There are few locations in a city that make the city popular in front of the whole world. It seems like the location is something that brings the city more recognition and pride. One such location in the city of Kolkata is the Eden Gardens. The Eden Gardens Kolkata is a cricket stadium and practically it doesn’t really need any introduction. For both cricket lovers as well as non cricket lovers this location is a popular location. However, this is not exactly a tourist location but a stadium where you can visit to watch a match. And I would certainly recommend you to experience watching a match here once at least to witness the madness and excitement of a live match. Undoubtedly this would be a different experience and an unforgettable memory too.
You can check out the Eden Gardens photos but until and unless you visit the location yourself you cannot understand the vibe and liveliness there. So next time there is a match in Kolkata you need to get a ticket for yourself and visit there. Keep on reading this article as I will mention everything here that you need to know about the Eden Gardens Kolkata. This article will be helpful for you if you are planning to watch a match here anytime soon.
Eden Gardens Kolkata
Where is Eden Gardens?
The location of Eden Gardens is BBD Bag, Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal
Location on google Map :
Timings: 5 am to 11:30 pm
Entry Fee: Ticket prices varies depending upon the match
How to Reach
By air
If you are traveling by air then the nearest airport to reach Eden Gardens Kolkata is the Netaji Subhash Chandra International Airport in Kolkata. From the airport the stadium is 18 km away and you can reach there in about 45 minutes. You can opt for the many city buses or else you can take a car or a cab or yellow taxi as well to reach the stadium from the airport conveniently.
By train
In case you wish to travel by train, the nearest airport to reach Eden Gardens Kolkata is the Sealdah Station. From the Sealdah station Eden is located at a distance of 4.3 km and you can reach there in about 15 minutes. Another major station to reach the Eden Gardens is the Howrah railway Station. From the Howrah Station the distance of the stadium is 4.6 km. And it would take around 15 minutes to reach there as well. You can easily take a bus or take a cab or a yellow taxi to reach there conveniently.
By road
You can take buses from all around the city to reach the location as the stadium is located at an accessible spot. Or else you can always opt for app cabs or yellow taxis to reach here as well from any parts of the city.
By metro
If you are travelling by metro then the nearest metro station to reach the stadium is the Park Street Metro Station. From the metro station the stadium is located at a distance of 1.9 km and it would take around 7 minutes to reach there. Also you can reach there by foot as well in about 20 minutes.
Overview of Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens Kolkata is one of the major landmarks of the city along with being the pride of the city as well. It is the first and the oldest cricket stadium and is one of the iconic locations too. Built in 1864 this huge cricket stadium has been witness to so many iconic cricket matches in history. Moreover it is the largest cricket stadium in the whole of India. Along with that it is the second largest stadium in the world after the Melbourne Cricket Ground of Australia.
With a huge Eden Gardens capacity for seating of 68, 000 this is the home ground for the Kolkata Knight Riders team from IPL and also for the Bengal Ranji team. Even though primarily it is a cricket stadium it has hosted a few Association Football matches here too. Undoubtedly the city’s pride is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world. And to experience a live match at the stadium can be one of the most memorable as well as cherishing experiences too.
This famous cricket stadium is popular in the world for a lot of things. The first among those is the presence of the loudest audience and that is truly exciting to have. Also once Steve Waugh the former Australian Skipper called Eden as the Lord’s of the Indian Subcontinent and it is rightly so. A lot of veterans are also of the same opinion when it comes to this stadium. Former Indian Captain Sourav Ganguly the pride of Bengal also is of the opinion that you can hear the loudest cheer here after India wins a match. So now you know why it would be a memorable experience to witness a match here.
What’s more?
As I have mentioned already the Stadium has been a witness to many iconic matches that the cricket lovers would always remember. For the 2016 World Cup T20 Eden Gardens was the host. It has also hosted many important matches of Asia Cups as well. Also this stadium holds the record of hosting the most number of International matches as well. Moreover, not just a cricket ground, this stadium is like an emotion for the cricket lovers as well. Furthermore it is also the headquarters of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
Eden Gardens History
Lord Auckland Eden established this iconic stadium in 1864, who was the then Governor General of India. There was a park located just next to the stadium known as Eden Park and on the basis of that the stadium was named as Eden Gardens. Also the name came from the Eden sisters of Lord Auckland, Emily and Fanny Eden. Previously it was popular as Auckland Circus Gardens though. However later the name changed to Eden Gardens inspired from the mention of Garden of Eden.
However, according to beliefs Lord Auckland and his sisters have been of immense help to cure a deadly disease of the young daughter of a zamindar in Kolkata. To return his favour to Auckland, the zamindar, Babu Rajchandra Das gifted him one of his biggest gardens just beside Hooghly River. Previously popular as the Mar Bagan, the name changed to Eden Gardens after the zamindar gave this garden to Eden as a gift. This stadium is located just in between Babughat and Fort William. Previously the size of Eden Gardens was twice of what we see today. It was located on the grounds of Eden Park. And even today that park located at the back of the stadium is functional. You can even visit that park today as well. At the northern end of the garden there is a Burmese Pagoda surrounded by water which is 150 years old.
What’s more?
The first match that ever took place here was in 1934. It was a match between England and India. The first ever International One Day Cricket took place between India and Pakistan in 1987. The first T20 International was in 2011 between India and England. Furthermore the Eden Gardens Kolkata Stadium is also a witness to many iconic records as well. V. V. S Laxman’s greatest number of runs to the highest individual in a single ODI of Rohit Sharma and most number of runs in an ODI by Sachin Tendulkar all happened here. For a cricket lover all these iconic matches and records will always stay memorable.
Architecture of Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens Kolkata initially had a total capacity of 40,000 back in 1987. But the stadium went through its share of renovations and developments. Gradually the capacity increased to 94,000 just before the World Cup of 1987. Also at that time a lot of things were upgraded like the clubhouse, television infrastructure, press box and more. There are 42 columns here along with multi tiered stands to get the maximum coverage with the minimum support. The roof of the stadium in itself is an example of infrastructural marvel and iconic engineering.
In 2011 there was a second wave of renovation though. However, then the capacity of the stadium was reduced from 94,000 to 68, 000. To match the standards of ICC Cricket World Cup this was done. There were additions of new clubhouses as well. Moreover, this time there were developed facilities for the players. The exterior walls also were upgraded and gave a chic and new look to the stadium. The authorities added new metal skin to the roof and also carried forward many other renovations over the existing structure.
They also added a bell here in 2016 that would ring every time the match would start for the day. For all the matches like test matches, T20 as well as ODIs the ritual of ringing the bell was the same. Kapil Dev the former Captain of the Indian team was the first ever person to ring this bell here. He rang the bell before the starting of the match between India and New Zealand in 2016.
Entry permits to Eden Gardens
It is only possible for a visitor to enter the stadium during the matches. Moreover the audience had to collect the valid ticket for the respective match to get an entry to the stadium. Other than the matches the authorities would not allow you to visit the stadium. However if you can get a special permit from the Cricket Association of Bengal then you can however get an entry here.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about Eden Gardens Kolkata and you certainly need to plan a visit there. A lot of iconic matches have been played here. And if you visit here also, you might be a part of any such match too. And for sports and especially cricket lovers it would be a lifetime experience for sure to watch a live match at a stadium like this. So tell me have you ever watched a live match? Or have you ever visited the Eden Gardens to witness a match? If not then when are you planning a visit there and with whom would you like to go there? Also don’t forget to let me know if this particular article is helpful for you in knowing everything about Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
