Oh, Kolkata!

5 Must Do Things in Kolkata.

One of the sensible decisions we took in Kolkata was to stay near Raj Bhawan which made the many touristy places within walking range.

Thankfully it was rainy and cool; otherwise the sultry September sun would have been a bummer during the day.

To make most of the three days in the city which has loads to see and needs several visits to savour, we literally hit the ground running.

Indian Museum

Soon after checking in to the city's oldest hotels, the Lalit Great Eastern, we walked to the Indian Museum around a kilometre odd away, walking past Dharmatala, the protest site of BJP members against the doctor's brutal rape and killing that has rocked the city.

Loudspeakers strung on poles stretching nearly half a km away brought the speeches to many in the distance as the police kept a watch. The protest at the busy crossing continued through the three days we were there.

The brisk walk ended at the imposing elegant white building of the Indian Museum. The friendly CISF personnel waved us into the wide arched corridors overlooking a lush green inner courtyard.

The over 100-year old museum building had sections devoted to Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Zoology, Geology, and Botany. The displays were interesting, but difficult to enjoy at leisure because the whirring fans were no respite from the sultry heat.

The leading attraction of course was the 4,000-year-old Mummy in the air-conditioned Egyptian gallery that had arrived in Kolkata in 1882 as a gift to the Asiatic Society. The exposed faced showed skeletal bones which had crumbled on one side.

It was a fascinating watch and attracted people in droves. One could stand, gaze, marvel and conjure about the life it must have seen.

The Gandhara gallery was another treasure of intricate stone statutes.

Some of the prized possessions on display are collections from Scottish army officer Colonel Colin Mackenzie, an officer in the East India Company who spent four decades in India and unearthed evidence that brought Amravati its recognition as India's second oldest capital after Patliputra.

He is also known for making the first accurate map of South India's geography. The colonel died in 1821 and is buried in Kolkata. Another masterpiece from his collection is a 2nd century intricate depiction of scenes from Lord Buddha's life carved in stone. It is simply gorgeous!

While there, do sit on the benches around the wide corridors and admire the elegance of the building.

Victoria Memorial

"Go there, even if you have been there in the past because you will always discover something new," my colleague and friend Swarupa Dutt had said while sending voice notes and WhatsApp messages about what to see, eat and do in Kolkata.

A local, rickety bus, seats wet with rain and a ticket costing Rs 10 stopped at the nearest stop from VM. Past the ticket window, the marble rain-washed monument is glorious.

The vast lawns with majestic trees and the sheer openness of the surrounds is a sight to behold. Make time to park yourself on one of the benches on the way out.

A cannon from the Battle of Plassey in 1757 which marked the beginning of the British rule in India, a calendar created by Wajid Ali Shah, the last nawab of Awadh who was exiled to Calcutta after the annexation of his kingdom and an intricate ivory chair used by first governor general Warren Hastings [he was later impeached are some of the displays that catch your eye towards the entrance.

A gallery of oil paintings of 19-20th century Indian reformers predominantly from Bengal is overwhelming in grandeur and meaning.

Make time to stand under the dome and pause to take in the architecture. Entry was not allowed on to the second floor, but there is enough and more to immerse yourself at VM.

Don't miss it!

Netaji's House

Woodburn Park, the original address set in marble with black lettering is preserved in the courtyard of the elegant Bengali mansion.

The vintage Wanderer car in which Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose made the great escape from this house in 1941 is displayed in a glass cubicle. One of the staff informs that a mechanic comes to service it once a week and drives it in the compound.

An old clock in the stairway still chimes, its pendulum swinging dolefully. This is the house that Netaji left in 1941 to escape to Germany via Afghanistan to work for India's Independence. His room is preserved as it is.

There is a wealth of information about the difficult struggle for Independence, the Indian National Army set up by Netaji that fought in Manipur, Assam and Burma -- and the high price that our freedom fighters paid for Free India.

The words in the framed letters show how devoted they were to Independence. There are letters that begin with that cause and I think in that most personal act of writing home from overseas -- when sending letters would have cost money and taken months, our leaders devoted paragraphs to how they could rid India of the British.

The small shop on the ground floor has some interesting books and merits a browse.

Footsteps on the corridors and around the house show the path taken by Netaji out of this beautiful home, never to return.

You should not leave Kolkata until you haven't paid you're your respects at this home (external link).

Jorasanko Thakur Bari, Rabindranath Tagore's Home

The striking red palatial mansion (external link) was home to Rabindranath Tagore, writer, philosopher and the greatest literary mind of 20th Century India.

He lived most of his life and passed away here.

Long corridors flanked either side of his first floor room. Large windows provided magnificent cross ventilation making it naturally air conditioned.

In his last days, the ailing Tagore was operated in the verandah of the house which was converted into an operation theatre.

The house is the symbol of the cultural renaissance of Bengal. The galleries on the first and second floor contain painting and writings by Tagore and other members of his family. The galleries are dedicated to Japan, China, US, countries he had visited.

The grounds seemed like a popular spot for selfies and photographs. Photographs were not allowed inside the building.

A frangipani tree in the premises was particularly sought after for pictures, almost all the girls tucked the flower behind the ears as they posed in Tagore's home.

Tagore died in 1941. As I left, I wished he had lived another six years to see India be free. I thought of his soul stirring poem Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high -- which will always remain the beacon for the India we all must strive for.

Belur Math

In the evening the gates opened at 4 pm and a large group of people from as far as Kerala were waiting to enter the headquarters of the Ramkrishna Mission in India (external link).

People entered making a beeline for the spot to drop their shoes before entering the temple dedicated to Shri Ramkrishna whose foremost disciple was Swami Vivekananda.

Monks in orange robes walked around the well groomed garden which led to the banks of the Ganga.

The serene atmosphere and the large number of visitors was a testament to the lasting legacy of Shri Ramkrishna and the philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, one of India's leading thinkers and philosophers.

There was an interesting shop selling books on Vedanta and another that sold handicrafts and products made by local self help groups.

An hour from the city, across the Hooghly, Belur Math should be on your list.

Other things you can do in Kolkata: Walk across the Howrah Bridge, Kolkata's enduring symbol.

Walk alongside the Ganga on Prinsep Ghat. It provides a great view of the Vidyasagar bridge and you can just sit and watch the boats glide up and down the river. There is a quaint railway station, great for a cute photo op.

 

St Paul's Cathedral, one of the oldest gothic churches, is a beauty in white. Look out for a marble tablet amongst all the interesting dedication plaques on its walls to Deenbandhu Charles Freer Andrew, Gandhiji's devoted friend.

Shop at the interesting New Market where you could get lost in its gullies selling a multitude of things from art to food.

Eat at Mocambo, 6 Ballygunge Place and Bar-B-Q restaurant. Try the interesting street food, rolls, puchkha, and, of course, the mithais.

Hop on to the yellow taxis and ride on the last of the trams.

And one last thing, Go to Kolkata! There's lots to do, but you can make a start by doing what I did, and come back for more!