Ramakrishna Mandir

Kolkata (Calcutta)


The centrepiece of the Ramakrishna Mission complex at Belur Math is the huge 1938 Ramakrishna Mandir, which somehow manages to look like a cathedral, Indian palace and Istanbul's Aya Sofya all at the same time. That's deliberate and perfectly in keeping with the message of 19th-century Indian sage Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who preached the unity of all religions.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kolkata (Calcutta) attractions

1. Belur Math

Set very attractively amid palms and manicured lawns, this large religious centre is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, inspired by 19th-century…

2. Sri Sarada Devi Temple

0.03 MILES

Within the Ramakrishna Mission compound on the Hooghly riverbank, several small shrines include the Sri Sarada Devi Temple, entombing the mystic's wife.

3. Belur Math Museum

0.07 MILES

Accessed from the Belur Math car park, this beautifully presented dual-level museum charts Ramakrishna’s life and the travels of his great disciple Swami…

4. Dakshineswar

1.57 MILES

The heart of this vibrant riverside complex is the cream-and-red, multiturreted 1847 Kali Temple shaped like the Sacré-Cœur. The site is where the Bengali…

5. Kumartuli Idol-makers

2.26 MILES

Countless clay effigies of deities and demons immersed in the Hooghly during Kolkata’s colourful pujas (offering or prayers) are created in specialist…

6. Digambar Jain Mandir

2.49 MILES

In bird-filled gardens 250m west of Belgachia metro stands the Digambar Jain Mandir, with a tall lighthouse-style tower encasing a meditating statuette…

7. Hooghly Riverbanks

3.11 MILES

All along the Hooghly riverbanks, strung along leafy cobbled promenades, lie a number of ghats or piers, which make for an excellent outing in the early…

8. Sheetalnathji Mandir

3.14 MILES

The best known of a closely grouped trio of Jain temples, this 1867 complex is a dazzling if unrefined pastiche of colourful mosaics, spires, columns and…

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