TNAI JOURNAL

Kalighat : This famous temple was founded by Shivdev Rao Choudhary for the spiritual benefit of his subjects. According to the legend, when Lord Shiva’s wife Parvati’s body was cut up, one of her fingers fell here. Rebuilt in 1809, this is an important shrine of Hindu Shakti worship. The temple is in the southern part of the city.
Dakshineswar Belur Math : Built in 1847, on the banks of the Hooghly, north of Kolkata, the temple is associated with Shri Ramakrishna Paramhans, the eclectic 19th century saint who revived Hinduism during the British Raj. Across the river stands Belur Math, headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission. In 1898 Swami Vivekanand carried the sacred ashes of the departed sage Rama Krishna and placed in Belur. The Monastery is a haven of peace and religious harmony. It is an architectural amalgamation of church, temple, mosque signifying universal brotherhood.
Birla Mandir : Located on Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue. It took 22 years of sedulous work to build this all-marble structure. The temple has very high quality Rajasthani engravings. This splendid and imposing structure in white, attracts huge crowds everyday. Nakhoda Mosque: At the junction of Rabindra Sarani and Zakaria Street, is the biggest Muslim Mosque in Kolkata. Made after the tomb of Mughal emperor Akbar at Sekendra, 10,000 people can pray at one point of time. St. Paul’s Cathedral : Constructed between 1839 and 1847 in Gothic style with stained glass windows and two Florentine frescoes, the cathedral is the largest in the city and next to the Birla Planetarium. St Paul’s was conscerated in 1874. Armenian Church : The oldest place of Christian worship in Kolkata. The church of Holy Nazareth was built in 1764. Among the other churches to visit are St Andrew’s Church, the Old Mission Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.
Eden Garden : In the North-West corner of the Maidan are small and pleasantly laid out Eden Gardens. The gardens were created in 1840 and named after the sister of Lord Auckland, the former governor general. The idea was to make a Biblical - style garden of Eden in India. The expanse dotted with beautiful trees and shrubs is intersected by winding paths, and there is a large artificial lake. Alongside the gardens, is the world famous Eden Gardens cricket stadium. The stadium is supposed to be the largest in Asia with a seating capacity of more than a lakh spectators. The Kolkata cricket ground, where International test & one day matches are held, is also within the gardens. Near the gardens you can take a pleasant walk along the bank of Hoogly river.
Howrah Bridge : A miracle of engineering skill, the Howrah Bridge is a huge cantilever bridge supported by two piers 270 ft high from the road level. The span of the bridge between the piers is 1,500 ft while the total distance between the two sheet anchors is 2,115 ft. There are eight vehicular ways and two footpaths on the 71 ft wide bridge.
Victoria Memorial : In memory of Queen Victoria, it was formally inaugurated by the Prince of Wales in 1921 who later became King Edward VIII of England. The Memorial consists of numerous hybrid features: it has Italian-style statues over its entrances, Mughal domes in its corners and tall elegant open colonnades along its sides. The building was designed by Sir William Emerson and its construction was completed in 1921. The main attraction at the memorial is the huge sombre statue of the Queen, which is flanked by two ornamental tanks. Made of Makrana marble from Jodhpur, the Memorial is capped by a dome bearing a revolving bronze figurine symbolising victory.
Indian Museum : Originally established in 1814, and moved to its present site in 1878, Kolkata’s Indian Museum is the largest and best museum in the country. Founded by Dr Nathaniel Wallich and housed in a magnificent Italian-style building, designed by WL Granvil, the museum has over 60 galleries and is divided into six different sections: archaeology, art, anthropology, geology, zoology and industry. The art section contains a picture gallery, with Persian and Indian-style drawings and paintings, and also contains other artefacts and textiles, including silk-woven Tibetan temple banners. Other sections of the museum contain diverse treasures, such as an Egyptian mummy, the skeleton of a whale, rare statues and a collection of meteorites.
Birla Planetarium: This is one of the largest planetarium in the World near the Government of India tourist office providing a view of the stars and the solar system. For enthusiasts of Astronomy this is a place not to be missed. One of the largest in Asia, close to the crossing of Theatre Road and Chowringhee Road, the Birla planetarium is adjacent to the Maidan. The planetarium is a single storeyed, circular structure constructed in pure Indian architectural style. The central dome has a diameter of 27m, shaped in imitation of the Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi. The central hall can accommodate 500 persons. Interesting exhibits are the fine collections of paintings, celestial models and busts of famous astronomers that line the corridors. The gigantic planetarium projector accessories comprise of 29000 parts and combine to portray on the inner ceiling of the planetarium, the naked face of space, stars, planets and heavenly bodies.
Enroute Sightseeing: Race Cource, National Library, Asiatic Society of Bengal Library, Fort William, Raj Bhavan, Calcutta High court, Rabindra Sadan, New Market, Second Hooghly Bridge. Nicco Park: This is an amusement park for various type of entertainment situated in Salt Lake City. Science City: Situated by the side of EM bye pass near Salt Lake City. This ia a splendid place for getting scientific knowledge and education for all age group. There is a big Auditorium for various programmes. Nal Ban: Near Science City, Nalban is a natural park for riding, boating etc.