The city sprawls along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, a tributary of the Ganges, which divides

it from Howrah on the western bank. For travelers, the most relevant parts of Kolkata are south of the Howrah ridge in the areas around ! agh and "howringhee. Kolkata is a huge city, so all individual listings should be moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should contain a brief overview. #lease help to move listings if you are familiar with this city. Gurusaday $useum, !iamond Harbour Road %awahar &hishu &cience "ity &abarna &angrahashala, arisha. hawan

' walk along "howringhee Road sets the pace as you set out to unravel the rare beauty of this city. 'cross the road sweeps a huge, lush green, open parkland called the $aidan, centering around Fort (illiam, the massive and impregnable ritish "itadel built in )**+. The fort is still in use and retains its well guarded grandeur. ,isitors are allowed in with special permission only. 'long &t George-s Gate Road, on the southern fringe of the $aidan, your sight is arrested by a splendid monument in white $akrana marble. uilt in .talian Renaissance cum &aracenic style, ,ictoria $emorial was planned by /ord "ur0on and opened by the #rince of (ales in )12). This ritish attempt at building a second Ta3 $ahal is dedicated to 4ueen ,ictoria and houses a fantastic collection of rare memorabilia from colonial days. ' light and sound show recreates history every evening. The ad3oining Race "ourse, built in )5)1, is one of the best in the east and is the scene of much gaiety, especially during the winter season.6orthwards, along "howringhee Road, stands the irla #lanetarium, one of the largest in the world. The central dome measures 27 mts in diameter. /ocated on "howringhee Road is the .ndian $useum built in )5** in .talian style of architecture.(alk in to a varied collection of e8hibits that include uni9ue fossils, uddhist Gandharan art, an :gyptian mummy and a roomful of memories ; The <5 mt tower of =chterlony $onument , now renamed &hahid $inar, holds command at the northern end of the $aidan.'nd the mighty river Hooghly beckons.'t the northern end of the $aidan, towards the river, is the =ld ritish Government house now called Ra3 havan . uilt in )5>+, modelled on /ord "ur0on-s home, Keddleston Hall, !erbyshire, :ngland, this is now the official residence of the Governor of engal. There are many rare works of art

and other interesting items. :ntry is restricted. ' walk across is the Town Hall , built in )5)+, in !oric style of architecture. .t is now the "ity $agistrate-s =ffice.!on-t let the riverfront mesmeri0e you yet ; etween the Town Hall and the &trand is the "alcutta High "ourt , scene of legendary legal battles. "ompleted in )5*2, the Gothic architectural style was copied from the &taadhans at ?pres, elgium. The tower measures 77 mts. The Howrah ridge and the ,idyasagar &etu frame the skyline of the riverfront. The ambience is as amicable and profound as the river that flows alongside. ut, turn back to your trail of discovery. !alhousie &9uare was the administrative centre for ritish .ndia. =n one side is the General #ost =ffice, a ma3estic specimen of :dwardian architecture. .t is built on the site of the original Fort (illiam. =n the other side stands (riters- uilding , a massive Gothic structure with lonic pillars @ still the house of political power. !alhousie is a must see since it is full of old ritish architecture from the time of the :ast .ndia "ompany. The dulcet whispers of history echo through the old mansions of Hindu aristocrats in 6orth "alcutta. =ne such old house, Tagore House, at %orasanko, is the birth place of Rabindranath Tagore, .ndia-s greatest modern poet. "onverted to Rabindra harati Aniversity, it is now a centre for .ndian "lassical Fine 'rts. 't "horbagan is the $arble #alace built in )5<> by Ra3a Ra3endra $ullick, now a museum. &pend your afternoon among precious ob3ects d-art including works of Rubens and &ir %oshua Reynolds.(hen tired, take a tram ride along Red Road with the green e8panse of the $aidan around you. The perfect antidote. ' little away, in the south of Kolkata, is a stately mansion. =nce home of the ritish ,iceroys, elvedere House is now the 6ational /ibrary. .t houses over a million books and is the biggest in .ndia.' must is a day spent at &cience "ity. #ick your special thrill at this e8position park. ' space theatre, space flight simulator, recreated %urassic forest, aviary and butterfly corner and much more ; The $issionaries of "harity is a new order formed in )17> by $other Teresa. Their vow Bto give wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poorwas put into action with the setting up of several homes.,isit $other Teresa-s tomb at the $other House and witness the generosity of the her spirit at 6irmal Hriday Chome for the dyingD , &hanti 6agar Cfor lepersD and 6irmala &hishu havan Cthe children-s homeD.For voluntary work with the $ission , in .ndia, you may contact the /ondon branch of the $issionaries of "harity, <) ,illiers Road, &outhall , $iddlese8 , AK, or write in to the E$other HouseE,

7<', /ower "ircular Road , "alcutta *>> >)<. The Green elt :n3oying a different Kolkata at the F

$aidan F Three km in length and over one km in width, the rambling green is the Blung of "alcutta-. !otted with colourful maidan clubs, the area is a hub of diverse activities. :den Gardens F :den Gardens &tadium at night 6amed after /ord 'uckland-s sister, this pictures9ue garden has a tiny urmese pagoda set in a small lake. .t also houses "alcutta-s "ricket &tadium. =utram Ghat, Ganges riverfront F ' pleasant walk . ,iew the ma3esty of the busiest bridge in the world, the Howrah ridge and the ,idyasagar &etu @ an awesome structural feat . =r en3oy a cruise on the river in a panshi. Goological Garden F "overs )H hectares of land and built in )5*H. The lakes within are a favourite retreat for migratory &iberian birds. Horticultural Garden F The lush environ is also the venue for e8otic plant and flower e8hibitions. Rabindra &arovar F ' park and picnic spot with a central lake and overhanging trees. The rowing regatta events are held here. TH: &#.R.TA'/ &=%=AR6 irla Temple .n the heart of the city and beautifully maintained. Temple Timings are 7F+>'$ I ))'$ and <F+>#$ I 1#$. Kalighat F 'ccording to the legend, when /ord &hiva-s wife #arvati-s body was cut up, one of her fingers fell here. Rebuilt in )5>1, this is an important shrine of Hindu &hakti worship. The temple is in the southern part of the city. !akshineswar Kali Temple and !akshineswar Temple uilt in )5<*, on the banks of the Hooghly, north of "alcutta, the temple is associated with &hri Ramakrishna , the eclectic )1th century saint who revived Hinduism during the ritish Ra3. 'cross the river stands elur $ath, head9uarters of Ramakrishna $ission. The monastery is a haven of peace and religious harmony. Ramakrishna $ission .nstitute of "ulture F "ommemorates the birth elur $ath F

centenary of &hri Ramakrishna #aramahansa. Religious discourses and cultural e8changes are held here among international scholars. The institute is located at Golpark. The library here is a ma3or attraction. 6akhoda $os9ue F $odelled on 'kbar-s tomb in &ikandra, the red sandstone mos9ue has two minarets <H mts high, a brightly painted onion shaped dome and can accommodate )>,>>> people. uilt in )12H and located on "hitpur Road. &t %ohn-s "hurch F uilt in )*5* with Grecian columns. The burial ground has the mausoleum of %ob "harnock, founder of "alcutta. =n the northIwest side of Ra3 havan. &t #aul-s "athedral F &t. #aulJs "athedral "onstructed between )5+1 and )5<* in Gothic style with stained glass windows and two Florentine frescoes, the cathedral is the largest in the city and ad3acent to the irla #lanetarium. &t #aul-s was consecrated in )5*<. 'rmenian "hurch F The oldest place of "hristian worship in "alcutta. The church of Holy 6a0areth was built in )*H<.'mong the other churches to visit are &t 'ndrew-s "hurch. The =ld $ission "hurch and the Greek =rthodo8 "hurch. %ewish &ynagogues F The $aghen !avid &ynagogue on %ewish &ynagogue &treet and the :TH:/ on #ollock &treet are very old worship houses and a reminder to the cosmopolitan nature of the city. #arsi Fire Temples F They cater to the religious needs of the prominent #arsi community of "alcutta. /ocated on $etcalfe &treet and eliaghata. %apanese uddhist Temple F /ocated on the eastern bank of Rabindra &arovar.

#areshnath %ain Temple F The temple is an ornate mass of mirrors, coloured stones and glass mosaic, and overlooks a beautiful garden. .t is in &hyamba0ar. ,ictoria $emorial, K L1)I++I222+)51>M222+)51), N7O. Garden >7F+>I )1F>> hoursP $useum timing )>F>>I)*F>>. uild in )12) it is considered as the symbol of Kolkata.The magnificent building build with white marble is surrounded by beautiful garden. The building houses a museum containing memorabilia relating to 4ueen ,ictoria and ritish ra3. .n morning garden the garden is a paradise for morning walkers. The garden is also a favorite visit for young Kolkata couples. &onIetI/umiere Csound and lightD shows on the history of the city are held after sunset, under the sky in the lawns facing the

&t #aulJs "athedral, every day Cunless there is a strong possibility of rainD e8cept during the monsoon Cfrom %une to &eptemberD and separately in engali, and in :nglish Ce8cept on $ondays, and on national holidaysD. Fee for sound and light shows are Rs )> and Rs 2>. :ntry fee for garden Rs )>I for .ndianP for museum Rs )>MI for .ndian and Rs )7>MI for foreigner . "amera free.. edit !o Take a walk along the river. There is a good promenade near :den Garden. Take a stroll down memory lane at #rincep ghat. Take a boat cruise in small boats under the starlit sky at =utram Ghat. Take an 'uto Rickshaw M Tuk Tuk ride from "handni "howk to /ohapool, the driver will take you through some back alleys and narrow roads of Kolkata, sit tight and keep faith on the driver. &everal modern cinemas are dotted around the city, including .6=Q NHO at the Forum &hopping $all and the "ity "entre in &alt /ake, 51 "inemas N*O at &wabhumi near &alt /ake "ity and Fame N5O at $etropolis $all in Highland #ark, R! 'dlabs N1O at R! oulevard, 6ear .nfinity uilding in &ector 7, &altlake, all showing .ndian and 'merican blockbusters. 6andan, )M) '%" ose Rd, Ceast of Rabindra &adan metro stationD L1) ++ 222+ )2)>. The symbol of art and culture in the city and the site of the Kolkata Film Festival every 6ovember. Football CsoccerD is a passion for many Kolkatans with the national clubs, $ohun agan 'thletic "lub N)>O and :ast engal "lub N))O being the best known teams. .ndian #remier /eague N)2O is the main club cricket league in .ndia. .t is one of the most widely attended sporting events in the world, and if you are in Kolkata during the season C'prilI$ayD, consider going to watch the home team CKolkata Knight RidersD play at :den Gardens. The Kolkata ook Fair N)+O takes place from the last week of %anuary to the first week of February. This is the largest book fair in 'sia and is a ma3or event in the city. !urga #u3a, a festival honoring the Hindu goddess !urga, takes place in =ctober. The biggest festival for Hindus in engal and :astern .ndia, Kolkata takes on an almost carnival like ambiance. &treets shut down for the construction of pandals, large stands that depict events from the Ramayana and crowds flock to the biggest and best ones. ' great time to visit Kolkata

Cunless you have a fear of crowds;D. /earn Aniversity of "alcutta, N)<O. :stablished in )57* it was the first modern university on the subIcontinent. engal :ngineering and &cience Aniversity, &hibpur, N)7O. :stablished in )57H. First institute to conduct degree e8aminations in engineering in 'siaC)5H<D. First institute to introduce postIgraduateC)17<D and also doctoralC)1H2D programmes in engineering in .ndia. %adavpur Aniversity, N)HO. :stablished in )177, %adavpur Aniversity is one of the most prominent research institutes in the country. .t has campus in two locations, one is in %adavpur and the other is in &altlake. .t offers various underIgraduate and postIgraduate programmes in the fields of &cience, 'rts, and :ngineering and Technology. .ndian .nstitute of $anagement "alcutta, N)*ON)5O. :stablished in )1H) it is a fully autonomous institution and offers several #ost Graduate !iploma and Fellowship programmes in $anagement. .ndian &tatistical .nstitute, N)1O. :stablished in )1+), this public university of .ndia is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions focused on statistics with activities such as research and training on statistics, development of theoretical statistics and its applications in various natural and social sciences. #residency Aniversity, :stablished in )5)* as Hindu "ollege, deemed university in 2>)>. #layed a pivotal role in education and progress in .ndia. 'martya &en and Rabindranath Tagore, both nobel laureates, studied here. !uring the 6a8al movement, the college was the students wing for revolution. This institution has been instrumental in providing the highest academic standards and e8cellence. 'part from the above, many colleges of e8cellence has emerged in the outskirts of the city. (ork ,olunteering is a real option here with several opportunities. $other TeresaJs $ission accepts volunteers to help in its multiple pro3ects around town. :n9uire at the motherhouse. Human (ave, )>+, Tentultala /ane,$ankundu, Hooghly, K L1) 2H 57<1>< Ctapas.surRgmail.comD. 6G= that helps children, women and communities in cities around Kolkata. ,isit their website NO for more info on their 2 weeks to

)2 months volunteering opportunities. edit rother QavierJs 6ew Hope. Home for orphans of KolkataJs red light district. ' much smaller mission than $other TeresaJs which one man built from the ground up. rother Qavier and the children always need volunteers and funds.