Beads and jewels


Kolkata Formerly Known as Calcutta

Kolkata formerly Calcutta is the capitalsleeping homeless. Not much appeal for
of the Indian state of West Bengal. Itan evening stroll. In the day a
is located in eastern India on the eastseemingly organised pandemonium of
bank of the River Hooghly. The city hasancient trucks and trams, screaming
a population of 5 million.scooters, sleeping dogs, smoking food
The airport is situated at Dumdum,stalls and mothers cleaning children in
around 17 km northeast of the citymuddy puddles. It is a shock to the
centre. It is well connected by air tosystem, but it likes to think of itself
all major countries in the world, asas a rather cultured one you yourself
well as to Indian cities. The metro railshould be the judge.
is the famous train which was started inThe people are famous for their
1984 and operates only in Kolkata. Thesefondness for good food. Sweets like
trains are very clean, punctual andsandesh, rosogolla and chanar payesh are
efficient and the stations are also airvery famous all over the country.
conditioned.Chinese, Continental, Thai, Tibetan and
In the 17th century, Calcutta wasMughal cuisine including tandoori,
nothing more than a village. Today it iskebabs and biryani etc are next in the
one of the major metropolitan cities ofpopularity chart.
India along with Delhi, Mumbai andIn the markets, cotton, silk and
Chennai. Kolkata was once the capitalhandlooms are top quality, as is the
city of British India and also thegold and silver jewellery. Shopping on
Gateway to India till 1912. It is athe roadside is normal. But wherever you
major commercial city consisting of bigare beware of pickpockets.
industrial plants and corporate houses.The city is the land of sports lovers,
The major tourist attractions inintellectual, romantic and has a unique
Calcutta include Birla Planetarium,sensibility. Be it a religious festival,
Shantiniketan, Victoria Memorial and thesoccer matches, political
Gardens. For the wildlife enthusiasts,demonstrations, music, art, poetry
it has Sunderbans a wildlife sanctuaryreading or eating for them each activity
rich in a variety of flora and fauna.is equally important.
Take an excursion to Vishnupur, which isDurgapuja the most important and the
reputed for its terracotta, metal waremost popular of all Bengali festivals,
and temples.is celebrated. The Goddess Durga is
Today its evening streets can beworshipped for 10 days of the festival.
intimidating, given their rows of



1 A B C D E 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117