The largest metropolis in India, Calcutta is a vibrant city on the move, volatile and unpredictable. The Gateway to India, till 1912, and the capital of the Raj in India, it still bears the Victorian imprint on its streets and structures. A city just about ready to burst at the seams, Calcutta is home to more than 10 million people. The Ganges (called the Hooghly in Calcutta) is still the inspiration, as it was to Job Charnok, East India Company agent, who reached the shores in August 1690, to found the city. Calcutta, after London, was the British Empire's second city.

Places of Interest : Kalighat, according to the legend, when Lord Shiva's wife Parvati's body was cut up, one of her fingers fell here. Rebuilt in 1809, this is an important shrine of Hindu Shakti worship. The temple is in the southern part of the city.

Kolkata Fairs & Festivals : Durga Puja, the most important and the most popular of all Bengali festivals is the Durgapuja. It is celebrated throughout the state, but with great grandeur in Calcutta. There are some ancestral houses in Calcutta where Durgapuja is being observed over decades and even over centuries.

Kolkata People : Calcutta is the home of the Bengalis - volatile in politics, sports lover, intellectual, romantic with a unique sensibility. To whom every activity is a commitment of passionate intensity - be it a religious festival, soccer matches, political demonstrations, music, art, poetry reading, eating or adda.

Kolkata Cuisine : The Bengali fondness for good food is legendary. Exotic Bengali cuisine is available at selected restaurants like Suruchi and Aheli (Peerless Inn). To experience the true taste of traditional cooking, it is best to befriend a Bengali. His hospitality will definitely include a meal!

Excursions in Kolkata : Botanical Gardens, located 8 Kms from Calcutta on the west bank of Ganga are the famous Botanical Gardens. The highlight of the Gardens is the 200 year old banyan tree, said to be the largest in the world. The tree is 26 meters high with a circumference of approximately 900 feet.