Scottish Cemetery

Kolkata (Calcutta)


Over 1600 ragged old graves, predominantly colonial-era Scottish, lie in this gated graveyard whose jungle-like overgrowth has been cut back in recent years. The friendly gatekeeper, himself of Indo-Scottish descent, is usually happy to show guests around. Many of the tombs have been vandalised owing to lack of adequate security measures. Be careful while walking around to avoid stepping on unmarked or plundered graves.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kolkata (Calcutta) attractions

1. South Park Street Cemetery

0.18 MILES

Active from 1767 to about 1840, this historic cemetery remains a wonderful oasis of calm, featuring surreal mossy Raj-era graves from rotundas to soaring…

2. Mother Teresa's Motherhouse

0.61 MILES

A regular flow of mostly Christian pilgrims visits the Missionaries of Charity’s 'Motherhouse' to pay homage at Mother (and now Saint) Teresa’s large,…

3. Harrington Street Arts Centre

0.64 MILES

Exhibitions of contemporary artworks by Indian and international artists in diverse media are spread through four spacious rooms of this classic Kolkata…

4. Birla Industrial & Technological Museum

0.71 MILES

This excellent museum is a hands-on opportunity to press buttons and yank at levers to understand – among numerous other things – how electricity conducts…

5. St James Church

0.72 MILES

This twin-spired church and the eponymous school makes a useful orientation landmark when seeking out the Motherhouse for the first time. Ask for 'Jora…

6. St Thomas Church

0.75 MILES

Opened in 1842, this understated Catholic church has a Doric-columned portico topped by a short octagonal spire. It was here that the body of Mother (St)…

7. Sri Aurobindo Bhawan

0.83 MILES

Revolutionary nationalist-turned-guru Sri Aurobindo – who later went on to establish the famous ashram at Auroville near Pondicherry – was born in…

8. Netaji Bhawan

0.88 MILES

Celebrating the life and vision of controversial Bengali leader and pro-Independence radical Subhas Chandra Bose is this house-turned-museum, which also…