You find yourself for the first time in Kolkata. You have only a short period of time here apart from doing what you came here to do in the first place. What should you see? Where should you eat? What should you eat? What should you buy? Where should you buy it from? I am here to answer all these questions.
Places to see
1. If you are a museum-kind of person, you have two options—the Indian Museum and Victoria Memorial. Both are situated close by. On a pleasant day you can walk from one to the other. But pleasant days are far and few in Kolkata. So you may take a cab given your scarcity for time. The Indian Museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday and the Victoria Memorial 11 am to 6 pm also from Tuesday to Sunday. The Indian Museum’s focus is on Indian history rather than Kolkata history. You will find ancient Buddhist sculptures, ancient Greco-Indian coins and Mughal and Rajput miniature paintings. You will also find paintings of early 20th century Bengali painters such as Nandalal Bose, Abanindranath Tagore and Gaganendranath Tagore. The Victoria Memorial Hall’s focus is on the colonial history of Kolkata. So you will find paintings from 18th and 19th century Kolkata primarily. There are also paintings of Nandalal Bose, Abanindranath Tagore and Gaganendranath Tagore at the Victoria Memorial.
If you have time to choose only one, let me put forward the pros and cons of both. The Victoria Memorial Hall’s architecture is itself colonial and regal. If you have seen enough of it elsewhere, you may go to the Indian Museum for the greater number of things to see over there. If you want to experience the colonial architecture, choose the Victoria Memorial.
2. You must go to Prinsep Ghat on the Strand Road and take a boat ride for 30 minutes before it is dark but not when it is too sunny. Choose the time depending on the weather.
3. If you have enough time and the weather is suitable, you may want to go on one of the Kolkata walking tours organised by some travel companies. Do an internet search and you will get some results.
Places to eat
1. Where can you get good Bengali food restaurant quality in Kolkata? Choose either a restaurant named 6 Ballygunge Place located at that address or choose Oh Calcutta in Forum Mall or any of its other outlets. The food at Oh Calcutta is better but being situated in a mall the ambience is nothing to write home about. 6 Ballygunge Place is not bad food taste wise but not as good as Oh Calcutta. The building at 6 Ballygunge Place is nice to see though. I would go to Oh Calcutta at Forum Mall. By the way, there is a garments shop called Fabindia at Forum Mall. If you are looking to buy Indian kurta pyjama or women’s salwar kameez, it is convenient though you may wonder whether you would ever wear such clothes outside India if you are from outside India. If you are from other Indian cities, go to 6 Ballygunge Place. One Indian mall is like any other Indian mall. Nothing special to see in any mall.
What to eat at these restaurants: Try luchi or puffed bread, try chhana motorshutir chop or cottage cheese fried balls, try bhetki paturi or mustard and fish steamed inside a banana leaf, try bhapa ilish boneless or hilsa fish without bones, try khejur amshotto chutney or a sweet liquidy dessert, try chaaler payesh or a liquidy rice dessert.
2. Bengali desserts: There is a concept in India called mishtir dokaan or mithai shop or sweet shop. Bengal comes with its own specialities. The famous ones are Banchharam, Gupta Brothers, Haldiram, Kamdhenu, KC Gope, Balaram Mullick. Locate one of these or any other one and eat a few, whatever takes your fancy. If you are in Kolkata in winter, remember to have at least one sweet made with nolen gur. There is something called the Mishti Hub in New Town near the airport where there are several of these shops located one next to the other. You won’t be able to eat much before boarding your plane nor would you want to waste too much time there before boarding your plane but if you think you want to pick up something in a hurry before you go to the airport, you may want to stop there. Otherwise, while you have the time on the earlier days, drop by into a Bengali sweet shop or mishtir dokaan.
3. Fruits: If you are in Kolkata in summer, have Himsagar mango or some other mango, jackfruit which is known locally as kathal and other fruits which you have not had before. In case your hotel does not have anything you have never had before, go to a Kolkata bazaar and buy fruits for yourself and ask the hotel staff to peel it for you and give it to you.
4. Street food: Have a chicken roll, have phuchka, have jhaal muri, have beguni, have alur chop. Food is unlikely to make you sick if you ask everyone to not put chillies in them. Have bottled water though. Safer for the traveller. It is available widely. Ask your hotel staff. They will tell you where to find these.
5. Have the Kolkata chicken biryani with potato. Ask at your hotel. If they do not make it, they may suggest a nearby place.
Places to buy
1. There are these Biswa Bangla government-run stores targeted at the rich traveller. If you fit into that category, you can pop into these stores. They are there on Park Street, at Dakshinapan in South Kolkata, at New Town, at Salt Lake City Centre and at the airport. They have an assorted collection of things. If you happen to go to Dakshinapan in South Kolkata, you will find a host of other handicrafts to buy if you like such stuff. Fancy buying a Bengali script watch? The Tata-owned company Titan has a set—(for men/ wider) https://www.titan.co.in/product/titan-mother-of-pearl-dial-analog-watch-for-men-1740sl02 and (for women/ narrower) https://www.titan.co.in/product/titan-mother-of-pearl-dial-analog-watch-for-women-2580wl01 (I am not earning anything through this referral. I am not earning anything from any of the shops mentioned earlier either).
