Dakshineswar Kali Temple

Dakshineswar Kali Temple on the banks of the Hooghly River is one of the most celebrated Hindu temples in India. Built in 1855 CE by the philanthropist Rani Rashmoni, it gained worldwide renown as the workplace and spiritual home of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, the 19th-century mystic saint, who served as a priest here for many years.

The presiding deity is Bhavatarini Kali ("She who liberates her devotees from the ocean of existence"). The complex follows the navaratna (nine-towered) Bengali style and includes 12 Shiva temples along the riverbank, a temple for Radha-Krishna, and the famous Panchavati grove where Ramakrishna meditated. The temple is a living centre of the Bengali Shakta tradition and is visited by millions annually.