An Insight :
Kolkatta,the capital of the East Indian state of West Bengal is seen as the
land of the intellectuals. It is also famous as the Land of Mother Teresa
and Rabindra Nath Tagore. Communist in ideology and very politically aware,
Kolkata was the capital of British India before Delhi assumed this position.
Kolkata developed from a fishermens' village to become one of the largest
cities in the world. The city symbolises creativity and vibrance with all
the modern amenities available. Kolkata has adapted to the modern trends and
techniques of the world but has not shed the leisurely life style and the
calm of its hey days.
Kolkatta has the country's first Metro railway and some of its buildings are
more than a hundred years old. While Kolkata is a city of enduring charm, it
is also a city that evokes extreme emotions. So be ready to give in to it or
hate it completely.
A city with strong cultural, literary and religious flavours, Kolkata acts
as the gateway to the North-East.
Lets Explore The City :
» Howrah Bridge -
Howrah Bridge is another place to be seen in Kolkatta. It is excellent
example of engineering techniques of the early 20th century. The whole
bridge is 450 m long without any pylon in the river. The bridge also has the
distinction of being the busiest bridge in the world catering to around
100,000 vehicles and innumerable pedestrians.
» Belur Math -
The headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission is another tourist attraction of
Calcutta. The place was founded in 1899 and houses a structure that was
designed to be a church, temple, and mosque all in one.
» Eden Gardens - Named after the sister of
Alexander, the Eden Gardens used to be covered by verdant trees and gardens.
A major part of the garden gave way to the construction of one of the
largest and beautiful stadiums of India- the Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium.
The Eden Gardens is famous for being the Cricket Ground attracting the
largest amount of spectators.
» Indian Museum - The oldest museum in India and
one of the most comprehensive museums in Asia; the archaeology and
numismatic sections contain the most valuable collections.
» Victoria Memorial - It is a huge white-marble
structure and the most enduring of remains of the British Raj in India. The
structure, which is now floodlit in the night, gives a fascinating site. It
has been now converted in a museum that houses the most impressive
collection of memorabilia's from the days of Raj. There are several places
of interest around Kolkata. These places near by make excellent weekend trip
and excursion options. The most popular place to visit around Calcutta is
Shanti Niketan. Situated 136 km northwest of the city, this is the place
where Rabindranath Tagore lived and established a university.
Durga Puja :
To know and understand Kolkata in its entireity, one must experience the
city during Durga Puja time. Every year, Kolkata forgets its worries and
yields to a paroxysm of celebration and worship. This special time of the
year comes just before the full moon in late September or October. This is a
special occasion because of the transcendent place Goddess Durga holds in
the Bengali imagination. For four days , Calcutta comes to a standstill as
almost everyone in the city throngs its streets, visiting the pandals
dressed in their festive best and fêting their taste buds with food
from the stalls that spring up on the roadsides.
Where is Kolkatta?
» By Air - Kolkata is well connected by air to most
major cities in India. Kolkata also serves as a international gateway and a
number of international airlines like British Airways, Thai Airways,
Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines and Air India operate direct flights
to and fro Kolkata.
» By Rail - Kolkata is the most important city in
Eastern India on the Indian Railways map and is connected by Super fast
trains to almost all parts of North, East and Southern India. The city has
two major railway stations-one at Howrah and the other at Sealdah.
