Kolkata Tourism

  Kolkata,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.

Places of Interest

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.