Kolkata, referred as the “City Of Joy” is the place where beauty, magic, charm and verve all unite to offer a harmonized dimension to the city. The land of dreams, fiestas, sweet dish and the abode of great intellectuals, Kolkata, with its rich heritage and tradition have revived the most tired traveler with her magnetism and lure.
Museums
West Bengal pioneered museum development in India with institutions like the Asiatic Society (1784), the Indian Botanic Garden (1787) and the Indian Museum (1814) -institutions which are amongst the oldest in India and upto this day remain principal attractions of tourists visiting Kolkata. There also exist about twentyfive other museums of zoology, botany, geology, agriculture, veterinary medicine, pathlogy and anatomy attached to colleges and universities and used for teaching and research.
The Victoria Memorial
The Victoria MemorialSituated on Kolkata Maidan , it stands majestic in its symmetrical construction of white marble. There is an Art Gallery and Museum inside. The surrounding open Space, beautifully laid out with trees, pools and lawns, is one of the most cherished areas of Kolkata.
Science City
It is located on Kolkata`s Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. This 21st century marvel of science, communication and environment is the first and only institution of its kind in India.
The pioneering effort of NCSM, in setting up open air Science Parks has now added a new dimension to science teaching through a process of discovery in the outdoor setting. Set amidst trees and lawns, here one finds science out of doors and alive.
Birla Planetarium
Birla PlanetariumOnly the second of its kind in the commonwealth and similar to that in London. Regular astronomical shows are preseted here with commentaries in different languages.
Situated close to the crossing of Theatre Road and Chowringhee road, the Birla Planetarium is adjacent to the maidan. The Planetarium owes its existence to the Birla Education in 1929. The Planetarium is a single-storeyed, circular structure constructed in pure Indian architectural style.
Nicco Park
Nicco ParkNicco Park is situated at Salt Lake. This Amusement park is the Disneyland of West Bengal, with a variety of unusual games and rides. The Cave Ride is the latest addition and is the only of its kind in this part of the world. The park is open to the public from 10.00 a.m to 8.00 p.m everyday during the winter and 11.00 a.m to 9.00 p.m everyday during the rest of the year.
Academy of Fine Art
Collections include contemporary Indian Art. Rabindra Gallery contains original paintings, manuscripts and personal belongings of Rabindranath Tagore. The Academy also runs an Artists` Studio for the benefit of working artists. Moreover this is an important center of cultural activities.
Zoological Garden
The Zoological Gardens at Alipore opened to the public in 1876, have one of the finest collections of birds, animals, and reptiles. Within the Gardens,there is also a childrens` Zoo. The aquarium in front of the Zoological Gardens contains sea-fishes of rare varieties.
Kalighat Temple
Built in 1809, the Kali Temple is an Ancient center of Hindu pilgrimage. The architecture is of typical mediaeval Bengal style. Despite industrialisation and commercial activity that has given Kolkata a new look, the Kali temple remains unchanged, attracting a larger number of pilgrims and visitors every day. Visitors to the temple recieve as `prasad` a vermillion paste , the symbol of Kali, to wear on the foreheads as a tilak.
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenSpreadover an area of 273 acres on the west bank of the Ganga, Indian Botanic garden is the largest of its kind in India. Laid out in 1787, the Garden contains 12,000 living perennial plants and over two and a half million dried out plant specimens in the herbarium, collected from all over the world.
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Topic:air science, birla planetarium, botanic garden, land of dreams, magic charm, ncsm, pathlogy, principal attractions, sweet dish, symmetrical construction