4 Best Sights in Kolkata (Calcutta), India

Far north along the Hooghly, this 19th-century complex with 13 temples is a major pilgrimage site for devotees of Kali, as well as other deities. The variety of temples makes this site a good introduction for the uninitiated to the Hindu pantheon. It was here that the 19th-century mystic Ramakrishna had the vision that led him to renounce his Brahmin caste and propound altruism and religious unity. His most famous disciple, Swami Vivekananda, went on to be a major force in the intellectual and spiritual growth of Kolkata, and founded the Ramakrishna Mission, headquartered in the Belur Math Shrine. Ramakrishna's room here is a museum. Don't miss the chance to spend some quiet moments on the banks of the river. Stalls selling local fast food line the busy street up to the temple.

Built in 1809, the Kali temple is one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in India, with shrines to Shiva, Krishna, and Kali, the patron goddess of Kolkata. Human sacrifices were reputed to be commonly practiced here on special days during the 19th century, but only goats are slaughtered now, then offered to the goddess with bhang (marijuana). The building rewards a close look: you'll see thin, multicolored layers of painted trim and swaths of tilework. Only Hindus are allowed in the inner sanctum, but the lanes and brilliant flower markets surrounding the temple are lovely in themselves. Beware of touts and aggressive priests.

This massive red sandstone mosque, which can hold 10,000 worshippers, was built in 1926 by the Sunni Muslim community as a copy of Akbar's tomb in Agra. Each floor has a prayer hall. The top floor has views of the streets below, which are crowded with stalls selling everything from paperback Korans to kebabs. The tailors in the bazaar are known for their skillful embroidery and can craft traditional kurtas on short notice.

Built in 1867 and dedicated to Pareshnathji, the 23rd of the 24 Jain tirthankaras ("perfect souls," meaning sages who have achieved Nirvana), this Jain temple is an uncharacteristically ostentatious one, with inlaid-mirror pillars, stained-glass windows, floral-pattern marble floors, fountains, a gilded dome, colorful fish in sparkling reservoirs, and chandeliers from 19th-century Paris and Brussels. The garden holds blocks of glass mosaics depicting European figures and statues covered with silver paint.