India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (379 page)
Queen’s Way.
033/2223-1890,
or -1891.
www.victoriamemorial-cal.org
. Rs 150. Tues–Sun 10am–4:30pm; closed on public holidays. Sound-and-light show: winter Tues–Sun 7:15pm (in English); summer 7:45pm (in English); Rs 20.
The Miracle of Mother Teresa & the “Pure Hearts”
Mother Teresa’s
Missionaries of Charity (MOC)
is now headed by Sister Nirmala, a converted Brahmin. There are some 3,500 MOC sisters around the world, working in 569 centers in 120 countries, but their selfless efforts are not without controversy. Even during Mother Teresa’s time, tales of pecuniary troubles and controversies over the way in which the poor and dying were being treated (and converted) beleaguered the MOC. There have always been plenty of cynics, despite the Vatican’s confirmation of Mother Teresa’s “miraculous” healing of a young woman’s malignant tumor (the woman claims to have been cured after seeing Mother Teresa in her dreams), a move that has irritated rationalists and the medical profession. Still, in Kolkata alone, more than 50,000 destitute sick and dying are looked after by the blue-and-white-sari-wearing nuns of the MOC, a demonstration of selflessness that you might deem miraculous in itself. Adjacent to the Kali Temple is “Pure Heart,” or
Nirmal Hriday
(251 Kalighat Rd.;
Fri–Wed 8–11:30am and 3–5:30pm), the very first MOC center.
Mother House
(54 A.J.C. Bose Rd.;
same hours as Nirmal Hriday) is the MOC headquarters, where Mother Teresa is buried. Nearby is
Nirmal
Shishu Bhawan
(78 A.J.C. Bose Rd.; same hours as Nirmal Hriday), where some 250 orphans are cared for.
Day 2 (North Kolkata)
Early in the morning, head toward
Howrah Bridge,
where you can witness people bathing at the
ghats
(steps leading down to the Hooghly River) or the pandemonium at the colorful
flower market
(you need to arrive before 7am). There you can sip
chai
and watch the stall holders deftly thread marigold garlands for the gods and bridal headgear from tuberoses and dahlias. Crossing over Howrah Bridge, head toward the
Belur Math Shrine
(see below). From here you can either incorporate a short stop at popular
Dakshineshwar Temple
(across Vivekananda Bridge;033/2564-5222;
daily 6:45am–12:30pm and 3:30–8:30pm), or take a look at the potters’ village at
Kumartuli
(N. Chitpur Rd.), a warren of alleys where clay deities and images of Mother Teresa are produced by the thousands. If you prefer to slow the pace, however, skip these and head south to beautiful
Paresnath Temple
(see below)—not as famous as the Kali temple, but certainly Kolkata’s prettiest, and north Kolkata’s star attraction. From here, you can head east to shop and eat at
Swabhumi Heritage Plaza,
a mall with 2.4 hectares (6 acres) of shopping, dining, and entertainment diversions; or head south to
Rabindra Bharati University Museum
(033/2269-5241;
Rs 50; Tues–Sun 10:30am–4:30pm; no photography) to visit the
Rabindranath Tagore House Museum.
Born to a wealthy entrepreneurial family in 1861, Tagore remains Bengal’s best-loved artist and intellectual, and his home is filled with artworks and collectibles (closed Sun, and open only until 1:30pm on Sat). Move on to the nearby
Marble Palace
(see below).
By now, you may be in serious need of sustenance, which you’ll find in the vicinity of the enormous
Nakhoda,
Calcutta’s largest mosque (Rabindra Sarani and M.G. Rd.). The mosque is closed to non-Muslims during prayers, but is set within a busy bazaar area where Muslim trades people sell all sorts of goods, as well as a range of breads, sweetmeats, and snacks. Alternatively, enjoy a cheap, substantial Kolkata-Mughlai meal at the century-old
Royal Indian Hotel
(147 Rabindra Sarani;033/2268-1073;
daily 9am–11:30pm).
Browse through the thousands of bookstalls along
College Street,
and finish with coffee at the
Indian Coffee House
(see below).
Top Attractions
Belur Math Shrine
The headquarters of the international Ramakrishna Order, Belur Math combines the architectural elements of a church, a mosque, and a temple, symbolically embodying the teachings of the monk and seer Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. It was established in 1897, and the ashes of Sri Ramakrishna were placed here by his most prominent disciple, Swami Vivekananda, who also set up the Order. The location is lovely: Smaller shrines line the riverbank, and devotees and seekers of spiritual peace roam the grounds. Within the immaculate main shrine, activity is enlivened by evening
aarti
(musical prayers).
Belur Rd., Howrah.033/2654-5700.
Daily 6:30–11:30am and 3:30–6pm; prayer (aarti) time: 5:30pm.
College Street
This stretch of road, deep in the heart of the university quarter, is famous for its 5,000 or so secondhand bookstalls, and for the renowned Presidency College, where India’s greatest filmmaker, Satyajit Ray, studied. Many of the booksellers here are semi-literate, but remarkably, each is able to recall the titles and prices of thousands of academic and technical books, the volumes typically piled feet high. Look for the bust commemorating the father of Bengali prose literature, the reformer and philanthropist Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, who also introduced a ban on forced marriages.