Kolkata/North
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 bound by the Sinthee More crossing at the north, Beleghata Canal at the east, Keshab Sen Street at the south and the Hooghly River at the west. It includes neighbourhoods like Ahiritola, Bagbazar, Hatibagan, Hedua, Jorasanko, Kumortuli, Maniktala, Nimtala, Simla, Shyambazar and Sovabazar.
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
By metro
The Blue Line 1 runs along the Sealdah-Ranaghat line, Jessore Road, Bhupen Bose Avenue and Chittaranjan Avenue, with stops at Dum Dum, Belgachia, Shyambazar, Sovabazar Sutanuti and Girish Park.
By train
North Kolkata can be reached by the Circular Railway Circular with stops at Dum Dum Junction, Patipukur, Kolkata, Tala, Bagbazar, Sovabazar Ahiritola and Barabazar.
By tram
While Kolkata's tram network has shrunk, there's still a route running from Esplanade to Shyambazar.
By car
Most roads in North Kolkata have a north–south alignment, and plenty of road transport options available from this district to other parts of Kolkata. However, the roads grind to a halt during rush hours. 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 boat
North Kolkata is historically served by multiple river terminals along the Hooghly River, which used to connect the city to various towns and villages along the river and its tributaries by ferry.
See
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 the city. The buildings give an impression of the royal folk who occupied them.
- 🌍 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.
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Houses
- 🌍 Belgachia Villa (Paikpara Rajbari), 64B, Khudiram Bose Sarani, Belgachia. A large garden house. Prince Dwarkanath Tagore bought it from an Italian around 1823. In 1846, when he died in England it was discovered that he was heavily in debt due to his extravagant spending. To pay off his debts, his son Debendranath sold Belgachia Villa and other properties.
- House of Gokul Mitra (গোকুল মিত্র ঠাকুরবাড়ি), 520 Rabindra Sarani. The house belonging to Gokul Mitra with a temple of Madan Mohan inside. One legend accounts that the King of Bishnupur gave an idol of Madan Mohan to Gokul Mitra when he was in difficult times.
- House of Sarada Devi, Bagbazar.
- 🌍 Residence of Sister Nivedita, Nivedita Ln, Bagbazar.
- 🌍 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.
Museums
- 🌍 Acharya Bhaban (আচার্য ভবন Ācārẏa Bhaban), Bose Institute, 93/1, APC Rd, Machuabazar (next to Rajabazar Science College), ☏ +91 33 2360 0078, sirjcbose@gmail.com. W-Th 2PM-4PM, closed other days. A museum with a collection of some of the instruments designed, made and used by Jagadish Chandra Bose, along with his personal belongings and memorabilia. Free.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 Marble Palace, 46, Muktaram Babu St, Jorasanko (metro: Mahatma Gandhi Road 1 ). 10AM-4PM (closed M and Thu). Built in 1835 by zamindar and art connoisseur 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. A real garden, of maybe an acre with a Palladian Mansion, set square in the centre. Today this palace 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.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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
- Balaram Mandir. Once a residence of Balaram Bose, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, the house hosts various events under the auspices of the Ramakrishna Mission, including the birthday celebrations of Ramakrishna, his wife Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda. The house also has a collection of 1,800 books.
- 🌍 Basri Shah Mosque. The oldest mosque in Kolkata, dating back to 1804. It has three domes and four minaret, and is affiliated with the Hanafi school of worship.
- 🌍 Calcutta Jain Temple, Gouribari, Maniktala.
- 🌍 Parshwanath Jain Temple, 26, Khudiram Bose Sarani. Considered one of the most sacred Jain temples of worship in Kolkata. The temple also has a dharamshala equipped with modern facilities.
- 🌍 Udyan Bati (উদ্যানবাটী, Garden House), 90, Cossipore Rd. A monastery where Sri Ramakrishna lived from 1885 till his death in 1886. Kalpataru Utsav is celebrated every year at 1 January.
Do
- 🌍 Bholanath Dham (ভোলানাথ ধাম Bholānāth Dhām), 33, Abhedananda Rd. A mansion with a large courtyard, known for the phānus (ফানুস) festival celebrated in the afternoon of Diwali, where paper-made sky lanterns called phānus are flown. These sky lanterns work like hot-air balloons, where the air inside is heated with a cloth rag ball (লুটি luṭi) soaked in spirit, which is attached to th base of the lantern. The venue of the phānus festival was purchased in 1925 by Raghunath Dutt and is named after his father, Bholanath Dutt. The first phānus festival was also observed there in 1925, and various theme-based sky lanterns have been flown from the mansion in recent decades.
- 🌍 Binodini Theatre (বিনোদিনী Binodinī, formerly the Star Theatre) (near Hatibagan crossing). One of the earliest institutions of commercial Bengali theatre, along with the Minerva Theatre. It was also one of the places where the first motion pictures in Bengal, made by Hira Lala Sen, were screened. The Star Theatre is later named after Binodini Dasi, fondly called Naṭī Binodinī (নটী বিনোদিনী), due to her close professional connection with the theatre.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 Minerva Theatre.
Parks
Learn
Many well-known higher education institutions of Kolkata are at College Street.
- 🌍 Bose Institute (বসু বিজ্ঞান মন্দির), 93/1, APC Rd, Machuabazar (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.
Buy
- 🌍 Maniktala (মানিকতলা Māniktalā). A big market for varieties of fish.
Eat and drink
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 Bhojohori Manna, Star Theatre, 79/3/4 Bidhan Sarani, ☏ +91 33 2533 8519. It serves a wide variety of home-cooked Bengali cuisine.
- 🌍 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).
- 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.
- 🌍 47, Jatindra Mohan Ave, ☏ +91 8420161111, +91 9830342665. 5-10PM.
- 🌍 3A, Bhupen Bose Ave, ☏ +91 33 2543 8192. 4:30-10PM.
- 🌍 47, Jatindra Mohan Ave, ☏ +91 8420161111, +91 9830342665. 5-10PM.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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.
- 🌍 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".
- 🌍 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.
Sleep
| 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
- 🌍 Aappayan Guest House, 71, Jatindra Mohan Ave, ☏ +91 98368 94023.
Mid-range
Splurge
- 🌍 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
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
Libraries
- 🌍 Bangiya Sahitya Parishat (বঙ্গীয় সাহিত্য পরিষদ), 243/1, APC Rd, sahityaparishatbangiya@gmail.com. 12:30PM-7:00PM. A unique library with ancient Bengali manuscripts.
- 🌍 Rammohun Library and Free Reading Room, 267, APC Rd. 12:30PM-7:00PM. A library established in 1904 in honour of Ram Mohan Roy. It contains hundreds and thousands of books, along with manuscripts, journals and periodicals. The free reading room has a children’s literature section and an archive section as well.
Post offices
- 🌍 Cossipore Head Post Office.
Cope
Police stations
- 🌍 Chitpur Police Station, 19, Cossipore Rd, ☏ +91 33 2556 6141.
- 🌍 Shyampukur Police Station, 47, Shyambazar St, ☏ +91 33 25557585.