Watch Kolkata's heritage light up at night

Heritage structures across Kolkata have been lit up, quite literally, by its people. The Calcutta Illumination Project started by the Kolkata Restorers has illuminated over 100 landmark buildings through crowd-funding since 2024. 

A  tour of the City of Joy after sundown now unfolds a visual treat — Gothic spires to Art Deco facades glowing in the dark. 

Here are 10 sights that light up Bengal's nightscape, in Kolkata and beyond:

For over two centuries, the iconic GPO dome has towered above the Dalhousie skyline in the daytime. Now, it glows ethereally after sunset, too, drawing photographers to the country’s first general post office. 

The seat of Bengal's Governor is one of the project's showpiece achievements in 2025. One of the greatest examples of Kolkata’s colonial grandeur, the illuminated Raj Bhavan shines brighter because it is a symbol of how a citizen-led movement has reached one of the city’s prime power centres.

While the Victoria Memorial was already illuminated, the initiative wanted to accord a special status to the bronze Angel perched atop the central dome. Another showpiece project from 2025, it required precise lighting design to accommodate the spinning movement of the angel, so as to keep it lit from all angles. In the words of CIP founder Mudar Phatherya, the Angel is now a “beacon”, visible to the city through the night. 

This 1874 landmark had been neglected for decades and was unrecognisable from its grand heyday photographs. The Kolkata Restorers decided to not just light it up, but revive its iconic facade and clock tower. This comprehensive project was completed three days ahead of schedule, which was a huge feat. Today, the grandiosity of the tower matches the chaos of the market outside.

Tucked away in a lane near Poddar Court, this hidden gem has long been a spiritual haven for Kolkata's Chinese community. With its distinct architecture now lit up tastefully, it will become a fitting peek into the city’s vibrant Chinatown for tourists too!

Bengal’s position as India’s artistic capital had a lot to do with the work of this legendary filmmaker. But for Satyajit Ray, his sense of home was anchored in this sprawling building on Bishop Lefroy Road. It now celebrates Ray’s legacy of understated elegance with subtle lighting, making this house a pilgrimage site for cinema lovers.

In the past few months, cars driving up the Maa Flyover have been awestruck by a distinct dome, gleaming with the tricolour. The CIP expanded its portfolio by lighting up one of the city’s most beloved modern landmarks, Science City, creating a futuristic contrast with the city's colonial past. Its inclusion demonstrates how the project intends to celebrate not just Kolkata’s heritage, but also its evolving identity.

Popular among international tourists, the Jain Temple’s illumination is now its neighbourhood's pride. One of north Kolkata’s most ornate structures, this temple’s exterior now shimmers just as much as its interior.

This spiritual landmark would normally be indistinguishable after dusk. Today, it appears to be more lively than in the past century. The Hooghly Imambara’s illumination hasn’t just impacted Chinsurah, but infused fresh life for heritage tourism in all of Hooghly. 

One of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in India, this cathedral on Chowringhee has mostly been seen as a monument to be visited only during the day. Today, its soaring spires and stained glass windows glint with a shine that rivals the Victoria next door.