Captivating Kolkata

The city of Kolkata was formerly called Calcutta and is India’s third most populous city. A must-see is the Indian Museum, which is the largest and oldest museum in the world. It contains very rare collections of Mughal paintings, armour and ornaments along with a variety of mummies, fossils, and skeletons. Founded by the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1814, it was established and originally curated by Danish surgeon and botanist, Nathaniel Wallich FRS. Comprised of six sections hosting 35 galleries, it is a veritable treasure trove of antiquities, and a great destination  when you go kosher cruising.

Another site to visit is the Marble Palace Zoo, a palatial mansion found in North Kolkata. This is one of the most elegant and preserved houses in the city and was built by the esteemed art-lover and philanthropist, Raja Rajendra Mullick. The Palace is famous for its marble floors and walls and is home to an awe-inspiring collection of Western sculpture, paintings by both Indian and European artists, and Victorian furniture.

One of the finest architectural sites in Kolkata is the Laxminarayan Temple or Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple built by the industrialist and philanthropist, Baldeo Das Birla and his son Jugal Kishore Birla of Birla family. With its white marble and sandstone and it is dedicated to Lakshmi Narayan or Lakshmi-Narayana, a manifestation of Vishnu. It should be noted that while the Laxminarayan Temple is also known as the Birla Mandir, it is not the only on in existence. The word Mandir means temple, and there are many of which the Birla family have built throughout India.

Situated over the Hoogly River is another famous landmark, the Howrah Bridge, which is the sixth longest cantilever bridge in the world. It was originally called the New Howrah Bridge as it was meant to replace an older pontoon bridge however it was renamed Rabindra Setu in 1965 after the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. Despite this formal renaming, however, the name Howrah Bridge continues to be widely recognized.

Park Street is also a must-do during your visit. It is also called Food Street and the street that never sleeps by the locals, because of all the pubs and restaurant in the area. During the 70’s and 80’s it was one of the top night -life spots and is now one of the major tourist attractions. The Victoria Memorial is dedicated in memory of Queen Victoria and is now a museum. After Victoria’s death in 1901, Lord Curzon commissioned the construction of the memorial and it contains 25 galleries of various artifacts and antiquities.

The Jewish community in Kolkata has five shuls of which only two are functioning. The first one, which is now known as the Old Synagogue, was built by Shalome David Cohen. There is also a Jewish cemetery which is located on 45 Narkeldanga Main Road.

When you have exhausted yourself sightseeing in this fascinating city, what better way to unwind than to return to your Kosher Riverboat Cruises boat, for an educational and immersive kosher tour, and enjoy freshly-cooked glatt kosher cuisine prepared by our expert team.