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The
Ganges (called the Hooghly in Calcutta) is still the inspiration,
as it was to Job Charnock, 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.
Calcutta, on-the-Hooghly, retains the aura of days long gone, weaving
the past and the present, the intense and the funloving into a charming
fabric.
Home to four Nobel laureates - Ronald Ross, Rabindranath Tagore,
Mother Teresa and Amartya Sen, Calcutta is the nerve centre of intellect
and human values, where many modern movements began in art, cinema
and theatre, science and industry. India's quest for freedom began
here.
Calcutta is the gateway to Eastern India. A city with a rich heritage,
bustling streets and bewildering variety of facets. From October
to March, Calcutta wears a radiant look. Sunshine, mild winter,
lights, colours, fairs, festivals, galas and excursions the mood
is infections and the spirit sweeping.
The Clubs Of Kolkata
The afternoons are long and lazy, the evenings vibrant. Clubs, both
social and sporting, are very much a part of Calcutt's culture.
They are witness to a glorious past and are increasingly popular
even now. The Bengal Club (estd 1827), Calcutta Club (estd 1907),
The Saturday Club (estd 1880) and Dalhousie Institute are the most
popular social clubs.
Sporting clubs outnumber the social clubs. The Tollygunge Club and
Royal Calcutta Golf Club have the finest full length golf courses.
Others include South Club for grasscourt tennis, Polo Club within
the Race Course, Royal Calcutta Turf Club, Calcutta Rowing Club
and Lake Club. The Ladies Golf Club, with a nine hole course, is
the only ladies golf club in the world. The Calcutta Cricket and
Football Club is a favourite watering hole with the expats of Calcutta.
For temporary membership, on a selective basis, please contact the
respective club secretaries.
Festivals And Fairs
The festive spirit sets in with Durga Puja, a five day ritual and
celebration for the ten - armed goddess Durga. A major festival
when excitement and activity touches a feverish pitch. Diwali, the
festival of lights, is the worship of goddess Kali. Clay lamps and
firecrackers are a part of the festival, Rathajatra, organised by
ISKCON, is Lord Jagannath's Car festival.
Holi
The festival of colours, is a celebration of the spring season.
Muslim
festivals, the two Ids, are also celebrated with great rejoicing.
Unique, perhaps, is the Christmas Festivity that continues till
the New Year.
From November, part of the Maindan is converted into fairgrounds.
The textile fair, art and Handicrafts Fair, Leather Exhibition and
the famous Calcutta Book fair are the favourites. The city isresonant
with Film and theatre Festivals., music conferences, rock shows,
art exhibitions and various other cultural activities. This is also
the time when the fairs of rural Bengal are held.
Shopping
The best place for bargain shopping is New Market (formerly known
as Hogg Market). Others include Gariahat, Dakshinapan, Central Cottage
Industries Emporium, brassware shops along Kalighat Road, near the
Kali temple, shops and auction houseds on park Street, Russel Street,
Little Russel Street and Free School Street, and the Bengal Home
Industries showroom.
There is plenty to shop. A variety of local handicrafts are made
from shola, pith and conch- shell. Terracotta figurines and horses
(symbol of the Central Cottage Industries Emporium) are typical
of bankura. Painted clay plaques of Kalighat, silk sarees, stoles
and scarves of Murshidabad and Vishnupur. Leather bags of Sriniketan,
wood carvings and woolen garents of Darjeeling and handloom sarees
of Darjeeling and handloom sarees of Dhaniakhli and Tangail are
the most famous and found in various markets and shops markets and
shops spread around Calcutta.<
Culcutta also caters to the bold and beautiful. A bewitching range
of gold, silver and diamond jewellery, intricately handcrafted,
is available. Also, check out the latest fashion in leather - shoes,
garments and accessories.
People
Calcutta is home of the bengali - volatile in politics, sports lover,
intellectual, romantic with a unique sensibility. To whom every
activity is a commitment of passionate intensity - beit a religious
festival, soccer matches, political demonstrations, music, art,
poetry reading, eating or adda )chat sessions)
Calcutta breeds culture. Rabindranath Tagore gave Bengal new composite
music, dance drama and literature. Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar
internationalised Indian Classical music. Jmini Roy revived folk
painting. Uday Shankar created a new dance form. Indian People's
Theatre Association (IPTA) introduced a new genre of performing
arts. Ustad Allauddin Khan created a new orchestra and famous film
maker Satyajit Ray's home and canvas was Calcutta.
Surroundings Of Kolkata One Day Trips
After your tryst with the city, proceed along the Hooghly to experience
the myriad charms of the settlements along the river.
Northwards,
8 km away, is the Botanical Garden, at Shibpur. Enjoy the 110 hectare
freedom of space filled with rare trees and orchids.
The beautiful Dakshineswar Kali Temple is 10 km away. Across the
river is belur Math, headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission. Join
in with the devotees to watch the evening aarti (light ceremony).
5 km further is the interesting waterfront of Serampore, orginally
a Danish colony. Across the river is the old British settlement
of Barrackpore.
The strand at Chandannagore, 39 km, is enchanting. You can also
visit the Clock Tower, among many other heritage buildings. The
octagonal Dutch Church and settlement is at Chinsura, 45 km away.
The portuguese settlement at Satgaon and Hooghly was founded in
1577 and stormed by Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emeror, in 1632. the
Hooghly Imambara and the Portuguese monastery and church at Bandel,
48 km away, are places worth visiting.
The Hanseshwari temple with unsual carvings an unique structure
and the Basudeva temple located at Bansberia, is 47 km away.
South along the banks of the Hooghly, is the holiday resort at Raichak
and 48 km away is Diamond Harbour, where the Hooghly flows into
the Bay of Bengal.
You can access all these places by rail and road but a ferry ride
will make it an unforgettable experience.
Cuisine
The Bengali fondness for good food is legendary. Exotic Bengali
Cuisine is available at select 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!
Sweets hold a position of pride for the Bengali. Cottage cheese
based sweets like sandesh, rosogolla and chanar payesh are very
popular all over India. Mishti dio (sweetened curd) and Patali gur
confectionery (date palm jaggery) are must - try delicacies.
Every district in Bengal has a special sweet of its own. Langcha
and mihidana - sitabhog of bardhaman, sharbhaja of Krishnanagar,
chanabora of murshidabad and so on.
Luchi, choloar dal, kochuri and alurdom to chop cutlet and telebhaja,
Calutta will delight the food lover.
Chinese cuisine is next on the popularity chart, available in the
Old China Town, the walled city at Tangra and restaurants on Park
Street. Restaurants specializing in Mughlai cuisine (tandoori, kebabs,
biriyani etc.) are located in the backstreets of New market and
Park Circus. North Indian and the more sedate South Indian cuisine
are available in restaurants all over the city.
Continental, Thai, Tibetan and Anglo-Indian cuisine are available
in eating houses in and around Chowringhee and Park Street.
Special mention must be made about Kathi rolls (kebabs wrapped in
dough), a culinary delight of Calcutta.
The confectionery of Calcutta are well known all over India. Flury's
(ormerly Swiss owned) on Park Street, nahoum's (oldest Jewish bakery)
in New Market are famous.
The
Ganges (called the Hooghly in Calcutta) is still the inspiration,
as it was to Job Charnock, 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.
Muslim
festivals, the two Ids, are also celebrated with great rejoicing.
Unique, perhaps, is the Christmas Festivity that continues till
the New Year.
Northwards,
8 km away, is the Botanical Garden, at Shibpur. Enjoy the 110 hectare
freedom of space filled with rare trees and orchids.
