Smita's Kolkata Chronicles

The temple was built in 1967 . The followers of Annada Charan Bhattacharya – a great devotee of Maa Kali and Sri Ramkrishna; founded the temple in 1915 .  Annada Charan Bhattacharya was setting up a successful practice in Ayurvedic medicine in Calcutta. However, he received a divine dream from Sri Ramakrishna following which he recovered the deity of Adya Ma from a pond in the Eden Gardens . Later he received instruction to immerse the idol in Ganga on the auspicious day of Vijaya Dashami. A replica of this deity was instructed to be set up and worshipped in a temple which stands till today.  The types and quantities of food offerings were dictated to Annada Thakur by Sri Ramakrishna in dreams, and these instructions are still strictly followed today. Because the temple itself is rather small inside, the food offerings are made in the nearby Bhog Ghar, a separate building in full view of the temple altar. The food thus blessed by having been offered is then distributed as pr...

Vidyasagar smriti mandir located at Vidyasagar Street, Machuabazar, is a heritage building which earlier served as the residence of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Vidyasagar was a 19th century social reformer, educationists, philanthropists and a key figure of Bengal Renaissance who played a pivotal role in framing of the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act. He made significant contributions to simplify and modernise Bengali prose. This building is one of the three campuses of Vidyasagar College of Women and also the Kolkata Regional IGNOU study centre. The West Bengal Government plans to set up a museum at the house with some items used by Vidyasagar, which are currently unavailable for public viewing. An exquisite terracotta mural sculpted by Prof. Biman Das, ex Principal, Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, adorns the portico. Date of visit: 14.03.2020