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In a way, each and every square inch of space in Kolkata is a tourist place. The former capital of colonial India, Kolkata or the erstwhile Calcutta is a paradox wrapped in itself. Visions of grandeur and culture abound here which in a minute's notice could change to black and white images of desperation and squalor. A city which tries to accomodate its in-your face poverty with the tag of being the cultural capital of India, tourists will marvel at the arts, the music, the cinema, the dance and the colonial buildings that stand testimony to the refined sense of the Englishman's tastes or simply gape at the teeming masses of post independence humanity which indulge in much more mundane pursuits. This is what lends vibrancy to this cultural and intellectual capital of India where you can revel in the finer pursuits of arts, cinema, music and dance or simple be awestruck at the slew of slums that dot various parts of the city and contrast the air-conditioned malls and satellite townships. Home to great 19th and 20th century cultural doyens like Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray and Aurobindo Ghosh to name a few, Kolkata is never still. Land here and go on to visit more than the tourist places and feel the city of Kolkata. Here we bring you a pictorial guide to the best tourist places to see in Kolkata.
Maidan
Your starting point in your Kolkata tour is a lush green park simply and aptly named Maidan for that is what it is, a huge expanse of a ground with greenery to give you company and offering you the sight of Fort William, the impregnable British Citadel built in 1773. Visitors are allowed in with special permission. For more on where to stay in Kolkata and how to get there check here.
Pic Credit: Abhijit Kar Gupta
Victoria Memorial
From here you move on to St.George's gate road, on the southern fringe of the Maidan and you lay your eyes on the Victoria Memorial, a monument that epitomises the attempt of the British to build a second Taj Mahal. Opened by the Prince of Wales in 1921, it houses a fantastic collection of rare memorabilia from colonial days. Do not miss the light and sound show here in the evenings.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Birla Planetarium
The adjoining race course here is a hot spot during winters and is one of the best in the East. Northwards, along Chowringhee Road, stands the Birla Planetarium, one of the largest in the world.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Indian Museum
Also located on the Chowringhee road is the Indian museum, Asia's largest museum.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Shaheed Minar
The Shaheed Minar, formerly known as the Ochterlony monument, is at the Northern end of the Maidan near the Hooghly river. The tower was erected in 1828 to commemorate the memory of Sir David Ochterlony, commander of the British East India company, who was responsible for British victories against the Marathas in 1804 and the Gurkhas in Anglo-Nepalese war.
Howrah Bridge
A slight walk ahead is the Town Hall, built in 1813. it now serves as the City magistrate's office. The Gothic architectural style was copied from the Staadhans at Ypres, Belgium. The Howrah bridge looms high above the skyline of the riverfront. In the mornings, you can try visiting the flower bazaar that gathers below the bridge.
Pic Credit: Anirban Biswas
General Post Office
Pause to marvel at this synonym of Kolkata and move ahead to your next destination - the GPO. The General Post Office, a majestic specimen of Edwardian architecture and opposite that stands the Writers' Building, a massive Gothic structure.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Tagore House
History follows you around at every step in Kolkata and what better way to see this than to visit the house of bard of Indian literature - Rabindranath Tagore. The Jorasanko Thakur bari is the ancestral home of the Thakur family and also the birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore. It is currently located on the Rabindra Bharati University Campus. Apart from the heritage angle, the University also organizes cultural programmes to commemorate his birth and death anniversaries.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Marble Palace
Next on our itinerary is the Marble Palace, built in 1835, by Raja Rajendra Mullick, an avid art collector, which now is part residence and part art museum. Marble Palace is open from 10am to 4pm on all days except Mondays and Thursdays. Because Marble Palace remains a private residence, photography is prohibited. Entry is free, but a permit must be obtained 24 hours in advance from the West Bengal Tourism Information Bureau at BBD Bag.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Kolkata Tram
If you feel tired after this, take a ride on one of Kolkata's few remaining trams along Red road with the green expanse of Maidan around you.
National Library
For the bibliophiles among you, head to India's largest library, the National library, a former house of the British viceroys which houses over one million books.
Pic credit: Wiki Commons
Science City
From here head over to the science city, a must visit place on your itinerary.The largest science center in India, this place defies the conventional notion that science can't be fun. Choose from its many fun activities and go on a space odyssey or check out the evolution of mankind as you stroll amongst dinosaurs.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Street Food
While visiting all these places, do not forget to gorge on the famed street food of Kolkata. Puchkas are a must and the varieties of chat available here will beg for your attention. If you are a non-vegetarian you can try out the fish fry.
Pic Credit: Divya Srivastava and Wiki Commons
Eden Gardens
Called 'Cricket's answer to the Colosseum', the Eden gardens stadium is home to cricket in Bengal. It is the largest cricket stadium in India and the third largest in the world in terms of seating capacity. Check this out once you are done with the above mentioned attractions.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Salt lake Stadium
Football and Kolkata are synonymous as Kolkata is home to so many famous football clubs of the country like Mohun Bagan and East bengal FC. besides, this Kolkata is the only metro city in the country which can boast of a good night life. The pubs and discos of the city are ope till 2am in the morning.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons