Calcutta (or Kolkata) is the administrative center of West Bengal and the largest city in the country, one of the ten largest cities in the world. The Hooghly River divides Calcutta into the western (actually the territory of the city of Howrah, Howrah) and the eastern part (actually there is Kolkata).

How to get to Kolkata

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bos International Airport (20 km from the city center) accepts flights from around the world. This is not the most attractive Indian airport, which has never been updated since the 1950s (they say, in 2011, this momentous event will happen). As for the terminal, the host, domestic flights - here everything is the other way round, it is one of the best terminals in India. The easiest way is to get to the city by taxi (200-300 INR). Recently, a branch line has opened to connect the airport to the Dum Dum station, while there are quite a few trains running around it.

The main railway station of the city is to the west of the river, while the airport and the center of tourist attraction are to the east. At the station Hovra four important lines converge: Kolkata - Delhi, Kolkata - Mumbai, Kolkata - Chennai and Kolkata - Guwahati. Another large railway junction, where trains from Darjeeling and the whole northeast arrive, are Sealdah Station, which is on the east bank of the river.

To get from the station to the city center you can either by the Rabindra Setu Bridge by taxi, or by simply crossing the road and hitting the ferry berth. Whence for copecks it is possible to reach on the opposite coast to the nearest berth Fairly Ghat (Fairlie Ghat) and Babu Ghat (Babu Ghat).

Climate

March 1, Sunday Clear +32 ° С in the afternoon +21 ° C at night ° С water	2 March, Monday Clear +32 ° С in the afternoon +20 ° C at night ° С water	March 3, Tuesday Cloudy +31 ° C in the afternoon +22 ° C at night ° С water
Weather in Kolkata on 10 days

Transport Kolkata

Kolkata is the only city in India where there is a tram. A large tram station is at the northern end of Chowringi Road, the main street of the city.

Metro Calcutta unattractive, but on certain segments of the road - it is convenient. For example, from the Victoria memorial (Rabindra Sadan station and Maidan) to the house-museum of R. Tagore (Girish Park station). Trains depart every 10-15 minutes, the fare is 4-8 INR.

Entertainment, excursions and attractions Kolkata

Being the capital of West Bengal and previously British India, Calcutta has long been influenced by European civilization, managed to preserve its identity, becoming the largest cultural and political center of India. The city will surprise its architecture with Gothic, Romanesque, Indo-Islamic styles and even baroque style, conquer national art exhibitions and interest the world's largest book fairs.

The largest museum of India consists of six thematic sections, combining unique exhibits: works of art, old clothes and jewelry, the remains of prehistoric animals and even the ancient Egyptian mummy. The geology sector, equipped with the latest technology, includes a huge collection of meteorites.

Next to the museum is the mission of Mother Teresa. In Calcutta, a Catholic nun taught for about 20 years in a women's school, helped the poor and disadvantaged regardless of their nationality and religion, and founded the monastic community of the Sisters of the Missionary of Love. The mission of Mother Teresa has a small museum, a prayer hall and a chapel with the grave of the blessed.

Go to the Victoria Memorial, a grandiose masterpiece of architecture built on the model of the famous Taj Mahal. The memorial was erected in the early 20th century in honor of Queen Victoria. Now the palace is a museum of history and arts of British India, keeps masterpieces of English painting, historical documents and photographs of the city. The building is decorated with gardens with well-groomed lawns, old cannons and a bronze statue of the queen.

The snow-white Victoria Memorial takes pride of place in the southern part of the picturesque Maidan Park. The park itself is quite an interesting place, there are games of football and cricket, political gatherings and yoga classes. Fort William was also located here, which gave birth to the city. Until the 19th century the fortress was used as the residence of the general - the governor of India, now the fort is occupied by the Indian army. Tourists here are allowed to enter very rarely, although to look at this building from the inside is quite curious.

This original Gothic building was built in 1872 by the British architect W. Grendvill.

As in any Indian city, there are many Hindu temples in Calcutta. A special impression is made by the temple of the goddess Kali, located on the banks of the Ganges. In the temple, built in 1855, spent most of his life a famous preacher of Hinduism, the most revered in India religious personality - Ramakrishna. This was one of the reasons why the Kali temple is the center of pilgrimage in West Bengal, but not the only one. According to another version, the temple was erected on the place where the finger of the deceased goddess Kali, the wife of the god Shiva fell.

One more Hindu temple in Calcutta is rightly considered to be the Belur Math, in which the "Society" and the Mission of Ramakrishna are located. In honor of this, a museum was opened at the church. The building itself is distinguished by an original architecture that unites three religions: Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Interesting is the fact that it is from here that the main historical road starts connecting the city with the rest of the country - the Great Elephant Way.

The Khovrakh Bridge or the Gateway to Calcutta carries several proud titles at once. Firstly, it is one of the largest bridges in the world with a length of 500 meters and a width of at least 25, and, secondly, one of the most exploited, carrying more than 2 million people a day. But this is not the most important thing, because it is, first of all, a grandiose historical building erected in the city in 1943.

In the vicinity of the city there is a great number of religious centers, including the famous Mahabodhi-Mandir temple, the sacred place of the Jainists of Pavapuri, the sacred place of the Hindus of Gaia and the Sikh temples in Patna. The Darjeeling resort is also popular.

Photo of Kolkata (13)