Botanical Garden

Location : Shibpur, 10 Kms. South of Howrah on the West Bank of Hooghly.

Famous as : Nature retreat.

Time to visit : Morning and late afternoon

Preferred timings : Sunrise to sunset

Admission Fees : No entry fee levied.

How to reach : Hop into bus number 61, 61A, 62. CTC buses are available from Shyambazar, Raja Bazar and Dharmatala.

Photography Charges : Nil

Nearest Railway Station : Howrah

Nearest Metro Station : Esplanade

Nearest International Airport : Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

Time required for sight seeing : 45 minutes

Parking : Hourly parking charges applicable.

Ever since the advent of the British and the subsequent development of Kolkata as the capital of British India, there was a longfelt need for a pleasure retreat that would take the hard working British merchants and administrators away from the humdrum of Kolkata to an idyllic place where they could relax and unwind in the lap of nature. With this in mind, Col. Kyd of the East India Company was assigned the task of identifying and developing the retreat. And Oh boy ! didn't he do a marvelous job ? On 6th July 1786, one of Asia's biggest Botanical Garden was born.

People with interest in botany and agriculture will find rare collection of monographs at the in-house library that India's numero uno cash crop - "Tea" first made its entry from China at this gorgeous garden from where it was sent to Darjeeling and Assam. The steaming cuppa tea that you sip in India owes its origin to the Botanical Garden in Kolkata.

The urge to spend ones holidays in the lap of nature is universal and to meet the growing demands of eco-tourists a few ethnic cottages are available which are ideal for stressed out city sleekers to relax and rejuvenate.

Special Attraction

250 year old Banyan tree.

Last Updated On: 2011/07/14