Kolkata travel guide by Anand

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Kolkata travel guide
by Anand

Kolkata is also called the City of Joy! Capital of the state of West Bengal, Kolkata lies on the eastern bank of River Hooghly. Once the capital of India, it served as a center of education, politics and culture. ‘Gateway to Eastern India’, ‘Cultural Capital of India’, ‘City of Processions’- Kolkata has earned a lot of sobriquets. Kolkata, with its colorful festivals and lively processions, has a unique culture of its own, yet it retains its Victorian character in the form of brilliant architecture.

The most striking structure in Kolkata is the Victoria Memorial. Constructed in memory of Queen Victoria, the building is a blend of Western and Mughal architecture. The museum inside the building holds a large collection of rare items of the Raj era. The Indian Museum, an 18th century museum, is one of the finest and oldest museums in Kolkata. The Dalhousie Square, with a lake in the center, is another major tourist attraction in Kolkata while the Writer’s Building within it, is an impressive Gothic-style architecture. Fort William is another imposing structure of Kolkata. It was built by the British in brick and mortar and is in the shape of an octagon. Its museum contains a huge collection of arms and ammunition. The Howrah Bridge is the landmark of Kolkata and is counted amongst the longest bridges of its type in the world.

Other attractions in Kolkata include the Birla Planetarium which is one of the largest in the continent. Regular astronomical shows held here are always crowd pullers. The Nakhoda Mosque, inspired by Akbar’s tomb in Sikandara, is a majestic onion shaped building made in red sandstone.

Kolkata abounds in flora and fauna too. The Botanical Garden is one such attraction, famous for one of the world’s biggest banyan tree which is 250-years old. The Sunderbans, which is the world’s biggest estuarine forest, is home to Royal Bengal Tigers.

Kolkata is extremely famous for the Durga Puja celebrations that take place in September/October. Watch the beautiful idols that are created of Goddess Durga and take part in the revelries when prayers are offered to her and blessings sought.

A good number of Malls have also come up in Kolkata. The Forum Shopping Mall and the Metro Plaza are the hottest favorites among the youth. The City Center is the largest shopping mall in Kolkata and Treasure Island offers a range of entertainment and shopping options. Apart from these new Malls, Kolkata offers reasonable roadside shopping too. The New Market is a famous bargain market, where you can get almost anything you look for.

Finding a hotels in Kolkata is not tough at all. There are a large number of hotels available across all budgets in Kolkata that are fitted with a host of facilities and amenities. Most of the hotels in Kolkata are in proximity to main business centers or to major tourist attractions. However, even though there are a large number of hotels in Kolkata, you must try and book in advance.

Author's Biography:

Anand is associate author of many articles related to hotel and travel. For more information on Kolkata Hotel and other hotels visit: http://www.travelguru.com/cities/kolkata.shtml

Posted on: June 24,2008

Email: ananddgm@gmail.com
Website: http://www.travelguru.com