Calcutta Travel Guide
♫ Saturday, December 5th, 2009Calcutta is known for its warmth, royal families, houses centuries old, huge joint families, and an assortment of sweet dishes. Calcutta is omnipresent in the history of India and also in world history considering that the British reign had its roots in Calcutta. Calcutta is a city of joy, oneness, love and definitely sweets.
Among the major visits in Calcutta the most prominent would be the Victoria Memorial, the name is pretty insightful of its origin, makers and architectural history. This white stature surrounded by lush greeneries is a peaceful place and you’ll find more foreigners (USA, UK) here than any other place in Calcutta. National Library is a place which reflects culture, history, heritage and intellect of the city and this is a place that is visited by every tourist. The Howrah Bridge that connects the city with the suburban districts is a treat to watch. This suspension wonder is also a magnum opus of the British. Underneath this viaduct flows the sacred Ganges, the biggest river of the country.
The Ganges is believed to be capable of sanitizing any person of his/her ill doings. The Ganges is also the river where the Durga Idols are immersed. It is a 10-day long national festival which has its biggest impact in this city. Museums form an integral and educational part of any city’s tourism brochure. It goes without saying that Calcutta has its museum too and that is named Birla Planetorium. It is a place for those who want to gain knowledge and believe there is no end to knowledge and learning. Amusement parks like Science City, Nicco Park and Fun City are to be found. These are places where the populace anywhere between 5 to 20 would like visiting.
The traditional dresses you are likely to spot in the city would comprise of ladies aged more than 30 in saris. Young people are obviously not inclined to wearing anything of that sort. Here the youth is almost the same as yours.The men who are above thirty would be in formals, though most would be sloppy, this apart the senior citizens are most likely to be spotted in Kurta Pajama.
Any Calcuttan would advice you to eat homemade food if you want to really taste what food in this part of the world is like. However since that is not feasible under some circumstances. You would not like to miss the street food; it has a unique mouth-watering taste that suits all and sundry. Those apart, make it a point to stop by at some sweet shop. The hits of Calcutta are ‘mishti doi’ (sweetened curd), ‘rasogolla’ (ball shaped sweet dairy product) and ‘jalebi’ (an unexplainable delight). Cuisines from every corner of the world can be found at 5 and 7 star inns/restaurants like Peerless Inn, Taj Bengal, ITC Sonar Bangla, Oberoi Grand Hotel. Bengali platters are extensively available here too.
There are several great value places to stay in Calcutta. The hotels in this great city showcase their world-class amenities along with their exceedingly hospitable services. Their locations are quite advantageous since they’re just at the very heart of the city.South City residences are very contemporary and luxurious, that could be opted. Besides, all the major guest houses can accommodate you. Calcutta is worth a visit and truly the city of joy, Patrick Swayze had a great time here!
