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 ot a very old city but its typical flavor suggests an incomparable antiquity. This is indeed a city where the monuments
and buildings are lesser heritage than the classicality of its people’s revolutionary
temperaments. This is indeed a place
to go to feel the pulse of ‘The Thinking India’. Here the visibly ancient
‘Indian Coffee House’ is still a scene of intellectuals as it used to be in its heydays
(where over the cups of hot coffee the creative brilliance precipitated). And yes gossips have no place anywhere in the city, it is always a matter of serious discussions ranging from nation’s social problems to world’s depleting green cover!
The people of Calcutta have always remained great patrons of art,
culture, learning and sports too.  The ‘City of Joy’ celebrates every
aspect of fine arts- so evident from several theatres screening classiest
of World’s films, best plays being staged regularly, numerous art
galleries and cultural centers. Vintage is never out of scene - ramshackle
trams still ply in the city that has underground railway system too. The
old Tollygunge Club is still a glamorous status hub for city’s elite and
mornings in The Maidan are still most happening social flashpoint.
 The
‘Bhadralok’ has produced uncountable number of scholars, writers,
artists, film-makers, social reformers, businessmen, philosophers and
thinkers. The Calcutta connection extends to most famous such as
Rabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa, J.C.Bose, Swami Vivekananda, Satyajit
Ray, Subhash Chandra Bose, G.D.Birla and Amartya Sen to name a few.
The commoner is a spirited lot fiercely proud of the culture, thinking
and language he has inherited. For him his hobbies and penchants to
indulge himself in his finer passions are most important; so what if he is
living in an impossibly crowded city.  Good piece of literature is a
favorite and so is the pleasure of the famed Bengalis sweetmeats such as
Sandesh and rosgullas. People are crazy about good cinema, good
literature, healthy sports and fantastic Durga Puja celebrations going
on for days together.
The city is a place of many settlers like the old
Chinese community and the rich marwari merchant community. Another face of
the city tells the story that migration of people and refugees due to
floods, famines, India’s partition and 1971 Indo-Pak war has made the
city earn the name of a ci ty of dying destitutes and beggars. The plight
moved many people like the Mother Teresa and helped form numerous
charitable organizations. Perhaps this stark reality made the people here
have revolutionary and reformist tendencies. Protests, strikes and bandhs
of some kind or other can be seen almost everyday. Perhaps this character
makes it ‘A city with a soul’ though the soul is a little restive!
The city’s architectural heritage starts with the establishment of East India Company
and it became the first trading post in India established by them. Later additions marked
construction of several impressive colonial structures over an area, which was once just Fort William.
 There is a vast green area along the river
Hoogly known as ‘Maidan’ that encompasses the impressive
Victoria Memorial entirely made of marble, several other landmarks and beautiful gardens. Adjoining this is the expansive cluster of Colonial buildings known as BBD Bagh with the Writer’s building and General Post Office buildings as the most impressive ones. The cantilevered
Howrah Bridge is the busiest in the world and worth seeing. Besides these Calcutta houses the best museum of India known as the Indian museum and several others. Other must-sees are the famed Kali temple, Mother Teresa’s ‘Nirmal Hriday’, Asiatic Society, Birla Planetarium, Tagore House, Belur Math, Zoological and
Botanical gardens. 
The great city is a great place to wander around too and a great place to shop around, for the city is one of the most affordable ones in the world!Walk around the Chowrangee and the Park Street to discover its treasures. From old gramophones to the most rare books on classical literature everything is available in the city. Or discover the old markets around
Barra Bazaar and Chitpore road where trams, traffic and people
all vie for space! While wandering you’ll discover that Calcutta is not all
that mad rush, as it seems superficially. It moves in different paces in its different corners.
Calcutta is not a city; it is a continent- a complete learning experience!
| QUICK FACTS |
| Getting there |
Kolkata is well-connected with prominent international cities by major airlines. The domestic services connect it with virtually every important airport of India. City’s two railway stations Haora and Sealdah are among the busiest in India and have very good trains connecting to practically every place of India. |
| Further connections |
Sunderbans National Park, Chandan-nagore, Shanti Niketan, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Dooars and Bhubaneshwar. |
| Best time to visit |
Hot and humid almost throughout the year. Rains heavily during monsoons.
Winter months are the best for visitng. |
| Important |
Kolkata is an important place for getting special area permits (Andamans and North eastern states). The city is also important base to visit Nepal and Bhutan. The city is linked by air with many remotely located North Eastern States. |
| Important Festivals |
Durga Puja during September-October is a spectacular
event. There are number of cultural festivals being regularly
celebrated in the city. |
| TOURS TO KOLKATA | |
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