12 Most Interesting Spots to Visit in Kolkata
Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal is my hometown. I was born and brought up in this city, which is fondly nicknamed 'The City of Joy'. In my childhood, it was known as Calcutta in English. Later, it was renamed Kolkata, to maintain the essence of Bengali culture of this place.
When the English rule started expanding in medieval India,
they established a new city as the capital of the British Empire and named it Calcutta, after the name of one of the three villages, which were developed together to
establish this large city. Later, although the capital of India was shifted to
Delhi, Calcutta never lost its glory. Now, this city has been renamed Kolkata and
still it continues to be a major attraction for common tourists, pilgrims, and
history lovers from all over the world.
As Kolkata is rightly called “The City of Joy", you can enjoy yourself
to your heart’s content, in many popular sites, including historical monuments,
spots of scenic beauty, and even mouth-watering food centers. Being a city of
more than 300 years, you can simply be tired of visiting the numerous tourist
spots all over the city and also in the realms of its suburbs. But here only 12 main sites of tourist attractions
are going to be discussed in short, which have been considered as the signature
landmarks of Kolkata; so that you can have a prior idea about them and you do not miss to visit any of these magnificent locations.
1. Victoria Memorial
This huge white marble building that resembles the Taj Mahal to some extent was named to commemorate Queen Victoria and opened to the public in 1921. It lies at the heart of the city and is surrounded by lavish greenery all around it, along with well-maintained parks. Now it serves as a museum that displays many rare oil paintings of British Royals and also several Indian dignitaries of the pre-independence period; along with their belongings, like swords, dresses, and books, enabling you to have a look into the glorious past.
2. Indian Museum
This is the biggest and oldest museum in India, containing
six sections for Art, Geology, Archaeology, Zoology, Economic Botany, and
Anthropology. There are a total of 35 galleries in these sections, housing various
rare paintings of famous painters of the Mughal period; several antique pieces,
like ancient seals and coins; ornaments, armor, and weapons of many medieval
kings and warriors; different types of fossils from pre-human ages and mommies;
skeletons of prehistoric animals, birds and reptiles; statues of various Hindu
Gods, Lord Buddha and some Jain Tirthankars also are seen here.
3. Marble Palace
This palace got its name from its marble-made walls,
pillars, and floors, made by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a rich businessman of the 19th
century. This manor is renowned for its huge collections of art, bought from
various parts of Europe; which include various sculptures, paintings of
renowned European painters, western furniture items, chandeliers, life-size
mirrors, large clocks, and other antique pieces of great value. Besides the main
building, there is also a small zoo and a rock garden, built within these
premises. But you need to obtain prior permission from the State Tourism
Information Bureau to visit this North Kolkata building, as some parts of it are still inhabited by the descendants of the Mullick family.
4. Fort William
It is a fort built by the British during the early era of
their rule in India, which they named after the then-reigning king of Britain,
William III. This huge octagonal fort lies on the banks of River Hooghly and it
is noted for its star-like design and its huge area of approximately 80
hectares, surrounded by a deep channel. It has 6 large gates and five of its
sides face the vast green land that is called ‘Maidan’ and is considered as the
lung of the city for the availability of fresh air here. As it is now occupied
by the Indian Army, only some parts of it, like a church, boxing ring, football
ground, marketplace, and firing range are open to the public.
If you are a cricket lover, then you cannot miss visiting Eden Gardens, the historical cricket ground of Kolkata, where many
international cricket matches were played and plenty of records have been set by
different talented players. Apart from recalling the history of cricket matches
played in this vast stadium, you can just enjoy its velvety green ground and
rest anywhere of the surrounding stands, which currently have the capacity for
holding more than 66,000 people at a time! Near this spot, you can also see the Writer’s Building, the red-colored
historical Secretariat of West Bengal, which is currently under repair.
6. Kali Ghat Temple
This is an ancient temple that is extremely sacred to the
Hindus, on the bank of a canal that earlier used to be the actual course of the
Hooghly River, but now just flows into the present course of the river. The
temple complex is vast, comprising several other temples, apart from the main
altar that is dedicated to Goddess Kali; and also other building structures,
used for various purposes.
7. St. Paul’s Cathedral
It is a prominent Anglican church of North India and it is
distinguished for its huge tower and spire built in Indo-Gothic style, along
with the stained glass windows of attractive colors and two frescoes drawn in
Italian Renaissance mode. Though it was built in the mid 19th
century, this church had to be rebuilt in 1934, after being destroyed due to
earthquake. At that time, it was designed following the architecture of the
central tower of the famous Canterbury Cathedral of England. You can also visit
Rabindra Sadan and Nandan Cinema Complex, which are the two main cultural sites
of the people of Bengal, just adjacent to this Cathedral.
8. Dakshineshwar Kali
Temple
This temple complex was built on the bank of Hoogly River, in
the 19th century, by Rani Rasmani, the queen of Janbazar in Kolkata.
Apart from the main temple dedicated to Goddess Kali; also 12 temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and a Radha-Govinda temple, along with other
buildings, over vast areas of 25 acres. This temple is more known for its close
association with the famous Hindu saint of that time, Sri Ramkrishna Paramhansa.
9. Birla Mandir
This huge temple of beautiful white marble is called Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, though its main deities are Radha-Krishna. It is located in Ballygunge, a posh area in Kolkata. It is also commonly named Birla Mandir, as it was funded by the Birlas, one of the richest families in India. The construction of this temple started in 1970 and took 26 years to complete in 1996 when it was inaugurated by Dr. Karan Singh. This temple is worth visiting for its splendid architecture and stone carvings.
10. Birla Planetarium
This is the largest planetarium in Asia and its structure strongly
resembles that of the Buddhist Sanchi Stupa. Though it is located amongst the
most popular tourist sites of Kolkata, being next to St. Paul’s Cathedral and
opposite Victoria Memorial; this planetarium is unique for its large
observatory, containing the latest astronomical equipment. You will love to
watch the shows on various aspects of astronomy and space science, imparted in
English, Bengali, Hindi, and a few other Indian languages regularly, between 12
noon to 7 pm.
11. Science City
This is the biggest
science hub in India, planned by the National Council of Science Museums in
1997. This extraordinary science complex, located on the recently developed
Eastern Bypass of the city is now considered as one of the major tourist
attractions of Kolkata. The most popular features of this place are Dynamotion
Hall, Evolution Park, Earth Exploration Hall, Space Odyssey, Maritime Center,
and the most enjoyable Science Park, which your kids will want to see again and
again!
12. Eco Tourism Park
Apart from the above mentioned sites, you can also drop in to
see Shahid Minar, Howrah Bridge, South Park Street Cemetery; along with the famous
Belur Math in close proximity near the city. Your kids will also enjoy visiting
Millennium Park, Birla Technological Museum, Alipore Zoological Gardens, and
Agri Horticultural Garden.
Apart from the above mentioned sites, you can also drop in to
see Shahid Minar, Howrah Bridge, South Park Street Cemetery; along with the famous
Belur Math in close proximity near the city. Your kids will also enjoy visiting
Millennium Park, Birla Technological Museum, Alipore Zoological Gardens, and
Agri Horticultural Garden.
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