Thanthania Kalibari

ঠনঠনিয়া কালীবাড়ি

A small, very old Kali temple on Bidhan Sarani.

About Thanthania Kalibari

Tradition dates this shrine of Siddheshwari Kali to 1703, before the city had taken shape; the present temple was built in 1806. The clay image is remade each year. Sri Ramakrishna is said to have sung to the goddess here as a young man. It sits right on the main road, with office-goers stopping to bow as they pass.

Why visit

One of the oldest Kali temples in the city, still part of everyday street life.

What to see and do

The image of Siddheshwari Kali
Evening arati
The old Shiva temple beside it

Plan your visit

Area: College Street, North Kolkata
Nearest landmark: College Street crossing on Bidhan Sarani
Best time: Morning or evening. October to March is the most comfortable time of year.
Time needed: About 20 minutes
Cost: Free
Entry: An active place of worship that admits visitors; its own rules apply.
Metro: Mahatma Gandhi Road (Blue Line), about 8 minutes’ walk
Walking: Little walking
Photography: Photography is restricted.

Nearby and related places

College Street (Boi Para): A kilometre of book stalls between the city’s oldest colleges.
Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House: The restored house where Narendranath Datta was born in 1863.
Indian Coffee House: The high-ceilinged hall where Bengal’s writers and students argue over coffee.
College Square: A tank ringed by colleges where the city learns to swim.
Paramount: A sherbet shop from 1918 with marble tables and a famous daab sherbet.
Favourite Cabin: A 1918 tea cabin where revolutionaries and poets met.

Walks that include it

Bengal Renaissance Trail: Tagore, Vivekananda and the streets that shaped modern Bengal

More guides

Last checked on 2026-10-02. Each place was checked to exist and its position confirmed. Timings, closing days and ticket prices are shown only where known and can change: confirm before you travel.