In Pictures – 25 Must See Places in Kolkata

16) Jain Temple – this Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Pareshnath & is also known to locals as Pareshnath Temple or Pareshnath Jain Temple. It was built in 1867 by Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim & dedicated to the deity by Sri Kalyansurishwarji Maharaj. The complex consists of 5 individual shrines dedicated to various Jain Tirthankaras.

Address – Badrinath Temple Street, Manicktala, Kolkata India. The temple receives devotees all through the week but the most popular celebrations are the Rash Purnima & Paryushan.

PS: Photography is not allowed inside any of the temples in India.

17) ISKCON – ISKCON has several establishments in & around Kolkata, all dedicated to Lord Krishna, the most popular with tourists being the the Krishna temples in Mayapur. Mayapur is outside Kolkata so the temple authorities from ISKCON has built numerous facilities to cater to tourists from other parts of India & abroad.

Address – ISKCON, Mayapur, District Nadia, West Bengal – 741313, India.

18) Neveh Shalom Synagogue – this Synagogue was built by the Baghdadi Jewish community who came into Kolkata from Baghdad & Isfahan in the mid 1830s. The Neveh Shalome Synagogue was built as a simple prayer hall & is the first Kolkata Synagogue built in 1831 by Shalom Obaidah ha– Kohen and was named in memory of his father Shalom ha–Cohen.

The original Neveh Shalom Synagogue was demolished in 1884 & then rebuilt around 1910 again in a different location. The new synagogue was built as a simple prayer hall but soon adorned with newer extensions by the growing Jewish community in Kolkata.

Address – 9A, Indra Kumar Karnani St, China Bazar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700001, India.

19) Nakhoda Masjid – this is the principal mosque in Kolkata & can host 10,000 devotees during Namaaz. The Nakhoda Masjid was built by Abdar Rahim Osman of Kutch in 1926 in Indo-Saracenic architecture style. Inside the mosque, a small exhibition is held at regular intervals where you can choose to buy some exquisite ornaments.

Address – Rabindra Sarani, Chowringhee North, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073, India. Although the Nakhoda Mosque is open from sunrise to 8:00 PM IST every day, it is closed to non-Muslims during prayer times.

20) Boat Museum – the only boat museum in India is the Boat Museum in Kolkata, a very little known Indian landmark even to a lot of the local residents. The boat museum is managed by the Institute of Cultural Research under Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal.

The museum opened in 2014 & exhibits the heritage boats of Bengal, crafted miniature models of boats from the  Indus Valley Civilization and covering designs from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Bangladesh. As of 2020, the boat museum of Kolkata has 46 models on display.

Address – Ambedkar Bhawan, P 1/4 CIT Scheme VII (M), VIP Road, Kolkata, India. Its open to visitors all week days from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM IST.

21) Kalighat Temple – this is one of the most revered Hindu temple dedicated to the Divine Kali, close to the Hoogly river. Over time the river moved farther away & today the Kalighat temple lies along the banks of a smaller canal called the Adi Ganga. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas according to the Hindu mythology, the site where the toes of the right foot of Sati fell.

The original temple was a small hut. The present temple was built by the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family of Barisha in 1809.

Address – Anami Sangha, Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal 700026, India. The temple remains open to the public from 5 AM to 2 PM and from 5 pm to 10:30 pm on all days of the week. Between 2 pm and  5 pm, Bhog (the food offered to the deity) is offered to the Kalighat Kali and thus the sanctum sanctorum remains closed for the public between those hours.

22) Nipponzon Myohoji – another Indian hidden gem located in Kolkata is the Nipponzon Myohoji temple of the Nichiren Buddhism faith. Followers from diverse backgrounds chant the Daimuku at the Gohonzon.

Address – 60/1 Lake Road, Kolkata, India. The prayer halls are open from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST. Like other Eastern religions, monks are often present to answer questions from curious visitors & devotees.

23) Jorashanko Thakur Bari – this is the ancestral home of Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore & currently lies on the campus of Rabindra Bharati University in Jorashanko, Kolkata. The Jorasanko Thakur Bari was built in 1784 & presently transformed into the Tagore museum that exhibits over 700 paintings, vintage books & various antiques.

Address – 6/4, Dwarkanath Tagore Lane, M.G Road, Kolkata, West Bengal 700007, India or 267, Rabindra Sarani, Kolkata, West Bengal 700007, India. The museum is open from  Tuesday through Sunday from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM for a very nominal entre fee.

24) Race Course – another Indian landmark since 1820 is the Kolkata Race Course in Kolkata, the largest horse race venue in India. Races are held from July to September & again from November to March. Details are posted on the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, the authority that manages the course & the races, website.

Address – Hospital Rd, Kolkata, West Bengal 700027, India

25) National Library – a landmark among the literary, academic & intellectual communities of Kolkata is the National Library that was established as the Calcutta Public Library in 1836.

The Calcutta Public Library began its journey on 21st March 1836. The Library was established for reference and lending, open to all, irrespective of class, color & nationalities, on the self-financing principle.

The Calcutta Public Library was subsequently merged with the Imperial Library and combining the collection of a number of secretariat libraries, the Imperial Library was opened to the public in January in 1903.

After Independence of India, the National Library came into being in place of Imperial Library by the “Imperial Library (Change of Name) Act” in 1948. It was accorded a special status of an institution of national importance in the Article 62 in the 7th Schedule of the Union list of the Constitution of India and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Union Minister of Education opened the Library to Public on 1st February 1953.

Address – The National Library, Kolkata, West Bengal 700 027, India. It is open between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM IST on all working days and between 9.30 am and 6.00 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Government of India holidays.

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For more on Must See Places in Kolkata, please read & view these:

1. 15 More Must See Places in Kolkata
2. 15 More Must See Places in Kolkata – a video of compilations of pictures of Kolkata landmarks

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