Kolkata

The Asiatic Society – Association in Kolkata founded by Sir William Jones in 1784. Covers museum, publications and current research activities.
Bengal Rural Welfare Service – Society working in the fields of health, sanitation, tribal welfare and women’s empowerment.
Calcutta Foundation – Calcutta Foundation is a Charitable Trust. Provides information about various programs and the orchestra run by the foundation.
Calcutta on the Net – Chat, information, and entertainment site for Calcutta teenagers and those at school.
City of Joy Aid – Humanitarian organization dedicated to helping the poor of Calcutta.
History of Kolkata – The site gives the history of Calcutta and of the Sabarna Roy Choudhury Family.
Kalighat Kali Temple – History, legend, and pilgrim’s guide. Includes a photo gallery.
Lake Kalibari Temple – About the temple in South Kolkata and the project for expansion.
Ramakrishna Math: Yogodyan – Information about the math in Kankurgachi and its programmes. Includes a photo gallery.
Ramakrishna Mission Calcutta Students’ Home – Information about the institution, academic programs, and alumni. Includes a virtual tour and photo gallery.
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture – The institute of culture, is a branch centre of the world wide Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda.
Rotary Club of Central Calcutta – Information about members, future projects in India, news and the calendar of the club.
Sabarna Prithivi – All about the Sabarna Roy Choudhury Family of Kolkata.
Udbodhan – The Bengali magazine of the Ramkrishna Math and Mission started by Swami Vivekananda in January 1899. The history of the magazine and the house which was the residence of Maa Sarada Devi, magazine on line, and subscription information.
Vasundhara Concern for Environmental Rights – An environmental organisation involved in projects like “Save Adi Ganga”. Information and updates on The Save Adi Ganga project and other activities.

Calcutta – Travel Guide – Travel tips, information about volunteering in Calcutta and links.
Calcutta Central – Searchable directory of local businesses and organizations.
Catchcal – Business and utility information directory, maps of the city.
Click Calcutta – Lists current events in the city.
Kolkata – Personal webpage with information about Kolkata.
Kolkata Best – A Kolkata portal, business and utility listings.
Kolkatta.com – Information about the city. Includes business listings.
Wikipedia – Kolkata – Information on the history, monuments, institutions, arts and education in the city.

Birds of Kolkata – Photo guide to common birds of the city, with brief descriptions. New sections on birds of the eastern Himalayas and waterbirds.
Botanical Survey of India – National institution involved in the survey of plant resources of the country.
The Indian Science Congress Association, Kolkata – The Kolkata based Indian Science Congress Association advances and promotes the cause of science in India. It holds an annual congress in different Indian cities.
Indian Statistical Institute – This statistical institution is devoted to the research, teaching and application of statistics, natural sciences and social sciences.
Land-water interface production systems in peri-urban Kolkata – This site provides an overview of the current status of farming in peri-urban Kolkata, the challenges faced by producers and opportunities to enhance the livelihoods of the poor.
Zoological Survey of India – Exploration and survey of faunal resources of India.

Goethals Indian Library and Research Center – Presentation of a vast collection of Indological books, approximately 16800.
Mamata Shankar Ballet Troupe – A dance institute engaged in teaching and performing choreographic presentations on various contemporary themes and folk forms based on the Uday Shankar style.
The National Library, India – Information about history, collections and publications of this major national library.
P.C. Sorcar Jr. – Magician and entertainer. Details of tours, family, and his life.
Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation – A nodal agency supporting the public library services system in the country. Detailed information about the foundation’s activities.
Sanon Sen & Associates – Architecture, interior design, engineering and planning services. Portfolio of office and residential projects.
Seagull Books – A publishing program for the arts in India, serious, in-depth, high quality works on the alternative, the non-commercial and the experimental.

Ananda Sarees – Sari boutique offering, a revival of the genre of the handloom saris of Bengal.
GiftsToKolkata.com – Offers online shopping and a gift service to Kolkata.
Little Shop – Website of two children’s garments stores.
P C Chandra Jewellers – Jewellery retailers with several locations in Calcutta.
Quest International – Offer Shantiniketan style leather bags, wallets, coin purses, and lipstick cases.
Space International – Shop for carpets and furniture. Also has a interior designing consultancy.
XL Enterprises – Manufacturers of leather cigar cases, humidors, pipe tobacco pouches, smoking accessories, and wallets.

Colleges and Universities

B.C.Roy Memorial Library – Serving the IIM Calcutta students, the library provides access to numerous journals and periodicals, both off-line and on-line. Find details on timings, fees, video courses and other services.
Bose Institute – Includes history, infrastructure, faculty, alumni, principal staff lists, departmental pages.
Calcutta School of Music – Describes the objectives, facilities and special programs of the institution. Also includes examination highlights.
Educational Media Research Centre – Produces educational films, videos and other products.
The French Association – Details about the Kolkata chapter , courses offered and its events calendar.
George Telegraph Training Institute – Conducts training in wireless telegraphy.
research Calcutta Section – Caters to the professional needs of the electrical, electronics and computer engineering community in eastern and north eastern India.
research Industry Application Society Calcutta Chapter – Organizes lectures and seminars in the field of electrical and electronics engineering.
research Power Engineering Society Calcutta Chapter – Planning, research, development, design for the safe, reliable and economic generation, transmission, distribution, conversion, measurement and control of electric energy.
Lalani Computer Academy – Provides training on computer hardware and networking, multimedia and financial accounting. Find branches and placement related information.
Max Mueller Bhavan (Goethe Institut Kolkata) – The courses and events of the German Cultural Centre.
Netaji Subhas Open University – Covers university history, study centres, courses, news, academic calendar and exams.
P.L. Academy – Provides basic computer training and courses on accounting.
Positional Astronomy Centre Kolkata – Prepares data on positional astronomy for scientific purposes and national calendar for civic and religious purposes.

Reference: Education: Colleges and Universities: Asia: India: West Bengal (38)
The Academy for Professional Excellence – A private educational organization offering graduate and post graduate courses in professional streams.
Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose College – Government aided institution. Provides online results, notices and faculty details.
The Army Institute of Management – Institute offering MBA programme. Organization formerly known as National Institute of Management, Calcutta.
Asian Council of Logistics Management – The profile, governing body and the courses offered by this non-profit professional organization.
Bangabasi College – Provides courses for students of arts, commerce and science.
Bethune College – A college for women in Kolkata, providing courses in the stream of science, arts and economics.
B.P. Poddar Institute of Management and Technology – Details about students and student activities, courses and infrastructure, staff, alumni and its placement cell. Find information on the research programs and facilities.
Calcutta Institute of Engineering and Management – Courses , fees and contact details.
Department of Business Management, University of Calcutta – The academic programs, facilities, faculty, and admission procedures of the department.
Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management – A Calcutta based management school. Includes course curricula, details of facilities, faculty, and events.
Future Institute of Engineering and Management – An introduction to the school, its campus and faculty, departments, and courses of study.
editor Nanak Institute of Dental Science & Research – Contains information for prospective students, course curriculum and student activities.
editor Nanak Institute of Technology – Offers details for prospective students, learning resources, academic programs and placements.
Heritage Institute of Technology – Technology Institute in Kolkata offering four year B.Tech courses.
Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta – One of India’s premier management institutes.
Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management – India’s oldest business school.
The Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India – An institution for training management accountants in India.
Jogamaya Devi College – Provides details on courses, infrastructure and admission facilities. Also includes picture album and student info.
Lady Brabourne College – A reputed college for girls in Kolkata, providing various Arts and Science courses.
Marine Engineering and Research Institute – Information about this premier national marine engineering institute based in Kolkata.
Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata – About the departments and courses offered. Also provides details of the administration and past history.
Moulana Azad College – Co-educational college, offering courses in arts, commerce and science streams.
Narula Institute of Technology – News and events, academics, application process and infrastructure of the college.
National Institute of Orthopaedically Handicapped – Outlines the objectives, courses and training calendar of the institute. Also provides tender information and appeals.
Nopany Institute of Healthcare Studies – Detailed description of the courses offered, fees structure, and online application form.
Nopany Institute of Management Studies – Management Institute offering BBA, BCA and other professional courses.
Open International University for Alternative Medicine – Affiliations, testimonials, courses, forms, faculty of the institution. Also includes information on books and a newsletter.
Presidency College, Kolkata – Government operated oldest college in Kolkata. Includes facilities, staff information, admission and results.
Ramakrishna Mission Residential College Narendrapur – A glimpse into the educational lifestyle at Ramakrishna Mission Narendrapur, its facilities and the alumni.
RCC Institute of Information Technology – Provides information on admission, projects, infrastructure and courses. Also has a gallery and e-zine.
Scottish Church College – Non-official site for this college established in 1830 by Dr. Alexander Duff. Includes history and famous alumni.
Shova Rani Nursing College – Includes courses, facilities, faculty and admission procedure.
St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta – Provides insight into the college’s infrastructure, activities, results and affiliations.
Surendranath College – Provides information on the college academics, infrastructure and admission process.
Surendranath Evening College – Lists the faculty and administrative body members. Also offers information on its arts, science and commerce bachelor’s degrees.
Vidya Tutorials – The courses offered, faculty, and facilities of the institute.
Women’s Christian College – Degree course college with arts and science stream. Includes academic details, infrastructure and its outreach program.

Kolkata, aka Calcutta, is the West Bengal Capital, third largest urban agglomeration in India, fourth-largest Indian city, a British capital for monitoring the sub-continent till 1911. Some tags attached, but these don’t interest a tourist, do they!

The vengeful Kali (Lord Shiva’s consort) is the patron Goddess here and the same passion, runs through the life and blood of the Bengalis. Be it the sacrifices at the pyre of nationalist struggle, the compulsive call of their sweet-tooth, a Rabindrasangeet (Rabindranath Tagore songs), political confabulate, film-making – the zeal is just enviably perfect. And before we head further, some legendary products this ‘City of Joy’ owes to the nation and perhaps, the world – Rabindranath Tagore (artist), Jyoti Basu (politician, CM for 23 years), Satyajit Ray (film-maker), Sushmita Sen (Miss World 1994), Mother Teresa (Missionary nun), Subhas Chandra Bose (nationalist), Ilish-masheer-bhappa (a fish curry), the Rôshogolla (a sweet), and a legion of writers, film-makers and what not. Come here to feel India painted in a different hue from what Delhi, Mumbai and the likes are!

Tale of the City

A part of the decolonization spree (that turned Madras – Chennai, Bombay – Mumbai) is Calcutta becoming ‘Kolkata’ derived from ‘Kalikata’(called so before the British came), in turn, is an anglicized version of Kalikshetra (Land of the goddess Kali). During the colonial period it was called ‘the City of Palaces’.

Attractions

Victoria Memorial: It is Lord Curzon’s white marbled memorabilia for Queen Victoria, resonates the colonial era with its house of artifacts and impressive Western style architecture. Its 25 galleries, house about 3,500 articles relating to the Raj, plus the black marble throne of Siraj-ud-Daulah and the mammoth painting of a Jaipur royal procession (perhaps the largest in Asia). Don’t miss the Light and Sound Show held everyday, except Mondays, when the Museum remains closed.

Howrah Bridge (Rabindra Setu): The third largest cantilever bridge in the world and an engineering marvel completed in 6 years, the gracious Howrah Bridge of Kolkata has a world record of being the third largest cantilever bridge. Its 71ft wide road has 8 lanes of traffic and 2 footpaths on both sides. As you travel, along with the 2 million that reportedly crosses the bridge daily, its 500 meters with no pillars in the middle, gives the spine a strange chill.

Birla Planetarium: Just near the crossing of the Theater Road and Chowringhee Road is one of world’s most famous planetarium with an astronomical library and art gallery, an otherwise landmark (its dome shape) for tourists who feel lost and confused in this bustling city. Daily shows are held in English, Hindi and Bengali as the planetarium’s gigantic projector recreates the night sky.

Eden Gardens: Now the name here is a confusion of sorts. Incase your mind is racing already, this place has got nothing to do with the Biblical Eden. And its fame as a garden is passe, considering its roaring popularity as a site for the international cricket matches. However, it still offers a quiet stroll along the banks of the Hoogly River, add to it a short cruise down the river with the Vidyasagar Setu Bridge silhouetted in the background.

BBD Bagh: The popular Dalhousie Square is just another one to come under the renaming spree. Benoy-Badal-Dinesh Bagh, after the three martyrs of Bengal, is the city’s administrative hub with famed historical buildings like the Writers’ Building, Raj Bhavan, State Legislative Assembly, Kolkata High Court, St John’s Cathedral, GPO and Reserve Bank of India.

Botanical Gardens: Banking Hoogly, south of Howrah and sprawling a vast 270 acres, is this world famous herbarium with some 50,000 species of plants, the Botanical Survey of India, a 250 year old and 98 ft tall banyan tree, is the oldest botanics in India founded in 1786.

Dakshineswar Kali Temple: Flanking the mighty Ganges River, on the Kalighat Road, north of Kolkata is this sprawling temple with a Goddess Kali shrine in the center, surrounded by 12 of Lord Shiva. The great religious thinker Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is believed to have achieved spiritual nirvana, here and today pilgrims from around the world visit the temple to bask in its ethereal serenity. The goat sacrifice ritual everyday (that allegedly replaced the ancient practice of human sacrifice), however might leave one with a bad taste if sighted.

Paresnath Temple: This Jain temple at the Badridas Temple street, dedicated to Sitalnathji (the 10th of the 24 Jain tirthankaras or perfect souls), is more of an architectural orchestra with mirror-inlay pillars, marble floors with floral motifs, chandeliers from Paris and Brussels, blocks of glass mosaics and European statues painted in silver, gold-gilded dome and what not.

Marble Palace (former ‘Palace of Arts’): If you have already had a dekko of Hyderabad’s Salar Jung Museum, you will be amazed at the exactitude of this similar structure. Located in north Calcutta at Muktaram Babu Street, the conglomeration of some hundreds of marble varieties from across the world, pristine fountains from Rome, original painting masterpieces by Rubens and Joshua Reynolds, glass chandeliers and much more await your vision. A large pool near the small granite bungalow has ducks, peacocks and ostriches. It remains closed on Mondays and Thursdays.

Hangouts: The Park (despite its micro dance-floor), Someplace Else, Tantra are where you can shake a leg with Kolkata’s hippest nocturnals. The evenings can be flavored with a visit to one of the many theatrical performances and cultural gatherings that are staged almost everywhere in the city. The local newspapers or your know-it-all travel agent will furnish the required information about venues et al. The Birla Academy of Art and Culture (108-109 Southern Avenue), the Centre for International Modern Art (Sunny Towers, 43 Ashutosh Chowdhari Avenue/Sun closed), the Academy of Fine Arts (2 Cathedral Rd.) are perfect retreats for connoisseurs of art.

Shopping

Home to some of India’s best designers, the designer buys here are really worth the splurge. Some names to mug-up are Sabyasachi Mukherjee (one of India’s bests), Kiran Uttan Ghosh and Shabari Datta.

Bengal’s famous Tangail sarees can be had from Kundahar (10, Sarat Banerjee Rd.) and Ananda (Russell St.) For Bengali handicrafts, visit Dakshinapan or the Bengal Home Industries (11 Camac St.) or Sasha (27 Mirza Ghalib St.). The Central Cottage Industries Emporium in Chowringhee is where you must go if you want to pick different ethnic Indian stuff, not necessarily Bengali.

New Market, the erstwhile Hogg’s Market, is Kolkata’s oldest and most renowned shopping arcade on Lindsay Street. Right from leather goods, fancy silverware, jewelery, garments, fabrics, garment to dry fruits, poultry products, fish, meat, flowers – here is where everything can be bought right. Park Centre, on Park Street is the fashion hub with a wide variety of apparel, especially ladies’ garments, cosmetics and electronic gadgets.

In West Bengal, East India
Go there for :
Museums, Art Galleries, Sweets
Climate :
38°-41.7°C (Sum); 16°-29°C (Win)
When to Go:
Aug-Feb