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Our 2 Day Kolkata City Tour is most popular. In this Kolkata City Tour we will cover most of the important landmarks of the city. We can pick you up from your hotel before the tour.
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Gangasagar, also known as Sagar Island, is a small island located in the Indian state of West Bengal. The island is situated at the mouth of the Ganges River and is a popular pilgrimage site for Hindus, who come here to take a holy dip in the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal.
The island is home to the Gangasagar Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in India, which takes place annually on the day of Makar Sankranti (January 14th). The festival attracts millions of devotees from all over the country, who come to take a dip in the holy waters and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni Temple, which is dedicated to the sage Kapil Muni.
Apart from its religious significance, Gangasagar is also known for its natural beauty. The island is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal on one side and the Ganges on the other, and is home to several beautiful beaches and mangrove forests. The island is also a popular destination for birdwatchers, who come here to see a variety of migratory birds that visit the island during the winter months.
The island has a rich history and cultural heritage, and is home to several temples and shrines that are of great importance to Hindus. The most famous of these is the Kapil Muni Temple, which is believed to have been built by the sage Kapil Muni himself. The temple is a magnificent structure that is adorned with beautiful carvings and murals, and is a popular destination for pilgrims and tourists alike.
Gangasagar is also known for its lighthouse, which is one of the oldest in India. The lighthouse offers stunning views of the Bay of Bengal and the surrounding mangrove forests, and is a popular destination for tourists who want to see the island’s natural beauty.
In conclusion, Gangasagar is a beautiful and sacred island that is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in Indian culture and spirituality. Its stunning natural beauty, rich history, and cultural significance make it a popular pilgrimage site and tourist destination. Whether you are a nature lover, a history buff, or a spiritual seeker, Gangasagar has something to offer for everyone.
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Mayapur ISKCON Temple, located in the town of Mayapur in the Nadia district of West Bengal, India, is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites for followers of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) worldwide. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and is a symbol of the Hare Krishna movement, which seeks to promote spirituality and love of God among people around the world.
The Mayapur ISKCON Temple is situated on the banks of the Ganges River and covers an area of over 340 acres. It is one of the largest temple complexes in the world and is a center of spiritual learning and devotion. The temple is renowned for its beautiful architecture, intricate carvings and stunning murals, all of which reflect the rich cultural heritage of India.
The temple complex houses several shrines and temples, each dedicated to different deities. The main temple, which is dedicated to Lord Krishna, is a magnificent structure that stands 113 feet tall and is adorned with beautiful carvings and murals. The temple is surrounded by lush green gardens and fountains, which add to its beauty and tranquility.
Mayapur ISKCON Temple is also home to the Samadhi Mandir, which is the final resting place of the founder of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada. The Samadhi Mandir is a beautiful structure that is decorated with intricate carvings and beautiful murals, and is a place of pilgrimage for devotees from all over the world.
The temple complex also houses a range of facilities for visitors, including accommodation, dining, and shopping options. The temple’s restaurant, Govinda’s, is a popular destination for vegetarian food lovers, and offers a range of delicious and healthy dishes.
Mayapur ISKCON Temple is a center of spiritual and cultural activity, and hosts several festivals and events throughout the year. The temple’s most important festival is the Gaura Purnima festival, which celebrates the appearance day of Lord Caitanya, an important figure in the Hare Krishna movement. The festival attracts thousands of devotees from around the world, who come to Mayapur to celebrate and participate in the festivities.
In conclusion, Mayapur ISKCON Temple is a magnificent temple complex that is a symbol of the Hare Krishna movement and a center of spiritual and cultural activity. Its beautiful architecture, intricate carvings, and stunning murals, combined with its serene surroundings, make it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in spirituality, culture, and art.
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Santiniketan is a small town located in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India. The town is famous for its association with the Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, who founded the Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan in 1921.
Visva-Bharati University is one of India’s premier institutions of higher learning, and is renowned for its focus on art, culture, and humanities. The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in a range of subjects, including literature, music, fine arts, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Santiniketan is also known for its rich cultural heritage and artistic traditions. The town is home to several museums and art galleries, which showcase the works of local artisans and artists. The town’s famous Poush Mela festival, held every year in December, is a celebration of folk art, music, and dance, and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.
Apart from its cultural attractions, Santiniketan is also known for its natural beauty. The town is surrounded by lush green forests and is home to several parks and gardens, including the famous Tagore’s Ashram, which is a popular tourist destination.
Tourism is an important industry in Santiniketan, and the town offers a range of accommodation options to cater to the needs of visitors. There are several hotels, guesthouses, and homestays in and around the town, which offer comfortable and affordable accommodation options.
In conclusion, Santiniketan is a charming town with a rich cultural heritage and a vibrant arts scene. Its association with Rabindranath Tagore, its world-renowned university, and its focus on art, culture, and humanities make it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in Indian culture and history. Whether you are a history buff, an art lover, or a nature enthusiast, Santiniketan has something for everyone.
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Bishnupur is a historically significant town located in the Bankura district of West Bengal, India. The town is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, exquisite terracotta temples, and beautiful handicrafts. Bishnupur is also known as the “Temple City” of India, owing to its numerous temples, each reflecting a unique blend of architecture and artistry.
Bishnupur’s history dates back to the 17th century, when it served as the capital of the Malla dynasty, a powerful Hindu kingdom that ruled the region for centuries. The Mallas were great patrons of art and architecture, and this legacy is evident in the temples and monuments that dot Bishnupur’s landscape.
One of the main attractions of Bishnupur is its terracotta temples. These temples are known for their intricate designs and exquisite craftsmanship, and are considered some of the finest examples of terracotta art in the world. The temples are dedicated to various Hindu deities, and each temple has a unique design and style.
Apart from the temples, Bishnupur is also famous for its beautiful handicrafts. The town is home to skilled artisans who specialize in creating intricate designs on pottery, textiles, and other handicrafts. The town’s famous Baluchari sarees, made from fine silk, are coveted by collectors and connoisseurs around the world.
Bishnupur is also a popular destination for music lovers, as it has a rich tradition of classical music. The town is home to many renowned musicians, and hosts several music festivals throughout the year.
Tourism is an important industry in Bishnupur, and the town attracts visitors from all over the world. To cater to the needs of tourists, the town has several hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants. The town also has good road and rail connectivity, making it easily accessible from nearby cities like Kolkata.
In conclusion, Bishnupur is a charming town with a rich cultural heritage and a vibrant arts scene. Its terracotta temples, beautiful handicrafts, and classical music make it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in Indian culture and history. Whether you are a history buff, an art lover, or a music enthusiast, Bishnupur has something for everyone.
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The Parshwanath Temple – Digambar was built in the year 1914 and it is the best religious ground for the Digambar Jain community. Digambar is one of the two essential ain sects and the other being Swetambar. The temple looks bright and glorious with the attractive red shade and the extravagant red entrance welcomes all the devotees within the temple premise. The place has the four sprawling gardens and these are best surrounded by the trees and the hedges and you can even find the flowering plants with flowers so bright and natural. One is sure to love the natural ambiance and prefer to spend time at the place.
Things Included within the Temple Premise
You have the fishes in the fish tank and the children would love to feed the rare species in water. You may even find some symbolic installations and these are like the cow and the tiger feeding from the similar waterhole. You would also love to see the sight of the fountains within the temple premise. There is even the stambha and this is constructed with the white marble. This stands just beside the radiant red temple. The temple also includes the religious inscriptions and these are sure to preach non violence and once you study the stambha you can easily get to know about the other aspects of Jainism.
Within the premise there are the other edifices and these are the quarters of the monks and there is the special building for the temple office. There is also the community locale and at the place various religious events are being organised.
The Temple Location
The Parshwanath Temple – Digambar has the perfect location and it stands at the region of Belgachia in Northern part of Kolkata in West Bengal.
The Digambar Principles
The Digambar community believes in complete abstinence. They don’t like the materials of the world. The Digambaras believe that inclination to materials increase dependency and there is more of sorrow due to the reason. The Digambaras for the reason to attain Moksha or liberation don’t even believe in wearing clothes. This is the basic life philosophy. However, the monastic practice is strictly meant for the males. The female Digambaras are known as sadhvis and they are also called Aryakas. The females are not allowed to do the practice and they are made to wear the white seamless attires.
The Age of the Temple
The age of Parshwanath Temple – Digambar is more than a century. The temple looks great amidst trees and flowers. The same was being renovated and reconstructed by Mr. Brown. He was the eminent architect of Victoria Memorial in the year 1914. The temple follows the artistic Nagara style and the ornamental pillars along with the stunning sculptures look great indeed. The style resembles the ancient Jain architecture of the caves. Here you get to see the main idol of Tirthankar Parshwanath and he was the 23rd Jain Tirthankar (877-777 B.C.). In fact, the specious temple also serves as a refuge and the resting ground for the tired travellers. This is the best place for you to rest and retire from the world at the same time.
The regal Town Hall was built in 1813 by architect Colonel John Garstin under the supervision of the British Government. It was built to specifically provide a space for societal gathering of the British settlers in Calcutta. The town is also famous for bearing witness to some historical events that took place under its roof. Since its restoration it is now used as an important public congregation hall.
The Lal Dighi is a historical spot in Kolkata. It was here that the infamous Battle of Lal Dighi was fought in 1756 between Siraj-Ud-Daula (Nawab Of Bengal) and the British Forces of the East India Company. This battle led to the legendary Battle of Plassey in 1757 that marked the supremacy of British Colonial rule in India. The Lal Dighi is now a prime landmark of Kolkata city.
The other name for Lal Dighi is Tank Square or Dalhousie Square. This is a water tank made by man and this was constructed before the starting of the British Era. The name Lal Dighi means Red Water. The same got the name because the water was turned red at the time of the Holi or the Dol festival. The British people called the same the Great Tank. This is the perfect water body being surrounded by the greens and this is the perfect spot where you can sit in tranquillity and catch fish. Around the Lal Dighi you have some of the famous heritage buildings of Kolkata and these are GPO, Writer’s Building, High Court, Andrew’s Church and the rest.
The Location of the Lake
Lal Dighi has a fantastic location. It is located at the place of B. B. D. Bagh. The nearest point of interest is the Calcutta High Court.
The Existential Relevance of the Tank
Lal Dighi Stands with the best historical details. It is true that there is no factual data in hand. However, the legendary stories will explain you the details of the existence of the water body. Some say that there was the existence of the Dighi at the time of Sabarna Roy Choudhury. He is a renowned Bengali aristocrat and he successfully ruled over the region. He had the famous court house and the temple and here was his family deity Shyam Rai. At the time of Dol Utsav or Holi the entire tank or river became red due to the spreading of the red abir. This took place before the coming of Job Charnock. This man is known as the founder of Calcutta. This was the period when the land was under the jurisdiction of the Kalikata Village. The court house was first taken on the basis of rent and later on it was being bought by the East India Company. Stories say that the reflection of the Red Fort made the water of the tank look so red. From here the same got its name Lal Dighi.
The Historical Significance of the Tank
You may have heard of Dutch admiral Stavorinus. He came to visit the settlement in the year 1770. At the time the tank was being lengthened and deepened in the year 1709 and the initiative was taken by the British Government. The government cleaned the tank thoroughly to turn the same as the reservoir of sweet water. The tank covers an area of 25 acres. The purpose of making the tank was to supply sweet drinking water to the inhabitants of Calcutta. This was an extensive tank and proper care was taken from the time of Warren Hastings. The responsibility of cleaning the tank was given to the professionals and the natives were not allowed to do the cleaning. The tank served as the source of drinking water to the European Community.
The Description of the Tank
Lal Dighi is also known as the Dalhousie Square Tank. The tank is fed by the rain water and by the natural springs. It is the central feature of the main Kolkata town plan. The picturesque quality of the tank is stupendous. It is being surrounded by edifices like the Reserve Bank, the Writer’s Building, the Telephone Bhavan and the GPO. It is more than a tank. It is a massive pond and the surrounding area is known as the Binay Badal Dinesh Bagh. The former name of the tank was Dalhousie Square.
The Park Street Cemetery is the most heritage destination of Kolkata. The cemetery came into being during the colonial era of the British period. The former name of the same is Burial Ground Road and the same is one of the oldest cemeteries of the time. You have the memorials and the mausoleums and the architectural importance of the same is immense. The tombs are wonderfully built and they highly resemble the historical significance of the city of Kolkata.
The Location
The location of the Park Street Cemetery is simple. It is located in the Park Street area of the city.
The Historical Significance of the Cemetery
The Park Street Cemetery is declared to have remained open from the time 1767. This is the initial non-church cemetery in the entire world. The cemetery came into being in the 19th century and it was named as the Great Christian Burial Ground in the whole of Asia. The cemetery came to be named after the Park Street and it was named after the deer park being constructed by Sir Elijah Impey and this was close to the Vansittart’s garden house. The cemetery is the perfect burial ground meant for the European expatriates who had their settlement in Kolkata at the time of the colonial period. This cemetery houses the burial ground of the eminent European personalities and this happened in the regal era.
The Various Cemeteries to Talk about
You have some of the notable tombs here and these are Rose Aymler, and this is the cemetery of the beloved of the poet Walter Savage Langdor and there is even the cemetery of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. He was the initiator of the Young Bengal Movement and his life was full of events. He lived not more than 22 years. Here, you even find cemeteries of Charles Dickens, and Sir William Jones who was the founder of the Asiatic Society. There is the cemetery of David Drummond, Michael Madhusudan Dutta and C. F. Andrews.
The Opening of the New Cemetery
The cemetery was closed down in the year 1840 due to lack of space. In recent times this is one of the heritage sites for you to visit. The same is preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. In the year 1785, the ground was being extended and the northern edge of the ground was being stretched and extended. In the year 1840 a new cemetery was being introduced and this came to be known as the Lower Circular Road Cemetery.
The tombs of the cemetery started to be renovated and reconstructed from the year 2000. The construction job is still continuing. The first restoration attempt was being made with all the 15 tombs. The ambiance of the place has been best restored and the epoch style is perfectly combined with the conventionally environmental friendly technicality. This includes the solar power lighting.
The Details of the Cemetery
The entire cemetery is of 8 acres of land. On all sides you will find the brick walls and there is even the enclosure which has the assortment of the 1600 tombs. These hold the tablets the cenotaphs and the epitaphs. The landscape at the place is so serene and quaint. The cemetery is made to look good with the variety in trees and flowery bushes. The architecture that you find on the grave stone is a mixture of the Gothic and the Indo-Saracenic style. The tombs are constructed with sand stone and they have shapes of rectangular or square. The designs are unique and each of them resembles the architectural approach of the era.
You can call Science City the massive science centre in the Indian sub continent. The place is under the National Council of Science Museums. It is also governed by the Ministry of Culture and you even have the Government of India supervising the existence and running of the centre. Science City stands as the distinct landmark in Kolkata and Saroj Ghosh is the person to conceptualise the place in the year 1997. The inauguration of the centre happened in two parts. First you have the Convention Centre Complex and this started on the day of 21st December 1996. The initiative was taken by Paul Joseph Crutzen and this happened in the presence of the chief minister Jyoti Basu. The centre was unleashed under the supervision and initiative of the Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral. This happened on the 1st of July 1997.
The inauguration of the 2nd phase of the Science City happened on 10th January 2010 under the supervision of Manmohan Singh the then prime minister of India. At the time the chief minister of West Bengal was Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya.
The Places to See at Science City
The Dynamotion Hall
Here you have the best display of the hands on and the interactive machineries and these are based on various science topics. Here the visitors are encouraged to enjoy the props and they can even have the perfect understanding of the scientific principles. At the Hall you have the permanent exhibition on the Illusions. This one holds the interactive exhibits. This is also the place to explore the method of motion and the placement and this is sure to cause a difference in the visual perception. You have the Power of Ten at the Hall. There is even the Fresh Water Aquarium and the Live Butterfly Enclave.
The Earth Exploration Hall
Next, it is time to visit the Earth Exploration Hall. This was being inaugurated on 6th December in the year 2008 and the initiative was taken by Ambika Soni the then Union Minister of Culture in India. This is a permanent exhibition based on earth and this houses the double storied hemispherical edifice that is known for displaying the detailing of the southern hemisphere. You can see the southern hemisphere on the ground floor and the detailing of the northern hemisphere is shown on the first floor. In this case the earth globe is divided into 12 segments and you even get an idea about the collection of fauna and flora on earth. You have more things being displayed like technology and attractive visuals. There are more things like the interactive multimedia, panoramic videos, video walls computer kiosks and tilting table. There is even the 3D effects theatre and you have to watch the same wearing a special Polaroid spectacle.
The Evolution Park
The children would love to visit the Evolution Park. Here you are sure to have a themed tour of 1300 square metre and at the place you have seven large walks and you are made to pass through the dioramas with all the 71 robotic prehistoric animals and species. You have all the 26 varieties of dinosaurs and you can even see the 140 early plant models and these belong to the specific periods. The park portrays the details of the evolution of the animal life and especially of the species that are extinct.
The Space Odyssey
At the Space Odyssey you have the Space Theatre and this is well provides with the Helios Star Ball planetarium which is being supported by the 150 projectors with all the special effects. There is even the Atrovision and the Massive Format film Projection mechanism and these are housed under the tilted dome and these have the unidirectional seating arrangements and with this more than 360 people can sit together and watch the science show. There are more things like the 3D Vision Theatre, the Mirror Magic and the Time Machine.
The Maritime Centre
One can even visit the maritime centre and learn about the marirtime historic specialty. At the place you will come to see the dioramas and the artefacts and there is even the interactive exhibition based on the navigation and the shipping system. Here, you can even participate at the unmanned quiz corner.
The Science Park
There is the exclusive Science Park to visit. Here you get introduced to the plants and the animals and other things among the natural surroundings. Here you get to learn about the basic science principles and the learning takes place on the open air environment. The exhibits here have been properly engineered to withstand the climactic variations. The Science Park is an integral part of the NCSM centres. As part of the park you have the Caterpillar Ride, the Musical Fountain, the Gravity Coaster, the Cable Cars, the Road Train, the Butterfly Nursery, the Monorail Cycle and there are other physical science and life science stuffs and it is fun to be a part of the lush green atmosphere. The Science City is visited by people from various parts of the country.
With the Grand Theatre, the Mini Auditorium and the Seminar Building it is a great opportunity to see the unseen and explore the unexplored.