Where Gods Reside: Sacred Places of Kolkata

Portuguese, Armenians, English, Scots, Jews, Parsis, Greeks, Japanese and Chinese had come to Kolkata from the eighteenth century to reap their fortunes. A constellation of impressive religious edifices that is linked to the City’s mercantile history was the result. Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jain and Buddhist communities from across the subcontinent also built places of worship in the same city. In this book, Kolkata’s unique spiritual heritage is presented through splendid photographs of its diverse places of worship, which are symbols of the city’s composite culture. The narrative that accompanies each place of worship featured provides readers with insights into the city’s history, as well as introduces the customs and traditions of the array of communities that make the city their home. The multi-religious ethos of the town remains fundamental today, as forces of homogeneity and globalisation are increasingly threatening diversity.