kolkata temples

Dakshineswar temple is one of the most revered, sacred temples in Kolkata, dedicated to goddess Kali. Dakshineswar Temple is one of the largest temples near Kolkata and it is also an architectural treasure. It boasts a towering height of more than 100 feet. The 12-spired temple with its massive courtyard is flanked by 12 other small temples, devoted to Lord Shiva. It was founded by Rani Rashmoni on the 31st of May 1855. The holy tithi was of Jagannath Deva Snanyatra. This widely famed temple of Dakshineswar is famous among pilgrims all over the world. It was at this very place that the Rama Krishna Paramhamsa, the highly revered religious thinker attained his spiritual vision and advocated the unity of all religions. Dakshineswar Temple is located at a distance of 20 km north from the central part of Kolkata. It is located alongside the Vivekananda Bridge. The temple admires the eastern bank of River Hooghly.

The temple along with its abiding areas spans 25 acres of land, which makes Dakshineswar temple one of the biggest temples in Kolkata. The main temple premise is around 46 sq ft. Dakshineswar temple was built in the traditional ‘Nava-ratna’ or nine spires style of Bengal architecture.

The Garbha Griha houses the deity of goddess Kali, famously known as Bhavataraini. The idol stands on the chest of Lord Shiva, who rests in a lying posture. The two idols stand beautifully on a thousand-petal lotus, made of silver. This colossal temple of Kali is renowned as one of the rare temples of Indian origin.

This Kali Temple in Dakshineswar is very much associated with Sri Ramakrishna Pramhans, as he was one of the earliest priests of the temple. His room, which nestles at the temple premise, can be accessed by all devotees, who visit the temple. Tuesdays and Saturdays are believed as auspicious day for Kali worship. On both these days, there is a huge congregation of devotees at the Dakshineswar temple. The Sandhya Aarti is the prime attraction of devotees, which is truly amazing.

Temples of Shiva – The premise of the Dakshineswar temple is admired with twelve identical temples of Shiva. The temples have been erected just opposite to the Kuthi Bari and they nestle close to the banks of River Ganges. The interiors of the Shiva temples are adorned with white and black stone. Each of the temple houses beautiful Shiva Lingas, done in black stone. All these Shiva temples are east facing and they have been erected following the typical ‘Aat Chala’ Bengal architecture. The series of the Shiva temples are divided by Chadni (River bank). Six temples rest at the right of the bank, whereas the other six to the right.

At the north east side of the Dakshineswar temple complex, lies the Vishnu Temple or the Radha Kanta’s Temple. A flight of stairs will lead you inside the temple. The temple houses a 21 and half inches idol of Lord Krishna and 16 inches idol of Radha. It is said that Sri Ramkrishna himself used to perform puja at this temple.

The Panchavati garden, a congregation of five ancient trees, located in close proximity to the Dakshineswar is an ideal spot for meditation. It is said that Sri Ramakriahna used to meditate at this very site.

Sri Ramkrishna Paramhans, one of the greatest religious reformers is closely associated with this Dakshineswar temple. He first came to the temple, accompanying his brother to assist him in the performance of the holy rituals. According to legends, this was the vary place, where Ramakrishna attained his divine enlightenment. Here he obtained a spiritual vision and witnessed a holy glance of Goddess Kali. On 31st may 1885 the deity of Kali was installed in the temple with much grandeur. Twelve identical shrines of Shiva adorn the premise of Dakshineswar Temple, each housing Shiv Lingas of black stone.

Belur Math, another important tourist attraction of Kolkata is located at a distance of 3 km from Dakshineswar Temple and it is a ‘must visit’ place.

Greatness needs no introduction. Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral residence bears testimony to the advent of this Great Monk into this world. Holy is this place of Kolkata in India which has been blessed with the birth of many enlightened souls like Swami Vivekananda who brought great salvation to the humanity. The house which is now converted into a beautiful museum speaks volumes about the life and struggles of Swamiji, his goals and aspirations for the betterment of the World, his spiritual mission in this world and his message to humanity. A visit to this place will surely enlighten one’s mind and will ignite a spirit of universality in our soul.

Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral home at Kolkata is located at Vivekananda road near Girish Park.

History of Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral home at Kolkata

Known as Narendranath Dutta in his pre-monastic life, Swami Ji was born to affluent parents on the 12th of January, 1863. His father Bishwanath Dutta was an eminent barrister and mother Bhubaneshwari Devi was a pious and devout lady. The ancestral home of Swami Ji had been home to many previous generations of his family. It was this house where he was born and where he spent his childhood and young adulthood. The wonder filled stories of his birth and childhood were enacted at this very ground where the home stands. It fills one with amazement and such reverence when one visits this house. The Ramakrishna Mission took the first initiative to restore the original birthplace of Swami ji. This initiative came into effect on 1st of October, 2004. The then President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated the house along with a cultural centre and a library for the public. However, new additions to the ancestral property swallowed many original portions of the house like the garden surrounding the 30 acres land, but the architectural features are perfectly intact and well preserved.

Features of Swami Ji’s House

The front gate leads way to the marble stairs where the adjacent walls come alive with life size portraits of the Great Monk of India. The pictorial representations and arrangement of pictures narrates the life tales of Swami Ji in a chronological fashion. There are red arrows that guide you through different layers of history well preserved in cases of wood and glass. Some artifacts and belongings are described as follows: The clock which stopped at 5 minutes to 7, beside the place where Swamiji was born. The Shiva Lingam, which is the exact replica of Varanashi Vireshwar Shiva Lingam. Clay model of Swami Vivekananda engrossed in meditation, oblivious of a snake. Swami Vivekananda’s boxing gloves, horse riding stirrup etc. depicting his interest in boxing, rowing, horse riding and fencing. The original relics of his dresses. The clay model of Swamiji at his studies, enthralled by the vision of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The room from where Swamiji used to give alms to the poor. A bunch of ‘hookahs’ from Swamiji’s father’s personal belongings.

 

Onkarnath Temple Located in Sagar Island, approximately 80 km away from the city of Kolkata, Onkarnath Temple is a beautiful beachside religious site. The temple is separated from the main land of West Bengal by the Muriganga River. Devotees avail ferry services from Harwood Point or Namkhana Jetty to cross the river and reach the temple.

The whole of Sagar Island, also known as Gangasagar, is a significant pilgrimage spot. It is the site where the holy River Ganga confluences with the expansive Bay of Bengal. In fact, Gangasagar pilgrimage is the second largest assemblage of mankind after the Kumbh Mela. On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, countless pilgrims from different parts of the world visit this place to take holy dips in the waters of River Ganga. During a pilgrimage tour to Sagar Island, a visit to Onkarnath Temple is must!

Pareshwanath Temple, popularly called as Calcutta Jain Temple, is one of the major places of religious importance in Kolkata. Featuring four temples within the complex, this place of worship is dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankar- Pareshwanath. 

The four temples found here are Shitalnath Ji Temple (Main Deity- Shitalnath), Chandraprabhu Ji Temple (Main Deity- Chandraprabhuswami), Mahavir Swami Temple (Main Deity- Sri Mahavir Swami) and Dadawadi (Footprints of Jain Acharya Jin Dutt Kushal Suri). In Shitalnath Ji Temple, the diamond-studded forehead of Lord Shitalnath and the lamp, which has been continually burning ever since the establishment of the temple in 1867, are stupefying sights. 

The temple shows off truly impressive architecture features. The exteriors, which are characterised by mirror-inlaid pillars and stained glass windows, are bound to amaze you. The presence of intricately designed fountains, a small clearwater stream, a well-maintained reservoir with colourful fish dwelling in it and an incredible variety of flower plants in the surroundings greatly accentuates the beauty of the temple.

Thanthania Kalibari Believed to have been built in the year 1803 by Shankar Ghosh, Thanthania Kalibari is one of the oldest religious sites in Kolkata. The temple is dedicated to Mata Siddheshwari (a form of Goddess Durga) and every year, countless devotees from West Bengal and other parts of the country come here to offer prayers. An interesting fact about the temple is that the image of Goddess Kali, which is typically made of clay, is replaced by a new one every year. Hindus consider Tuesdays and Saturdays the most auspicious for visiting the temple.

Adi Brahmo Samaj Prayer Hall is located conveniently on Cornwallis Street in North Kolkata. Built as a prayer hall for worshipping, this building was consecrated on the 51st year of the Brahmo Samaj on 22nd January 1881. Any person, irrespective of caste or social position, can visit this prayer hall. On the building's backyard, there is the residence of Shivnath Shastri - the renowned 19th century educationist. An old library, stocked with a huge collection of old and rare books on subjects like spiritualism and reforms is located adjacent to the hall.

Kalighat Kali Temple One of the Kolkata's most sacred sites, Kalighat Kali Temple is known as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas on Earth. About 200 years old, this historic temple is dedicated to Hindu Goddess Kali. As legend has it, this is the place where Sati's toes of the right foot fell. Countless devotees, regardless of sectarian differences, visit this holy temple to offer prayers to the goddess. Enhancing the beauty and sanctity of the temple is the Hooghly River's tributary - Adi Ganga that flows right next to it.

Originally a small hut, this temple was later built by King Manasingha in the beginning of 16th century. The present structure of the temple was completed under the Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family's patronage in 1809. Spectacular and unique, the sandstone idol of Kali was crafted by two saints - Atmaram Giri and Brahmananda Giri. It features three big eyes, four hands and long protruding tongue. The tongue and the hands - two of which hold a scimitar and a severed head of 'Shumbha' (Asura king) are made of gold.

Sosthi Tala, Harkath Tala, Radha-Krishna Temple and Kundupukur are important highlights of the temple. Also known as Monosha Tala, Sosthi Tala is a 3 feet high rectangular altar with a small cactus plant. Beneath the plant, there are three stones representing the Goddesses Sosthi, Mongol Chandi and Sitola. Harkath Tala is the site where animal sacrifices are done, and Kundupukur is a sacred tank, measuring 669 sq ft in area. Built by a Zamindar named Udoy Narayan Mondal in 1843, Radha-Krishna Temple contains four Shiva temples within the premises. During your visit, do not forget to step in the ancient Nakhuleshwar Mahadev Temple, which lies right opposite to Kalighat Kali Temple.

Shree Digambar Jain Pareswanath Temple of Kolkata is a very sacred place of worship for the Digambara Jain community. Digambara is one of the two main sects of Jainism – the other branch is Svetambara. This glorious red temple with its bright red entrance greet the pilgrims to the temple premise, which has four sprawling gardens surrounded by trees, hedges and flowering plants for the visitors to take rest and feel the oneness with nature. The pilgrims can also feed the hundreds of fish in the fish tank.  There is a lamp, which burns with ghee inside the sanctum sanctorum, which has been continuously burning ever since the initiation of the temple since 1867. There are some symbolic installations like a cow and tiger feeding from the same waterhole and some fountains within the temple premise too. The other attraction is the Stambha or tower made of white marble beside the sparkling red temple. Religious inscriptions preaching non-violence and other aspects of Jainism can be found throughout the Stambha.

Birla Temple is located at Ballygunge in Kolkata built by the ‘Birla family’, the famous industrialist family of India. The construction of the temple began in 1970. It took 26 years to complete the indelible structure. The temple was inaugurated on the 21st of February, 1996 by Dr. Karan Singh. The Pran Prathistha ceremony of the idols was done by Swami Chidananda Maharaj. The temple is dedicated to the consortium of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha.

The marvelous architecture of the temple is the work of intricate Rajasthani style of architecture. The entire temple has been constructed with sandstone and white marble. The manner in which the layering and decoration of the temple facades have been done is a pointer to the high degree of skill involved during the construction process. The interiors of the temple are laid with exquisite marble carvings that depict shlokas and pictorial engravings from the Bhagavat Gita. The engraving is spectacularly eye-catching. The ceiling of the temple is bedecked with breath-taking chandeliers and electric diyas that add marvelous luster and shine to the interior. The colossal structure stands at 160 feet above the ground and is spread over 44 kathas of land. The architectural pattern of the temple is partly inspired from the Laxmi Narayan Temple andLingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar. Apart from the beautiful Radha-Krishna idols, the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga have also been installed inside the sanctum. The Birla Mandir depicts the ideals of Hinduism as enshrined in the Vedas and Upanishads and their application to everyday life. The main temple houses statues of deities Krishna and Radha. The left side temple shikhar (dome) houses goddess Durga, the Hindu goddess of Shakti, the power. The right side dome of the temple houses Shiva in meditation mode. Birla Mandir also showcases pictorial depiction of scriptures of Bhagavad Gita in its stone engravings. It was designed by the architect Nomi Bose. Preferred Timings: Early morning and after dusk in time for the evening Aarti. There is also a small enclosure of green grass before entering the main temple where one can sit and meditate.

The Botanic Garden is located at Shibpur, a suburb of Kolkata city of West Bengal State of India. The garden nestles on the Howrah side of river Hooghly and is located around 12 km west of Kolkata city center.