Tourist Attractions in Kolkata

Kolkata: City of Football Fever and Fish Curry

Kolkata is city that runs at its own pace. It is like a holiday if there is any football match or cricket going on in the city. Cobbled streets, ancient houses with windows, double the size of the door and a variety of fish being sold in the market - it is not a very difficult task to guess the name of the city with such a description. After all, Kolkata Tourism does not need any elaborate introduction. Tourists from different countries of the world visit Kolkata to explore the beauty of its nostalgic past, a kind of familiarity that only this city endows. Kolkata or Calcutta was established in 1690 as the trading post for East India Company by Job Charnock. Today it is the capital of West Bengal and one of the most sought after destinations in India.

There are several tourist attractions in Kolkata. ‘Maidans’ or the vast expanses of lawns, which act as the green lungs of the city, bestow a salubrious touch to Kolkata Travel. Towering over the northern end is the Shahid Minar, a 48m column erected in 1828. There are several historical monuments constructed around these Maidans. Fort Williams, St. John's Church, the Royal Kolkata Turf Club and the famous Eden Garden where many historical matches have been contested are popular destinations in Kolkata. At the southern extreme is the whitewashed imposing edifice of Victoria Memorial. It was built by the Britishers in 1921, modelled on the Taj Mahal. This majestic building houses a number of statues of eminent people including Queen Victoria. In fact, constructing this memorial was Lord Curzon's idea. To the east of the memorial is the St. Paul's Cathedral. Some other places to explore in the colonial reminiscing city are Botanical Garden, Howrah Bridge, Ramkrishna Mishan, Kali Temple, Belur Math and Science City. Tired after the whole day’s exploration, one can just take a ferry ride in Hooghly river, with the boatman quietly rowing the boat, humming a tune that will soothe one's soul.