid by King George V in the year 1906. In the year 1921, it was opened to the public. The memorial also has galleries that exhibit rare collections of Coins, Paintings, Stamps, Sculptures, Arms and other Historic Artifacts. Moreover, there is a rich library that contains nearly 10,674 Books and Periodicals. The collection of rare books in the library dates back to 1870. More on Victoria Memorial

St. Paul's Cathedral

The Church "St. Paul's Cathedral" was built in the year 1847 and had an essence of Indo-Gothic architecture. The structure was damaged in an earthquake and was rebuilt in 1938. The new structure is a replica of the Bell Harry Tower. The church also contains collection of antique books and paintings. One would get mesmerized by the inner grandeur that contains intricate artwork on wall, mosaic panels, mural painting and Florentine frescoes. The surrounding of the cathedral also presents one with a calm ambience. More on St. Paul's Cathedral

Marble Palace

One of the popular places to visit in Kolkata, India, is the Marble Palace. The stunning beauty of the white marbles would leave one mesmerized. The palace was built by Rajendra Mullik in 1855. Jagannath Temple is also located in the premises but it remains accessible to the family members. The place also harbors a small zoo, lawns and other attractions. The architecture is neoclassical and also has signs of Chinese pavilion. The palace has paintings of both Indian and European Artists. Two famous painting of Ruben is also present in the house. The paintings are 'The Marriage of St. Catherine' and 'The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian'. It also has paintings of John Opie, Sir Joshua Reynold, Murillo and Titan. It is also home to a collection of Rare Clocks, Urns, Mirrors and other exquisite objects. More on Marble Palace

Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium

The Eden Garden Cricket Stadium was built in 1864 and is the second largest stadium in the world behind Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. The stadium in the recent years has undergone renovation work. This cricket stadium has been host to a number of great cricket games that have made mark in the history of cricket. The first ODI was played in the year 1987 and the first test match was played in 1934. The test match was against Douglas Jardine's MCC. The ground is home to The Bengal Cricket. More on Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium

Botanical Garden

It is one of the oldest botanical gardens in India. The place is located around 8 kms from the Calcutta City. One of the major attractions of this garden is the famous Giant Banyan Tree, which is said to be around 2 centuries old. Botanical Garden was developed by the East India Company in the year 1787. The place has a variety of plants, palms and orchids that would take you close to nature. One would also come across rare trees and plants. The place has a library where one would get a huge collection of botany books. In the year 1793 William Roxburg, a botanist, brought plants from all over the country and formed herbarium. This herbarium is now The Central National Herbariumof Botanical Survey of India. More on Botanical Garden

Zoological Garden, Alipore

The Zoological Garden in Alipore is said to be the oldest zoo in the country. It became operational from the year 1876. Some of the attractions of the zoo are the Royal Bengal Tiger, Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, Indian Elephant, Jaguar, Reticulated Giraffe, African Elephant, Hornbills, Macaw, Golden Pheasant and Hornbills. It also has a variety of reptiles like Crocodiles and Snakes. More on Zoological Garden

Esplanade

Smeared with shops and vendors selling variety of items, Esplanade is one of the popular places to see in Kolkata. From Books to Garments one would be taken through a unique ride of sight and sound. One may check out the Antique shop or explore the handicrafts sold on the streets of Esplanade. The place also has some of the finest Restaurants and Food Joints.

Park Street

Park Street is another Great Place to visit as the place has its own charm. One of the major attractions of this place is the Asiatic Society. The street is also filled with host of hang-out joints and restaurants. From shops selling electronic goods to book stores the area has a lot to offer. On a visit to Kolkata during the Christmas one must witness the festive decoration of Park Street during that time of the year.

Kalighat Kali Temple 

Located on the banks of river Hooghly, Kalighat Kali temple is a very famous temple of the city of joy i.e. Calcutta. It is dedicated to Goddess kali, who is believed to be the destroyer as well as liberator. Every year, it has been attracting more and more crowds. Infact, Calcutta Kalighat Kali temple has come in the top list of must see tourist attraction places. For Hindus, Kali temple at Kalighat, Kolkata is one of the most sacred pilgrimage destinations. 

There is an interesting legend behind the formation of Kali temple, which suggests that when Lord Shiva was furiously performing his dance (Pralay), keeping the corpse of Goddess kali on his shoulders, his spinning wheel sliced off her dead body. Her body slices fell off at different points, where pilgrimage centers were formed later on. Kalighat temple is one such pilgrimage spot, where a toe of her right foot had fallen. It is during the months of Bhadra, Paush and Chaitra (according to the Bengali calendar) that Kali temple at Kalighat turns into a convergence point for devotees from al over the world.

         Location: Banks of river Hooghly

         Dedicated to: Goddess Kali

Dakshineshwar Temple

Dakshineshwar Kali temple has an interesting story. The construction of this fabulous temple was initialized in the year 1847 and got completed in 1855. The credit for the formation of Calcutta Dakshineswar Kali temple goes to the queen Rasmani of Janbazar. Located on the bank of the Ganges, north of Belur Math in Kolkata, it is dedicated to Goddess kali. It is a spacious temple covering an area of about 25 acres.

Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the famous spiritual leader is also associated with this temple, as it was over here only that he had worshipped Goddess Kali and formed a rare form of love for her, which is popularly known as maha-bhava in Hinduism. Read on to know about the history of Dakshineshwar Temple Of Kolkata, India.

The legend associated with the establishment of the temple suggests that the queen Rasmani was all set to leave for the sacred city of Banaras to worship the divine mother and seek her blessings. During those times, going by boat was the only feasible option, as there were no railway lines between Calcutta and Banaras. But one night before, it happened that divine mother kali appeared in the dreams of Rani Rasmani and instructed her to construct a beautiful temple on the banks of the Ganges River and install her idol in it. She also said that she would manifest herself in the image over there and accept her devotion. It is one of the largest temples in Kolkata.

Location: Bank of the Ganges, north of Belur Math in Kolkata
Dedicated to: Goddess Kali
Founded by: Queen Rasmani of Janbazar
Year of establishment: 1847 - 1855