Dakshineswar Kali Temple

Dakshineswar Kali Temple stands on the east bank of the Hooghly River in north Kolkata, West Bengal, India, and is one of the city's most visited Hindu shrines. Rani Rashmoni, a wealthy philanthropist, had it built in 1855, and it is closely tied to the mystic Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who served as a priest here. The main temple is a nine-spired (navaratna) structure on a raised plinth, dedicated to Bhavatarini, a form of Kali. Around the large courtyard stand twelve identical Shiva temples along the riverfront, a Radha-Krishna temple, and the room where Ramakrishna lived, now a small shrine that visitors can enter. Steps called ghats lead down to the river, where pilgrims bathe and where the evening light over the water is especially good for photographs. A typical visit lasts one to two hours, including queuing for the sanctum. Footwear must be left at the entrance racks, and bags and phones are generally not allowed inside the sanctum, so lockers or cloakrooms near the gate are used. The temple is open in two sessions, roughly 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Weekday mornings are calmest; Sundays, festival days and especially Kali Puja night draw very large crowds with queues stretching for hours. The courtyard is a good place to see flower and sweet offerings being prepared and sold from the stalls along the approach. Entry is free. Visitors arrive by suburban train to Dakshineswar station, by taxi, or by Metro to Dum Dum followed by a cab. The temple can be combined with Belur Math across the river for a half-day spiritual circuit.