Category: Sightseeing

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Parshwanath Jain Temple – Digambar

The Parshwanath Temple – Digambar was built in the year 1914 and it is the best religious ground for the Digambar Jain community. Digambar is one of the two essential ain sects and the other being Swetambar. The temple looks bright and glorious with the attractive red shade and the extravagant red entrance welcomes all the devotees within the temple premise. The place has the four sprawling gardens and these are best surrounded by the trees and the hedges and you can even find the flowering plants with flowers so bright and natural. One is sure to love the natural ambiance and prefer to spend time at the place.

Things Included within the Temple Premise

You have the fishes in the fish tank and the children would love to feed the rare species in water. You may even find some symbolic installations and these are like the cow and the tiger feeding from the similar waterhole. You would also love to see the sight of the fountains within the temple premise. There is even the stambha and this is constructed with the white marble. This stands just beside the radiant red temple. The temple also includes the religious inscriptions and these are sure to preach non violence and once you study the stambha you can easily get to know about the other aspects of Jainism.

Within the premise there are the other edifices and these are the quarters of the monks and there is the special building for the temple office. There is also the community locale and at the place various religious events are being organised.

The Temple Location

The Parshwanath Temple – Digambar has the perfect location and it stands at the region of Belgachia in Northern part of Kolkata in West Bengal.

The Digambar Principles

The Digambar community believes in complete abstinence. They don’t like the materials of the world. The Digambaras believe that inclination to materials increase dependency and there is more of sorrow due to the reason. The Digambaras for the reason to attain Moksha or liberation don’t even believe in wearing clothes. This is the basic life philosophy. However, the monastic practice is strictly meant for the males. The female Digambaras are known as sadhvis and they are also called Aryakas. The females are not allowed to do the practice and they are made to wear the white seamless attires.

The Age of the Temple

The age of Parshwanath Temple – Digambar is more than a century. The temple looks great amidst trees and flowers. The same was being renovated and reconstructed by Mr. Brown. He was the eminent architect of Victoria Memorial in the year 1914. The temple follows the artistic Nagara style and the ornamental pillars along with the stunning sculptures look great indeed. The style resembles the ancient Jain architecture of the caves. Here you get to see the main idol of Tirthankar Parshwanath and he was the 23rd Jain Tirthankar (877-777 B.C.). In fact, the specious temple also serves as a refuge and the resting ground for the tired travellers. This is the best place for you to rest and retire from the world at the same time.

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Town Hall

The regal Town Hall was built in 1813 by architect Colonel John Garstin under the supervision of the British Government. It was built to specifically provide a space for societal gathering of the British settlers in Calcutta. The town is also famous for bearing witness to some historical events that took place under its roof. Since its restoration it is now used as an important public congregation hall.

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Lal Dighi

The Lal Dighi is a historical spot in Kolkata. It was here that the infamous Battle of Lal Dighi was fought in 1756 between Siraj-Ud-Daula (Nawab Of Bengal) and the British Forces of the East India Company. This battle led to the legendary Battle of Plassey in 1757 that marked the supremacy of British Colonial rule in India. The Lal Dighi is now a prime landmark of Kolkata city.

The other name for Lal Dighi is Tank Square or Dalhousie Square. This is a water tank made by man and this was constructed before the starting of the British Era. The name Lal Dighi means Red Water. The same got the name because the water was turned red at the time of the Holi or the Dol festival. The British people called the same the Great Tank. This is the perfect water body being surrounded by the greens and this is the perfect spot where you can sit in tranquillity and catch fish. Around the Lal Dighi you have some of the famous heritage buildings of Kolkata and these are GPO, Writer’s Building, High Court, Andrew’s Church and the rest.

The Location of the Lake

Lal Dighi has a fantastic location. It is located at the place of B. B. D. Bagh. The nearest point of interest is the Calcutta High Court.

The Existential Relevance of the Tank

Lal Dighi Stands with the best historical details. It is true that there is no factual data in hand. However, the legendary stories will explain you the details of the existence of the water body. Some say that there was the existence of the Dighi at the time of Sabarna Roy Choudhury. He is a renowned Bengali aristocrat and he successfully ruled over the region. He had the famous court house and the temple and here was his family deity Shyam Rai. At the time of Dol Utsav or Holi the entire tank or river became red due to the spreading of the red abir. This took place before the coming of Job Charnock. This man is known as the founder of Calcutta. This was the period when the land was under the jurisdiction of the Kalikata Village. The court house was first taken on the basis of rent and later on it was being bought by the East India Company. Stories say that the reflection of the Red Fort made the water of the tank look so red. From here the same got its name Lal Dighi.

The Historical Significance of the Tank

You may have heard of Dutch admiral Stavorinus. He came to visit the settlement in the year 1770. At the time the tank was being lengthened and deepened in the year 1709 and the initiative was taken by the British Government. The government cleaned the tank thoroughly to turn the same as the reservoir of sweet water. The tank covers an area of 25 acres. The purpose of making the tank was to supply sweet drinking water to the inhabitants of Calcutta. This was an extensive tank and proper care was taken from the time of Warren Hastings. The responsibility of cleaning the tank was given to the professionals and the natives were not allowed to do the cleaning. The tank served as the source of drinking water to the European Community.

The Description of the Tank

Lal Dighi is also known as the Dalhousie Square Tank. The tank is fed by the rain water and by the natural springs. It is the central feature of the main Kolkata town plan. The picturesque quality of the tank is stupendous. It is being surrounded by edifices like the Reserve Bank, the Writer’s Building, the Telephone Bhavan and the GPO. It is more than a tank. It is a massive pond and the surrounding area is known as the Binay Badal Dinesh Bagh. The former name of the tank was Dalhousie Square.

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Park Street Cemetery

The Park Street Cemetery is the most heritage destination of Kolkata. The cemetery came into being during the colonial era of the British period. The former name of the same is Burial Ground Road and the same is one of the oldest cemeteries of the time. You have the memorials and the mausoleums and the architectural importance of the same is immense. The tombs are wonderfully built and they highly resemble the historical significance of the city of Kolkata.

The Location

The location of the Park Street Cemetery is simple. It is located in the Park Street area of the city.

The Historical Significance of the Cemetery

The Park Street Cemetery is declared to have remained open from the time 1767. This is the initial non-church cemetery in the entire world. The cemetery came into being in the 19th century and it was named as the Great Christian Burial Ground in the whole of Asia. The cemetery came to be named after the Park Street and it was named after the deer park being constructed by Sir Elijah Impey and this was close to the Vansittart’s garden house. The cemetery is the perfect burial ground meant for the European expatriates who had their settlement in Kolkata at the time of the colonial period. This cemetery houses the burial ground of the eminent European personalities and this happened in the regal era.

The Various Cemeteries to Talk about

You have some of the notable tombs here and these are Rose Aymler, and this is the cemetery of the beloved of the poet Walter Savage Langdor and there is even the cemetery of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. He was the initiator of the Young Bengal Movement and his life was full of events. He lived not more than 22 years. Here, you even find cemeteries of Charles Dickens, and Sir William Jones who was the founder of the Asiatic Society. There is the cemetery of David Drummond, Michael Madhusudan Dutta and C. F. Andrews.

The Opening of the New Cemetery

The cemetery was closed down in the year 1840 due to lack of space. In recent times this is one of the heritage sites for you to visit. The same is preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. In the year 1785, the ground was being extended and the northern edge of the ground was being stretched and extended. In the year 1840 a new cemetery was being introduced and this came to be known as the Lower Circular Road Cemetery.

The tombs of the cemetery started to be renovated and reconstructed from the year 2000. The construction job is still continuing. The first restoration attempt was being made with all the 15 tombs. The ambiance of the place has been best restored and the epoch style is perfectly combined with the conventionally environmental friendly technicality. This includes the solar power lighting.

The Details of the Cemetery

The entire cemetery is of 8 acres of land. On all sides you will find the brick walls and there is even the enclosure which has the assortment of the 1600 tombs. These hold the tablets the cenotaphs and the epitaphs. The landscape at the place is so serene and quaint. The cemetery is made to look good with the variety in trees and flowery bushes. The architecture that you find on the grave stone is a mixture of the Gothic and the Indo-Saracenic style. The tombs are constructed with sand stone and they have shapes of rectangular or square. The designs are unique and each of them resembles the architectural approach of the era.

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Science City

You can call Science City the massive science centre in the Indian sub continent. The place is under the National Council of Science Museums. It is also governed by the Ministry of Culture and you even have the Government of India supervising the existence and running of the centre. Science City stands as the distinct landmark in Kolkata and Saroj Ghosh is the person to conceptualise the place in the year 1997. The inauguration of the centre happened in two parts. First you have the Convention Centre Complex and this started on the day of 21st December 1996. The initiative was taken by Paul Joseph Crutzen and this happened in the presence of the chief minister Jyoti Basu. The centre was unleashed under the supervision and initiative of the Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral. This happened on the 1st of July 1997.

The inauguration of the 2nd phase of the Science City happened on 10th January 2010 under the supervision of Manmohan Singh the then prime minister of India. At the time the chief minister of West Bengal was Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya.

The Places to See at Science City

The Dynamotion Hall

Here you have the best display of the hands on and the interactive machineries and these are based on various science topics. Here the visitors are encouraged to enjoy the props and they can even have the perfect understanding of the scientific principles. At the Hall you have the permanent exhibition on the Illusions. This one holds the interactive exhibits. This is also the place to explore the method of motion and the placement and this is sure to cause a difference in the visual perception. You have the Power of Ten at the Hall. There is even the Fresh Water Aquarium and the Live Butterfly Enclave.

The Earth Exploration Hall

Next, it is time to visit the Earth Exploration Hall. This was being inaugurated on 6th December in the year 2008 and the initiative was taken by Ambika Soni the then Union Minister of Culture in India. This is a permanent exhibition based on earth and this houses the double storied hemispherical edifice that is known for displaying the detailing of the southern hemisphere. You can see the southern hemisphere on the ground floor and the detailing of the northern hemisphere is shown on the first floor. In this case the earth globe is divided into 12 segments and you even get an idea about the collection of fauna and flora on earth. You have more things being displayed like technology and attractive visuals. There are more things like the interactive multimedia, panoramic videos, video walls computer kiosks and tilting table. There is even the 3D effects theatre and you have to watch the same wearing a special Polaroid spectacle.

The Evolution Park

The children would love to visit the Evolution Park. Here you are sure to have a themed tour of 1300 square metre and at the place you have seven large walks and you are made to pass through the dioramas with all the 71 robotic prehistoric animals and species. You have all the 26 varieties of dinosaurs and you can even see the 140 early plant models and these belong to the specific periods. The park portrays the details of the evolution of the animal life and especially of the species that are extinct.

The Space Odyssey

At the Space Odyssey you have the Space Theatre and this is well provides with the Helios Star Ball planetarium which is being supported by the 150 projectors with all the special effects. There is even the Atrovision and the Massive Format film Projection mechanism and these are housed under the tilted dome and these have the unidirectional seating arrangements and with this more than 360 people can sit together and watch the science show. There are more things like the 3D Vision Theatre, the Mirror Magic and the Time Machine.

The Maritime Centre

One can even visit the maritime centre and learn about the marirtime historic specialty. At the place you will come to see the dioramas and the artefacts and there is even the interactive exhibition based on the navigation and the shipping system. Here, you can even participate at the unmanned quiz corner.

The Science Park

There is the exclusive Science Park to visit. Here you get introduced to the plants and the animals and other things among the natural surroundings. Here you get to learn about the basic science principles and the learning takes place on the open air environment. The exhibits here have been properly engineered to withstand the climactic variations. The Science Park is an integral part of the NCSM centres. As part of the park you have the Caterpillar Ride, the Musical Fountain, the Gravity Coaster, the Cable Cars, the Road Train, the Butterfly Nursery, the Monorail Cycle and there are other physical science and life science stuffs and it is fun to be a part of the lush green atmosphere. The Science City is visited by people from various parts of the country.

With the Grand Theatre, the Mini Auditorium and the Seminar Building it is a great opportunity to see the unseen and explore the unexplored.

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Mother House

The Missionaries of Charity was established by Mother Teresa in 1950. It came to be known as Mother House after the passing away of Mother Teresa in 1997 whose sacred tomb was laid to rest here. The house of Mother Teresa has now become a revered pilgrimage site. One can know about the life and services of Mother Teresa and her contribution to humanity by visiting this place.

The Mother House better known as the Missionaries of Charity’s Mother House is an establishment belonging to the section of the holy pilgrimage. In case you want to know about your true existence you can be at the house and learn the secret of divine existence. The house was established by the dedicated efforts Blessed Mother Teresa in the year 1950. The purpose of the establishment was to give the kind of selfless service to the entire mankind and also to cause an upliftment of the plagued humanity so that people can move towards the path of salvation so easily. After Mother Teresa left for the heavenly abode in the year 1997 she was made to rest in the tomb which is there inside the house.

The Mother’s Tomb

Mother would be pleased to stay with her soul at the place where she lived and served for so many years. The sight of the tomb is so simple and yet so perfectly peaceful. You can feel the vibration of peace and gratitude at the place. You can sit before the tomb and spend time in complete meditation. This way you can pay the perfect homage to the heavenly soul of mother and the tranquillity that you feel is evidently pore and pristine.

The House and the Museum

As part of the main building you will get to see the museum. The museum is an epitome of the spirit and message and here you will get to see the sandals work by Mother. The dinner bowl in which she ate is kept at the place and along with the same you will find the display of the artefacts like the saree she used to wear, the rosary, the crucifix, the handwritten letters and the spiritual exhortations. The room of the Mother is preserved with all simplicity and a crown of thorns is kept over the modest camp bed.

If you want your earnest desires to get fulfilled then you can write the same in a piece of paper and place it over the tomb. The petitions are offered to Mother on the occasion of Friday Mass.

The Location of the House

The Mother’s House or the Missionaries of Charity is located at Ripon Street. The nearest landmark is the convent institution of Sealdah Loreto.

The Founding of the House

The founding date of Missionaries of Charity is 7th October 1950. A group was formed and it was headed by Mother Teresa. The group comprised of all the dedicated pupils of Mother. They blindly believed in what she said. The mission of the group was to suffice for the hungry and the naked. They wanted to support the homeless and the crippled. They stood behind the blinds and the people suffering from leprosy. The people at Mother’s House cared for the unloved, the unwanted and the uncared. If you become a burden for the society Mother is there to take care of you.

The Direct Inspiration from Mother

After Mother received the permission of the Vatican she became interested in establishing her personal order. This is when Mother Teresa established the institute and this was initially known as the Diocesan Congregation of the Calcutta Diocese. The effort began in the form of a small community and it included 12 members from the whole of Calcutta. This institution in the later days came to be known as Missionaries of Charity. The mission and message of Mother reached in all parts of the world. She is not just a divine entity; she is the inspiration for the entire mankind. Mother is all the more worshipped and addressed for her kind words and deeds.

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Maidan

Maidan is the greatest unleashed ground in Kolkata. It is a 400 hector of land and it is perfectly located in the centre of the city. The Maidan stretches from the area of Chowringhee and moves towards Park Street to the east of the Hooghly River and on the west you have the Strand Road. There was the episode of the Black Hole Tragedy and just after a year the British East India Company won the battle of Plassey and soon after that the construction of the Fort William started in the year 1758 and this happened at the centre area of the village called Gobindapur.

The History of Maidan

The villagers living at the place were being justly compensated and they received the land in the area of Taltala. They also received places in Sovabazar and Kumartuli. The establishment of the Fort William was competed in the year 1773. There was a forest which people dared due to the attack of the tiger and this forest divided the village of Chowringhee from the rest of the villages and the residential places. The forest was properly cleared and then aptly connected to the villages and this way there was a legitimate expansion of the British Rule.

The Correct Name to the Expansion

This expansion which took place got the name of Maidan. The Maidan became the hub and the point of interest for the Europeans. Most of the activities tool place in the lush green area and also in the open air field. The length of Maidan is three kilometres and this extends from the north to the south. On the southern part one can discover the Kolkata Race Course and there is even the Victoria Memorial and when you go towards the north end of the field you can get the best view of the Raj Bhavan or the Governor’s House.

The Ground for All

This is the ground where you can witness all the political campaigns and the rest of the political activities. On one part of Maidan you have the eminent cricket ground of Eden Gardens. On the field you can sit and rest at the park and you can easily visit the rest of the tourist sites adjacent to the place. These are sites like Royal Calcutta Golf Club and this is the most popular Golf Club other than Great Britain. There is even the Mohan Bagan and the Press Club. You have more places to visit like the Kennel Club and there is even the East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting Club. There are more clubhouses in and around Maidan.

More Things to See at Maidan

Once you enter Maidan you will get to see several statues. You have the statues of the British Governor Generals and you also find statues of other British personalities like Lord Canning, Lord Curzon, Minto, Northbrook, Kitchner, Roberts and the rest. You also find the statues of the Indian personalities like Sri AAurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Pritilata Waddedar and the rets. The Maidan is also used as the parade ground and more events are known to happen at the place.

The people of Kolkata love to visit the Maidan. Even people coming from afar love to visit the place. The general public come here to relax and unwind especially after a hectic week. The place remains filled with visitors on the weekends. Recently the army and the government are taking the initiative to keep the place so clean and perfect. The place remains polluted and it is full of dust. This is the reason the cleaning and the environmental control policies are undertaken and the place isb perfectly restored as the Kolkata Heritage.

The Best Time to Visit

The months from October to March are the best time when you can visit Maidan. However, this is called the Urban Park of Kolkata and it is a great place for you to visit and spend time. The Maidan is the perfect Kolkata glory and you have some of the wonderful places to tour from Maidan. The British named the area as Esplanade but the name Maidan is all the more popular among the tourists and the visitors. You can visit the place at any time of the day. However, it is not safe to be there during the night time. Visit Maidan during the day and have the most stunning experience in life.

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Prinsep Ghat

The Prinsep Ghat in Kolkata came into being in the year 1841. The ghat was built at the time of the British rule. This was constructed along the Kolkata Bank of River Hooghly. This is the Palladian Poarch and it was built in the memory of the notable Anglo-Indian scholar and the designing of the place was done by W. Fitzgerald and the construction took place in the year 1843. The place is located just between the St. George’s Gate and Water Gate of the Fort William and you have the monument to the Prinsep which is rich for its Gothic and its Greek inlays. The ghat was being restored by the public works department of the state and this happened on November 2001.

The Maintenance of the Ghat

The Prinsep Ghat is a well maintained area. In the initial years the place for used for the reason of embarkation and disembarkation. You can call the place as the genuine recreational ground in Kolkata. People visit the spot on the weekends and in the evenings and go rowing on the river. They love to walk along the bank and buy the foods from the stalls. There is the stall for the ice cream and there is also the stall for the fast food. These stalls exist for more than forty years.

The Description of the Ghat

There is the stretching of the land from the Prinsep Ghat to the area of Babughat. This is also known as the Baje Kadamtala Ghat. The same was inaugurated on 24rth May 2012. The place has been brightly illuminated and decorations have been used in order to make the area look so opulent. As part of the area you find gardens and pathways and there are even the renovated ghats and the fountain. The song from the film Pareenita in Bollywood has been picturized at the place.

More Things to Know

You have a railway station named after Prinsep Ghat. The railway falls under the Kolkata Circular Railway and this is best maintained and supervised by the Indian Railways. The station code of Prinsep Ghat is PPGT. You even have the nearby jetty and it is known by the name of Man-O-War jetty. This is part of the Kolkata Port Trust and in this case you come to know about the role being played by the port at the time of the Second World War. The Indian Navy makes the apt use of the jetty.

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Kalighat Kali Temple

The Importance of Kalighat Kali Temple

There is no doubt regarding the ancientness of the Kalighat Kali Temple. The temple is known to exist from the time of Chandragupta II. The structure of the altar is more than two hundred years old. The temple authentically had a petite structure and it was being constructed by Raja Mansingh at the time of the 16th century. The temple got its present form in the year 1809 and things happened under the strict guidance of the family of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury of Barisha. The temple has the perfect divine heritage and you have the most prestigious people visiting the premise with the perfect religious fervour.

The Grandeur of the Goddess Kali

At Kalighat Kali Temple you have the majestic goddess with the golden tongue. She also has the four golden hands. One of the hands holds a scimitar and this perfectly represents the Divine Knowledge. You can even find the severed head of the Shumbha. Shumbha is known as the demon King and he represents the human ego. The prime message for you to understand is that ego should also be overruled by the divine knowledge and this way one can gain complete Moksha. This is a perfect way you can move towards complete salvation.

The Description of the Goddess

The goddess has more two hands. One hand stands for abhaya which means being fearless and the other hand represents varada mudra and this stands for divine blessing. The structure of the goddess represents the fact that she is to guide all the devotees towards the source of eternal salvation and this will be done by Holy Mother as she is the creator and the maintainer of the entire world. The altar is three feet high and it has the shape of the rectangle. At the temple you will find that three of the stones have been kept under the tree. There are more things for which the temple is so famous and precious.

The Magnificence of Shasthi Tala

At the Kalighat Kali Temple the three stones kept under the tree stand for Shasthi, Mangala Chandi and Shitala. These are essential parts of Ma Kali. The destination is spotted as the Shasthi Tala and you can even name the place as Manasha Tala. In the area you will find no presence of male priests. Quite close to the temple there is the Natmondir. This is the famous covered podium and from the place one can see the principal deity.

The Significance of the Shastitala

Just next to the Shastitala you will find two sacrificial altars standing erect. There is also a distinct shrine and this is completely dedicated to Radha Krishna and this makes a fabulous part of the complex. There is the sacred tank and you can call it the Kundapukur. This you can discover at the southern corner of the temple premise. This is the place where the right toe of Sati was discovered. The water of the tank is considered pious and in case you have something to wish for from the core of the heart, you can stand before the tank and make a wish. This way, your wish is sure to get granted soon. So make sure to visit the Kalighat Kali Temple to help know the divinely significance of the place.

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Jorasanko Thakur Bari – Tagore House

Rabindranath  – Jorasanko Thakur Bari – Tagore House

You can call the Rabindranath Tagore’s House as the Jorasanko Thakur Bari. This is based in the northern part of Kolkata and this is the ancestral home of the Tagores. The place has been turned to the Rabindra Bharati University Campus and this is based in the Dwarakanath Tagore Lane. This is the house where Rabindranath Tagore was born. This is also the childhood ground for the Nobel laureate. Tagore died in the same house on 7th August 1941.

The Background of the Tagore House

The house was built in the 18th Century and the land was given by the eminent Sett family. The Sett Family came from the Burrabazar area and they gifted the house to Prince Dwarakanath Tagore. He was the grandfather of Rabindranath Tagore. Gurudev Rabindranath took birth in the same house and his lifespan is from 1861 to 1941.

The Museum of Tagore

The Rabindranath Tagore’s House is also indicated as the Tagore Museum. The house has been best restored and all the household goods have been preserved as part of the artefacts in the museum. Once you visit the museum you will get the details of the Tagore family. This way you will come to know of the details of the Bengal Renaissance and also about the Brahmo Samaj.

A Visit to the House – Jorasanko Thakur Bari

Paying a visit to the Rabindranath Tagore’s House is a sheer experience and pleasure in life. Other than the usual routine the University organizes various functions and events on the special occasions like the birthday of Rabindranath Tagore and the day is commemorated as Panchise Baisakh. On the special day innumerable visitors flock to the place and the spectators take full interest in the events being organised by the members and students of the university. Once again on the day of Baishe Sravan that is the death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore at the university premise you can witness the festival of arts and you can even take part in the Aban Mela.

If you really want to have the authentic touch of Tagore taste and contribution, take time to visit the Rabindranath Tagore’s House and this way you can witness a part of the cultural history of Bengal.

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