CalcuttaTraveller.info

Calcutta City Guide

admin — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:54:15 +0000

Calcutta, or the city’s with a new name of Kolkota is the capital of the state of West Bengal. Whatever the name might be Kolkota will always be the city of joy as it is popularly called by the natives of this city. Calcutta is the largest city in India and is part of the four metroploitian of India.

More than 300 years ago, in 1687, Job Charnock, an English tradesman of East India group set up a trading post on the banks of the Ganga. In 1696, Old Fort William was established and this was the begining of a new era as this caused the birth of the city of Calcutta. The name Calcutta was derived from Kalikata, one of the three villages whose lands became a part of this new settlement.

During the phases of history Kolkota has grown from just being a small fishing village to one of the main trading cities in India and arguably one of the top most business cities of the world. Historically Kolkota have the impressions of the British architecture as the city was also one of the main administrative blocks under the Britishers. So, no wonder this can be seen in many westernely designed buildings and monuments of the bygone era.

Calcutta has housed some of the world’s most famous personalities like Mother Teresa and Rabinder Nath Tagore. People of Calcutta are well known for their sweet tooth and some of the best sweet dishes.

Monapali and Silk Route

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:40:10 +0000

Monapali and Silk Route are comanaged designer boutiques with lovely collections of women’s saris and salwar-kameez (a two-piece outfit of long, loose-fitting tunic over loose pants tapered at the ankle) in cotton, satin, and silk. Designs are inspired by the Far East and enhanced with Indian motifs and artwork: batik, embroidery, and zardozi (gold threading).

Bowbazar

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:39:04 +0000

East of Chitpur Road is Bowbazar, Calcutta’s jewelry district, is where you’ll find a terrific collection of good-quality gold and silver plus beautifully designed and crafted stone settings. Prices are reasonable, and each shop has an astrologer to help you find the most auspicious stone for your stars.

New Market

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:37:36 +0000

If you stand outside this sprawling market complex and crane your head in the right direction, you might still spy a faded sign or two that still refer to this place as Hogg Market. However, if you’d rather plunge into the heart of the shopping game, here’s the best place to start bargain hunting in Kolkata. Shiny plastic clips, faux crystal ware, flowers, fabric, toys, luggage, ready-to-wear clothes, shoes, crockery, candles, swimwear, uniforms… name it and it’s likely to be there in one of the shops here. The thumb rule at New Market? Bargain with all your might!

AC Market

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:35:56 +0000

If you want to get away from the heat on the streets, walk into AC Market on Shakespeare Sarani. No prizes for guessing what the AC stands for - an icy blast is bound to hit you as soon as you open the doors to this building. AC Market is much smaller than New Market, and doesn’t offer the mind-boggling variety of goods that the former does. It used to be the haunt of the upwardly mobile, but with swanky new shopping complexes opening up over town, AC Market is now a toned down version of its former snooty self. Don’t let the “Fixed Price” signs scare you off - this is as good a place as any for great bargains.

Dakshinapan Shopping Complex

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:34:59 +0000

This is one place that’s a favorite with college student looking for clothes to fit their budgets. Bargaining is out of the question here, as most shops sell their ware at fixed prices. However, the complex is choc-a-bloc with state emporia, peddling their ware at reasonable rates. A few bargains can also be grabbed at the shops that aren’t emporia. The complex also houses a few clean food stalls, where you can stop for a bite after a long shopping spree.

Taaja’s

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:32:13 +0000

For a wild variety of dishes from the world’s kitchens and a dynamic, upbeat crowd, this charming, casual restaurant is a winner. Don’t miss barbecued pork ribs, hot Singaporean prawns, Goan prawn vindaloo, Hungarian goulash, or the local bekti fish prepared with a Creole sauce. There are also dishes from Vietnam and Burma as well as Spanish paella, along with a selection of Indian specialties.

Sonargaon

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:31:32 +0000

Exposed stone masonry and Mediterranean-style whitewashed walls, wooden tables, tribal wall hangings, a separate fish-market kitchen (guests can watch their fish being cooked), and enormous storm lanterns set the right atmosphere for this upmarket take on village-style Bengali dining. Order a traditional Bengali thali (multicourse meal), served on a silver platter, and give yourself plenty of time to recover; diners tend to leave with full stomachs.

Bengali specialties include a rich, spicy prawn curry (chingri malai), and paturi maach — sliced bekti fish coated with a paste of mustard and green chili, wrapped in a banana leaf, and steamed. For an excellent starter, get kakori kebab (minced lamb kebab) or, if you are looking for something milder, the murgh Wajid Ali (chicken breast pounded, marinated with saffron and other spices, and cooked in a mildly spiced sauce). Leave space for rossogolla payesh, a Bengali dessert made from paneer (cheese) and thickened sweet milk.

Kewpie’s

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:30:42 +0000

Popular with local celebrities and bigwig visitors to the city, this tiny family kitchen has been well marketed but is not necessarily the most authentic (for that you’re better off visiting Suruchi, ideally combined with a visit to South Park Cemetery). The menu changes daily, but the highlight is Kewpie’s thali (multicourse platter)–various fish, vegetable, and meat items (or strictly vegetarian items), served with different breads. Talk to the helpful Purnima Dasgupta for explanations of the dishes or ingredients.

Jong’s

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:29:50 +0000

Sharing an entrance with the equally excellent Indian restaurant Zaranj, this stylish spot, with freshly renovated and expanded interiors, is our choice for top Asian restaurant in West Bengal. On offer is an eclectic and wildly exciting selection of well-considered dishes. Start with traditional tom yam kai, a spicy hot-and-sour chicken broth flavored with kafir lime leaves, lemon grass, and chili paste.

Nonmeat-eaters should opt for kaeng phak, a Thai preparation of seasonal veggies cooked in a spicy curry with galangal, lemon grass, and kafir lime leaves, topped off with coconut milk. For your main course, favorites include ginger chicken, Shanghai-style tangerine chicken, coconut prawns with bamboo shoots, crab in a zesty Penang curry, and drunken fish made with Bay of Bengal bekti grilled in red wine.