Dakshineswar
Dakshineswar (দক্ষিণেশ্বর Dakṣineśbar) is a suburb north of Kolkata. Considered the twin of Varanasi by locals, the suburb is famous for the riverside Kali temple.
Get in
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Map of DakshineswarBy train or metro
[edit]1 Dakshineswar Chord Link 1 
is served by both metro and local trains. A few express trains like the Darjeeling Mail also stop here.
By ferry
[edit]- 2 Dakshineswar Ghat. You can enjoy a 20–30-minute boating ride from Dakshineswar to Belur Math. Sunset on the Hooghly River behind Vivekananda Setu from the bank is superb. In winter, you will enjoy the most with the set of dusk and chill wind blowing over your body.
See and do
[edit]- 1 Adyapeath Temple, ☏ +91 33 2564-6999. A three-pinnacled temple dedicated to goddess Adya, and the centre of a major religious controversy. It is said that Annada Thakur received a divine command that goddess Adya was buried under the Eden Gardens for thousands of years. He went there in 1928 and allegedly saw the statue of the goddess coming out from the ground. He consecrated the statue as the idol of this temple. But archaeologist Rakhaldas Bandyopadhyay found that the statue was sculpted recently and not thousands of years ago, as Annada Thakur claimed. Later, many people got enraged to Thakur's deception, and the devotees of the goddess decided to immerse the statue to the Ganges to prevent further fury. The sanctum of the temple remained void till the consecration of the present idol.
- 2 Sri Sarada Math, ☏ +91 33 2564 5411. Daily ritual worships are performed here by the nuns. The birthdays of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, and other personalities are celebrated here, besides the Hindu festivals. Religious discourse and lectures are also done regularly.
Kali Temple Complex
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The main attraction of Dakshineswar. It can be reached from the station by a 330 m (1,080 ft) long skywalk, which provides a good view of the surroundings.
- 3 Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Rani Rashmoni Rd, ☏ +91 33 2564-5222. 6:00AM-12:30PM and 3:00PM-8:30PM. The famous Hindu navaratna (nine-pinnacled) temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, who is worshipped here as Ma Bhavatarini. The temple was inaugurated by Rani Rashmoni in 1855, and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was the head and only priest of it from 1856 to 1886. He spent most of his life in the nahabat khānā (corruption of naubat xānā, meaning "drum house") chamber of the temple complex. After Ramakrishna's death, the temple complex had been taken over by the then-Government of Bengal, later the Government of West Bengal. It attracts thousands of worshipers around the year, especially on the day of Shyama Puja, Shiva Chaturdashi, Poyla Boishakh, Akshaya Tritiya, New Year's Day and Kalpataru Utsava. Beside the main temple, there are twelve shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva along the Hooghly River and a bathing ghat. Because of the temple's importance and the Hooghly River, a distributary of the Ganges, flowing by, it is also regarded as a twin of Varanasi by the locals. Free.
- 4 Panchavati (north of the Kali temple). A complex of trees consisting of banyan (vaṭa), peepal (ashvattha), neem (nimba), amla (āmlakī) and wood apple (bilva) trees. This is where Ramakrishna performed his advaitic sādhanā in 1865.
- 5 Rani Rashmoni Temple (next to the gate of the Kali temple). The shrine dedicated to Rani Rashmoni, the founder of the temple.
Bridges
[edit]- 6 Nivedita Setu and 7 Vivekananda Setu — Two bridges across the Hooghly River, 50 m (160 ft) apart. Vivekenanda Setu is a 880 m (2,890 ft) long rail-cum-road bridge, built in 1932 as Willingdon Bridge and later renamed after Swami Vivekananda. Nivedita Setu is a newer cable-stayed bridge, named after the female disciple of Swami Vivekananda.
Buy
[edit]- Flowers and offerings to the goddess are available in an arcade just outside the temple.
- Various items of home worship according to Hindu tradition.
- Cheap home decorations and handicrafts.
- Different kind of pickles available at a very low price.
Eat and drink
[edit]Many devotees follow the Hindu custom of fasting before worshipping here. There are many small eateries and restaurants catering to a large clientele.
- 1 Food Plaza, Rani Rashmoni Rd (close to the Kali Temple). 7AM–8PM. Vegetarian meals such as chole bhature.
Sleep
[edit]| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under ₹2,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹2,000–5,000 |
| Splurge | Over ₹5,000 |
There are some lodgings for the visitors to stay fortnight or so. Charges varies from season to season but it's between ₹150-300 per room per day.
Budget
[edit]- 1 Debalay Guest House, 1, TN Mukherjee Rd, Dakshineswar, ☏ +91 70441 74570 (mobile). Check-in: noon, check-out: 11AM.