A plan for Kolkata

Kolkata (Bengali: KOHL-kah-tah) is the main business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India. Spread along the eastern banks of the Hooghly River, Kolkata was once the administrative centre of the British Raj, governing a vast region that stretched from Pakistan to Burma (Myanmar) and the "second city of the British Empire after London".

Name

The name "Kolkata" is derived from Kolikātā (কলিকাতা), the name of one of the three villages in the area before the arrival of the British. There has been much debate regarding the origin of the name. Some say the name derives from Kālīkhyetro (কালীক্ষেত্র), meaning the "land of [the goddess] Kali". Another theory is that the place used to specialise in quicklime (কলি koli) and coir rope (কাতা kātā).

The name was officially changed from Calcutta to Kolkata in 2001 by the then-left Government of West Bengal. However, the name "Calcutta" still survives in the names of certain institutions.

History

Kolkata's history is intimately related to the British East India Company, which arrived in 1690, and to British India, of which Calcutta became the capital in 1772. Job Charnock was widely known as the founder of Calcutta. There were 3 villages named Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata. Later the village Kalikata became the city of Kolkata. But some Indian historians have disputed this claim, arguing that Kolkata developed naturally over a period, centred on the ancient Kali temple at Kalighat and the port at Kidderpore.

Due to 190 years of British rule in India, Kolkata has a lot of great attractions—so many, that it would be impossible to list them all here. Only an overview of Kolkata's attractions is given here; details can be found in district articles.

Landmarks

The Victoria Memorial is perhaps the most iconic building in Kolkata. Built at the southern edge of the Maidan in memory of Queen Victoria, the building houses a museum documenting the city's history. It is perhaps the most difficult attraction to access in the city due to crowds and long queues. Nearby St. Paul's Cathedral is the city's largest church and is noted for its Indo-Gothic architecture.

Further north, BBD Bagh (Dalhousie Square) was the heart of British India and holds various historical attractions, most notably the GPO (General Post Office) with its imposing dome, as well as the Writers' Building, once the centre of Indian independence movement and the politics of West Bengal till 2013. The Calcutta High Court is the iconic centre of West Bengal's judiciary, and the neoclassical Lok Bhavan (Government House) houses the state governor.

East of BBD Bagh, in Esplanade, the iconic Metropolitan Building is a department store. This neo-baroque emporium—with domes, a clock tower and arched recessed windows—exemplifies fashionable shopping during the British Raj in British India.

Towards North Kolkata, the Howrah Bridge is the most iconic bridge of the city, offering interesting views of the Hooghly River and the twin cities Kolkata and Howrah. The Jorasanko Thakur Bari was the residence of Rabindranath Tagore and his family. The Marble Palace is a classic example of a European mansion that was built in the city. Further north, there are various aristocratic residences that become popular during Durga Puja.

Museums and galleries

Kolkata has different kinds of museums and galleries. The Victoria Memorial itself is a museum, and the Indian Museum houses large collections that showcase Indian natural history and Indian art. The Academy of Fine Arts has an extensive collection of Bengali art. The Alipore Museum in the South commemorates the freedom fighters of India. The sprawling Science City in the East contains a science museum, science park and auditoriums.

Individual listings can be found in Kolkata's district articles

Take a tram ride in Kolkata. The city has the only active tram service in India and has become an icon of Kolkata. They move slowly on the laid tracks in traffic-jammed streets.

Several modern cinemas are dotted around the city, including INOX with several locations, Fame at Metropolis Mall in Highland Park, and RDB Adlabs at RDB Boulevard, Near Infinity Building in Sector-V, Bidhannagar, all showing Indian and American blockbusters. Kolkata also has many established theatre houses, which host events by international theatre groups frequently. Such events draw people from around the globe as it offers a unique opportunity to share culture and ideas.

Events

Durga Puja (দুর্গাপূজা Durgāpūjā), a festival honouring the Hindu goddess Durga, takes place between September and October. The biggest festival for Hindus in Bengal, Kolkata takes on an almost carnival-like ambience. Streets shut down for the construction of pandals (প্যান্ডেল, pyānḍel), large stands that depict events from the Ramayana and crowds flock to the biggest and best ones. Durga Puja in Kolkata has been listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. A good time to visit, unless you have a fear of crowds.

The Kolkata Book Fair (বইমেলা boimelā or পুস্তকমেলা pustokmelā) is India's oldest book fair. It takes place from the last week of January to the first week of February. It is the largest book fair in Asia and is a significant event in the city. Central Park in Salt Lake is the venue of the Kolkata Book Fair since 2022. The similarly named but smaller Kolkata District Book Fair takes place at Netaji Indoor Stadium in May. Behala, North Kolkata, Dum Dum and New Town also have their own book fairs.

Individual listings can be found in Kolkata's district articles

Kolkata has old traditions about eating out. Wilson's Hotel (which later became the 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 (23/24, Hogg St), close to New Market, is credited with the invention of the famous "kathi 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.

In terms of sweet, Kolkata is best known for its "rosogollas" (রসগোল্লা rasagollā), consisting of balls of "chhena" (a moist, softer cheese than paneer) cooked and permeated in a light rose-scented syrup. Although the origin of rôsogolla is disputed between Odisha and Bengal, the first canned rosogollas were sold in this city in 1930, after which they took off in popularity across South Asia. A variant of the dish is "rosomalai" (রসমালাই rasamālāi) where the chhena balls are immersed in sweet thickened milk instead of syrup, providing a creamier feel to the sweet.

Besides Bengali foods, 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 Chinatown near Tangra, East Kolkata. 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.

Individual listings can be found in Kolkata's district articles

There are plenty of places to buy alcohol around the city. Kolkata has many pubs and bars, which are frequented by 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 yourself in the club.

Kolkata has a very comprehensive public transport network. Despite residents' perpetual grumbling about unreliability, public transport is often the best option for getting anywhere for visitors and residents alike. In general, use metro or suburban rail as they are separated from the city's road traffic, and use auto-rickshaws and taxis for last-mile connectivity. Buses are fine on some roads where metro does not ply, like APC Road and Gariahat Road.

Road transport shuts down in some places for roadworks and during Durga Puja. However, metro is usually available in those occasions.

By metro

The oldest rail rapid transit system in India, the Kolkata Metro is the fastest, cleanest, most reliable, least crowded (though still rather crowded) and most efficient of all the transportation Kolkata has to offer. As of 2025, five lines are operational and more are under construction.

The four-seat sections at each end of a coach are reserved for senior citizens and the physically challenged. The two middle seat sections, between the general seat sections on each side, are reserved for women. Smoking is also strictly prohibited on the metro premises. Violating any of these incurs a penalty.

By train

Many daily commuters rely on the extensive Kolkata Suburban Railway network of the Eastern Railway (ER), commonly referred to as "local trains". The Circular Railway in particular covers many touristy areas like Bagbazar and Sovabazar in North Kolkata, and BBD Bagh and Prinsep Ghat in Central Kolkata.

Depending on the route, local trains can be extremely crowded. It is less expensive to travel around by train as compared to private cabs or taxis. Men must not enter the Ladies compartment and all-women "Matribhumi" locals, even as a family.

For any emergency dial ☏ 112. This number connects to police, fire, ambulance, women and child helplines as well as the coast guard for incidents on the river. You will be asked which of these services you require before being connected to the relevant operator.

Kolkata is one of the safest cities in India. People here are friendly and helpful and accept people of different cultures warmly. Taking normal precautions for the safe keeping of your personal possessions is enough, as you would do in any Indian city.

Police

The Kolkata Police (KP) is responsible for policing the city except New Town and Salt Lake, which are the responsibility of the Bidhannagar City Police, and much of the Northern Suburbs, which are the responsibility of the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate. In addition, the Kolkata Metro is patrolled by the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

For non-emergencies, or to report a crime, visit the nearest police station. See the district articles for police stations.

Crime

Violent crime in Kolkata is more or less like any other large Indian city, including begging and theft. Be on guard for anybody trying to help you by giving you unsolicited directions or travel advice. Do not blindly rely on the advice of taxi and auto drivers. Carry your cash and cards in a secure money belt, with only enough cash for a few hours at a time in your wallet or other accessible place. Beware during the rush hours in bus terminals and railway stations as many pickpockets will try to get your belongings.

Visitors to Kolkata are often magnets for beggars and touts. They often knock at the glass windows of cars. It does little good to get angry or to say "No" loudly. The best response is to look unconcerned and ignore the behaviour. The more attention you pay to a beggar or tout, positive or negative, the longer they will follow you hoping for a donation.

Women travellers

While Kolkata is significantly safer for women travellers compared to Delhi, sexual harassments still happen, including molestation, rape and murder. In addition, Sonagachi in North Kolkata is Asia's largest red-light district. Take usual precautions like in any Indian city.

Clothing

While casual and liberal attire are very common in Kolkata, dressing conservatively may garner more respect in the eyes of citizens, especially in North Kolkata. The traditional Bengali clothing is dhoti-kurta (ধুতি-পাঞ্জাবি dhuti-pānjābi) for men and a sari (শাড়ি shāṛi) for women. Younger men often wear tight-fitting trousers (পাজামা pājāmā) as they are easier to wear than a dhoti, and younger women often wear shalwar kameez (সালোয়ার কামিজ sālōār kāmij) as it is easier to wear than a sari.

Controversial topics

The Partition of India (দেশভাগ Deshbhāg) is a very emotional subject among former East Bengal refugees and their descendants, who may blame Muslims for uprooting them from ancestral homes. Unless you want to start an argument, the topic is best avoided.

Bengalis have diverse opinions on political parties like CPM (Communist Party of India (Marxist)) and TMC (Trinamool Congress). Some may appreciate either for their stable governance (CPM: 1977–2011, TMC: 2011–2026), while others express frustrations with their policies. There are also different opinions on the Tata Nano controversy whereby Tata was unable to set up a motor factory near Kolkata in 2006 due to local protests. As always, it is better to listen than to express firm opinions, and tread carefully if you do.