Book Review Where Gods Reside

As one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, Kolkata in its heyday attracted settlers from nationalities as diverse as the Portuguese, Armenian, English, Scot, Greek, Japanese and Chinese, among others. With them came their unique places of worship, with architectural styles more often than not fiercely faithful to their homelands. Communities from across India&mdashHindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Jains and Buddhists&mdashtoo established their holy places here. With so many places of worship in Kolkata, a dedicated guide is a godsend. We liked this guide for two reasons one, the large images, which make identification easy, and, two, the unfussy text, which places the buildings in a historical context as well as throws light on the styles. Beyond the usual suspects like the Kalighat temple and St Paul&rsquos Cathedral, lesser-known gems like the Greek Orthodox Church, the Nippon Myohoji (Japanese Buddhist Temple) and the Shahi Imambara at Metiabruz are also featured.