"Kolkata" Kolkata (Calcutta) by JohnniOmani

Calcutta has a reputation for being a place of extreme poverty and hardship and a place where aid workers and volunteers flock to inorder to help out the local situation. I wasnt sure what to think of this city before I arrived but after taking in this city for five days in November 06 I can say that the stereotypes are false. There are children and beggars asking for money but Delhi or Varanasi had more. Calcutta was a wondeful place to wander around gardens and old colonial architecture. There were beautiful churches, old buildings, lovely parks and vintage cars everywhere. Calcutta even has man powered rickshaws which are losing ground in modern times. Calcutta has an odd but enjoyable vibe for a big city and it is one of my favorite cities in India.

Victoria Memorial

One of the most enjoyable things about this city is walking around the city taking in the old colonial buildings that the British left behind them. It was such a nice way to spend a day and they jump out at you as you walk by because after a month in the North I was used to seeing some typical buildings but Calcutta was refreshing. One of the best examples of colonial architecture was the Victoria Memorial dedicated the former Queen. The area around the monument is really nice and it is so cute to see Indian families taking photos and enjoying it so much. I really enjoyed the buildings of Calcutta and they will be along with the old taxis my lasting impression of the city.