Calcutta Travel Guide
Formerly known as Calcutta, Kolkata is a city of surprises that
overwhelms its tourists and business travelers. It is a great 'City of
Joy' as the charm of this greatest colonial city never dies out and that
is what makes it the most loved city of India. It ranks among the four
major metropolis of India along with Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. Kolkata
has been the capital city of India, in the times of British Raj for
quite long period. Kolkata is also referred as the intellectual capital
of the country.
Getting There:
By Air:
Indian Airlines connects Calcutta with all the major cities of India.
It is also connected with Europe & South East Asia by direct
flights.
By Rail:
Regular trains to all parts of India
Local Transport:
The Underground Metro, city buses, mini-buses, taxis and trams allow
commuters to travel from one end of the city to the other. Hand-pulled
rickshaws vie with autorickshaws and cycle-rickshaws for short-distance
travel. Horsecarts can be availed for pleasure rides around the Maidan -
the green hub of the city
Tourist Attractions:
Howrah Bridge:
Also known as the Rabindra Setu, this cantilever bridge is an
engineering marvel. It was built in 1943 and is 97 metres (295 ft) high
and 705 meters (2,150 ft) long. It connects Calcutta to its twin city -
Howrah. Howrah is an important industrial area and also serves as the
railroad terminus of Calcutta. From dawn to dusk the Howrah bridge hums
with activity which makes it the world's busiest bridge.
Belur Math:
Belur Math is an area of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is the location
of the Ramakrishna Temple, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Victoria Memorial:
The white marble building at the Southern end of Calcutta's maidan
continues to be the city's pride and joy. The Victoria Memorial, with
its formal gardens and water courses was conceived by Lord Curzon to
commemorate the British Empire at its peak. Other colonial monuments
within the city have either been obliterated with time or have been
renamed or demolished. But the popularity of the "VM" seems to
endure for ever.
Botanical Garden:
The Botanical Garden, founded in 1787, are the biggest in Asia and the
second largest in the world. They contain 50,000 different species of
plant and would take an entire day to walk around. The biggest
attraction is the 200 year old Banyan tree, which is considered to be
one of the largest in the world, with a circumference of over 304 metres
and a canopy that covers 1.2 hectares.
BBD Bagh :
It is locates just south of Howrah Bridge. Dalhousie Square which is
renamed after Three Martyrs of Bengal, Binay, Badal & Dinesh was
created in the heart of the imperial capital of Calcutta. The tank in
the centre, fed by natural springs, is said to have supplied Charnock
with drinking water. There are many historical buildings, which surround
the square. The northern side is occupied by Writers' Building. To the
east are commercial houses and the West Bengal Government Tourist
Bureau. On the southern side is Raj Bhavan, residence of the Governor.
Beside that are the State Legislative Assembly House and the Calcutta
High Court. St John's Cathedral, which close to Raj Bhavan is the oldest
church in Calcutta. On the western side is the imposing white domed
General Post Office, next to which is the Reserve Bank of India
building. Netaji Subhash Road is the centre of the onetime English
commercial houses which today flourish in Indian hands. Lyon's Range
stock exchange, behind Clive Street, is worth a visit for a glimpse of
the frenzied dealing in shares, periodically erupting onto the street.
