West Bengal Local Guides meet at Metropolitan Durga Temple, Beleghata, Kolkata
Hello 
and Namaskar 
to the global Local Guides family!
I’m thrilled to share the recap of our recent Local Guides meetup held at the culturally and spiritually vibrant Metropolitan Durga Bari, Beleghata – one of the largest and significant Hindu temples in Kolkata, which is devoted to the worship of goddess Durga - the deity of strength, protection and motherhood.
About the Venue
Metropolitan Durga Bari in the central Kolkata neighborhood of Beleghata is not just a temple; it’s a space where tradition, devotion, and community spirit come alive. Known for its grand Durga Puja celebrations and community activities, the temple provided the perfect backdrop for our meetup, blending heritage with local exploration. It also has temples for Radha-Krishna, Bajrangbali (Hanumanji), Mahadev and Ma Kali inside the complex.
Highlights of the Meetup
The Local Guides from the WBLG community began with a walk around the temple premises, soaking in its architecture, serene ambiance, and the beautiful idol of Maa Durga.
Participants engaged in local storytelling and cultural sharing, discussing how temples like this shape the city’s identity.
Several Local Guides captured valuable photos of the temple’s artistry, sculptures, and community activities to contribute to Google Maps.
We also had a casual photowalk around the nearby areas such as the Metropolitan North Pond, Metropolitan South Pond and Metropolitan Playground, identifying places that could use better information or updated photos on Maps.
The meetup concluded with a group interaction session, where we exchanged tips on adding quality information while reviewing, adding missing places, validating edits on Maps, reporting erroneous data and spam, uploading only relevant images with proper captions, and sharing meaningful contributions on both Maps as well as here on Connect Forum.
What Made It Special?
The spiritual atmosphere of the temple added a peaceful and reflective tone to our meetup.
We welcomed new Local Guides @Reeshav.Das (Level 8), @MainakD (Level 8), Biprodip Sanyashi (Level 3) and Rohit Mondal (Level 3) who were excited to learn how to contribute better and regularly on both Maps and Local Guides Connect Forum.
Most importantly, it reminded us how heritage sites like these are not just religious places — they’re living cultural maps that deserve to be documented and appreciated.
Contributions on Maps
Added photos of the temple interiors and exteriors
Updated visit timings and accessibility details
Contributed data on nearby landmarks
Suggested edits for outdated information
Reported selfies, blurred images and irrelevant images among existing photos on this location on Google Maps
Thank You!
A heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and made this meetup truly memorable. Your enthusiasm and commitment to making Maps better is what keeps this community alive and thriving. Apologies to the West Bengal Local Guides and India Local Guides community members for being unable to host a virtual meet during this event, due to restrictions with selfie photography and videography within the temple premises.
Let’s continue to connect, explore, and contribute together — one local story at a time! 
Stay tuned for our next meetup announcement soon!
#TongueTwistingNamesOfTheTemples
very soon