North Kolkata
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North Kolkata (উত্তর কলকাতা Uttar Kalkātā) is the oldest area of Kolkata, a fascinating district dominated by narrow little lanes and hundreds of century-old buildings. Old heritage buildings and temples are there, as well as Sovabazar Rajbari. Because of its rich cultural heritage, the district is commonly referred to as Babu Kolkata.
Understand
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North Kolkata is bounded by Circular Canal at the north, Beleghata Canal at the east, Bepin Behari Ganguly Street (formerly Bowbazar Street) at the south and the Hooghly River at the west. It includes neighbourhoods like Ahiritola, Bagbazar, Hatibagan, Hedua, Jorasanko, Kumortuli, Maniktala, Nimtala, Rajabazar, Sealdah, Simla, Shyambazar and Sovabazar. On the opposite bank of the Hooghly River lies Howrah, Kolkata's its twin city, and the main crossing point lies in this district.
Kumortuli (also spelt Kumartuli) is a traditional quarter for the potters (kumors). Renowned for its sculpting prowess, the area not only manufactures clay idols for various festivals (especially for Durga Puja) but also regularly exports them.
Get in
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Map of North Kolkata
Most roads in North Kolkata have a north–south alignment and plenty of road transport available from this district to other parts of Kolkata. However, the roads grind to a halt during rush hours.
By metro
[edit]Two metro lines cross this district. The North–South Metro 1 runs over Chittaranjan Avenue, with stops at Shyambazar, Sovabazar Sutanuti, Girish Park, Mahatma Gandhi Road and Central. The East–West Metro 2 stops at Sealdah.
By train
[edit]North Kolkata is home to Sealdah railway station, one of the busiest railway stations in India. The district can also be reached by the Circular Railway with stops at Bagbazar, Sovabazar Ahiritola and Barabazar.
By tram
[edit]While Kolkata's tram network has shrunk, there's still a route running from Esplanade to Shyambazar.
By car
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Despite being narrow, some alleys in North Kolkata are wide enough to accommodate large vehicles like cars. However, smaller vehicles like bicycles and motorcycles are more common.
By ferry
[edit]- Jagannath Ghat.
See
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The northern part of Kolkata houses the old buildings belonging to the zamindars (landlords), other rich Bengalis who used to trade with the British. It preserves the cultural heritage of Kolkata. The building structures give an impression of the royal folk who occupied them. In College Street area, a visit to the Coffee House is a must.
- House of Sarada Devi, Bagbazar.
- 1 Residence of Sister Nivedita, Nivedita Ln, Bagbazar.
- 2 Shyambazar Crossing. The famous five-point crossing connects APC Road, Barrackpore Trunk Road, Bidhan Sarani, Chittaranjan Avenue and Jessore Road. A statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is at the centre of the crossing.
- 3 Sovabazar Rajbari (শোভাবাজার রাজবাড়ি), 33 & 36 Raja Nabakrishna Deb St. The Rajbari, now partly in shambles, was probably built around or before 1757 by Raja Naba Krishna Deb. The Durga Puja was started in 1757, after the British victory in the Battle of Plassey.
Howrah Bridge
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Howrah Bridge trivia
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- 4 Howrah Bridge (হাওড়া ব্রিজ, Rabindra Setu (রবীন্দ্র সেতু)). 24 hours daily. Free.
One of the iconic bridges of West Bengal, the 705 m (2,313 ft) long Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly River. The bridge was commissioned in 1943 by Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company, replacing the older pontoon bridge.
The area around Howrah station and Howrah Bridge has grown as a world of its own, catering to the needs of a huge floating population. This bridge frames the skyline of the Howrah Riverfront. The ambience is as amicable and profound as the river that flows alongside.
Museums
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- 5 Kolkata Police Museum, 113 APC Rd, ☏ +91 33 23607704 (director). Tu-Su 10AM to 5PM. The museum collects, preserves and interprets objects related to the history of the Kolkata Police. Exhibits includes various items seized during the freedom struggle of the country.
- 6 Jorasanko Thakur Bari (জোড়াসাঁকো ঠাকুরবাড়ি, House of the Tagores, Rabindra Bharati Museum), 6/4, Dwarkanath Tagore Ln, Jorasanko, ☏ +91 33 22181744, registrar@rbu.ac.in. 10:30AM–5PM (closed M). The ancestral home of the Tagore family. The huge sprawling brick mansions were the cultural hub of Kolkata for close to a century and a major force in the women's liberation movement. It hosted the first Brahmo wedding and was an important centre of Indian independence movement. The house was converted into a museum in 1961. The museum has three large galleries—one of the life and works of Rabindranath Tagore, a second gallery about his close relatives such as father Debendranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore etc. and a third gallery on the Bengali Renaissance in general. ₹50; students ₹25.
- 7 Marble Palace, 46, Muktaram Babu St, Jorasanko (metro: Mahatma Gandhi Road 1 ). 10AM-4PM. Built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, the palace is now a museum. Spend your afternoon among precious objects d’art including works of Rubens and Sir Joshua Reynolds. When tired, take a tram ride along Indira Gandhi Sarani (Red Road) with the green expanse of the Maidan around you. The perfect antidote. A real garden, of maybe an acre with a Palladian Mansion, set square in the centre. Today this place has an incongruous collection of statues and paintings. There is also a private zoo housing a collection of birds from different corners of the world.
- 8 Raja Rammohan Roy Memorial Museum, 85A, Amherst St (Raja Rammohan Roy Sarani), ☏ +91 33 2360 5122, rammohunmuseum2000@gmail.com. 1AM-4PM (closed M). The memorabilia in the museum consists of photographs, sketches, paintings and excerpts from the writings of Ram Mohan Roy and others reproduced, wherever possible, in facsimile. Also, period furniture and diorama representations were designed to recreate the times. Together they not only give you glimpses of the various facets of one of the greatest personalities of the modern age, but at the same time takes you back into a period in history when India was at crossroads, and Ram Mohan Roy heralded the coming of the modern age. Indian children (up to 11 years) ₹5, Indian adults ₹10, foreigners ₹50.
- 9 Swami Vivekananda's Ancestral House, 3, Gour Mohan Mukherjee St, Simla, vivekananda.ancestralhouse@rkmm.org. The 18th-century building was in a dilapidated condition, worsening day by day. The Ramakrishna Mission acquired it, along with an adjacent plot, in May 1999. Ramakrishna Mission restored Vivekananda's ancestral house without changing any of its original architectural features. It houses Vivekananda's birthplace, meditation hall (first floor) and museum, where some of the articles used by Vivekananda, his father, mother and brothers are preserved.
- 10 Vidyasagar Smriti Mandir (বিদ্যাসাগর স্মৃতি মন্দির), 36 & 36/1 Vidyasagar St (approach from APC Rd or from Amherst St), ☏ +91 33 22413018. The erstwhile residential house of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, social reformer, language pioneer and a key figure in bringing about the renaissance in Bengal, has been converted into a women's college which runs various professional and language courses. The heritage building was renamed 'Vidyasagar Smriti Mandir'. A part of the building has been converted into a museum.
Religious attractions
[edit]- 11 Calcutta Jain Temple, Gouribari, Maniktala.
- 12 Holy Rosary Cathedral (ক্যাথিড্রাল অব দ্য মোস্ট হোলি রোজারি). Also known as the Portuguese Church. Built in 1799, it's the only remaining major building of Kolkata’s lesser-known Portuguese colonial history.
- 13 Nabodebalaya (নবদেবালয়). Literally a "new abode of god", it consists of a prayer building and a cemetery of the Brahmo sect of Hinduism. Although dead bodies are usually cremated in mainstream Hindu traditions, they are buried in Brahmoism.
- 14 Nakhoda Mosque (নাখোদা মসজিদ Nākhodā Masjid). The largest mosque in Kolkata. It was built by Abdur Rahim Osman in 1926, who came from Kutch in Gujarat. It is one of the few religious buildings built in Indo-Saracenic architecture. An exhibition of exquisite ornaments is held regularly inside the mosque.
Do
[edit]- 1 College Square (Azad Hind Bag), College St. One of the oldest swimming pools of Kolkata, College Square is known for its considerable contribution towards history of the city's aquatic culture. It also houses the tomb of David Hare, and a monument for the members of the 49th Bengalee Regiment who died in World War I. Durga Puja is celebrated each year at College Square, and it witnesses heavy footfall during that time.
- 2 Deshbandhu Park, 165B, Raja Dinendra St.
- 3 Kumortuli Park.
- 4 Mahajati Sadan (মহাজাতি সদন Mahājāti Sadan, House of the Nation), 166, Central Ave. Auditorium and cultural centre planned as part of the independence movement by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The foundation stone was laid in 1939 by Rabindranath Tagore, who named it Mahajati Sadan. It was completed by Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy in the early 1950s.
- 5 Star Theatre (near Hatibagan crossing).
Learn
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Many well-known higher education institutions of Kolkata are at College Street.
- 1 Bose Institute (বসু বিজ্ঞান মন্দির), 93/1, APC Rd (next to Rajabazar Science College), ☏ +91 33 2355-9219. A scientific research institute founded by Jagadish Chandra Bose in 1917 in what was his residence. It is now the main campus with branches.
- 2 Medical College & Hospital (মেডিকেল কলেজ ও হাসপাতাল), College St (tram: Calcutta Medical College
). Established in 1835, it is the first medical college in Asia. - 3 Presidency University (PU; প্রেসিডেন্সি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়), College St (tram: Presidency College ). Established as Hindu College in 1817, renamed Presidency College in 1855, and upgraded to a university in 2010.
- 4 The Sanskrit College and University, Bankim Chatterjee St (off College St). A liberal arts university offering both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Ancient India, world history, Bengali, English, Sanskrit, linguistics and traditional orientation learning (Advaita Vedanta).
- 5 University of Calcutta (CU; কলকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়), College St (tram: Calcutta Universty ). Main campus of India's first western-style university established on 24 January 1857. It features Asutosh Museum of Indian Art, which is India's first university museum. The museum has specimens of various phases of Indian art with special emphasis on the art of Bengal.
Buy
[edit]North Kolkata is generally crowded and has some interesting bazaars including the famous Barabazar.
- 1 Barabazar (বড়বাজার Baṛabājār). One of the busiest shopping districts of Kolkata. The place was the old Sutanuti Hat before the British came. With the influx of the Marwaris (a trading class) during British rule from Western India, it was transformed into Barabazar (big market). The saying goes that if one is willing to pay the price, everything is available in Barabazar. The market thrives on selling larger quantities at cheaper prices.
- 2 Barnaparichay Market (বর্ণপরিচয় মার্কেট Barṇaparicaẏ Mārkeṭ), College St (at MG Rd crossing; tram: College Street ). A marketplace that does not appear to have received a lick of paint. It mostly hosts sari (traditional women's dress) shops but the first floor also contains numerous bookshops. There are sari shops opposite the market as well.
- 3 College Street (কলেজ স্ট্রিট Kalej Sṭriṭ, also known as baipāṝā (বইপাড়া)). The 900 m (3,000 ft) long street one can trace many out-of-print books at throw-away prices, with a little patience. Its name comes from the presence of several higher education institutions along the thoroughfare. Opposite the "colleges", there are bookshops and stationery stores along Bankim Chatterjee St, Ramanath Majumdar St and Shyama Charan Dey St as well. The area is also home to College Square and Indian Coffee House.
- 4 Maniktala (মানিকতলা Māniktalā). A big market for varieties of fish.
- 5 Mullick Ghat (মল্লিক ঘাট Mallik Ghāṭ), Strand Rd. At the base of the Howrah Bridge is the city’s bustling wholesale flower market. Flowers are an essential part of life in the city, they are bought not just for temple prayers but also for wedding decorations, events and festivals.
- 6 Tiretta Bazaar (টেরিটি বাজার Ṭeriṭi Bājār). Named after Edward Tiretta, a late 18th-century Italian immigrant from Venice but often refereed to as Old China Market due to its historic association with Chinese Indian nationals. While the population has dropped significantly the bazaar is still the place to buy Chinese goods in central Kolkata and to eat Chinese food.
Eat and drink
[edit]- 1 Allen Kitchen, 40/1, Jatindra Mohan Ave (metro: Sovabazar Sutanuti 1 ). 4-9PM. Famous for its prawn cutlet. One of the oldest restaurants in Kolkata, founded in the late 19th century.
- 2 Bhojohori Manna, Star Theatre, 79/3/4 Bidhan Sarani, ☏ +91 33 2533 8519. It serves a wide variety of home-cooked Bengali cuisine.
- 3 Chinese Breakfast, Sun Yat Sen St (behind Poddar Court). Early before 8:30AM when things start wrapping up. A delicious Kolkata experience, where Chinese fish dumping comes steamed, fried or in soup. ₹30.
- 4 Golbari (New Punjabi Hotel), 211, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Rd (Shyambazar 5 point crossing), ☏ +91 33 2554 6096. 12:30PM-11PM. Famous for "kosha mangsho" (কষা মাংস kaṣā māṁsa, spicy goat meat).
- 5 Indian Coffee House, 1F, 15 Bankim Chatterjee St (off College St), ☏ +91 33 2241 4869. A venerable old establishment run by the Indian Coffee Workers Co-op Society. The high ceilings, peeling paintwork, skylights and workers in traditional uniforms create an image straight out of the 1920s or 1930s movie. In addition, the coffee (and the food) is good and cheap.
- Mitra Cafe. North Indian fast food outlet famous for its brain chop. Fish Kaviraji, brain chop, Chicken Kaviraji, Mutton Kaviraji, mutton cutlets, fries, Prawn Kabiraji. Also go for the various chops, cutlets or Afgani.
- 6 47, Jatindra Mohan Ave, ☏ +91 8420161111, +91 9830342665. 5-10PM.
- 7 3A, Bhupen Bose Ave, ☏ +91 33 2543 8192. 4:30-10PM.
- 8 New Madras Tiffin, 138, Bidhan Sarani, Hatibagan, ☏ +91 9804237342. 10AM-10PM. Good vegetarian South Indian joint. Must-try items are Mysore plain dosa, Dahi vada and Kulfi.
- Niranjan Agar (beside the northwestern exit of Girish Park 1 ). 4-9PM. Famous fry shop. Try their deviled duck eggs, mutton koftas and special fish fry.
- 9 Only 4 Chinese Gazab (Gazab), 34C, Shyampukur St, Hatibagan, ☏ +91 33 30859011. Noon-10:30PM. Quality Indian Chinese and great pork items. Also, try their Darsaan with vanilla ice cream.
- 10 Rupa, 222A, APC Rd, Shyambazar (at five-point crossing). Quality Bengali lunch. Famous for śukto bhāt (শুক্তো ভাত, Bengali bitter gourd dish and rice) and "kosha mangsho" (কষা মাংস, kaṣā māṁsa) (spicy goat meat).
Sweets
[edit]- 11 Adi Haridas Modak (আদি হররিদাস মোদক Ādi Haridās Modak), 220, APC Rd, Shyambazar (right at the five-point crossing, hard to find the shop behind the billboards). The 200-year-old sweet shop is known for "chhanar toast", which looks like a slice of bread with "malai" spread on it. It also serves "luchi" with "aloo torkari" on banana leaves every morning. Chhanar toast: ₹15 per piece.
- 12 Amrit (অমৃত Amr̥ta), 94, Bidhan Sarani. Established in 1912, known for its sweet yoghurt called "mishti doi" (মিষ্টি দই miṣṭi dai). Mishti doi: ₹300 per kg.
- 13 Chittaranjan Mistanna Bhandar, 34B Shyambazar St (opposite Shyambazar AV School). A century-old sweet shop famous for Bengali sweets like "rosogolla", "rajbhog", "chomchom" etc. Must-try items are "rosogolla" and "modhuporko". Rosogolla: ₹20 per piece, modhuporko: ₹35 per cup.
- 14 Dwarik's Grandsons, BT Rd, Shyambazar. Serves sweets like "steam sandesh", "kheer chop" and "dorbesh". Steam sandesh: ₹17 per piece, kheer chop: ₹17 per piece, dorbesh: ₹10 per piece.
- 15 Girish Chandra Dey & Nukur Chandra Nandy, 56, Ramdulal Sarkar St, ☏ +91 33 2241 0048. Established in 1844. Famous for "sandesh" and the shop's unique "chhana".
- 16 Nobin Chandra Das (নবীন চন্দ্র দাশ Nabīn Candra Dāś), 77, Jatindra Mohan Ave. The legendary shop that is said to have invented "rosogolla". Rosogolla: ₹12-32 per piece.
- 17 Putiram (পুঁটীরাম Pũṭīrām), 46, Surya Sen St. Known for kachori (কচুরি kacuri), samosa (শিঙাড়া śiṅāṛā), juicy "gurer rosogolla" (sold in winters) and "guli goja" (sold on Vijayadashami).
Sleep
[edit]| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under ₹2,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 |
| Splurge | Over ₹5,000 |
Budget
[edit]- 1 Mahabodhi Society of India, 4A, Bankim Chatterjee St, ☏ +91 33 2219 9294. A small, but interesting Theravedan Buddhist temple located in an historic building. There is a library and shrine room on the second floor. Meditation classes are held every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. There's a guesthouse as part of the monastery which is although simple has a lot of features. ₹250 room with a private bathroom, ₹150 for a room with a communal bathroom; ₹60 dormitory.
Mid-range
[edit]Splurge
[edit]- 2 Calcutta Bungalow, 5, Radha Kanta Jew St, Shyambazar. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. A hotel built in the neoclassical style. It has 6 rooms with exposed beam ceilings and chandeliers (ঝাড়বাতি jhāṛbāti). Services include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minifridges and safes. Breakfasts are served in a dining room. It conducts a monthly āḍḍā (আড্ডা) session with telebhājā (তেলেভাজা) and tea. ₹5,200–7,600.
Stay safe
[edit]While most of North Kolkata is safe to visit, one noted problem is with the red-light district of Sonagachi (সোনাগাছি Sonāgāchi), one of the largest in India. Women should avoid visiting the areas around Sonagachi as solo travellers unless really necessary.
Connect
[edit]Libraries
[edit]- 6 Bangiya Sahitya Parishat (বঙ্গীয় সাহিত্য পরিষদ), 243/1, APC Rd, sahityaparishatbangiya@gmail.com. 12:30PM-7:00PM. A unique library with ancient Bengali manuscripts.
Cope
[edit]Police stations
[edit]- 7 Barabazar Police Station, ☏ +91 33 22687554.
- 8 Shyampukur Police Station, 47, Shyambazar St, ☏ +91 33 25557585.
Post offices
[edit]- 9 Barabazar Head Post Office.