Calcutta (known officially as Kolkata since the first of January 2001) is the capital of West Bengal and the second largest city in India (after Bombay).

Understand

Ancient and Pre-British History

History

Calcutta's history is intimately related to the British East India Company, which first arrived in 1690, and to British India, which Calcutta became the capital of in 1772. Job Charnock is widely known as the founder of Calcutta. Job desgined, with his Indian wife, the first plans for this great city by collating seven existing villages in the area. One of these seven Kolikata leant its name to the city.

In the nineteenth century Calcutta was the epicentre of activity in the early stages of the national movement of independence. Calcutta remained in the forefront of Indian prosperity up to independence and for some more years afterwards before the population pressure on infrastructure and political disturbances led to a gradual decline. A violent and bloody Marxist Maoist movement known as the Naxal movement (after Naxalbari, the place where it first started) in the 1970s left the city badly bruised.

Modern Calcutta

Calcutta is the main business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India. Calcutta witnessed an economic decline from the late sixties till the late nineties. The city's economic fortunes turned the tide as the early nineties economic liberalization in India reached Calcutta's shores during late nineties. Calcutta is a multicultural, cosmopolitan city. Apart from the diversity of India, the cultures represented are that of the Europeans (Including Germans, Armenians, and others), and other Asians (Including Chinese, Sinhalese, and Tibetans).

Since 1977, a "Left Front" coalition of communist and Marxist parties has continuously ruled the state. The coalition at one time renamed the street the American Consulate is on "Ho Chi Minh Street", in protest of American foreign policy at that time. The Left Front regained control of the Municipal Corporation of Calcutta from the Trinamul Congress in the 2005 civic elections.

Economy

Thanks to the forward-looking leadership of the Left front, Calcutta is fast developing into a modern infotech city with various private sector setting up shop here. The landscape of the city is also fast changing with flyovers, gardens and newer commercial establishments. The Calcutta city itself has expanded into its suburbs, with the Greater Calcutta stretching from Kalyani (in Nadia District) in North to Diamond Harbour in South (in the South 24 Parganas District).

The city's fortunes have looked up since the early nineties, coinciding with the liberalization of the Indian economy. Its economy has been amongst the fastest growing in the country. The New Metro city is characterised by popular spots like Inox Multiplexes, Nandan, Tantra, Barista Coffee Shops, Sourav's Pavilion and Science City.

Calcutta is home to many industrial units, of large Indian corporations, whose product range is varied and includes - engineering products, electronics, electrical equipment, cables, steel, leather, textiles, jewellery, frigates, automobiles, railway coaches, wagons.

Several industrial estates like Taratolla, Kalyani, Uluberia, Dankuni, Kasba, Howrah are spread throughout the urban agglomeration. A huge leather complex has come up at Bantolla. An export processing zone has been set up in Falta. Specialized setups like the country's first Toy Park, and a Gem and Jewellery Park have also been established.

Calcutta is also starting to become a major hub for the IT (Information Technology) industry. With the formation of New Town at Rajarhat and extension of Salt Lake's Sector-V, Calcutta is rapidly turning into a pro-IT town. More and more businesses are coming to Calcutta to set up their offices.

Geography

Calcutta is located in the eastern part of India at 22°82′ N 88°20′ E. It has spread linearly along the banks of the river Hooghly.

The Calcutta Municipal Corporation has an area of 185 square kilometres. The city proper today can be roughly divided into two sections along Mother Teresa Sarani (Park Street). North of Park Street is the more congested part of the city. South of Park Street is the slightly better planned section of the city.

The old Calcutta Business District (CBD) is where the seat of the West Bengal Government is located, along with many other government offices. Several banks have their corporate (Allahabad Bank, United Bank of India, UCO Bank) or regional headquarters (Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India, Bank of India, Central Bank of India amongst many others) around the Bagh area. Many of Calcutta's older business groups have their main offices here. The area is a mix of multi-storeyed office blocks and colonial buildings.

The newer CBD is around the south of Park Street, Camac Street and AJC Bose Road. Several high-rise office blocks including some of Calcutta's tallest commercial buildings - like the Chatterjee International Centre, Tata Centre, Everest House, Industry House, CGO Building - are located here.

Maidan (open field) is situated between the river Ganges and J.L.Nehru Road (or Chowringhee).It is said to be the lungs of Calcutta.The lush green meadow also houses Victoria Memorial, Eden Gardens, and several other sporting clubs. Calcuttans simply love to stroll in the Maidan.

In an effort to relieve congestion in the main city, many government offices have shifted to high-rise office buildings lining Bidhan Nagar's (Salt Lake) Central Park.

The residential buildings are mainly lowrise and comprise of older colonial buildings and numerous new four storey apartment blocks. Ten to twelve storey apartment blocks have come up in large numbers in south Calcutta. The city has relaxed its rules on high-rise construction recently and twenty storey buildings are becoming more common. The tallest residential towers of eastern India - the four thirty-five-storey towers of South City are under construction on Prince Anwar Shah Road.

Huge construction activity along the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass is changing the face of the city. Luxury hotels, a convention centre, speciality hospitals, condominium complexes, malls and multiplexes are coming up at a rapid pace.

The city's expansion in the eastern side is spearheaded by the construction of a huge new city called New Town adjacent to the well planned Bidhan Nagar. Located in Rajarhat, it is one of the largest planned urban developments in India.

The neglected western side of the urban agglomeration has got a boost recently with the signing of an agreement with an Indonesian company to build the West Kolkata International Township. Another huge new township is in the proposal state in Dankuni.

Slums and dilapidated structures exist in many pockets of the city proper and house over 25% of the city's population (Census 2001). Slum redevelopment schemes have helped improve living conditions to a slight extent but there is huge scope for improvement in this area. Efforts to shift slum dwellers to newer developments have often met with resistance and failure because many of the slums are in prime areas of the city and the slum dwellers who are integrated in the social structure of the neighbourhood do not want to shift.

Get in

By plane

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport [1] (CCU) connects Calcutta with South East Asia, but is surprisingly small for a city of this size and hasn't been refurbished since the 1950s. The domestic terminal, on the other hand, is among the best in India. It is undergoing a major facelift and expansion to cope with the expanding bulk of air traffic and new airline companies popping up almost every month.

Take a prepaid taxi from the airport to the city. It is about 20 km from the city. Expect to pay about Rs. 150-250 depending on your destination. Alternatively, adventurous souls can try out the new rail link to Dum Dum, where you can board the Metro.

By train

There are two major railway stations in Calcutta. These are Howrah ( not in Calcutta actually, its in the next city Howrah) and Sealdah. A new terminus station called 'Kolkata' has also started functioning since 2005, but presently it accomodated very few pairs of trains. Also Calcutta boasts of the first metro railway in India. The metro is surprisingly clean and a the best way to beat the crowd. But in office time it becomes too much crowded.

NB: Although the staff are very helpful at the main stations, they are hindered by the lack of modern equipment.

By car

By bus

If there is something you cannot miss in Calcutta, it is the ubiquitous bus. They ply from every nook and corner of the city. The fare is very nominal, though the comfort level leaves a lot to be desired. Overcrowding is a serious problem. Poor quality of maintenance is yet another issue.

But at present, the CSTC (Calcutta State Transport Corporation) and WBSTC (West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation) have come up with spacious and quite well maintained buses.

Even air conditioned buses have been inducted in some important routes. The state government under Shri Buddhadev Bhattacharya, honourable Chief Minister of West Bengal is making all efforts to further improve bus service in Kolkata.

By boat

The river Hooghly that runs through the west of the city offered one of the first reasons to the foundation of the British commercial settlement. The river continues to offer one of the less crowded but slow traffic medium. There are several points (popularly called Ghats and jetties) on the bank of the river from where you can board several regular routes of ferry services. Ferries can be fairly large launchs to small improveized motorized boats. They are extrememly safe though. Even if you don't get any exotic manual boats like you get in Varanasi, the river transport of the city lets you go to several old spots near the bank in a hassle-free manner with an additional dash of the view of decadent river front of the city.

Get around

By train

The two major railway stations of the city are at Howrah and Sealdah. The Eastern and South Eastern Railways are headquartered in the city. The electrified suburban rail network of the SER and the ER is extensive and includes the Circular Rail. The city also has South Asia's oldest underground metro railway. Till mid 2005 it was the only underground metro railway in the Indian subcontinent.

By tram

Calcutta is the only city in India to have a tram network. Though decommissioned in some part of the city, electric trams are still one of the means of traveling between places within the city. They move slow on the laid tracks in traffic jammed streets, but they are environment friendly (no emission).

By bus

The city has an extensive bus network and taxis, autorickshaws and rickshaws are plenty in number. Do not try to board the buses! These are the cheapest option but not really comfortable. If you really like to board, look for the government run deluxe buses.

By autorickshaw

Shared Autorickshaws (Tuktuks in other places of Southeast Asia) are available from different points. They travel in fixed routes and the fare is fixed. They are supposed to take four persons, three in the back seats and one sharing the drivers seat!

By taxi

As in rest of India, taxis are easily available and cheap compared to rest of world. The fare structure is cryptic to say the least. If you are confused (you will be) ask the driver for a fare chart.

Privately owned rental car places are available throughout the city. Rates depend on the make, model, size and comfort level of the car. Agreements are flexible, for example, cars can be rented even for couple of hours at an hourly rate. Most rental cars are accompanied with a driver from the rental agency. Here are contacts of a few rental car agents:

• Travel Cars +91 33 2249 4970 Queens Mansion, Garage No. 8, Park Street.
• Time Cabs +91 33 2247 9574 13, Camac Street.
• Wenz +91 33 227 8926 Oberoi Grand Hotel.

See

CITY ORIENTATION (CENTRE) The city sprawls along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, a tributary of the Ganges, which divides it from Howrah on the western bank. For travellers, the most relevant parts of Kolkata are south of the Howrah Bridge in the areas around BBD Bagh and Chowringhee. BBD Bagh, formerly Dalhousie Square, is built around a manmade lake called Laldighi. Around here among others you will find the Writers Building (the seat of the state government), The General Post Office (GPO) Building, The Reserve Bank of India Building, The Raj Bhavan (the Governor's Residence). In this area you will also find The West Bengal Tourism Office, Lalbazar (headquaters of Calcutta Police), other travel agencies, and other Government offices. A little west towards Strand Road you will find the main Railway Reservation Office at Fairley Place. South of BBD Bagh is the huge, lush green, open parkland known as Maidan. Continuing south from here you will find Eden Gardens (one of the most famous cricket stadium in the world), All India Radio building, Red Road and Fort William, the massive and impregnable British Citadel built in 1773. The fort is still in use and retains its well-guarded grandeur. Visitors are allowed in with special permission only. Along St. George’s Gate Road, on the southern fringe of the Maidan, you will find Calcutta's most famous landmark Victoria Memorial, a splendid white marble monument. Around the Eden Gardens you will find most of the football clubs of Calcutta including archrivals Mohan Bagan and East Bengal.

Going East from Raj Bhavan at the edge of Maidan is the area known as Chowringhee. Here you'll find most of the hotels, as well as many of the restaurants, banks and airline offices. Sudder Street runs off Chowringhee Rd and is famous for its budget hotels. At the junction of Chowringhee Road and Sudder Street you can find the Indian Museum building one of the best museums in Asia. Further south down Chowringhee Road, which runs along the eastern edge of the Maidan, is Park Street, with it's up market restaurants and shops and a few hotels. Further down you will come across Ho Chi Min Street with American and British embassies. Continuing along you will find Birla Planetarium(second largest in the world, with daily shows in English, Hindi and Bengali), Victoria Memorial, St. Paul's Cathedral (largest catholic church in Calcutta), Nandan (centre hosting international film festivals) and Rabindra Sadan. Turing right from here towards Alipore you will find the Zoological Gardens, Calcutta Race Course and the National Library. Also around here you will find Vidyasagar Setu (popularly known as second hooghly Bridge). you can cross the bridge back towards Howrah and visit The Botanical Gardens at Sibpur.

REST OF THE CITY Calcutta's underground called the Metro runs from Dum Dum in the north to Tollygunge in the South traveling through Esplanade (for Chowringhee), Park Street, Maidan (for Victoria Memorial, and Planetarium), Rabindra Sadan and Kalighat. It is quick, efficient, clean lot less crowded than overland transport and is a recommended way to travel whenever and wherever possible. The Northern part of Calcutta houses the old buildings belonging to the Zamindars (Landlords), other rich Bengali people who were trading with the British. It is generally crowded and has some interesting markets including the famous College Street Book market where you can trace many out of print books with a little patience. While in College Street a visit to the College St Coffee Shop is a must. Also around the area are the Calcutta Medical College, the Presidency college and Calcutta University. North of Chowringhee you will find the the Nakhoda Mosque (the largest mosque in Calcutta) and the Marble Palace where you will find The oldest zoo in Calcutta and a wide collection of art inside a palacial old Calcutta building. Further along you will find Jorasanko Thakur Bari (Tagore Family residence). From the Belgachia metro station you can visit the Pareshnath Jain Temple. From the Sovabazar Metro station you can visit the other less travelled Pareshnath Jain Temple at Gouribari (take an auto rickshaw). Travelling further east towards Ultadanga past the VIP Road you can go to Salt Lake City. It is an Satellite city of Calcutta housing the IT hub of Eastern India, some shopping Emporiums and the amusement park by the name of Nicco Park. There is also Nalban Boating Complex and Aquatica Water Park here. Across the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass road you will find The Swabhumi Heritage Park where one can sample local arts and crafts as well as some of the food from its various stalls. Travelling further along the Bypass you can visit the Science City at the junction of Park Circus Connector. From here you can easily reach Chowringhee area. Around Park circus is also the China Town housing some of the finest Chinese eateries. Kalighat Temple (housing Calcutta's patron deity) lies just south of Maidan. Right next to the temple is Mother Teresa's Hospital for the destitute.

Southern Calcutta is less congested and more modern. You will find more apartment blocks, more green spaces and more affluent homes housing the cream of the modern society. Here you will find among others The Tollygunge Club (one of the oldest clubs and the most famous colonial relic housing a golf course, horse riding facilities, accommodation etc.), Rabindra Sarovar (big open lake and park area housing boating clubs, open air theatre and eateries), Birla Industrial & Technological Museum, and Royal Calcutta Golf Club (the oldest golf club in the world after St. Andrews, Scotland). Tollygunge also houses Tollywood (the home of Bengali Films), Television centre among others. Jadavpore houses The Jadapore University. The Indian Institute of Management is in Joka. Golpark houses Ramkrishna Mission Institute. Gariahat has a good market to buy Saris and other clothing items. Birla Temple is the largest temple in Calcutta and is worth a visit. In Kidherpore you will find the Calcutta port.

Calcutta being of the old British capital of India, have some old colonial style buildings. The best example is the Writers Building, where the government of West Bengal has office. It is not open to tourists but you can walk around. Victoria Memorial is another building dedicated to the old queen Victoria and now a museum. Also the Indian Museum is a good place to visit.

• Birla Planetarium, 96, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata 600 071 [2] one of the oldest Planetaria in India. The only planetarium in the country whose dome houses a collection of projectors and optical equipments expensively imported from East Germany. It is the largest planetarium in South-East Asia and the second largest in the world.

• Nandan, A modern cinema complex, a unique cultural centre without a parallel in the country. It was inaugurated by Satyajit Ray in 1985. It is the symbol of art and culture in the city which is termed as the Cultural Capital of India.

• Marble Palace, The marble palace was the private mansion of Zamindar (Land owner) Raja Rajendro Mullick, who had built this palace in 1835. It is situated on the Muktaram Babu Street in a congested part of the city. A real garden, of maybe of an acre with a Palladian Mansion set square in the centre. Today this place has an incongruous collection of statues and paintings. There is also a private zoo housing a collection of birds from different corners of the world.

• The Kali temple of Kalighat, very famous to Hindus but in a congested place. Another option is to visit the Kali temple of Daksineswar. It is by the bank of the Ganges River. The opposite side of the river is the “Belur Muth”, the head quarter of the Ramkrishna Misson.

• One of the new attraction of Calcutta is the Nicco Park consisting of some amusement rides, Science city and the Millennium Park by the Ganges.

• But sites aside, the things to see in Calcutta are the events. In the month of October, the Durga Puja happens. It is the festival of the Bengalis. I do not say Hindus as now the religion takes a back seat in the festival. The population of Calcutta increases three folds in that time and the people remain on the street for the whole day and night to see the “Puja pandels”. If you can bear the crowd, this is the time to visit Calcutta.

• In the last week of January to the first week of February, the Kolkata Book Fair happens. This is the largest book fair in the world where the book publishers from across the globe interact with the readers. All the roads of Calcutta then turn to the fair ground!

• Calcutta been nicknamed the City of Palaces. This comes from the numerous palatial mansions built all over the city. During the British colonial era from 1700-1912, when Calcutta was the capital of British India, Calcutta witnessed a spate of frenzied construction activity of buildings largely influenced by the conscious intermingling of Gothic, Baroque, Roman, Oriental and Islamic schools of design. Unlike many north Indian cities, whose construction stresses minimalism, the layout of much of the architectural variety in Calcutta owes its origins to European styles and tastes imported by the British and, to a much lesser extent, the Portuguese and French. The buildings were designed, and inspired by the tastes of the English gentleman around and the aspiring Bengali Babu (literally a nouveau riche Bengali who aspired to cultivation of English etiquette, manners and custom as such practices were favourable to monetary gains from the British). Today many of these structures are in various stages of decay. Some of the major buildings of this period are well maintained and several buildings have been declared as heritage structures. Conservation efforts are patchy and are often affected by problems of litigation, tenant troubles, ownership disputes, old tenancy laws and a lack of funds.

• Government House, Calcutta, built in the early 19th century, is modelled on Kedleston Hall. The House was once the seat of the Viceroys of India; later, when the Government moved to New Delhi, it became the residence of the Governor of Bengal, a function that it fulfils to this day. While the basic features of Kedleston have been faithfully copied (the Palladian Front, the Dome etc.), Government House is a much larger, three storeyed structure. Also, the Government of India evidently did not have the funding constraints that forced the Curzons to leave their house incomplete: Government House has all four wings originally conceived for Kedleston. So today, a 'complete', brick built Kedleston, on a much grander scale, is located in its acres of gardens at the heart of the Calcutta business district.

• The Howrah Bridge which spans the Hooghly River, links Howrah to Calcutta.

• Park Street cemetery - a resting place for early British traders and settlers.

• The city is home to the National Library of India and famous in India for the grand book-fairs it hosts every winter. The oldest museum in Asia, the Indian Museum (established 1814), is also in Calcutta. Other places to visit in the city are the Victoria Memorial, Calcutta High Court, Bankshall Court, Writer's Building, Jorasanko Thakur Bari, Marble Palace, Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Birla Temple, Howrah Bridge (also called Rabindra Setu), Vidyasagar Setu (second Hoogli bridge), Nandan - Rabindra Sadan Cultural Complex, Shaheed Minar (previously called Ochterlony Monument by the British), Kalighat, Bhoothnath, Science City, St. Thomas, Town Hall, Calcutta, Millennium Park promenade, Eden Gardens (a massive international cricket stadium), Whiteways and Laidlaw Building (currently known as Life Insurance Corporation of India building), Governor's House, Esplanade Mansion, Howrah Station, South Eastern Railway Headquarters, Calcutta Maidan and many more notable places.

Museums and Galleries

Indian Museum Town Hall, Calcutta [1], [2], [3] and [4] Marble Palace Gurusaday Museum, Diamond Harbour Road Jawahar Shishu Bhawan Birla Industrial and Technological Museum Science City

Day trips

• Tourism Dept. of Govt. of India has 1 day tour starting at 8:00AM daily

except Monday (check the rate & timings Ph: 22825813). The bus departs from 4, Shakespeare Sarani.

• The West Bengal Tourism Development Corp.(WBTDC) has a tour ( call 22488271 ).

Help Tourism offers interesting Wildlife Trip packages for Sunderbans,mainly for small groups.They have their own set up Sunderbans Jungle Camp on Bali Island.Call:+91-33-24550917,24854584,+91-0-98310 31980. or write to: kalighat@vsnl.net;helptourismkolkata@gmail.com.

• WBTDC Weekly boat tour to Sunderban Forests 2-3 day trip .
• There are other private launch tours to Sunderbans also.Contact 9830233754

Do

Football (soccer) is a passion for many Calcuttans with the national clubs, Mohun Bagan Athletic Club and East Bengal Club being the best known teams.

• Take a walk along the river. There is a good promenade near Eden Garden

• Take a trip down memory lane at Princep ghat

• Take a boat cruise in small boats under the starlit sky at Outram Ghat

• Eat puchkas

Learn

Eat phuchkas only if you are a native. Vistors will surely get serious stomach ailments unless they try this delicacy at star hotels which unfortunately cannot match the taste of the street variety.

Work

This city has been ruled by Communists for long, due to which it has significantly suffered economically. However, it boasts of very highly qualified professionals. IT is one of the industries the present government is trying very hard to tap.

Buy

• There are several handicraft gift shops on Jawaharal Nehru Street between Sudder Street and Surendra Road, with the largest being on the corner of Surendra.
• Sir Stuart Hogg Market, more commonly called New Market, is a good place to sample Indian sweet delicacies and generally soak up the atmosphere of Calcutta. There are also a few handicraft stalls inside. The market is located in a large red brick building on Lindsay Street (the road parallel with Sudder Street to the north). You'll know when you are getting close to the market when approached by the very persistent touts employed by the market handicraft stalls.

Eat

Not to be missed: Bengali sweets like Rasagolla (cheese balls fried and dipped in a sugary syrups), Mishti Doi (sweet yogurt), Sandesh (A large variety and types are available). Try some shops like K.C. Das, Bhim Nag, Nakur, Sen Mahasoy, Ganguram. These are not costly but should be eaten fresh.

Budget

• Fresh & Juicy at 2/1 Sudder Street offers tasty and cheap Indian, Italian and Chinese meals plus Western style breakfasts.
• Khalsa, Madge Lane (on left side when entering Madge Lane from Sudder Street) offers excellent and cheap Punjabi food.
• Zurich on Sudder Street is popular with Westerners - the food is cheap, though nothing special.

Mid-range

All the place on Park Street

Splurge

Drink

• The Indian Coffee House is a venerable old establishment run by the Indian Coffee Workers Co-op Society. The high ceilings, peeling paintwork, light beaming in through skylights and workers in traditional uniform create an image straight out of a 20 or 30s movie. In addition, the coffee is good and cheap. 1F, 15 Bankim Chatterjee Street (off College Street). Tel:2241 4869

Sleep

Many budget hotels are located on or around Sudder Street and Howrah Station area.

Budget

• The Howrah Hotel,1,Mukhram Kanoria Road,(Adjacent to the Howrah Railway Station). Tel:+91 3326413878/28490240/55538251. [3]. E-mail:info@thehowrahhotel.com - A heritage property, with alot of character.On the other side of the hotel is St.Aloysius Church and School.One of the oldest hotels of Calcutta. Renowned for homely atmosphere and offers very neat n clean airy rooms,economical tariff and standard rooms,one of the safest hotels in the locality.Very cordial staff.Rooms starting from INR 115/- and from INR 255/- onwards with attached baths and CTV.Five minutes walking distance from the railway station and bus stand.Only hotel in the locality which has a 5,000 sq.ft. garden.
• Hotel Maria, 5/1 Sudder Street. Tel:2252 0860 offers basic rooms with attached bathroom for 250Rs.
• Paragon Hotel, 2 Stuart Lane (off Sudder Street). Tel:2252 2445
• Modern Lodge, 1 Stuart Lane. Tel:2252 4960
• Salvation Army Guest House, Sudder Street. Dorm for 70Rs/night. Bag storage for 5Rs/bag/day until 7:30pm. Check Out is at 10am. There is a covered balcony overlooking the road for smokers. The guest house has good access to the metro (Esplanade stop) and is located in the upscale portion of the city. The place is mostly filled with westerners, probably due to the nearby Blue Sky Restaurant: Indian/Chinese/Continental (with salads!).

Mid-range

• Astoria Hotel offers clean and large, albeit drab, rooms with private bathrooms for 650 and 750Rps per night. Address: 6 Sudder Street. Tel:2252 9679. Website: travel.vsni.com/astoria. e-mail:astoria@hotmail.com

• Hotel Jaapon is a bright and cheerful hotel with excellent service located on Mirza Galib Street - also called Free School Street (at the end of Sudder Street, turn right onto Free School Street, the hotel is located in the first lane on right). All rooms have attached bathroom (with good plumbing), cable TV and A/C. Standard rooms: single - 600Rps, double - 800Rps. Deluxe: single - 1,000Rps, double - 1,200Rps. Address: 30F Mirza Galib Street, Calcutta. Tel:2252 0657, 2252 0658

• Fairlawn Hotel [4], - a relic of the British raj and oozing with charm and character. Single:USD 50 (full board) USD 45 (with breakfast) Double/Twin:USD 60 (full board) USD 55 (with breakfast) Address: 13/A Sudder Street. Tel:2252 1510 / 2252 8767. E-mail:fairlawn@cal.vsnl.net.in

Splurge

• Oberoi Grand Hotel [5] - a very luxurious and centrally located hotel. Address:15 Jawaharlal Nehru Road. (Chowringhee Road) Tel:2249 2323
• Hotel Hindustan International [6] on A.J.C.Bose Road (previously Lower Circular Road) near Minto Park.
• The Park Hotel [7]. Bang in the heart of the city at 17 Park Street. Tel : +91 33 2249 3121 Fax : +91 33 2249 7343
• Hotel Taj Bengal [8], located on 34B, Belvedere Road in Alipore. It is one of the best in town. Tel: (91-33) 2223 3939 Fax : (91-33) 2223 1766/8805
• Hotel ITC Sonar Bangla Sheraton and Towers [9] on 1 JBS Halden Avenue, next to Science City. Tel :(91) (33) 2345 4545. Fax :(91) (33) 2345 4455.
• Hotel Hyatt Regency [10], also on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, in Salt Lake Sector III. Tel: +91 33 2335 1234 Fax: +91 33 2335 1235
• Fort Radisson [11] at Raichak, 32 miles south of the city is a fantastic resort on the Ganges. Tel: +91 3174 275444 Fax : +91 3174 275456

Contact

• The area dialing code for Calcutta is 33. From overseas, dial +91 33 XXXX XXXX
• Hotline Services near the Astoria Hotel at 7 Sudder Street (at the back of the parking lot between Roop Shringar clothing shop and Metro Beauty Parlour) has a room jammed packed with high speed computers, and charges 15Rps an hour for internet service. There are other smaller internet cafes on Sudder Street, but they are often full.

Stay safe

Calcutta is reasonably safe, though around Sudder street you may be approached to buy Hashish or other drugs, by some dubious looking fellows. The area is also becoming known for its heroin addicts as well and one can occasionally see people 'chasing the dragon' in the side streets. Having said that in general the people of Calcutta are remarkably friendly and welcoming, more so than many other Indian cities.

Cope

Get out

Take a trip to historical town of Vishnupur famous for the Terracotta Temples,Clay Sculptures,and Silk Sarees.One can visit Shantiniketan,famous for the Ashramik School,University founded by Nobel Lauriet poet Rabindra Nath Tagore,Leather Crafts,Kantha Stich Sarees.

You can also take a few days of and travel to see the scenic beauty of North Bengal, visiting places like Darjiling, Jalpaiguri etc. For those who prefer the sea over the mountains, a visit to Digha, or Shankarpur can be advocated. Digha is a journey of 4-5 hrs form Kolkata, and can be reached by bus or train.