Kolkata the ‘City of Joy’ of West Bengal is the most apt place for the eager visitants as places of interest in Kolkata are numerous. This eventful city with its many marvels has truly a lot to offer. It is one the most sought after destinations for the tourists from all over the globe. The British Raj-era architectural gems, sprawling gardens and historical colleges, universities, with museums, National Library, auditoriums, theater halls, art galleries, markets, festivals, sports stadium, Ganga Ghats are great attractions. It has many places of great pilgrimage. Known as the cultural capital of India, Kolkata continues to spawn generations of poets, writers, film producers and Nobel Prize winners.
Places to visit
Victoria Memorial: This Memorial Hall is a museum having an assortment of Victoria memorabilia, British Raj paintings and other displays.
Howrah Bridge: The Bridge is one of the four on the Hooghly River and is a famous symbol of Kolkata and West Bengal.
Vidyasagar Setu: The Setu is reckoned as one of the longest bridges of its type across India. It bridges the gap between the two pulsating cities of Howrah and Kolkata.
Eden Garden: Eden Gardens Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in India and the second largest in the world according to its seating capacity.
Race Course: it is the best horse racing grounds in India. The race events are held twice in a year beginning from the season of monsoon.
Pareswanath Temple Digambar: Temple of Kolkata is a very sacred place of worship for the Digambara Jain community.
Pareswanath Temple Swetambar: The Pareshnath Jain temple of Kolkata is one of the most revered and holy shrines of the Jains in Kolkata.
Park Street: Park Street has been the recreation zone for Kolkata people since the British era, with many restaurants and pubs. It is often known as the street that never sleeps.
National Library of India: It is the largest library in India by volume and India’s library of public record. The library is designated to collect, disseminate and preserve the printed material produced in India.
Rabindra Sadan: It is the center of rich Bengali culture and entertainment, presenting vivid opportunities for dance, drama, cultural programs and exhibitions every evening.
The Mother House: It is the headquarters of the international religious congregation of the Missionaries of Charity. In tribute to their founder, the sisters called it the Mother House.
Kumortuli: Kumortuli is a popular locality in Kolkata that is known for it’s traditionally potter quarters. Kumortuli not only supplies clay idols of Hindu gods and goddesses to Barowari Pujas in Kolkata and its neighborhoods, but a number of idols are exported.
Indian Coffee House: The prestige of the Coffee House increased with regular visitors such as Satyajit Ray, Amartya Sen, Mrinal Sen and Aparna Sen. The Coffee House is of historical significance for being the rendezvous of innumerable versatile people, from its inception to date.
Netaji Bhawan: Netaji’s Residence is a building maintained as a memorial and research center to the life of the Indian nationalist “Netaji” Subhas Chandra Bose in Kolkata.
Chinatown Kolkata: In Tangra and Topsia, is the only Chinatown in the country with the largest number of Chinese inhabitants living in the area. Chinatown has retained its distinctive cultural charm.
Outram Ghat: The quaint looking Ghat is located to the south of Babughat, is one of Kolkata’s premier riverside entertainment spots. Outram Ghat is a multipurpose Ghat. Visitors can bathe, conduct ceremonies related to birth and death and during the festive season, idols can also be immersed.
Mallick Ghat (flower market): Just below the Howrah Bridge on the banks of Hooghly River at Mallick Ghat a unique more than 125 years old flower market is held every morning. This is the largest wholesale flower market in eastern India.
Aquatica: Aquatica is Eastern India’s best water park, spread across a huge area of 17 acres.
Bow Barracks: The Bow Barracks is a unique locality in central Kolkata region populated mainly by Anglo Indians who have lived here for generations.
Eco Park: The Eco-Park is a splendid ecological and urban park, the biggest so far in India. It has Biswa Bangla Haat, Children’s Eco Park, Floating Musical Fountain, Butterfly Garden, Play Area, Bamboo Garden, Fruits Garden, Food Court, Adda Zone, Grass Land, Tea Garden, Mask Garden, Formal Garden, Seven Wonders, Eco Island and many more.
Nicco Park: this is located in Salt Lake City and is popularly known as Disneyland of West Bengal. The grounds are designed to provide educational recreations apart from complete family fun-filled activities.
Culture:Â Kolkata is known for its literary, artistic, and revolutionary heritage; as the former capital of India, it was the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought. Kolkata is the home of the Bengali cinema industry, dubbed “Tollywood” for Tollygunj, where most of the state’s film studios are located.
Kolkata is the home of the Bengali cinema industry, dubbed “Tollywood” and acclaimed film directors such as Satyajit Ray.
Bengali cuisine:Â Nearly every Bengali community eats meat or fish. Fish, goat, mutton and chicken are commonly eaten across social strata. Beef and pork also are available throughout the state.
Fresh sweet water fish is one of its most distinctive features; Bengal’s rivers, ponds and lakes contain varieties of fish such as Roui, Ilish, Koi or Pabda. Prawns, shrimp and crabs also abound.
Best time to visit:Â October-March: Starting from autumn the weather is pleasant and is a great time to visit Kolkata. Apart from the weather, this is also the time for festivals. The city comes alive during Durga Puja as there are numerous Pandals all over the city with beautiful idols or Goddess Durga and multiple street food stalls. This is followed by Laxmi Puja and Kali Puja.
How to Reach
By air: The Kolkata International airport better known as the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport located at Dum Dum, connects the city with all the major cities of the country as well as the World.
By train: Howrah, Sealdah and Kolkata railway stations are the three major railheads situated in the city. These railway stations are well connected to all the important cities of the country. Metro rail service also runs inside the city which helps to reach different places inside the city, which is easily available to the visitors and citizens.
By road: The state buses let the travelers to come to this city without any difficulty. There are various private buses as well to reach Kolkata from different parts of the state.
