Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is a city that means many things to many people. For some, it is the city of joy, while for others it is dirty, crowded, and noisy. Once the greatest colonial city in the Orient, Kolkata was later reviled as a cauldron of poverty, dirt, and disease. Today, it ranks among the four major metropolis of India along with Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. A mere village in the 17th century, Kolkata is not an ancient city like Delhi. Like Mumbai and Chennai, it originated largely due to the expansionist ambitions of the European powers, especially the British Raj. Little wonder, Kolkata has some of the finest Raj edifices built in a variety of styles.

Kolkata was the first capital of the British in India. The city was established in 1686 when the British moved to the small villages of Sutanati, Govindpur, and Kalikata from their trading port of Hooghly. It progressed well until 1756 when Siraj-Ud-Daula (Nawab of Bengal) attacked the town and drove away the British. Lord Clive retook Kolkata and until 1911, it remained the capital of the British government in India. Being the centre of power for so long created a unique culture and heritage, totally unlike any other city in India.

Kolkata is the proud intellectual capital of the country. The city has made outstanding contribution to the country in the field of arts, sciences, medicine, social reform and literature. The city retains some of the most striking colonial buildings of the country. It used to be the capital of the British East India Company and the evidence of the British colonization persists there in the city. The Victoria Memorial is a grand edifice constructed in the memory of Queen Victoria. This building houses a number of rare specimens of the historical preserves of the land. Howrah Bridge is another landmark that denotes the city of joy. This hanging bridge is an architectural marvel of the country. The second largest planetarium in Asia, the Birla Planetarium is another site that attracts attention of all regardless of their age. The recently built Vidyasagar Setu, another architectural marvel, connects both the banks of the Hooghly River. The Metro Railway, Indian Museum, Dalhousie Square, St. Paul/’s Cathedral, National Library, Shaheed Minar, Eden Garden, Fort William, Rat Park and Marble Palace are some of the other sites of the city that are worth visiting.

Beyond Kolkata/’s immediate claustrophobia a few suburban towns of yore still exist, a little senile and lost in a myriad memories, chasing the past down the chiaroscuro of history, and then, breathless, watching the eternal dance of life reflected at dusk on the waters of the Hooghly. Their lanes and bylanes, now crowded with cycle-rickshaws and men and meanness, once witnessed the best of times and the worst of times. And they passed through the age of foolishness and the age of wisdom.

Today, in spite of the crowds, you/’ll hear little-known stories about the glorious Fort Gustavus in Chinsura or the miracle of Nossa Senhora di Rozario in Bandel. Head for these sleepy towns and villages in the outskirts of Kolkata, and you are sure to have a wonderful time amidst nature, far away from the din and bustle of the city. Also take some time off to visit Tagore/’s university township of Shanti Niketan and the temples at Belur and Dakshineshwar.