It’s worth facing the soul-crushing 1970s architecture for Dakshinapan’s wide range of government emporia, which brings together a mind-boggling artisanal diversity from across India under one roof. There’s plenty of tack, but many shops offer excellent-value souvenirs, crafts and fabrics. Prices are usually fixed, but buying at an emporium means that authenticity and quality are never called into question.
Dakshinapan Shopping Centre
Top choice in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.94 MILES
The incredible Victoria Memorial is a vast, beautifully proportioned festival of white marble: think US Capitol meets Taj Mahal. Had it been built for a…
6.14 MILES
Despite being an awkward journey by public transport, Kolkata’s lovely 109-hectare Botanical Gardens makes for a great place to escape from the city’s…
8.55 MILES
Set very attractively amid palms and manicured lawns, this large religious centre is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, inspired by 19th-century…
6.3 MILES
Countless clay effigies of deities and demons immersed in the Hooghly during Kolkata’s colourful pujas (offering or prayers) are created in specialist…
5.09 MILES
Built in 1835 by a raja from the prosperous Mallick family, this resplendent mansion is as grand as it is curious. Its marble-draped halls are overstuffed…
5.28 MILES
The stately 1784 family mansion of Rabindranath Tagore has become a shrine-like museum to India’s greatest modern poet. Even if his personal effects don’t…
3.55 MILES
India's biggest and oldest major museum celebrated its bicentenary in February 2014. It's mostly a lovably old-fashioned place that fills a large…
3.12 MILES
A vast expanse of green in the heart of the city's brick-and-mortar matrix, the Maidan is where Kolkata's residents congregate for walks, spirited cricket…
Nearby Kolkata (Calcutta) attractions
0.75 MILES
The lakes here prettily reflect hazy sunrises, while middle-class Kolkatans jog, row and meditate around the tree-shaded parkland that was once the site…
2. Birla Academy of Art & Culture
0.8 MILES
This multistorey gallery displays frequently changing exhibitions from contemporary Indian and international artists. There's also an auditorium to the…
0.84 MILES
Experimenter is a relatively small contemporary art gallery, but its avant-garde exhibitions are about as cutting edge as anything you'll find in Kolkata…
1.52 MILES
A graceful 20th-century structure built in cream-coloured sandstone, this temple is consecrated to the Hindu gods Narayan (Vishnu) and his wife Lakshmi…
1.58 MILES
A cutting-edge contemporary-art gallery located on the 2nd floor of an upmarket South Kolkata building complex, CIMA is a great place to check out works…
1.74 MILES
This ancient Kali temple is Kolkata’s holiest spot for Hindus, and possibly the source of the city’s name. Today’s version is the 1809 rebuild, with…
1.76 MILES
Overlooking the putrid Tolly's Nullah stream, this burning ghat hosts an impressive cluster of monuments to local celebrities who have been cremated here…
1.79 MILES
Mother (St) Teresa’s famous (if surprisingly small) home for the dying was originally based out of this Kalighat pilgrim hostel. Its roof corners are…