Birla Planetarium

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Label : Top Attraction

Tags : Planetarium

Timings : 12:00 AM - 6:30 PM

Time Required : 2-3 hrs

Entry Fee : INR 40

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Birla Planetarium, Kolkata Overview

Situated at the famous Chowringhee Road right in the proximity of Victoria Memorial and St. Paul's Cathedral Birla planetarium is the largest planetarium in Asia and the second largest in the world! Situated in the city of joy - Kolkata, Birla Planetarium is a magnificent edifice set up by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 2nd July 1963. It is one of the three planetariums present in India. Also known as Taramandal, the Birla Planetarium regularly holds many shows and programs are in various languages including Hindi, English, Bengali, and other regional languages. In addition to being a planetarium, Birla Planetarium also has an electronics laboratory and an astronomy gallery that has a collection of paintings and astronomical models.

A visit to the Birla Planetarium is an exciting way to ignite your interest in science and the motion of planets. People, especially astronomy lovers, arrive from all over the world to experience the amazing shows organized here. A trip here includes a tour of the planets, where interesting details about them and the other fascinating celestial bodies present in our universe are discussed. Silence rings loud while the show goes on, which in itself is a testament to the mesmerising effect of the shows here. Pictures of famous astronauts and other celestial bodies are put on display in the hallway. One can have a look at them after attending the show.

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Show Timings at Birla Planetarium

A number of interesting and informative shows are conducted for visitors and their timings are as follows:-

English: 1:30 PM & 6:30 PM
Hindi: 12:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM
Bengali: 3:30 PM & 5:30 PM.

In addition to these, extra shows are organized on Sundays & other holidays at 10:30 AM (Hindi) and 11:30 AM (Bengali)

How To Reach Birla Planetarium

The planetarium is situated at a distance of 18 km approximately from the airport and is easily accessible via cab through VIP road. It is located at a distance of 5 km from the railway station and can be easily reached via taxi through Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Marg.

History of Birla Planetarium

The Birla Planetarium was founded in September 1962, while the edifice was formally inaugurated in July 1963 by the then Indian Prime Minister Pandit J. L. Nehru. It was a major step in the fields of education, research and the development of scientific temperament as it was the second planetarium to be established in a Commonwealth country and the first in India. Shows such as 'Zodiac signs and stars' on the various constellations in the sky, 'Journey to Antarctic', and the 'New View of the Solar System' are held here at regular intervals and pack a delightful combination of education with stellar visuals.

Architecture of Birla Planetarium

One of the interesting aspects if the Birla Planetarium is certainly its architecture. The style followed in the architecture of Birla Planetarium has been adopted from Sanchi Stupa and is quite prominent even from a distance. A splendid dome ornaments the zenith of the Birla Planetarium and shines with white brilliance. The dome has a diameter of 23 metres and can accommodate as many as 688 people. Planetarium projector present in the premises is of Carl Zeiss make and perfectly compliments the magnificent visuals of the various shows. Columns have been allocated across the circumference of the place, and one can easily compare it to a mini-Colosseum. Manicured gardens add a charming grace to the planetarium complex.

Birla Planetarium Reviews

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Sinorita Naskar

on Birla Planetarium 5 years ago
Birla Planetarium was never in my wishlist as I had always heard from people about how boring it was. Nevertheless, decided to pay it a visit one day with low expectations, little knowing how awesome (Read More) the place would turn out to be! We watched a show named Cosmic Collisions. Being an avid lover of astronomy since childhood, I thoroughly enjoyed the show. We also explored the galleries there which contains information about various galaxies, planets, etc. The shows keep changing, and are available in English, Bengali and Hindi, so one can easily choose the language in which he/she is comfortable. Ticket was priced at Rs70 when we visited a few months back. If you have a keen interest in outer space, and if you are in Kolkata, do visit this place definitely!

Soumita Ghosh

on Birla Planetarium 5 years ago
Make sure to plan your trip according to the correct show timing since the shows are held at different timings in different languages throughout the day. There are not many ATM vestibules around this (Read More) place so I would advise you to carry enough money. Once inside the planetarium, you are strictly prohibited to click pictures or record videos. However you are allowed to do the same within the complex. Food is available in and around the premises. You are allowed to wear shoes even when you are inside the planetarium. If you are planning to visit this place, remember that you are not allowed to bring in pets here. You can plan a trip which covers Birla Planetarium, Victoria Memorial, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Maidan together.

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