Kolkata

Introduction

Esplanade

© wouterrr

The former capital of British India, the port of Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) today forms the commercial and industrial hub of eastern India located on the eastern banks of the Hooghly River (about 150 kilometres upstream from the Bay of Bengal), which is a tributary of the Ganges. It is one of the four mega cities in India. Most travellers tend to visit the areas in Kolkata that are south of the Howrah Bridge, around BBD Bagh and Chowringhee.

During the British Raj Kolkata was known as the Jewel of the East and was the capital of the country till 1911. It still bears the Victorian imprint on its streets and structures. Today, it is still the most important city in the east, the nerve center of trade and industry of the State.

To the first time visitor, Kolkata is indeed overwhelming with its 15 million inhabitants (or maybe more). It presents a unique blend of 19th century Europe and the throbbing vitality of a metropolis of teeming millions. Densely populated and polluted, Being an old city you can expect to see a people from all parts of India. It's also one of the country's more fascinating centres producing some of India's finest literature, theatre, films, art and culture. It is also known as the "City of Joy".

Neighbourhoods

• Esplanade
• South Kolkata
• North Kolkata
• Ballygunge
• Tollygunge
• Shyambazar
• Park Circus
• Lake Gardens
• Bhawanipur
• Maidan
• East Kolkata
• Dum Dum
• Howrah

Sights and Activities

If you have never been to a large foreign city, be prepared for an onslaught to your senses. It is easy to be stunned into shock when you first arrive in the city. Pay attention to what is under the surface of everything. If you look through the dirty exteriors of buildings, there is beautiful architecture. If you see the beggars when they are not "actively working" you will often see genuine smiles and a certain playfulness. New Market is an eye opening experience for anyone only familiar with western life, especially the meat section (don't breath too deeply there, and never through your nose). If you give Kolkata a chance, it will steal a piece of your heart that will always remain there.

Mother Teresas Home for the Destitute and Dying

Mother Teresas Home for the Destitute and Dying also allows tourists. Do not take a camera. This is a strange experience and should not be done on whim, or without serious contemplation about whether or not you would like to see people in the final period of their lives. You may also want to consider what right you have to go there for no other reason than the craving like curiosity many travelers try to appease. The home is manned by nuns who are very serious. It will never be what you expect. You will see death in the faces, eyes and often un-clothed bodies of the residents. Donations are a must, and should not be token amounts. The residents here are here because they have nowhere else to die, they do not pay to be here. They will also accept some volunteers. The criteria is uncertain, as some who volunteer are turned away, while others are propositioned. Do not go here lightly.

Street Life

Just walking down the street can be somewhat overwhelming. From the smells of spices, unwased bodies, flowers in the rain to urine and everyhting in between. You will see the very young to the very old asking for money because they are hungry. You may see a body being transported in a glass box filled with flowers on the back of a flat-bed truck. Or the various paan sellers who will mix a variety of spices (and some mystery ingredients) into a folded leaf to be placed inside your lip like chew (do not swallow the contents, depending on the mixture it could cause quite a revolt in your stomach). There are also smoldering ropes you may come accross that are there so passers-by can light their cigarettes (or biddy, an indian cigarette that is very cheap 3 rupees for 40).

Other Sights and Activities

The Kalighat temple is somewhere that is quite accessable to tourists, but it can be mobbed by worshippers and hawkers, so prepare to be amazed and repulsed and generally overwhelmed by the experience! You can take a taxi or auto-rickshaw and then you have to walk the main street to get the rest of the way and this is where the vendors will be hawking all manner of devotional kali images. Kali (the dark goddess of destruction)resembles a mad 3-eyed black-faced demon-woman with a red or gold extended tongue. It can feel a little sinister when you can suddenly smell blood and a tethered goat is bleating and waiting to be sacrificed. A 'butcher' then sits cross-legged as he chops up the recently sacrificed beast. The meat will then be cooked and distributed to the devotees. It all feels a little macabre and almost medievel, but quite fascinating all the same.

Events and Festivals

• Holi is quite popular in the Indian sub-continent and is traditionally celebrated on the day after the full moon in the month of Phalguna (early March), according to Hindu callendar. Holi is a thanksgiving festival, where people offer prayer to God for good harvest and fertility of the land. However it has a legend attached to it according to which an arrogant king resents his son Prahlada from worshipping Lord Vishnu. He attempts to kill his son but fails each time, finally he asks his sister Holika, who is said to be immune to burning, sits with Prahlada in fire. However Prahlada emerges alive and Holika is burnt to death. Holi commemorates this event from the Hindu mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation. This festival is also associated with the immortal love story of Krishna and Radha, and hence celebrations are spread over a period of 2 weeks in Vrindavan and Mathura - the two cities associated with Krishna. Holi is a festival of freedom from social norms and caste inhibitions are shed for a day as people indulge in fun and merry-making. Colors and 'gulal' are showered on the people dressed up for the occasion and the whole community seems to merge into one big family under the guise of colors, without any distinction whatsoever. Children with face smeared with colors run around with 'pichkaris' (big syringes to splash colored water) and play amongst themselves. People exchange good wishes, sweets and gifts. Holi is also marked by vibrant processions which are accompanied by folk songs, dances and drum beating. Parties are also organized where snacks and the traditional milk-based drink “Thandai” is served which is often intoxicated with “Bhang”. Of late, lots of foreigners have started taking interest in this festival and they even enjoy the colors and the intoxicating drink. It is advised to cover your hair with a cap and eyes with sunglasses to avoid the colors splashing the eyes and damaging the hair.
• Republic Day - Republic Day is a national holiday in India every January 26 to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution in 1950 and the declaration of independence in 1930. The capital of New Delhi is the focus of the celebrations, including a flag raising ceremony, wreath laying, 21-gun salute, Presidential speech, and presentation of awards for selflessness and bravery. A massive military parade includes elephants ridden by children who have received national accolades.
• Gandhi Jayanti - Gandhi Jayanti is a national public holiday commemorating the birth of the peaceful activist, Mohandas Gandhi on October 2, 1869. The celebration coincides with the United Nations’ International Day of Non-Violence. In India, Gandhi is remembered through statues, flower and candle offerings, prayers and singing the devotional hymn Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram. The Indian government issues special mint rupees and postage stamps bearing his picture.
• Ganesh Chaturthi - The ten-day September festival of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birthday of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh with culture, concerts and feasts. The biggest events take place in Maharashtra where people worship an idol for ten days before taking it to the river or sea and drowning it.
• Navarathri, Dussehra Festival - This theatrical Hindu festival takes place over ten days in October. The first nine feature dancing to honor the Mother Goddess. The tenth day commemorates Lord Rama’s defeat of demon king Ravana and goddess Durga’s triumph over Mahishasura, the buffalo demon. The event is called Durga Puja in east India where the faithful create huge statues to immerse in the Ganges River.
• Diwali - Diwali is the five-day festival of lights held in India in late October or early November each year. The widely celebrated Hindu event marks Lord Rama’s victory over the demon Ravan. Homes and streets are decorated with lights, candles and small clay lamps, and new clothes are worn and sweets are exchanged.

Weather

Kolkata has a tropical climate with an annual average temperature of 26.8 °C. The monthly variations are generally between 19 °C and 30 °C, although in the winter temperatures can dip to 10 °C and summer often sees temperatures above 40 °C. Summers are hot and humid in Kolkata with the warmest months being May and June, whilst winter is a short two to three months (around December and January). Winters are generally considered the best time to visit, weatherwise.

Getting There

By Plane

Located at Dum Dum, approximately 17 kilometres north-east of the city centre, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) is quite small for a city this size. The international terminal is clean, though basic and it hasn't been refurbished since 1950. The domestic terminal is more modern and much busier than the international terminal and has been expanding rapidly in recent years with the explosion in domestic traffic and new airlines.

Several international carriers, including Singapore Airlines and Indian Airlines, fly on Kolkata and connect it with cities like Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Frankfurt, Dhaka, Singapore, Kunming, Dubai, Chittagong, Kathmandu, Yangon, Paro (Bhutan) and Frankfurt.
Domestic carriers like Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines connect Kolkata with other major cities of India, including Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi, amongst others.

From the airport to get to the city the best bet is a Pre-paid Taxi. If taking a taxi there do mention which terminal you want. There are money changing facility at the airport and if you already do not have any you should get some changed.
The preferred option to get to the city from the airport is to take a prepaid taxi, which should cost around Rs. 150-250 depending on your destination. Alternatively, you can take the rail link to Dum Dum and board the metro from there.

By Train

Kolkata is well linked to other parts of the country by rail and also serves as the gateway to North Eastern India. Kolkata has one major railway station which is located at Sealdah, with a newer station 'Kolkata' opening in 2005 but still not accommodating many trains. Another major railway station is located in Howrah on the bank of River Hooghly, which technically lies in the next city, but is often considered part of Kolkata. Among others, express trains like the Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express link Kolkata to Delhi and other nearby places. Shalimar terminal station in Howrah is acoomodates many express trains.

There are computerised Railway Reservation Offices at several places in the city, though the one near Strand Road on Fairly Place is the most popular.

According to plans, trains are running again since late 2007 between Calcutta and the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, for the first time in over 40 years. Although there were connections from Calcutta to the border and across the border further to Khulna, there weren't any connections to Dhaka at all from the west. This direct option takes about 12 hours including border formalities.

By Car

Travelling by car is not generally recommended unless for shorter journeys. The Grand Trunk Road which was built in the 16th century by the Mughals leads into Howrah all the way from Pakistan and adventurous travellers journey into or out of Kolkata on this road. In recent years development of express ways has improved the quality of car travel. Cars can be hired with a driver relatively cheaply in this city.

By Bus

Esplanade Bus Station in the Chowringhee area is the city's main station for inter-state and inter-city buses, with bus services serving many places in West Bengal. Dhaka in Bangladesh has regular connections as well (13 hours). Companies offering these trips include Shohagh, Green Line, Shyamoli and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation.

By Boat

With its location on the Hooghly River, it is possible to enter Kolkata by boat, especially from nearby towns and cities.
Ferries also connect Kolkata with Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Getting Around

By Boat

Along the river bank there are several points (normally called ghats or jetties) where you can board regular ferry services. Travelling by river through the city allows you to get a view of the sometimes decadent river front and is a nice, hassle-free way to visit attractions near the river bank.

There are regular ferries (boats that simply ply across) from Babughat to Howrah which are pretty economic. Booking a boat personally for a ride is a bit costly. There are options to book a boat for a luxury river cruise along the Hooghly River. Short cruises are from Babughat, Floatel or Fairly Place jetties and takes you up to the famous Dakshineswar Temple and the Belur Monastery. Day long cruises are available from the same places and these touch all the important colonial towns along the riverbank. These towns are Bandel (Portuguese), Chinsura or Chu(n)chura (Dutch), Sreerampore (Danish), Chandan Nagar (French). Get in touch with the West Bengal Tourism office in BBD Bagh (Dalhousie Square) for details.

By Car

The percentage of street area is very low in Kolkata and therefore taking a car will ensure that you get stuck in traffic jams, and then find no parking place. Self-driven cars are usually not available on hire. You have to hire a car with a chauffeur. If you are planning for a city tour do not hire a car. Instead use cabs. Cabs are called Taxis here and they are yellow in colour. If your travel plan includes visiting places in the outskirts of the city you can book a car from a travel agent. The standard Amby or Ambassador (4 seater) comes at INR 55 per hour or 6 per kilometre whichever is higher. The sleeker and faster Indica (hatchback) comes at INR 65 per hour or 7 per kilometre. Tata Sumo (MUV) is at INR 75 per hour or 10 per kilometre (all rates for 2011 first quarter). Try to get a car that hails from a garage near to the pickup point because you will be charged for the garage in and garage out kilometres/hours as well.

Do not drive yourself in Kolkata. The rules of the road are insane at best. The lanes painted on the road are not even taken as suggestions. Pay attention to how few vehicles have side-view mirrors. Most do not have any, and those that do, have them folded in. This is because cars drive too close together, and would constantly clip each other. Like american football, driving in Kolkata is a game of inches.

Besides the human complications and dangers of driving here, there are cows. You may find yourself stuck in a long traffic jam when the four lanes of traffic (on three painted lanes) bottleneck down to one lane to get around the two cows that wandered onto the road to lay down.

You may also notice that when someone is driving with a red flag out of one of there window, Indian drivers will try to get out of the way. This is because if the flag is hanging out of the passenger side window, someone in the vehicle is injured and they are being taken to a hospital. If the flag is shoved out the driver side window, the car has no brakes!

If the vehicle you are in is ever in an accident (especially if it has hit someone, someone outside the vehicle is injured, or you are at all unsure who caused the accident) get out of the vehicle, and leave the scene immediately. It is quite common for any driver who causes an accident to be immeditely beaten by a crowd of bystanders. Sometimes the other occupants (who may have been napping the whole time) will be pulled out and beaten as well. People have been killed by angry mobs at the scene of car accidents. It has been known for busses to be pushed onto their side by the mob if it has clipped and injured a pedestrian. This is a truly strange aspect of some large centres in India that is hard to understand. In all other ways you will find the indian people to be polite, quick to smile and genuinely want to be helpful. This mob mentality about punishing traffic incidents is the single biggest reason to never get behind the wheel in Kolkata.

By Public Transport

The most effective public transport here is the metro rail (subway or tube). It runs along the north-south direction without any branching. Multi ride tickets are available which are a bit cheaper than single ride ones.

Almost every metro rail station is also a terminus for the autorickshaws (three wheeled vehicles) as well. So, you can take a north-south run on a metro and then go east or west on an autorickshaw. Unlike other Indian cities, here in Kolkata autorickshaws can not be hired. You have to be a shared passenger, travelling with other three or four people and paying a fixed fare for a fixed distance.

Though less used than before, the Calcutta Tramways have connections in the city as well.

Buses are numerous in Kolkata. There are cheaper regular or private buses, luxury air-conditioned buses and a whole range between these extremes. Buses ply along fixed routes. A warning about the city buses in Kolkata is that they never seem to stop moving. The drivers are trying to beat the clock and so, in heavy traffic you must throw yourself off and on whlist the vehicle is still in motion. This can add to the stress of the journey as it feels quite dangerous when you are not used to it! The best options are deluxe buses from CSTC (Calcutta State Transport Corporation), CTC (Calcutta Tramways Company) and WBSTC (West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation).

By Foot

Travelling by foot is not advised in summer. In winter, autumn or spring you can walk along the main city centre or Esplanade. Esplanade is also called Dharamtalla. A very nice walk could begin in the early morning at Tiretta Bazaar where you can savour the famous Chinese Breakfast of home made buns, momos, dimsums et al and then you can visit the synagogues and churches along Brabourne Road. You can then go down to College Street (the book alley) for a walk amidst books. You can return via the Central AVenue to Esplanade and walk to the impressive Indian Museum. Then you can continue along the same street and visit the Birla Planetarium, the St. Pauls Cathedral, and the Victoria Memorial Hall.

By Bike

Better not!

Eat

Kolkata has old traditions about eating out. Wilson's Hotel (it later became Great Eastern Hotel) is credited to have been the first western-style hotel/restaurant in Kolkata, serving what was then forbidden food for Indians, particularly Hindus. One could be treated as an out-caste if caught eating there, but the idea caught on and others followed. Many of the restaurants that line the streets in the Esplanade area have been around for more than a hundred years.

The joy of food in Kolkata is in its Indian foods. Nizam's (at 23-24 Hogg Street), close to New Market, is credited with the invention of the famous Kati Kebab roll and still serves up the best of the best. For Mughlai dishes there are several places to eat in the Park Circus area, and there are others all over the city.

Bengali food is centred around fish. Macher jhol, fish in curry gravy, is a watery fish curry available everywhere and goes well with rice, but Bengalis everywhere swear by the hilsa fish (a variant of shad). Hilsa, lightly marinaded in mustard and steamed is up there with the best fish dishes in the world. There are a number of restaurants serving Bengali cuisine in all the districts.

Bengali sweets are famous all over India. Roshogolla (cheese balls dipped in a sugary syrup), Panthua, a fried variant of the same, Roshomalai, the same cheeseballs dipped in creamy sweetened milk, Mishti Doi (sweet yogurt), Shondhesh (another type of milk-based sweet, available in several variations).

Kolkata is also the home of Indian Chinese food. Chinese restaurants are everywhere so try the Indian variant of hot and sour soup and the famous Indian Chinese dish of chilli chicken. The best place to have Chinese is to visit China Town near Tangra: EM Bypass. It serves the best of the Chinese dishes and you will find plenty of large, small & medium restaurants. There are some restaurants serving Thai, Mediterranean or Italian food.

Kolkata also has many excellent vegetarian restaurants ranging from budget to expensive ones. There are two types: those serving North Indian and those serving South Indian food.

For those looking for vegetarian street foods, one can find ubiquitous Jhal Muri (somewhat similar to bhel puri of Mumbai) a concoction of puffed rice mixed with various spices, vegetables & other ingredients available at street vendors all over Kolkata.

Street vendors selling egg rolls/chicken rolls abound and their freshly prepared kati rolls are safe to eat. Mughali Paratha (earlier it was a paratha stuffed with minced meat, but now the minced meat has been replaced by cheaper but tasty alternatives) is a Kolkata speciality. Fuchka, the Kolkata version of paani-puri, but very different than the ones found in Delhi, is available on the streets but be wary of the tamarind water. It never troubles the local people and outsiders can safely taste this delicacy as long as they don't take too much.

Earlier, the restaurants were standalone entities. A cluster of restaurants in a single mall is a comparatively new idea and has become popular.

Drink

There are plenty of places to buy alcohol around the city. Kolkata has many pubs and bars, which are frequented by the youngsters as well as its older residents. Some pubs have live concerts or DJs. All pubs are supposed to shut shop by midnight or 1AM. So go early if you want to enjoy in club.

Sleep

Kolkata has long had a concentration of budget backpacker hotels in the Sudder Street area and many of these are colonial era gems, albeit decaying ones. Sudder Street is centrally located and is well connected by public transport. Both the major railway stations at Howrah and Sealdah have many hotels around them. Most of them might be only licensed to accommodate Indian citizens. Be sure to not walk with a local "friend" or guide, unless you want to have higher prices. There are some hotels in Gariahat. Hotels have come up around hospital facilities as for example at Mukundapur and Panchasayar. The growth of the IT Sector in the East Kolkata has lead to development of hotels in that area.

There are numerous big budget deluxe 5 star & 4 star hotels around town.

British-era clubs such as Tollygunge Club, Calcutta Club (AJC Bose Rd), Saturday Club (Theatre Rd), and Bengal Club (Russel St) have lavish rooms for rent. However, they only accept bookings through members.

Broadway Hotel, 27A Ganesh Chandra Ave, Chandni Chowk (Chandni Chowk metro station 200 m), ☏ +91 33 22363930, +91 33 2236 3931, ✉ [email protected]. Check-out: 24 hours from when you check in. Despite lacking AC the very large rooms with high ceilings make for a great space and the price is definitely right. Don't miss the authentic ambiance of the restaurant and bar of this 1937 built hotel. Supposedly due to the hotel's popularity rooms are often difficult to get unless you book ahead, however try hanging around and see if one magically opens up while you're there (especially if you're first offered a more expensive room). Upper triple rooms have balconies. ₹775 double with private bathroom.
Hotel Galaxy, 3, Stuart Lane (off Sudder Street), ☏ +33 2252 4565. Clean, simple, and convenient location.
Hotel Maria, 5/1 Sudder St (Park Street metro station), ☏ +91 33 2252 0860. dorm ₹80, Very basic, creatively graffiti-ed rooms with and without attached bathroom from ₹300 as of Feb 2015. Grumpy service, cheap laundry, dank bathroom/toilet and no wifi. Very central location, takes no bookings, so arrive early (8:30am onwards).
Hotel Modern Lodge, 1 Stuart Ln (off Sudder Street, next to Pargon Hotel), ☏ +91 33 2252 4960. Not very modern, but cheap and fairly clean. ₹150 for single with shared cold-water bathroom. ₹100-₹250.
Paragon Hotel, 2 Stuart Ln (off Sudder St, Park Street metro station), ☏ +91 33 2252 2445. Recently under new management which refuses to pay the union wages that were previously paid. Rather loud dormitory next to rather loud reception area for ₹120. You get plenty of action nearby.
Hotel Royal Palace (also called Free School St), ☏ +91 33 2252 5280, +91 33 2252 4178. Clean and large A/C & non-A/C rooms with private bath, color TV, STD/ISD. ₹350-₹750.
YMCA, 25 Jawaharlal Neru Rd (near corner with Kyd St, Park Street metro station), ☏ +91 33 2249-2192, ✉ [email protected]. An extremely drab and dark hotel that appears not to have received a lick of paint since its founding in the mid 19th century. However, in someways, that is the hotel's distinctive charm, and so it may appeal to strict traditionalists. There is a simple restaurant on the second floor. The food is nothing special, but the balcony offers a great view of the buzzing city below. Non A/C single ₹600, with A/C ₹850.
Astoria Hotel, Sudder St (Between Park Street metro station and Esplanade metro station), ☏ +91 33 2252 9679, ✉ [email protected]. Clean, large, albeit drab, rooms with private bathrooms. ₹2450-₹4150 +10% tax.
DK international Hotel, 11/1A Marquis St (Near to Colin street corner), ☏ +91 33 2252 2540, +91 33 2252 2666, ✉ [email protected]. All rooms A/C and breakfast included. Close to the Bangladesh bus stations. There are better deals out there but not quite as new as this place. Dbl from ₹1,800+tax.
Esplanade Chambers, 2 Chandney Chowk St (40 m off GC Ave), ☏ +91 33 2212 7101, +91 99 0313 2621, ✉ [email protected]. Very clean and reasonably quiet rooms, albeit not massive. Sgl from ₹1400, dbl deluxe ₹2200, breakfast incl.
Hotel Jaapon (Japoon Guest House), 30F Mirza Galib St (also called Free School St (at the end of Sudder St)), ☏ +91 33 2252 0657, +91 33 2252 0658. Reasonably clean AC and non-AC rooms available with a very small private bathroom and cable TV. Beds are surprisingly comfortable given the thin and well worn mattresses,but some rooms are chokingly musty - check before checking in. Location is central and just metres from Sudder St. Singles ₹650, AC doubles ₹1100.
Sunflower Guest House, 7 Royd St (200 m away intersection Park St and Free school St), ☏ +91 33 2229 9401, +91 33 2229 8388, ✉ [email protected]. Clean and great location. Those who tote lots of luggage be warned there are stairs to climb to top floor reception. ₹1,350 std dbl.
Bawa Watson Spa'o'tel, 5A Sudder St, ☏ +91 33 2252 1512, ✉ [email protected]. An upscale new venue that's breaking the trend from the Sudder St backpacker tide. 29 rooms ₹4100 per dbl (all tax incl. 2015).
Fairlawn Hotel, 13/A Sudder St (Between Park Street metro station and Esplanade metro station), ☏ +91 33 2252 1510, +91 33 2252 8767, ✉ [email protected]. a relic of the British Raj and oozing with charm and character. Single:₹3500, double/twin:₹4400 (Service Charge 5%).
Housez 43, 43 Mirza Ghalib Street, Park Street Area (It is 20 km from Netaji Subhas Airport, 7 km from Howrah Railway Station, and 0.5 km from the main shopping area of New Market. - Near Fire Station.), ☏ +91 33 2227 6020, +91 7595067173, ✉ [email protected]. All rooms equipped with air-conditioning, TV, and private bath. Rates start at ₹4,950.00.
Hotel Lindsay, 8A/8B Lindsay St (Near Globe Cinema Hall, nearby Transit: Esplanade Metro Station), ☏ +91 33 3021 8666, ✉ [email protected]. The hotel is well lit and clean. The hotel was recently renovated and its facilities, including a room minibar, hot water, tea and coffee, make it a good value four star property. New market is right on the door step, and provides plenty of local interaction right on the doorstep. ₹4,600 std dbl.
Oberoi Grand Hotel, 15 Jawaharlal Nehru Rd, (Chowringhee Road) (Near to Esplanade metro station), ☏ +91 33 2249 2323. One of the great hotels of the Raj, the Grand has been the last word in luxury for all of its 125+ years. A surprisingly quiet oasis in one of the busiest streets in the world. US$375-1,375.
The Park Hotel, 17 Park St (Park Street metro station), ☏ +91 33 2249 3121, fax: +91 33 2249 4000, ✉ [email protected]. The unassuming exterior hides an elegant and homely interior with stylish Indian features. From ₹6300 (2015).
Peerless Inn, 12 Jawaharlal Nehru Rd (Close to Esplanade metro station), ☏ +91 33 4400 3900. From ₹10,000.

Learn

• Kolkata University

Keep Connected

Internet

There's good coverage over most of India for Internet cafes. However, following the recent terror attacks in Mumbai and some other cities, all internet cafes have been instructed by the authorities to maintain a register and note down the identification details of all persons using internet. Sify iWay is a reliable and cheap cafe with over 1,600 cafes over India. iWay also allows you to open a pre-paid account that you can use all over India. Whenever you have Internet access probably the best and cheapest way to call family and friends at home is software that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet such as Skype.

Wifi hotspots in India are, for most part, limited. The major airports and stations do offer paid wifi at around RS.60-100 an hour. Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai are the only cities with decent wifi coverage. At Mumbai airport, you get to use WiFi internet free, for an hour or so.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The country code for India is 91. To dial outside the country from India, prefix the country code with 00.

The general emergency number is 100 (emergency response police & fire), while for ambulance you should dial 102 or 112, though some regions have 108 for this emergency. 108 is used in in the Indian states of Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha,Assam, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. 108 can be called for medical, crime, fire, or any other emergency from any phone.

Local phone numbers can be anywhere from 5-8 digits long. But when the area code is included, all landline phone numbers in India are 10 digits long. Cellphone numbers usually start with '9', '8', or '7'. Toll-free numbers start with 1-800.

If staying longterm it is probably wise to think about investing in a mobile phone. You'll possibly need to provide a photocopy of your passport and itinerary, so come prepared. Make sure you arrange it upon arrival in a big city, as it can sometimes be difficult to organise with language barriers and such in more regional areas. You can buy a cheap nokia for about RS.1,200 with a pre-paid plan. Airtel is a good carrier to think about as they have great coverage, and constant offers for cheaper calling. To recharge, most shop vendors with phone carrier signs can do it via their own phone. You give them your mobile number, they put it in their phone and you'll both get messages as to whether or not the recharge has been successful. Also, if possible, buy the phone in the state where you do the most travelling as the charges are higher in the states where you did not originally buy the phone.

Over the entire country there are plenty of public phones, even in the middle of the countryside. Although most of the time these phones are not very well maintained and have horrible connections. Therefore remember when using one of these public phones one must be extremely patient.
For international calls from payphones, you'll have to visit a reputable internet cafe with a phone-booth. Mobile phones are usually a better and cheaper option.

Post

India Post is the national postal service of India, and on their website you find details about prices to send postcards, letters and parcels, both domestically and internationally. For most postcards to send internationally, it is better to visit the post office before writing on the card as you may need quite a few stamps. Parcels must be taken to a tailor, he will then sew it up in white linen. Make sure he seals it with red wax, otherwise the post office may refuse to send it or try to get you to pay them to do it. Sewing up a parcel should only cost RS.50 to 200. In general, post offices are open from 10:00am to 1:00pm and 1:30pm to 4:30pm in most bigger towns and cities, though there are regional variations and some might keep longer hours or be open during (part of) the weekend as well. Ask around.

If you want to send bigger packages/parcels, it might be better, faster and sometimes even cheaper, to contact a private company like DHL, TNT or UPS.

External Links

• Kolkata Official Website