Tourism in West Bengal - Pilgrimages

Pilgrimages

West Bengal also attracts tourist for pilgrimages to the holy places of different religions.

Hinduism

People from different sections of the world come to West Bengal for holy pilgrimages as Kolkata is one of the four adi Shaktipeethas. Among the other 52 shaktipeethas some are located in West Bengal. They are as follows:

• Bardhaman
• Bahula, on the banks of Ajay River at Ketugram, 8 km from Katwa, Burdwan, West Bengal,.
• Ujaani, 16 km from Guskara station under Burdwan district of West Bengal.
• A temple locally known as Bhramari Devi. Behind a rice mill, near Jalpesh Temple in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
• Yoga Adya at Khirgram; under Burdwan district, West Bengal.
• Kalighat Kalipeeth in Kolkata.
• Kireet at Kireetkona village, 3 km from Lalbag Court Road station under Murshidabad district, West Bengal.
• Kankalitala, on the banks of Kopai River 10 km north-east of Bolpur station in Birbhum district. Devi locally known as Kankaleshwari.
• Vibhash, at Tamluk, under district Purba Medinipur, West Bengal.
• Tarapith and countless others.

Only one Maha Shaktipeethas known as Pradyumna, existed. This temple is currently non-existent. Only ruins are found in these places. Instead, Sringeri in Karnataka is believed to be the Shakti Peeth of this aspect of the Goddess.

Other than the shaktipeethas many other famous temples also exist. They are the famous Belur Math, Mayapur ISKCON Temple, Hangseshwari Temple, Tarakeshwar Temple and Dakshineswar Kali Temple.

Islam

There are countless mosques in West Bengal but some of them are very famous like the Nizamat Imambara in Murshidabad, Katra Mosque which is also in Murshidabad, Furfura Sharif and Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in Kolkata.

Sikhism

There are many Gurudwaras in West Bengal like Gurudwara Bari Sangat in Kolkata, Gurudwara Chhoti Sangat, Gurudwara Nima Serai Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, Gurudwara Sikh Sangat and Gurudwara Liluah Belur Sikh Sangat in Liluah.

Christianism

There are also many churches in West Bengal like the The Basilica of the Holy Rosary in Bandel, St. John's Church, St. Jame's Church (Jora Girja), St. Paul's Cathedral and Church of the Lord Jesus.

Buddhism

There are also many Buddhist Monasteries in West Bengal, especially in the hilly regions like the Ghoom Monastery, Bhutia Busty Monastery, Mag-Dhog Yolmowa Monastery, Tharpa Choling Monastery, Zang Dhok Palri Phodang and more others.