There are lots of pilgrimage destinations in Calcutta consisting of various temples, churches etc. There is a plethora of religious places in Calcutta, where you'll have an entirely different experience. These religious spots will energize you and take you into a new world that will completely relax your mind, body and soul.

In this section, we will provide you information on the famous places of worship in Kolkata:

Kalighat Kali Temple
Location: Banks of river Hooghly
Dedicated to: Goddess Kali
Located on the banks of river Hooghly, Kalighat Kali temple is a very famous temple of the city of joy i.e. Calcutta. It is dedicated to Goddess kali, who is believed to be the destroyer as well as liberator. Every year, it has been attracting more and more crowds. Infact, Calcutta Kalighat Kali temple has come in the top list of must see tourist attraction places. For Hindus, Kali temple at Kalighat, Kolkata is one of the most sacred pilgrimage destinations.

There is an interesting legend behind the formation of Kali temple, which suggests that when Lord Shiva was furiously performing his dance (Pralay), keeping the corpse of Goddess kali on his shoulders, his spinning wheel sliced off her dead body. Her body slices fell off at different points, where pilgrimage centers were formed later on. Kalighat temple is one such pilgrimage spot, where a toe of her right foot had fallen. It is during the months of Bhadra, Paush and Chaitra (according to the Bengali calendar) that Kali temple at Kalighat turns into a convergence point for devotees from al over the world.

Dakshineshwar Temple
Location: Bank of the Ganges, north of Belur Math in Kolkata
Dedicated to: Goddess Kali
Founded by: Queen Rasmani of Janbazar
Year of establishment: 1847 - 1855
Dakshineshwar Kali temple has an interesting story. The construction of this fabulous temple was initialized in the year 1847 and got completed in 1855. The credit for the formation of Calcutta Dakshineswar Kali temple goes to the queen Rasmani of Janbazar. Located on the bank of the Ganges, north of Belur Math in Kolkata, it is dedicated to Goddess kali. It is a spacious temple covering an area of about 25 acres.

Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the famous spiritual leader is also associated with this temple, as it was over here only that he had worshipped Goddess Kali and formed a rare form of love for her, which is popularly known as maha-bhava in Hinduism. Read on to know about the history of Dakshineshwar Temple Of Kolkata, India.

The legend associated with the establishment of the temple suggests that the queen Rasmani was all set to leave for the sacred city of Banaras to worship the divine mother and seek her blessings. During those times, going by boat was the only feasible option, as there were no railway lines between Calcutta and Banaras. But one night before, it happened that divine mother kali appeared in the dreams of Rani Rasmani and instructed her to construct a beautiful temple on the banks of the Ganges River and install her idol in it. She also said that she would manifest herself in the image over there and accept her devotion. It is one of the largest temples in Kolkata.

Magen David Synagogue
Calcutta Magen David Synagogue, located on Jewish Synagogue Street is one of the oldest pilgrimage destinations in the city. Its foundation was laid by Elias David Joseph Ezra, paying tribute to his dear father. Maghen David synagogue of Kolkata, India was made open for public visit in the year 1884. It is one of the finest synagogues in Kolkata. Lighted by gas, Magen David Synagogue provides an excellent view of this hub city.

Saint Johns Church
Location: Council House Street beside B.B.D. Bagh
Calcutta St. John's Church is located on the Council House Street beside B.B.D. Bagh. The flooring of the church is done with stones obtained from different places. Owing to this fact, it is also sometimes referred to as the stone church. Its architecture represents Greek designing. There is a lot to explore in the St. John church of Kolkata, India. For example, the church contains the sculpture of Job Charnock, which is highly artistic. Then, there is a fabulous dome with a pitcher attached to it. You can also find the tombs of Charnock's daughters. Other attractions of Saint Johns church include the mind-blowing sculptures of British Admiral Watson, Lord Brabourne, Lady Canning and other eminent personalities.

Saint Pauls Cathedral
Location: southern end of the Maidan
Period of construction: 1839-1847
Dedicated to: St. Paul
Calcutta St. Paul's Cathedral is the first Episcopal Church of the Orient. Bishop Wilson patronized the construction of this beautiful church in 1839. The credit for the awesome designing of this Indo-Gothic architecture goes to Major W.N. Forbes. The work of establishing the St. Paul Cathedral of Kolkata, India got completed in 1847. It is situated at the southern end of the Maidan. Read on to know more about the Saint Pauls Cathedral…

The church got destroyed due to the earthquake of 1897 and then it was renovated. But, the earthquake of 1934 led to the collapse of the tower and eventually it was rebuilt on the lines of the Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral. It is 247 ft. in length and 81 ft. in width. The main hall of the cathedral is very large containing splendid carved wooden pews and chairs. Its eastern walls are covered with the mind-blowing colorful artwork.

The church is located within huge grounds, where you can also find a meditation point that has been set up in the recent times in collaboration with distinguished citizens of Tagore's Shantiniketan. The beautiful pictures describe the life and works of Saint Paul. The atmosphere of this cathedral is very tranquil. The architecture and the interim of the Saint Paul Cathedral is truly a feast for eyes.

Belur Math
Location: western bank of Hooghly in Howrah district
Founder: Swami Vivekananda
Calcutta Belur Math was founded in 1938 by Swami Vivekananda, the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, paying homage to his guru. It is situated at a distance of about 6.4 kms from Howrah Station on the banks of the Hooghly River. This place is very easy to reach, as it is well connected by bus and train. Belur math has an amazingly big prayer hall, where you can find the awesome statue of Ramakrishna. Belur Math of Kolkata, India is a very important pilgrimage place.

Belur math houses a beautiful monastery, several temples and also has the headquarters of Ramakrishna mission. This international tourist attraction place is based on the principle of religious fraternity, as was advocated by Ramakrishna Paramhansa. This is also reflected in the architectural design of Math, which exhibits a blend of temple, church and mosque patterns.