Kolkata as a city is religious and gives a lot of importance to temples and worship. And because of that the temples in Kolkata are always bustling with so many devotees. One such popular temple is the Dakshineswar Kali Temple. Moreover the Dakshineswar Kali Temple Kolkata is a popular sightseeing spot in Kolkata as well. Located at a serene location this temple will instantly calm your soul and rejuvenate you. So if you are exploring the city of Kolkata then visiting the Dakshineswar Temple is a must. Keep on reading this article to know more about this Kali Temple in Kolkata. This will also be a helpful read for you if you want to know more about the temple in Kolkata.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple
Location: May Dibas Pally, Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal
Timings: The Dakshineswar Kali Temple timings are from 6 am to 12:30 pm and from 3 pm to 8:30 pm from October to March. And from April to September the timings are 6 am to 12: 30 pm and 3:30 pm to 9 pm on all days of the week.
Aarti timings:
Mangal Aarti: 4 am during summers and 5 am during winter
Bhog Aarti: 12 pm
Sandhya Aarti: 7 pm during summer and 6 pm during winter
Dakshineswar Kali Temple bhog coupon timing: The devotees can collect coupons for the Bhog at the temple till 10 am in the morning. There are limited numbers of seats for this and the price of the coupon is also very nominal. Bhog timings are from 12 pm on all days.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple tickets: There is no entry fee
Read More: Belur Math Kolkata Timings, Ferry, Distance, Tickets, Sandhya Arati
How to reach Dakshineswar Kali Temple
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach Dakshineswar is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. From the airport the temple is 11 km away and it would take around 20 minutes to reach there. The most convenient way to reach the temple from the airport would be to take a taxi or hire a cab.
By train
The nearest railway station to reach Dakshineswar temple is the Dakshineswar railway station. From the station the temple is only 1.1 km away and you can reach there in 5 minutes. You can get trains from Sealdah station which is 13 km away from the temple. Take the Sealdah Dankuni local and you will have to get down at the Dakshineswar station. From Dankuni also trains are available to reach the temple and it is 9 km away from the temple. Howrah station to Dakshineswar Kali Temple distance is 19 km and you can reach the temple in about 40 minutes.
By road
You can take taxis or hire a cab from Kolkata or Howrah to reach the Dakshineswar Temple. From Howrah you can reach the Dakshineswar Temple by road in about 40 minutes. You can also take buses from Howrah as well to reach the Dakshineswar Kali Temple.
By metro
It is also convenient to reach the Dakshineswar Temple by metro as well. Nearest metro station to Dakshineswar Kali Temple is the Dakshineswar Metro Station. The metro station is only 1 km away from the temple and you can easily walk up to the temple and reach there in about 10 minutes. You will have to take the Dakshineswar Station road first and then walk through the Rani Rashmoni Skywalk to reach the temple conveniently.
Best time to visit Dakshineswar Kali Temple
You can ideally visit the temple any time of the year. However, Tuesdays and Saturdays are the most auspicious days to offer prayers to Maa Kali. These are also the days when the majority of devotees visit the temple to seek blessings from the Goddess. However, also keep in mind that these are the most crowded days as well. So if you wish to visit there on less crowded days opt to visit on any other weekday. Also you can visit here during the special festival times to witness the grandeur and festivity of the temple. During festivals like Kalpatoru Utsav, Navaratri and Kali Puja the temple gets drenched in festivities. With beautiful decorations with flowers and lights the beauty of the temple elevates a few notches higher.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple at night looks all the way more beautiful. So you can visit here during the evening as well. The evening aratis at the temple is also something that you should not miss out on. This would be a divine experience for sure to witness the Sandhya Arati in the Dakshineswar Temple.
Read More: Kalighat Kolkata, Kalighat Kali Maa, Howrah to Kalighat Distance
Overview of Dakshineswar Temple
The Dakshineswar Temple in Kolkata is one of the most important sites of pilgrimage that worships Goddess Kali. It is a Hindu temple dating back to the 19th century. Located on the banks of the Hooghly River the temple is situated in a small town Dakshineswar in the north of Kolkata. What makes this temple more important among the devotees is the attachment of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dev and his wife Sri Sarada Devi with this temple. Rani Rashmoni, a Zamindar, philanthropist and a devotee of Goddess Kali founded this temple in 1855. Built in a traditional style of architecture, this is one of the important sites of pilgrimage in Kolkata. Also people from all over visit this temple to seek the blessings of the Goddess. If you are ever visiting Kolkata or you are already there you definitely need to visit the Dakshineswar Temple in Kolkata.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple History
Before the construction of the temple in Dakshineswar during the early 1800s this area was a small village surrounded by dense forest. According to legend Rani Rashmoni, a wealthy Zamindar and philanthropist, had a wish to go to Varanasi to offer prayer to Mother Goddess. But the night before she was about to leave she had a dream. In the dream however she saw the Goddess asking her to build a temple and to construct a site of pilgrimage near the Ganges rather than going to Varanasi.
After that Rani Rashmoni immediately started looking for an area to construct the temple. So after a lot of survey she finalized this 20 acre land on the eastern bank of the River Ganga. Also this area had a burial ground for the Muslims resembling a tortoise hump that was perfect for the Shakti worship according to the Tantra way of worship.
But, the other part of this land belonged to John Hasty, a European. Also that portion was popular as the Saheban Bagicha. The construction of a temple on a ground that belongs to people following other religions and faiths signifies the unity of all faiths as well. It took a long time from 1845 to 1855 to complete the whole construction. On the auspicious day of Snana Yatra on 31st of May 1855 the idols were installed here. The total cost of the temple was 9 lakhs at that point of time. Out of the whole amount 2 lakhs rupees were spent on the day of the inauguration itself. The temple was formally named Sri Sri Jagadeeshwari Mahakali Temple.
What’s more?
Sri Ramakrishna Dev’s elder brother, Sri Ramkumar Chattopadhayay was the head priest of the temple. And after him Sri Ramakrishna Dev assumed that post. Along with his wife Sri Maa Sarada Devi, Sri Ramakrishna Dev stayed in the temple campus for many years. He was one of the main forces behind the popularity of this temple. Rani Rashmoni however passed away 5 years after the inauguration of the temple in 1861. She wanted the temple to be open to people from all sects irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. She handed over a property at Dinajpur which is at present in Bangladesh, for the maintenance of the temple. And the next day she passed away.
Architecture of Dakshineswar Temple
Built in the Navaratna Style or nine spires, this temple reflects the typical Bengali style of architecture that looks magnificent. It is a three storeyed building with the nine spires on the 2 upper storeys. The area of the temple is huge, extending up to 46 sq feet. Moreover the main temple stands on a high platform and you can reach the temple using a flight of stairs. The height of the temple is therefore 100 feet or 30 meters. Also there is a narrow verandah just outside the temple and a Natmandir right in front of the temple building.
The inner Sanctum Sanctorum or the Garbha Griha houses the Deity of Goddess Kali popular as Maa Bhavatarini. She stands on top of Lord Shiva with her tongue out. And both the idols stand on top of pure silver thousand petal lotus. There is a huge courtyard inside the temple premise that houses 12 identical temples of Lord Shiva in a straight line. Constructed in Aat-Chala style of Bengal architecture these temples are formed keeping in mind the 12 Jyotirlingas. Each temple has a Shivalinga in it made of black stone.
Also there is a Vishnu temple located on the north east of the main temple. This temple houses idols of Lord Krishna and Devi Radha. It is popular as the Radhakanta Temple.
Places to explore inside the Dakshineswar Temple Complex
1. Nahabat Khana
2. Gaji Tala/ Gaji Pukur
3. Chadni
4. Kuthi Bari
5. Natmandir
6. Bakul Tala Ghat
7. Room of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa
8. Panchavati
Hotel near Dakshineswar Kali Temple
1. Hotel Aadyama Dakshineswar
2. Hotel Dolphin Guest House
3. Capital O Hotel Emerald
4. The Pearl Hotel
5. Radhe Palace Hotel
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Dakshineswar Temple in Kolkata. If you are also searching for places near Dakshineswar Kali Temple to visit on the same day you can plan a trip to Belur Math. Belur Math is located only 4 km away from the temple, so you can definitely visit there too. Also, let me know if this article on Dakshineswar Kali Temple Kolkata is helpful for you.
