AIRFARE TO MOSCOW

Lonely Planet India: Kolkata

Includes FREE planning and background information. India’s second-biggest city is a daily festival of human existence, simultaneously noble and squalid, cultured and desperate. And everything plays out before your very eyes on teeming streets where not an inch of space is wasted. By its old spelling, Calcutta conjures up images of human suffering to most Westerners. But Bengalis have long been infuriated by one-sided depictions of their vibrant capital. Kolkata is locally regarded as the intellectual and cultural capital of the nation. Several of India’s great 19th- and 20th-century heroes were Kolkatans, including guru-philosopher Ramakrishna, Nobel Prize-winning poet Rabindranath Tagore and celebrated film director Satyajit Ray. Dozens of venues showcase Bengali dance, poetry, art, music, film and theatre. And while poverty is certainly in your face, the dapper Bengali gentry continue to frequent grand old gentlemen’s clubs, back horses at the Calcutta Racetrack and play soothing rounds of golf at some of India’s finest courses.

Includes FREE planning and background information. India’s second-biggest city is a daily festival of human existence, simultaneously noble and squalid, cultured and desperate. And everything plays out before your very eyes on teeming streets where not an inch of space is wasted. By its old spelling, Calcutta conjures up images of human suffering to most Westerners. But Bengalis have long been infuriated by one-sided depictions of their vibrant capital. Kolkata is locally regarded as the intellectual and cultural capital of the nation. Several of India’s great 19th- and 20th-century heroes were Kolkatans, including guru-philosopher Ramakrishna, Nobel Prize-winning poet Rabindranath Tagore and celebrated film director Satyajit Ray. Dozens of venues showcase Bengali dance, poetry, art, music, film and theatre. And while poverty is certainly in your face, the dapper Bengali gentry continue to frequent grand old gentlemen’s clubs, back horses at the Calcutta Racetrack and play soothing rounds of golf at some of India’s finest courses.

Howrah Bridge ( 705 meters long and 97 feet wide) links the city of Howrah to its twin city, Kolkata (Calcutta) . Construction of the Howrah Bridge was started on 1937 & was finally opened to traffic on February 1943.

It successfully bears the weight of a daily traffic of approximately 150,000 vehicles and 4,000,000 pedestrians. It is one of the longest bridges of its type in the world.

Flight to Kolkata is long, assuming you don't fly from Dehli or Mumbai. So I took a walk around and while waiting for toilets, looked into window and just snapped. Not sure, though film used should be NPZ.

Take an early morning walk around Dalhousie Square and admire the colonial buildings that once housed the British Raj before the bustle of Kolkata disturbs the quiet. When the noise picks up you can either head into a museum to learn more about this city’s fascinating past or relax watching locals play cricket in The Maiden. When you tire of the city head for the Sunderbans Tiger reserve to catch a glimpse of a Bengali tiger or to Bishnupur to see the splendid terracotta temples. Features detailed information on the cultural heart of India and up-to-date listings on where to eat, sleep and play.

· Essentials section with practical tips on getting there and around.
· Background section with fascinating information on the region’s unique history, culture & cuisine.
· Comprehensive listings of where to eat, sleep & play including festivals and markets.
· Detailed street maps for important cities and towns.
· Slim enough to fit in your pocket.

Loaded with advice and information, this concise Footprintfocus guide will help you get the most out of Kolkata and West Bengal without weighing you down.

The content of the Footprintfocus Kolkata and West Bengal guide has been extracted from Footprint’s India Handbook.