Kolkata

Victoria Memorial
is a huge white-marble structure and the most enduring remnant of the British Raj in India. The structure, which is now floodlit in the night, It has been now converted into a museum that houses the most impressive collection of memorabilia's from the days of the British Raj.

Indian Museum, built in 1874, has a beautiful structure. The oldest museum in India, it has one of the rare collections of archeological artifacts. The entrance to the museum houses an original Lion Capitol, the national symbol of India. The museum is opened all days of the week except Monday. The normal timing is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fort William was constructed in 1781 after the unfortunate happenings of 1756 in which many British soldiers with their families were killed by Siraj-Ud-Daula. A large area around the village of Govindpur was cleared of the forests and this fort was constructed, which for some time also lent its name to the city. The fort is still in use and visitors are allowed inside only after getting special permits. The area around the fort is a very large patch of green known as the Maidan (ground). The Maidan is also known as the lung of Kolkata and stretches 1 km in width and 3 km in length.

Eden Garden, located in the northwest corner of the city, is a small and pleasantly laid-out garden. The place also houses the renowned cricket ground by the same name.

Birla Planetarium is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and an educational and entertaining experience. Shows in Hindi and English are held here.

Kali Mandir
is the temple dedicated to Kali, goddess of destruction. This is the temple from which the old village Kalikata took its name, which, in turn, also gave the city its name. Howrah Bridge is an excellent example of the engineering techniques of the early 20th century. The whole bridge is 450 m long without any pylons in the Hoogly River. The bridge also has the distinction of being the busiest bridge in the world catering to around 100,000 vehicles and innumerable pedestrians. When Kolkata was the capital of British India, BBD Bagh was the center of power. This is the place that houses the now famous Writer's Building (clerks were known as writers in the British India) and the old Fort William.

Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission, is situated in the north of the city. The place was founded in 1899 and houses a structure that was designed to be a church, temple, and mosque all in one.

To know and understand Calcutta in its eternity, one is invited to the city during Durga Puja-a time when Calcutta becomes unforgettable. Every year, for four days, Calcutta forgets its worries and yields to a paroxysm of celebration and worship. This special time of the year comes just before the full moon in late September or October. This is a special occasion because of the transcendent place Goddess Durga holds in the Bengali imagination.

Saraswati Puja is the celebration of Saraswati, the goddess of learning. The festival is celebrated just before the coming of spring in the months of January or February.

Calcutta Book Fair is the largest in Asia and provides ample opportunities to bibliophiles to explore the fascinating world of books. The event is held every year in the month of January or February.