Thakurbari

The Thakurbari or the house of the Tagores is in Jorasanko, north Kolkata (Calcutta). It was built in the 18^th century by Prince Dwarkanath Tagore (Rabindranath Tagore’s grandfather). The complex has several buildings. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was born here. The house is today a museum. The Rabindra Bharati University which specializes in the fine arts is also located in this complex.
 

Marble Palace

Kolkata (Calcutta) throws up amazing surprises! The Marble Palace is one of them and is situated on the Muktaram Babu Street in a congested part of the city. Built in 1835 by Raja Rajendro Mullick, it has a vast collection of Oriental and Western artifacts.

Parasnath Jain Temple

Much of northern Kolkata (Calcutta) has a decaying look with crumbling buildings of yesteryears. There are several palaces of the various rajas and aristrocatic families. The Parasnath Jain Temple is an oasis of beauty in the congested suburbs of north Calcutta. It is dedicated to Sital Nath, the 10^th of the 24 Jain Tirthankaras (Prophets). The temple was built in the year 1867.

The proximity of Ultadanga to Salt Lake City has resulted in a rapid growth in this area. The Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, a major road of Kolkata (Calcutta), starts from Ultadanga. Ultadanga is also an important bus terminus.

The Nazrul Islam Avenue which connects Ultadanga to Dum Dum Airport, is no longer the scenic road it used to be in the early eighties. Large scale construction activity has resulted in numerous apartment complexes on either side of this once scenic road.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum is a small airport by international standards. The lush greenery of the surroundings, especially the coconut trees gives it an unique look. Kolkata (Calcutta) has the potential to become a hub for India’s south east Asia connections and reduce the load on Mumbai and Delhi’s busy airports.