M. P. Birla Planetarium, Scientific planetarium in Chowringhee, Kolkata, India.
The M. P. Birla Planetarium is a facility for astronomical education in Chowringhee, Kolkata, India, with a circular building and a large dome over the auditorium. The domed ceiling serves as a projection surface for representations of planets, stars and galaxies during scheduled programs.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru opened this center in 1963 as part of a push to promote science education across South Asia. It was among the first of its kind on the subcontinent and helped spark public interest in space exploration during the years shortly after the start of the space age.
Visitors sit under the dome while narrators explain planetary motion and constellations in Bengali, Hindi or English, depending on the session. This approach lets families and school groups from across the region follow the commentary in their own language.
Visitors can drop by during daytime hours between noon and early evening to catch one of the shows, which start on the hour. It helps to come on weekdays when crowds are smaller and to prepare for half-hour presentations.
The building shape takes design elements from the ancient Buddhist stupa at Sanchi, a monumental domed structure from the third century BCE. Inside, there is also a lab room where technicians develop and repair scientific equipment for educational purposes.
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