Is there any famous Kali temple near the airport?

Hi, I will be at the Kolkata airport for 3 hours. Is there any famous Kali temple near the airport (about 15 minutes away).

? I don't think so, no.

The two famous ones that spring to mind would be rather more involved to get to.

Maybe get a hold of a guidebook or something?

If you had the right cab driver and the traffic wasn't too bad you could probably make it to the Dakshineswar temple in 20 minutes or so. Then again, it might take you three hours to get back if there was a strike, mass protest, visiting dignitary, lorry overturn....

The Dakshineswar Kali Temple.

This is on the banks of The Ganges, or The Hooghly — as we call it here.

Get a prepaid cab from the airport, ask the cabbie to take you there via the Belghoria Expressway. Should not take more than 15 minutes.

You may strike a deal and keep the cab, if you are really pressed for time. However, I think you should be able to get cabs from the temple quite easily, depending on the time and the day.

THANKS machadinha, abracax and stungan for your replies. Abracax, as you rightly pointed out, while it might just take 20 minutes one way to Dakshineshwar, it could take hours the other way. As such, I can't take a chance.

Two Kali Temples in Kolkata that I visited:

1. The Dakshineswar Kali Temple.

2. The Kali Temple at Kalighat.

Three hours may not be sufficient time to visit either one. Of course, it depends on the time of day. If you are a risk taker, try #1 (due accessibility issues).

As a side note, you will be seriously haggled by the touts inside and outside the temples. They spare no one, even the locals. I did not do well at #2 because I was not escorted, however nobody bothered me at #1since I was escorted. Without proper escort, get ready to fight off touts!

I wanted to know how many kms away is the Dakshineshwar Temple from the airport?

Rajeev ---

Less than 10 klms (10 miles for sure). Kolkata traffic can be atrocious, even one klm may take upto 30 minutes during busy times (mornings and evening rush hours). Note: You need minimum 30 minutes for the temple.

Be prepared for an experience of lifetime if you venture out of the airport, especially if this is your first visit to Kolkata!

If you can manage to spend a day or two in Kolkata, there are other temples worth visiting: Birla Temple, and the most notable Belur Math,Swami Vivekananda There is no other city like Kolkata! I was fully tested and challenged during my four weeks in Kolkata in 2005.

@Rajeev

Dakshineshwar should not be more than 10kms if you take the Belghoria Expressway.

And, since the Belghoria Expressway is after all, an expressway, I doubt major traffic congestion on that route. At least, I never found anything like that the few times I took the BE.

15-20 mins travel time is quite feasible, IMHO.

Hi Rajeev,

I totally agree with Stungan. Belghoria Expressway would be best choice. But please avoid Tuesdays and Saturdays as the temple would be crowded on these days. You need not to fear about touts because here you need to purchase your Dala (Puja items) from any of the shops at your choice and the price vary from 51/- to 500/- depending on your choice. The Puja is performed by the priest appointed by the Temple committee. There are at least 4 ques which lead to the main temple. So, it would not take you more than 1.5 hours to complete darshan and see the 12 Shiva temples (worth seeing) in the temple compound itself.

regards
Bisa

A strange kali temple is near although not very known.


Its called CHINA KALI. Actually Chinese (cantonese) people founded this . And you can go and see that Chinese people are praying kali..........located in CHINA TOWN