Piece of history meets spirituality in Kolkata
Heritage Sites - Forts and Monuments
Victoria Memorial
Built entirely of white marble, this monument evokes the charm and the grandeur of the times gone by. The architecture is a combination of Classical European and Mughal styles. The domed white structure is spread over 64 acres. The memorial houses a museum, which has an impressive collection of pictures, paintings, statues, manuscripts from the British times in Bengal. Well-manicured lawns, statues at the entrance, domes at the corners, tall open curved colonnades are some of the notable features of the monument. The memorial is dedicated to Queen Victoria who was the first British monarch to be awarded the Queen-Empress of India in 1877.
Among the treasured artifacts at the museum, check out the miniature replica of Fort William and the piano that Queen Victoria played on as a child.
Enjoy the Light and Sound Show at the Victoria Memorial held every evening except Mondays. It is held at 7:45 PM from March to September and at 7:15 PM from October to February.
Fort William
Located on the East bank of the Hooghly River, the fort was built in 1757 after the victory of Robert Clive over Siraj-ud-Daula at the Battle of Plassey. It was built to protect the Britishers against Muslim invasions. The fort walls, barracks, stables and the Church of St. Peter can be seen till today. The Arsenal is also worth visiting.
Shahid Minar
Standing at 148 ft. at the north end of the Maidan, this pillar commemorates the victory of David Ochterlony in Nepal. The cupola is built in Turkish style; the column in Syrian style and the base is built in Egyptian style.
The Writer's Building
This imperial building once served as the headquarters for the lower ranks of the East India Company. It is one of the important buildings in BBD Bagh or the city square named after Binoy, Badal and Dinesh, three martyrs of the freedom movement.
Raj Bhavan
Once the residence of the Governor General of India is today the residence of the Governor. The building draws inspiration from Lord Curzon's ancestral home - Kedleston Hall. The Throne Room, which houses the throne of Tipu Sultan, is one of the attractions at this place. The Ballroom with its polished teak floor is also worth seeing.
Marble Palace
Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur built the palace in 1835. Located in North Kolkata on Muktaram Babu Street, the palace has sculptures of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, Hindu Gods, Lord Buddha etc. The walls of the rooms in the palace have enormous paintings and mirrors. A prior visitor pass is required from the West Bengal Tourist Office. A visit is possible on all days except Mondays and Thursdays.
Religious Places - Temples
Dakshineswar Kali Temple
Rani Rashmoni built this revered place of worship between 1847 and 1855. The temple architecture has a 12-spires, an enormous courtyard, a shrine dedicated to Goddess Kali and others to Lord Shiva and Radha Krishna. The temple is located on the Kalighat Road. The name of the temple is closely associated with the name of Ramakrishna Paramhansa who attained spiritual actualization at this temple.
Belur Math
It is the international headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission. Founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1899. The main prayer hall has a statue of Ramakrishna. The Belur Math represents a church, mosque and a temple when viewed from different angles. Try and catch the aarti, which happens after sunset. The temple is open from 6.30 am-11 am, 3.30 pm-7 pm, daily.
Paresnath Temple
The temple is dedicated to the 10 th of the 24 Jain Tirthankaras, Sithalnathji. The structure is noted for its mirror inlay pillars, stained glass windows and marble floors.
Churches
St. Paul's Cathedral
Regarded as one of the most important churches in India, it is located just east of the Victoria Memorial. The structure is over 200 years old and stands tall at 175 feet. The stained glass work at the cathedral is regarded as among the most exquisite in India. It is also the final resting place of John Charnock, the founder of Kolkata.
Museums
Indian Museum
One of the oldest museums in Asia, it has an impressive collection of fossils, coins, Gandhara Art. There is a 4000-year old mummy and an urn on display that contains Lord Buddha's ashes.
The museum is open from 10 AM-5 PM, Tuesday-Sunday (Between March and November) 10 AM -4.30 PM, Tuesday-Sunday (Between December and February).
Asiatic Society
It is one of the first modern museums in Asia, set up by Sir William Jones in 1814. The museum today houses a small collection of Tibetan Thangkas, the Barhut Ashokan Rock Edict written in Pali are among the most important exhibits.
Rabindra Bharati Museum
Thakurbari, the ancestral home Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore has now been converted into a museum and houses memorabilia that is sure to delight Tagore fans.
It is a part of the Rabindra Bharati University and holds numerous activities to foster cultural appreciation including painting competitions.
Birla Industrial and Technological Museum
Set up in 1966, a mini coalmine is the main attraction at the museum. The galleries have working models in popular science, mining, metals, petroleum, electricity, communications and electronics.
It is open from 9AM - 5 PM on all days, except Mondays.
Parks and Gardens
Eden Gardens
These world famous gardens follow the biblical pattern. It was laid out in 1840. Winding paths intersect in the vast expanse of the garden and are lined with trees and shrubs. There is a large artificial lake and a Burmese pagoda lines it. This pagoda was brought to Kolkata after the British victory in the Burma War in 1884.
Botanical Gardens
The world's largest Banyan Tree is one of the main attractions of this 273-acre sprawling garden. Apart from that several plants native to India and some rare species of flora also line the garden, which was laid out in 1787 by the East India Company. Visitors can enjoy a ferry ride to this garden from Chandrapal or Tekta Ghats. There is also a more direct route where you can drive across the bridge and through Howrah to reach the garden.
Others
Howrah Bridge
This cantilever bridge, truly an engineering marvel was opened to the public in 1943. It took six years to complete the bridge and today it is one of the busiest bridges in the world with over 2 million people crossing it everyday. Walk across the bridge and enjoy the sights and sounds of Kolkata. The bridge is also known as the Rabindra Setu.
Homes of the Missionary of Charity
One of the important stops in the City of Joy is the home of the missionary of charity set up by Mother Teresa. You can even opt to v olunteer your time either at the Nirmal Hriday or the compassionate heart, which is the home for the dying, Prem Dan or the House of Love (home for the mentally ill and the sick) or at the Nirmala Shishu Bhavan (the orphanage).