India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [583]
WHAT TO SEE & DO
You need at least 2 full days to cover Kolkata. Spend the first day exploring central and south Kolkata, and the second visiting sites in the north, for which you should hire a car and driver.
Day 1 (Central & South Kolkata)
Start by catching a taxi south to the city’s most famous temple, Kalighat Kali . After this, visit Mother Teresa’s Nirmal Hriday home for the destitute and dying, right next door (see “The Miracle of Mother Teresa & the ‘Pure Hearts’”). Or, if you’re a bookworm, check out the National Library in the 300-year-old former summer residence of Prince Azim-us-Shan, the grandson of Emperor Aurangzeb. The library has a catalog of over 2 million books. Our recommendation is to enjoy the relaxing, tranquil atmosphere of South Park Street Cemetery before you head into the chaos of central Kolkata. If you’re hungry, nearby Suruchi (89 Elliot Rd., near Mallik Bazaar; 033/2229-1763; no credit cards; open Mon–Sat 10am–5:45pm, Sun 10am–2:45pm) is an authentic Bengali restaurant, with a no-frills, homegrown atmosphere.
You can save time by using a vehicle to move on to central Kolkata, or enjoy the walk along Park Street to Chowringhee Road, taking in the upmarket shops and boutiques and perhaps stopping at Flury’s ( 033/2229-7664; credit cards accepted; daily 7:30am–10pm) for tea and a sandwich. Now officially known as “Jawaharlal Nehru Road,” Chowringhee is Kolkata’s main drag, with less human excrement along its sidewalks than almost anywhere else in the city. It is lined with colonial Victoriana—including the monumental Indian Museum (see below) and that pinnacle of Calcutta’s society life, The Oberoi Grand. Continue north along Chowringhee into the heart of the city, where you can explore the roads around B.B.D. Bagh (see below).
When you’ve had your fill of life on the sidewalks, make your way south again, along Government Place East. You’ll soon find yourself in the green expanse that is the Maidan—one of the largest city-center parks in the world—where the Ochterlony Monument, or Shahid Minar (Martyr’s Tower), is worth noting. Walking west through the Maidan will bring you to Eden Gardens, India’s most famous cricket stadium, while much farther south is the imperious Victoria Memorial (see below). Buy a ticket and venture in if you are keen to broaden your knowledge of the city’s history. But don’t feel guilty if you just want to lie on the lawn and watch Bengalis socializing. Otherwise, brave the traffic and catch a cab to Howrah to explore the 18th-century Indian Botanical Gardens (Shibpur; 033/2668-0554; Rs 50; closes 1 hr. before sunset), said to house the largest banyan tree on earth. Scientists, when they are available (usually after 11:30am), will act as guides at no charge.
Top Attractions
B.B.D. Bagh For those interested in colonial architecture, this part of central Kolkata makes for very worthwhile exploration on foot. Once called Dalhousie Square, B.B.D. refers to the names of three Indian freedom fighters (Benoy, Badal, and Dinesh) who shot a British police inspector-general in 1930. At the center of the square (bagh) is Lal Dighi Tank, where locals wade and bathe in the dodgy-looking, spring-fed water. Most impressive of the surrounding monuments is the Writers’ Building, the office of the West Bengal government, which stretches along B.B.D. Bagh North Road; it was built to house the British bachelors imported to serve the East India Company. Across the road is the early-19th-century St. Andrew’s Kirk, recognizable by its tall white steeple. At the other end of B.B.D. Bagh North is the General Post Office, with a monumental rotunda; it’s thought to be the site of the notorious Black Hole of Calcutta incident (). Southwest of the tank is the St. Martin-in-the-Fields–inspired St. John’s Church ( 033/2243-6098; Rs 10; daily 9am–6pm) and, within the grounds, the tomb of Calcutta’s founding father, Job Charnock.