Kolkata is a city with strong cultural, literary and religious flavors. The most happening place in India when it comes to fine arts, music, dance, theatre and writing. This is a state where artistic endeavour is held in higher esteem, than political and economic success. The city also acts as the gateway to the Northeast states and has been coming up as a major commercial city in the nation.

The general climate of Kolkata still remains full of optimism, cheerfulness and belief. Its roots lie in the European expansion of the 17th century. Victoria Memorial, Kolkata The showpiece capital of the British, Calcutta was the greatest colonial city of the Far East. A city of enduring charm has adopted to the modern trends and techniques of the world but has not shed the leisurely life style and the calm, which it has accumulated since ages.

This huge metropolis of Calcutta is an attractive conglomerate of styles and influences with a variety of extraordinary matching skylines. The maiden stretches from the area known as Esplanade in the north to the racecourse in the south, is bordered by Chowringhee Rd. in the east and strand & the river in the west, is one of the largest parks in the world. Esplanade, is having a 46-metre column of Shahid Minar or Martyers Memorial, which towers over the busy bus terminus and market stalls at the north east corner of the Maidan.

Less than Gothic red-brick clock tower, the single storey New Market is located in the centre of the cosmopolitan Kolkata. The Chowringee Rd. has got a long line of colonial villas & palaces and the unscathed Victorian Grand Hotel. Indian Museum is known as the oldest museum in India, founded in 1814, housing a huge variety of exhibits from sculpture to natural history. Victoria Memorial is a splendid example of British architecture, built in the memory of Queen Victoria and was inaugurated by Prince of Wales in 1921. The Memorial is based on architecture of the Taj and is built in marble.

Birla Planetarium is one of the earliest planetariums in India. The planetarium was opened in 1961 and the cost of completion came to about 2 crores. Shahid Minar, built in 1828 and was named after Sir David Ochterlony who won the Nepal war of 1814, this monument is a combination of Turkish, Egyptian and Syrian architectural elements. Although Howrah is a separate town, Kolkata's industrial hub is an integral part of the city. Howrah Bridge is Calcutta's biggest landmarks and is 97m high and 705m long, spanning the River Hoogly in a single giant leap, making it world's largest cantilever bridge.

Area: 187 sq km
Population: 14 million
Country: India
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +5.5
Telephone Area Code: 033

Calcutta Travel India Reservation Form (* represents compulsory fields) * Name :   * Address :   * Phone : (Include Country/Area Code)   * Your Country :   * E-Mail Address :   *Check Generate Code * Intended Month & Year of Visit   Duration of Travel in India (Approx.):   No. of People Travelling:   00 01 02 03 04 05 Adult         00 01 02 03 04 05 Children * Any specific requirements: