Kolkata

She’s old and decrepit, lively and sensuous, happening and lazy – in short a paradox waiting to be explored.

Noted actress Konkona Sen introduces you to Kolkata, the city by the Hoogly. It’s the city that sings, dances and acts its way of life. Just how much of her do you know, and how much have you left unexplored?

This city throbs with a vibrant life force that is the epitome of culture and creativity. Love it or hate it, you can never ignore its enticing allure.

Amar Kolkata

The first sight of densely populated, dirty and crumbling, Kolkata can be a putt off – but, hey, don’t let your impressions of the city mislead you. It’s true that the city has its problems, but it’s also true that no other city in India can match the spirit and magic of Kolkata. Be it in the misty environs of the Maidan, shimmering ethereal beauty of Hoogly, the majestic grandeur of the Victoria Memorial and Writer’s Building or the animated conversations at street corners, her fabulous eateries and of course, film and theatre hubs and not to mention, the venerable institution of Sisters of Charity.

A relatively young city, built 300 years ago by the British, Kolkata stretches on the north-south bank of the Hoogly with its twin city, Howrah gracing the other side of the bank. Connecting the two is the famed 450-metre Howrah suspension bridge and its new sibling, the Golden Gate look-alike (built in 1994), the Vidyasagar or Notun (new) Bridge.

Most of the city’s sights are concentrated to the south of the Howarah bride in the area known as BBD Bagh (former Dalhousie Sqaure), the Chowranghee Street (now known as Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, though everyone refers to it by its old name), the Sudder Street and the Park Street. And this is where you should be, if you want to be in the thick of things. For those interested in Kolkata’s famed temples, the absolute must on the itinerary is the temple of the fearsome Kali Goddess known as Kalighat, and the Belur Math, seat of the Ramakrishna Mission.
For best introduction to the city, join a leisurely walking tour or explore the city with the tram heritage tour.

Links to info:

Walking tour

Of all the options the Footpath Heritage Tours organised by Centre for Action Research in Conservation of Heritage (ARCH) are the most informative. Footpath offers two distinct walks – a two-hour heritage tour of Dalhousie Square and another two-hour heritage tour of the meandering lanes and by lanes of traditional neighbourhoods of North Kolkata. Both tours are conducted on Sundays, only.

To book call Manish Chakraborty at 033 – 23375757 or email at archeritage@yahoo.co.uk. For more information check the ARCH website: http://www.centrearch.org

Heritage Tram Ride
Organised by Calcutta Tramways Ltd, heritage tram tours are currently organised by reservation only. If you wish to book the train contact:

Chief Operating Manager (CTC)
Tel: 33 – 22480009.
A whole day’s train booking costs Rs 18,000
Shift tours (6 am – 1 pm and 2 p.m – 10 p.m.) Rs 9,000 per shift

Storm over a tea cup

Like the rest of India, Kolkatta has an old affection for coffee particularly when one talks of the hallowed institution such as the United Coffee House in the heart of Kolkata, the favourite adda (meeting hub) of many well-known politicians, writers, film makers and of course, student debaters.

Today of course, as in the rest of India, the cityscape of Kolkata is undergoing a metamorphosis with introduction of multi-outlet multinational coffee chains such as Barista, Costa and Café Cofee Day. Nonetheless, Kolkata’s long association with tea means that tea drinking can never go out of fashion. To taste the crispness of the rejuvenating brew try the Cha Bar at the Oxford Bookshop that offers organic blend of exceptionally fine Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri tea leaves and Dolly’s Tea Boutique, on Gariahat Road, whose lemon masala tea is simply delicious.

For those who’d like a gourmet’s lesson in tea drinking call upon J Thompson and Son, one of Kolkata’s most famous tea auctioneers. The company organises a guided tour of tea brewing and tasting for select people.

Links to info:

Oxford Book Store and Cha Bar
17, Park Street
Kolkata 700 016
Tel: 033 – 22297662

Dolly’s Tea Boutique
Dakshinapan,
Gariahat Road,
Kolkata

Kathi-roll bites

A visit to Kolkata would be incomplete without tasting the gastronomic delights of street food and fine dining. Gourmet hubs like Chowringhee Street and Park Street offer a staggering array of finger-licking eating options from Mughalai, Tibetan, Chinese, Thai, Continental, Goan, South Indian and Anglo-Indian cooking to traditional Bengali thalis. All you have to do is eat, and burp appreciatively.

While world cuisine is well represented in this food-loving city, it’s the Bengali specialties, including dishes that are no longer served in Bengali households that are an absolute must on any visitor’s itinerary. If unpretentious Suruchi (run by All Bengal Women’s Union) is known for its heavenly Bhapa Ilish (fish steamed and flavoured with mustard), the teetotaler Aheli at Peerless Inn wins hands down for a seven course Bengali meal. Top it with a visit to KC Das for a bite of rasogullas, sandesh or raj bhog and we can assure you, that you’ll return for more the next day.

An average Bengali living in Kolkata will also tell you that your trip is not done, till you have had Chinese breakfast from old Chinese quarter in Tiretta Bazar near Central Station (before 7 a.m.!) keema paratha (minced meat stuffed in Indian bread) from Krishnarpan (Park Circus), kathi beef rolls from Nizams, pork momos from Elgin Road, after dinner pan (betel leaf) from Minto Park, fresh bread from Flury’s, prawn cutlets from Allen’s Kitchen, biryanis and fish fry from Bijoli Grill and egg rolls from about anywhere in Chowringhee and Park Street.

Links to info:

Nizams,
22-25 (Hogg) New Market,
1, Corporation Road
Kolkata - 700087

Suruchi
89, Elliot Road,
Kolkata - 700016
Tel: 033 – 22291763 / 22493292
(Saturday, Sunday evenings closed)

Aheli
Peerless Inn
12, Jawahar Lal Nehru Road (Chowringhee Street)
Kolkata-700013
Tel: 033 - 22280301-7/ 22430222

Bijoli Grill
38 S. P. Mukherjee Road
(Near Hazra Junction)
Tel: 033 – 24552922

KC Das
11, Esplanade East,
(Lenin Sarani)
Kolkatta – 700069
Tel: 033 - 22485920

Flurys
18, Park Street,
Kolkata - 700071
Tel: 033 - 22297664

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Art, dance and drama

Famous for its culture – Kolkata has always something happening in the city. Be it music, theatre, film, poetry, art or dance. The land of Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray, is today known as much for the work of filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh and actor/director Aparna Sen as for Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s avant garde fashion statements.

Among the various festivals worth attending is the three day 50 year-old Dover Lane Music Festival held at Nazrul Manch at South Avenue (January-end)) that attracts music maestros and new talent from across the country; the 12-day Kolkata Boi (Book) Mela held on the vast Maidan grounds towards the end of January; The week-long Calcutta Film Festival held every year between 10-17th November; and, the annual National Theatre Festival organised by Nandikar Theatre group between 16-25 December. But probably the most unique festival is the Jatra Festival (or the festival of folk theatre) held December-January at the Rabindra Kanan in Chitpur.

Kolkata is also the only city in the country to have dedicated art-house cinema, the Nandan Theatre, situated behind the art hub, Rabindra Sadan. The cinema comes equipped with a library, archives and three auditoria.

Among the art galleries worth a is the Academy of Fine Arts on Cathedral road, whose collection of paintings include works of Rabindranath Tagore and Jamini Roy; the Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA) whose prestigious Ballygunj gallery displays works of contemporary artists from across the world; and, the Birla Academy of Fine Arts that showcases a mix of established and young painters, sculptors and multi-media practitioners.

Links to info:

Nandan Theatre
(Behind Rabindra Sadan)
AJC Bose Road,
Tel: 033 – 2231310

Academy of Fine Arts
2 Cathedral Rd.,
Kolkata,
Tel: 033 - 2242-1205

Birla Academy of Fine Arts
108-109 South Avenue,
Kolkata,
Tel: 033 - 24662843

Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA)
2nd Floor, Sunny Towers,
43 Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue,
Kolkata

Shop till you drop

Kolkata’s bhadralok is not only fond of fine arts and fine dinning, but also the fine art of shopping. The city offers amazing variety of markets to choose from. There are flower markets and spice markets, vegetable markets and fruit markets, jewellery markets and tin markets, shoe markets and apparel markets. Almost everything can be found in one pocket of the town or the other. The Kolkata favourite is the New Market (more commonly called by its old name Hogg Market) on Lindsay Street, where one can find everything from a sari to great meat cuts, Chinese sausages, fortune cookies and Tibetan momos.

While terracotta craft of Kolkata is justifiably unique, the city’s three most popular buys are musical instruments, Chinese shoes and old vinyl records. With a long tradition of making sitars, tables and harmoniums, Kolkata has been the favourite shopping ground for musicians around the world. Some of the well-known shops you could visit are Hiren Roy & Sons (whose clients include Late Vilayat Khan and Pt Ravi Shankar); Manoj Kumar Sardar & Bros who besides sitar and sarod also sell self-made guitars; and, Mridangam, the best-known tabla maker in town. Other good music shops can be found on Chitpur Road, just past the Lal Bazar crossing where one can buy instruments by piece, as well, as wholesale. If it old vinyl records is what you are looking for or a turn table to play them on, the Free School Street (now called Mirza Ghalib) is where you should be headed. And if you plan to walk around a fair deal start your shopping experience with a trip to Bentick Street-Esplanade Crossing where you’ll find a few old Chinese shops selling comfortable, classy Chinese shoes and slippers.

Links to info:

Hiren Roy & Son
Rashbehari Avenue,
Gariahat

Mridangam
114/10A Hazra Road,
near Kali temple
Kalighat

Manoj Kumar Sardar & Bros,
8A Lalbazaar St,
opp Lalbazaar Police Station

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