|
 |
Tours to Kolkata
|
|
|
| |
|
Tours to Kolkata - Kolkata Travel Agents & Tour Operators offering
information about Kolkata Tours, Kolkata Tour Packages, Tour Packages for
Kolkata, Kolkata Travel Packages, Holidays in Kolkata,
Kolkata Holiday Packages,
Travel to Kolkata, Kolkata Travel Guide, Kolkata India Travels, Travel Guide
for Kolkata, Guide for Kolkata Travel, Travel Kolkata,
Kolkata India Tourism,
Travel Agency for Kolkata, Travel Agent in Kolkata,Trip to
Kolkata, Online
Booking for Travel to Kolkata India.. |
KOLKATA TOURS GUIDE
KOLKATA TOURIST INFORMATION :-
The capital of West Bengal and India’s largest city, a
seething mass of activity with a cosmopolitan
atmosphere. Kolkata has become a busy & flourishing
city, the center of cultural as well as political and
economic life of Bengal. It isn’t an ancient city like
Delhi, with its impressive relics of the past. In fact,
it’s largely a British creation & was capital of British
India… once referred to as “The Jewel In The Crown Of
The British Raj”. No other city in India enjoys such
visible contra’s, as does the city of joy of Lapiere.
The quaint little fishing village has grown up to become
the most populated city of India bearing the scars of
more than three hundred years. It is truly an enigma
that defies any description. It is a city that throbs
with vibrant life forces. It is an epitome of culture
and creativity that nurtures and rejuvenates your
thinking prowess. The city that displays stoical
maturity during the most provoking situations and flies
high the flags of communal harmony, behaves in the most
erratic fashion over a game of cricket. It’s THE place
to make friends with, to be romantic, to taste rosogolla,
to sing a song, to write a poem, to debate, to ride a
bus, to walk in the rain, to shop, to play cricket, to
watch football, to get refused by a taxi, to live in the
warmth of your family, to have a golden heart and to be
happy!
KOLKATA HISTORY :-
In 1690, Job Charnok, an agent of the East India Company
chose this place for a British trade settlement. The
site was carefully selected, being protected by the
Hooghly River on the west, a creek to the north, and by
salt lakes about two and a half miles to the east. There
were three large villages along the east bank of the
river Ganges, named, Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata.
These three villages were bought by the British from
local land lords. The Mughal emperor granted East India
Company freedom of trade in return for a yearly payment
of 3,000 rupees. Calcutta before the British came was
just a village, the capital city of Bengal was
Murshidabad, around 60 miles north of Calcutta. In 1756,
Siraj-ud-daullah, nawab of Bengal, attacked the city and
captured the fort. Calcutta was recaptured in 1757 by
Robert Clive when the British defeated Siraj-ud-daullah
on the battle field of Plassy. In 1772, Calcutta became
the capital of British India, and the first Governor
General Warren Hastings moved all important offices from
Murshidabad to Calcutta. Till 1912, Calcutta was the
capital of India, when the British moved the capital
city to Delhi. In 1947, when India gained freedom and
the country got partitioned between India and Pakistan,
Calcutta was included in the Indian part of Bengal, West
Bengal. Calcutta became the capital city of the state of
West Bengal.
KOLKATA AT A GLANCE :-
Kolkata Facts & Figures
State West Bengal
Area 1380 km²
Population 13.5 million
Altitude 17 feet from sea level
Languages Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, English
Dialing Code +91 033
Rainfall 160 cm
Density 1,680/ km²
Clothing Tropical
Best time to visit September to March
HOTELS IN KOLKATA :-
Hotel Hyatt Regency Hotel Taj Bengal Hotel MBD Airport
Hotel Circular
Hotel Oberoi Grand Quality Inn Golden Park Hotel
Peerless Inn Hotel Fairlawn
Hotel Park Hotel Kenilworth Hotel Hindustan
International Hotel Lytton
Hotel ITC Sonar
KOLKATA TOURIST ATTRACTIONS :-
Belur Math Botanical Gardens Dakshineshwar Fort Williams
Kali Ghat St.Paul's Cathedral Victoria Memorial
Bishnupur
Diamond Harbour Digha Gandhi Ghat Ganga Sagar
Krishnagar Murshidabad Nabadwip Shantiniketan
Sunderbans Tiger Reserve Tarapith
KOLKATA TRAVEL INFO :-
By Air - Kolkata is well connected by air to all major
countries in the world, as well as to Indian cities. The
air carriers that have flights to and from the city
include Aeroflot, Air France, Air India, Biman
Bangladesh, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Gulf Air,
Indian Airlines, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, KLM-Royal
Dutch Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Royal Nepal
Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways
International.
By Rail - Trains are available from all parts of the
country to Calcutta. Most inward bound trains stop at
Howrah, which is also the station from which major
trains to other cities depart. Most trains heading to
areas such as New Jalpaiguri and other provinces in the
north-east stop at the other station, Sealdah. Local
trains to nearby towns are available from both stations,
depending on which part of West Bengal you want to go
to.
By Road - A few buses ply from Orissa and Bihar to
Calcutta. However, these are highly uncomfortable and
best avoided. Buses are also available to nearby towns,
especially if you wish to visit Siliguri and New
Jalpaiguri on your trip to Calcutta. Depending on which
direction you're heading in, buses could depart from the
end of the Maidan near Chowringhee Road, or the bus
stand at Babu Ghat near Fort William. A few tour
operators have their own private bus stands, so do make
inquiries!
KOLKATA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS :-
Fairs and festivals are celebrated with traditional
gaiety and fervor to invoke divine blessings as well as
for the sheer joy of living. A celebration of life at
its best.
Calcutta book fair : The Mecca of publishers, book
lovers and students, the Book Fair held in early
February is a place that every family in Calcutta makes
a beeline for. The fair showcases the best of not just
Indian publishers, but also bookseller, writers and
bibliophiles from all corners of the globe. Great
discounts are offered on a mind-boggling array of titles
as visitors to the fair wend their way in and out of the
colorful stalls, stopping every now and then to grab a
bite, get their portraits painted or just listen to the
music filtering through the fair grounds.
Travel and Tourism Fair : Held in August, the Travel and
Tourism Fair moves away from the much-favored Maidan to
the Netaji Indoor Stadium. Discounts on booking, trade
and travel deals, holiday packages, business deals in
the industry - all these are more can be picked up under
the same roof at this congregation of the big and small
players of the trade and travel industry.
Lexpo : Held in December-January, Lexpo is a fair that
showcases the products and technology of the leather
industry. It's a fair for not just big players, but also
for small scale industry participants to exhibit their
ware.
Poush Mela : This three-day fair celebrates the founding
day of Rabindranath Tagore's Shantiniketan. Held in late
December, the fair is marked by prayers, cultural fests,
crafts bazaars and folk performances. Poush Mela is a
good occasion to explore the cultural facets of
Shantiniketan, and attracts a large number of tourists.
The last day of the fair is marked by prayers for the
deceased who were associated with Shantiniketan.
Rathyatra : Travel along with the Lord of Puri,
Jagannath, as his chariot takes him to his midsummer
vacation. Legend has it that Jagannath, a reincarnation
of Lord Vishnu, goes on this vacation with his brother
Balaram and sister Subhadra. Religious fervor runs high
and the streets of Calcutta turn into a mélange of
colors. Devotees take turns to pull gigantic chariots
bearing idols of the three divinities through the narrow
bylanes of the city. Do check out the Rathyatra in
Mahesh in the nearby Hooghly district - it's the oldest
in the state. The Mahesh Rathyatra of 1875 is also
special as it provided the inspiration for Radharani, a
famous novel by Bengali poet and author Bankim Chandra
Chatterjee.
Poila Baisakh : The first month of the Bengali calendar,
Baishakh, marks the beginning of the crop cycle in
Bengal. A lot of Bengali weddings are held in this
month, and new businesses started. The first day of this
month is called Poila Baisakh is celebrated as the
Bengali new year. Chances are, if you step into a shop
in Calcutta on this day, you'll be offered sweets and
maybe the odd gift or two. Traders start the new year by
inaugurating new accounting books.
Kali Puja : A festival to propitiate the dark goddess
Kali, Kali Puja is held in the dark of a new moon night.
With her blue-black skin, blood-smeared face, terrifying
third eye, Kali wears little other than necklaces of
snakes and skulls. In her four hands, she bears weapons
and blessings for her followers. This is one festival
that is seldom performed within a home, and is often
marked by animal sacrifices.
Durga Puja : For four days in September-October,
Calcutta comes to a standstill as almost everyone in the
city throngs its streets, visiting the pandals dressed
in their festive best and fêting their taste buds with
food from the stalls that spring up on the roadsides.
Incense, drumbeats, chants, laughter, the sizzle and
smell of food characterize this festival dedicated to
Goddess Durga. Durga Puja is a chance to meet old
friends, rub shoulders with the young and eligible, buy
new clothes, walk the streets of the city till the wee
hours of the morning, and, of course, admire the oeuvre
of idol makers who craft beautiful idols of Durga,
Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik out of bamboo,
straw, jute, clay and paint.
Dol Purnima : A festival of spring, Dol Purnima is
marked by people merrymaking on the streets, smearing
each other with color, drinking milk laces with
marijuana (locally called bhang) and ambushing
unsuspecting passers-by with water balloons. Some of the
celebrations can get pretty rowdy and some of the colors
can get pretty artificial, so stay in your room if your
skin's sensitive.
KOLKATA SHOPPING :-
The best place for bargain shopping is New Market
(formerly known as Hogg Market). Others include Gariahat,
Dakshinapan , Central Cottage Industries Emporium,
brassware shops along Kalighat Road, near the Kali
temple, shops and auction houses on Park Street, Russel
Street, Little Russel Street and Free School Street, and
the Bengal Home Industries showroom.There is plenty to
shop. A variety of local handicrafts are made from shola
, pith and conch-shell. Terracotta figurines and horses
(symbol of the Central Cottage Industries Emporium) are
typical of Bankura. Painted clay plagues of Kalighat,
silk sarees, stoles and scarves of Murshidabad and
Vishnupur. Leather bags of Sriniketan , wood carvings
and woollen garments of Darjeeling and handloom sarees
of Dhaniakhali and Tangail are the most famous and found
in various markets and shops spread around
Calcutta.Calcutta also caters to the bold and beautiful.
A bewitching range of gold, silver and diamond
jewellery, intricately handcrafted, is available. Also ,
check out the latest fashion in leather – shoes ,
garments and accessories.
KOLKATA CUISINE :-
The Bengali fondness for good food is legendary. To
experience the true taste of traditional cooking, it is
best to befriend a Bengali. His hospitality will
definitely include a meal! Sweets hold a position of
pride for the Bengali. Cottage cheese based sweets like
sandesh, rosogolla and chanar payesh are very popular
all over India. Misti doi (sweetened curd) and Patali
gur confectionery (date palm jaggery) are must-try
delicacies. Every district in Bengal has a special sweet
of its own. Langcha and mihidana-sitabhog of Bardhaman,
sharbhaja of Krishnanagar, chanabora of Murshidabad and
so on. Chinese cuisine is next on the popularity chart
available in the Old China Town, the walled city at
Tangra and restaurants on Park Street. Restaurants
specializing in Mughal cuisine (tandoori, kebabs,
biriyani etc.) are located in the backstreets of New
Market and Park Circus. North Indian and the more sedate
South Indian cuisine are available in restaurants all
over the city. Continental, Thai, Tibetian and
Anglo-Indian cuisine are available in eating houses in
and around Chowringhee and Park Street. Special mention
must be made about kathi-rolls (kebabs wrapped in
dough), a culinary delight of Kolkata.
THE LITERATURE, KOLKATA :-
Around 7th-8th Century, a new Buddhist school of thought
developed under the name 'Tantrayana'. It is believed by
many that the Bengali Buddhist Acharyas were the
founders of the Sahajayana. The views of Shajayanist
have been written in 'Dohakosa' written in Apabhrangsha
language of Tilopada, Sarahapada and Kahnapada. Those
were written in the form of poetry criticizing the
performance of the Brahmins, ways of living of roving
mendicants and of rites and rituals. Such poetry was
written at a time when Bengali language was being
created out of the crust of Apabhrangsha language. The
Acharyas of Sahajiya school wrote poetry in Bengali
about their philosophy and nature of meditation. The
language that they had used to preach their religious
views was still far from being used in the work of
government, religious prayers and cultural activities.
These poems of Buddhist Siddhacharyas are the first ever
form of Bengali language. Here is the first identifiable
form of Bengali language marking the emergence of
Bengali lyrics. Haraprashad Shastri discovered a total
of 46 and half songs which was named 'Charyacharya
Vinischaya'. These are generally known 'Charyagiti'.
There is no controversy that the language in which that
these poems were written was Bengali. But scholars have
difference of opinion as to the exact time of
composition of these poems. Dr. Shahidullah is of the
opinion that these poems in 'Charyagiti' were composed
between 7th and 12th centuries. But Dr. Suniti Kumar
Chatterjee, Dr. Prabodh Ch. Bagchi and Dr. Sukumar Sen
were of the view that they were written between 10th and
12th centuries. Before the Muslim conquest, Bengali
language was nurtured by the Buddhists only. And this
language was not nurtured for a short time, but
continuous cultivation was carried out for several
centuries. The trend that was initiated in the Buddhist
lyrics found logical fulfillment in the enrichment of 'Vaisnava
Padabali'.
|
|
Travel Agents & Tour Operators in Kolkata
offers online booking for Kolkata hotels at discounted
rates. We also provide reservations and information of
all luxury hotels in Kolkata, five star hotels in
Kolkata, heritage hotels in Kolkata, four star hotels in
Kolkata, three star and budget hotels in Kolkata plus
hotels near airport and hotels near famous tourist
destinations in Kolkata , India. We also provide other
travel services like package tours, car and taxi rental
in Kolkata to make your trip a wonderful dream come
true. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
