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TOURIST INFORMATION
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The captial of West Bengal and India's largest city, a seething mass of activity with
a cosmopolitan atmospere. Kolkata has become a busy & flourshing city, the center of cultural as well as political and economic life of bengal. It isn't an ancient city
like Delhi, with it's impressive relics of the past. In fact, it's largely a British creation & was capital of British India...... once referred to as "The Jewel in the crown of The British Raj". No other city in India enjoys such visible contra's, as does the city of joy of Lapiere. The quaint little fishing village has grown up to become the most populated city of India bearing the scars of more than three hundred years.
It is truly an enigma that defies any description. It is a city that throbs with vibrant life forces. It is an epitome of culture and creativity that nurtures and rejuvenates your thinking prowess. The city that displays stoical maturity during the most provoking situations and flies high the flags of communal harmony, behaves in the most erratic fashion over a game of cricket. |
| Belur Math |
Belur Math, sprawling over 40 acres of land on the western bank of the Hooghly (Ganga), in Howrah district, an hours drive from Kolkata, is a place of pilgrimage for people from all over the world professing different religious faiths. Even people not interested in religion come here for the peace it exudes. |
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| Kalighat |
This is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. The right toe of Dakshyani is said
to have fallen here. The Shakti here is known as Kalika, while the
Bhairava is Nakulesh. It is a very famous place and a pilgrimage for
Shakta (Shiva and Durga/Kali/Shakti worshippers) followers within the
Hindu religion. There is a theory that the name Kalikata anglicized into
Calcutta is derived from the temple Kalighat. |
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| Diamond Harbour |
Diamond Harbour 8 kms south of Kolkata, Diamond Harbor so named by the
British, is a popular excursion spot for the locals where Ganges bends
south on it's way to sea becoming wider and deeper allowing big ships to
dock. Originally known as Hajipur, this charming spot was renamed Diamond
Harbour by the British. It was a stronghold of portuguese pirates and the
crumbling walls of their fort remain along the Hooghly. |
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| Sunderbans |
Sunderban can be literally translated as "Beautiful jungle" or "Beautiful forest"
in the Bengali language (Sundar, "beautiful" and ban, forest or jungle). The name
may have been derived from the Sundari trees that are found in Sunderbans in large
numbers. alternatively, it has been proposed that the name is a corruption of
Samudraban or handrabandhe (name of a primitive tribe). But the generally accepted
view is the one associated with Sundari trees. |
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| Botanical Garden |
The botanical garden of Kolkata is one of the oldest and largest botanical gardens of the country. It has an enormous collection of rare orchids, palms and plants. Founded in 1787 by the East India Company, the garden is an ideal destination of nature lovers. The 250 year old Banyan tree is one of the special attractions of the garden. |
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| St. Paul's Cathedral |
| Built in the year 1847 by Major W. N. Forbes, St. Paul's Cathedral is an exquisite example of the Indo-Gothic style of architecture. This Cathedral has the unique distinction of being the 1st Episcopal Church of the East. The peak of St. Paul's Cathedral has been designed as a replica of the famous Canterbury Cathedral's Henry Tower.
For devout Christians as well as ordinary people with an interest in art and architecture, a visit to this majestic cathedral is indeed an awe-inspiring experience. |
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| Dakshineshwar Temple |
Founded in 1855 by Rani Rashmoni, a noted philanthropist and devotee of goddess Kali, the Dakshineshwar Temple is located on the eastern bank of river Hooghly. The temple compound, apart from the nine-spired main temple, contains a large courtyard surrounding the temple, with rooms along the boundary walls.
The famous social reformer of the 19th century, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa spent a considerable period of time as a priest in the Dakshineshwar temple. |
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| Victoria Memorial |
| Victoria Memorial is a memorial of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
who also carried the title of Empress of India. It currently serves as a museum and a tourist attraction. The memorial was designed by Sir William Emerson in an architectural
style similar to Belfast City Hall. Earlier asked to design the building in the Italian
Renaissance style, Emerson was against the exclusive use of European styles and used
Indo -Saracenic style, incorporating Mughal elements in the structure.enty four boats carrying relatives, servants and supplies. |
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