Places of Attraction

Kolkata, has been nicknamed the City of Joy. City of Joy comes from the lively and friendly and loving behavior of all the citizens all over the places making the city more lively and enjoyable.Kolkata is locally regarded as the intellectual and cultural capital of the nation. Kolkata witnessed a spate of frenzied construction activity of buildings largely influenced by the conscious intermingling of Neo-Gothic, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Oriental and Islamic schools of design. Unlike many north Indian cities, whose construction stresses minimalism, the layout of much of the architectural variety in Kolkata owes its origins to European styles and tastes imported by the British and, to a much lesser extent, the Portuguese and French.Kolkata is a city that shocks and charms any visitor.Kolkata is a daily festival of human existence.

Religious Places in Kolkata

Kalighat Temple
The Kalighat Temple in Kolkata of goddess Kali is 20 kilometers north of Kolkata city, situated on the banks of river Hoogly. 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.

Belur Math
Belur Math is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, a chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, Belur, West Bengal, India and is one of the significant institutions in Calcutta.This temple is the heart of the Ramakrishna Movement. The temple is notable for its architecture that fuses Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as a symbol of unity of all religions. Swami Vijnanananda, a brother-monk of Swami Vivekananda and one of the monastic disciples of Ramakrishna, who was, in his pre-monastic life, a civil engineer, designed the temple according to the ideas of Vivekananda and Swami Shivananda, the then President of Belur Math laid the foundation stone on 16 May 1935. The massive construction was handled by Martin Burn & Co.. The mission proclaims the Belur Math as, "A Symphony in Architecture".

Dakshineshwar Temple
Kolkata, the largest metropolis in India is famous for its religious places. Dakshineshwar Temple dedicated to Goddess Kali is 20 kilometers north of Kolkata city and was established in 1847 by Rani Rasmoni.

Pareshnath Jain Temple
Pareshnath Jain Temple is located in the north-east of Kolkata. The temple is decorated with mirrors, colored stones and mosaics made of glass. It has a beautiful garden around it. It has blocks of glass mosaics and European statues, painted with silver paint.

Nakhoda Mosque
Nakhoda Mosque is located in Jacquaria Street, near the junction of Chitpore Road and Mahatma Gandhi Road in Kolkata.Nakhoda Mosque of Kolkata in the beginning was a small mosque. It was as late in 1926, when resident of Kutch, Abdar Rahim Osman built the present structure. Nakhoda Mosque of Kolkata is the biggest of its kind in Kolkata. It was constructed following the style of Akbar's tomb at Sikandra- which is a piece of Indo-Saracenic architecture.

St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral in Kolkata is one of the most important religious places of Kolkata. The church took a much longer time to be completed. After about 8 years of construction the building was finally finished in 1847. The building architecture of St. Paul's Cathedral in Kolkata was magnificently designed by Major William Nairn Forbes.

St John's Church
The St. John's Church of Kolkata is one among the first public buildings that were constructed by the East India Company. St. John's Church was constructed in the year 1787. This church is popular as 'The Stone Church'. St. John's Church is located at BBD Bagh in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Howrah Bridge
Howrah Bridge is popularly known as Rabindra Setu in West Bengal. Howrah Bridge in Kolkata spans over river Hooghly and is considered to be a marvelous engineering work by the British. The Howrah Bridge is enumerated amongst the busiest cantilever bridge in the World.

Rabindra Sadan
Rabindra Sadan is the hub of the prime Bengali culture in the the metropolitan city of Kolkata. The large stage of Rabindra Sadan is a premier venue for 'Bangla' theater and other cultural activities of the city.Rabindra Sadan of Kolkata is a major entertainment zone and cultural center for the Bengali society where you can view dramas, dance cultural programmes and exhibitions every evening.

Victoria Memorial
The Victoria Memorial of Kolkata is a majestic structure in white marble, modeled on Taj Mahal. The Victoria Memorial was built in memory of Queen Victoria in the early 20th Century. The total expenditure of building Victoria Memorial was around Rs 1,50,000,000.

Vidyasagar Setu
he Vidyasagar Setu, popularly known as the second Hooghly Bridge is situated about 2 kilometers south of Howrah Bridge, Kolkata. The Vidyasagar Setu is the latest suspension bridge of Kolkata across the Hooghly connecting the city to its twin city of Howrah.Vidyasagar Setu of Kolkata has 9 lanes of traffic routes enabling it to handle nearly 85,000 vehicles daily. The Vidyasagar Setu of Kolkata,West Bengal is a toll bridge for all types of vehicles entering and going out of Kolkata. More...

Kolkata Race Course
Kolkata Race Course is one of the biggest race course in India. Kolkata Race Course was built in 1820 and well-kept by the Royal Turf Club of Kolkata.Kolkata Race Course is the renowned horse race venues in India where the country's most prestigious racing events such as the Calcutta Derby and the Queen Elizabeth Cup are organized at a regular interval. The Race Course of Kolkata is located in the south-western point of the green Kolkata Maidan. The Victoria Memorial lies in the western corner of the Race Course of Kolkata, West Bengal.

National Library
The National library is located at the Belvedere Estate very near to the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata. The National library of Kolkata is the largest library in India.The National library was the residence of the former Lieutenant Governor of West Bengal. The library at present contains almost 2 million books and half a million documents.

Shahid Minar in Kolkata
The Shahid Minar in Kolkata, West Bengal was built by Sir David Ochterlony in the year 1948 to immortalize his astounding triumph in the Nepal War that took place in the period between 1814 and 1816. This skyscraper monument standing at approximately 48 meters enlightens the night sky of the Maidan region situated in the hub of Kolkata, as it is superficially illuminated by a dazzling shower of bright light from all its corners.

Marble Palace
The Marble Palace in Kolkata is an exquisitely engineered palatial mansion that was built by Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur, who was one of the wealthiest landlords of West Bengal in the year 1835. It's sheer magnificence and scintillating artistry will surely captivate you in a state of trance.

MP Birla Planetarium
The MP Birla Planetarium in Kolkata, West Bengal came into existence on 29th September, 1962 and officially opened to the public with an inaugural address by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru on 2nd July,1963. It was first of its kind in whole of India and the mightiest in entire Asia. Ever since its beginning, it has proved to be an asset for the common people as well as the students in understanding the different sorts of phenomenon that take place in the ever so mysterious space.

Birla Industrial Museum
Birla Industrial Museum or Birla Industrial and Technological Museum is situated at 19A, Gurusaday Road in South Kolkata.Birla Industrial Museum of Kolkata was founded in 1956. It was initiated by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It was the untiring effort of Dr. BC Roy, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, that the Birlas gave away the building and the adjacent piece of land. This actually was a property of Satyendranath Tagore. In the year 1978 the Birla Industrial Museum of Kolkata has been brought under the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM). The basic objective of the museum is to evoke the thirst for science and a concept of technology amongst the mass, particularly the students.

Rabindra Bharti Museum
Rabindra Bharti Museum of Kolkata is popularly known as 'Jorashanko Thakurbari' which is the home of Rabindranath Tagore. It is near Girish Park on Chittaranjan Avenue.It was constructed in the 18th century by Prince Dwarkanath Tagore (grandfather of Rabindranath Tagore). The premise houses several buildings. The Rabindra Bharti Museum of Kolkata, an integral part of the University is a significant reserve of the works of the Tagore, particularly of Abanindranath and Rabindranath.

Birla Art Museum
Birla Art Museum of Kolkata is a state gallery depicting the traditional and cultural heritage of India as well as a permanent showcase of Indian contemporary art. It is situated at Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata.Birla Art Museum of Kolkata was founded in 1966. Paintings of the medieval age and modern art and various archaeological remains are displayed here. Frequent exhibitions by the contemporary Indian sculptors and painters are held.

Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden in Kolkata is an endeavor of the state government of West Bengal to maintain the ecological balance of Kolkata. The Botanical Garden of Kolkata, situated beside the river Hooghly in Shibpur, was founded in 1786 with a motive to promote the floral wealth of India.

Zoological Garden
The Zoological Garden in Kolkata consists of a hoard of animals within its premises. The Zoological Garden, which was the first of its kind in the whole of Asia, was established by the 'Burra Sahibs' and the 'Bengali Babus' of Kolkata, who intended to make Kolkata, the then capital of the East India Company, at par with the European capital cities.

Agri Horticultural Garden
Agri Horticultural Garden is situated near the Zoological garden of Kolkata in West Bengal and is one of the most famous horticultural gardens of India. Founded by William Carey in the year 1820, the Agri Horticultural Garden has a large collection of flowering plants.

Nicco Park
Nicco Park, one of the most popular and largest amusement parks in the east, covers an area of around 40 acres. The park holds the rare honor of being the first amusement park in the world to be certified with SA 8000 (Social Accountability) certification, the first in Asia to be certified with ISO 14001 (Environment Management System) and the first amusement park in India to be certified with ISO 9001 (Quality Management System).

Millennium Park
Millennium Park in Kolkata is located on the banks of River Hooghly at Strand Road near BBD Bagh. Millennium Park was set up on 1st January 2000 and was first of its kind park in Kolkata. Its an amusement park for people of all ages.

Nalban Boating Complex
Nalban Boating Complex is one of the finest picnic sites in the city. As the name suggests, it is basically a boating complex where you can experience boating in various types of boats. The place attracts lots of people who want to spend their quality time amidst the glory and grace of nature. Tourist Destinations Near Kolkata

Sunderbans
The Sunderbans is one of the most famous places near Kolkata. The Sunderbans is the largest mangrove forests in the world. It lies at the mouth of the Ganges river and extends over an area comprising the territories of two countries - India and Bangladesh. The Sunderbans is crisscrossed by a network of tidal waterways, mudflats and is an excellent example of ecological progress. This area is known world-wide for its large variety of fauna. The most famous animal of Sunderbans is the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Chandannagar
Chandannagar is situated 30 kilometers distant from Kolkata. It is a former French colony. The history of Chandannagar makes it one of the most visited places near Kolkata. Chandannagar is located along the banks of the Ganga river. The French colonial heritage makes Chandannagar distinct from its surroundings. Chandannagar is easily accessible by train from Kolkata. You could also drive to Chandannagar.

Krishnanagar
Krishnanagar is the headquarters of Nadia district. It is located 118 kilometers north of Kolkata. The places to see in Krishnanagar include the Rajbari (Royal Palace) and the Roman Catholic Church.

Bishnupur
Located at about100 km northwest of Kolkata in Bankura district, Bishnupur has a glorious past that is reflected in its rich architecture, music and handicrafts such as pottery and weaving. It houses unique terracotta temples. formerly the capital of the Malla kings, Bishnupur is renowned for its crafts such as intricate Balucheri saris, the rare ganijifa (circular Indian playing card), delicate carving on shells and bell metal artifacts. The brick temples at Bishnupur, built between the 17th and 18th centuries, are located in the ruined fort area and its neighborhood. The oldest brick temple is a curiously shaped Rasmancha with an elongated pyramidal tower surrounded by hut-shaped turrets was built in the late 16th century by King Beera Hambira. The temple of Madanmohana, the best known in Bishnupur, in the Sankharipara area was built outside the fort compound by King Durjana Singh Dev, in AD 1694. It is built in the ”eka ratna” style, a square flat-roofed building with curved cornices, surmounted by a pinnacle. Apart from temples, Bishnupur has some very attractive bandhs or large tanks that offer good sightseeing. The Lalbandh, Krishnabandh, and Pokabandh were built by the Malla kings around 17th and 18th centuries.

Chinsura
46 km from Kolkata, is the locale of a Dutch factory built in 1628. The Fort Gustavas, as it is known, has been described by Gautier Schouten in 1665 as the most magnificent structure to be built in Hooghly. With the outbreak of war in Holland in 1781, Chinsura was annexed by the British. Chinsura. The town of Hooghly-Chuchura was founded by the Portuguese in 1579. But, the district has thousands of years of rich heritage in the form of the great kingdom of Bhurshut. The city flourished as a trading port and some religious structures were built. One such structure is a Church dedicated to a Charismatic statue of the Mother Mary brought by the Portugese. The church was renovated in 1980s and has been declared as a basilica by the authority of Rome. The Dutch Cemetery is located 800 meters west of the Old Dutch fort. The southern part contains the 22 remaining Dutch tombs. The cemetery is now a protected monument and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Shanti Niketan
The quaint university town of Shantiniketan (meaning Abode of Peace) is located at 136kms from Kolkata. Noble Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore founded a school there in 1901, which later developed into the Visva Bharati University with an emphasis on humanity's relationship with nature. One of the main attractions in Shantiniketan is the Uttarayan complex where Tagore lived. It now has a museum and art gallery. Shantiniketan is also a well regarded center for traditional handicrafts such as batik, pottery, weaving, and embroidery. The best time to visit is during one of the many festivals such as the three day Poush Mela (usually in late December), with its live Bengali folk music, and Holi (celebrated as Basanta Utsav).

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary is the most fabulous tourist attraction in Kolkatta which is located nearby the city Siliguri. The total area of this wild Life sanctuary is about 26 square kilometers where you can find the different species of animals like Indian elephants, one horned rhinoceros, barking deer and spotted deer. The drive to Jaldapara is exciting one you may come across huge bridges, dense forests, Bengal fields and tea gardens. The last not least you can experience variety of birds like Crested and Pallass fishing eagles, Jungle fowl, partridges, python, monitor lizards, the most dangerous cobras and more than eight species of fresh water turtles. Bagdogra is a nearest airport from this wildlife sanctuary. Jaldhapara Wildlife Sanctuary has around 40 of these creatures, and you can see them close up on an elephant safari. The sanctuary is open from October through May. The best months for rhino watching are March and April, when the new grass comes up.

Digha
It is West Bengal’s most popular sea resort. It is located 187 KM south west of Kolkata. Digha has a low gradient with a shallow sand beach with gentle waves extending up to 7KM in length. The scenic beauty of this place is charming and alluring. The beach is girdled with Casuarina plantations along the coast enhancing its beauty. These trees apart from beautifying also aid in reducing erosion of the dunes.

Mandarmani
It is a small virgin beach on Bay of Bengal, only a few km from Digha. It is also a small fishing harbour and a fast developing tourist resort. Mandarmani is an obvious choice, if an unexplored sea beach far from the hustle and bustle of the city is what one has in mind. Distinctly different from Digha, Mandarmani will be cherished for its serenity and its beach resorts. One can view both sunrise and sunset at the Mandarmani sea beach. The sunset and sunrise reflecting the salty waters of the Bay of Bengal is something straight off an artist’s canvas.