Gleaming Calcutta

After Chennai, Ian and I flew to Calcutta for the Durga Puja festivities. I was anxious to get back there since both my knowledge of India and the Indian economy had grown immensely since I was there last in 2000. Calcutta has always been a magical city to me, possibly because I read one too many British-era historical fiction novels. Anyway, the place is teeming with polite Calcuttans, exudes charm of the British Raj, and boasts the best food and most beautiful women in all of India.

I was interested to see how this was viewed on the traveler's circuit, since I know I am biased. Lonely Planet seemed to give the least visited large city in India due respect - it's own chapter and a very positive write-up. Indians I met all over India seem to agree about the manners, food, and the peculiar concentration of female beauty in Calcutta. It is known for it's gigantic and spooky Kali Temple, the Victoria Memorial (though not a tomb, it's seems like the British answer to the Taj Mahal), the tourist friendly enclosed New Market, and the close proximity to the large Tibetan population in the Darjeeling and Sikkim areas so popular with the Buddhist-loving-hippie backpacker.

This time Calcutta again did not disappoint. I was ecstatic to see that the main areas of town had been drastically scrubbed. For example, the last 3 times I visited Calcutta, I took a picture of a famous Raj-era building. It was remarkable for the numerous trees growing from the walls and the hanging drying laundry of the squatters. Now it is newly white-washed and gleaming. I almost didn't belive it was the same building. Notice also the people walking across the street on the cross-walk in front of stopped traffic. Unheard of last time I was there. Everywhere I went, I saw the signs of economic and social progress. New skyscrapers, multi-story AC malls, grocery stores, the absence of beggars and touts. Granted, one does have to wonder, where did all the beggars go? I am told that they and the evicted squatters have been given government housing outside the city. However, he city's 4 year old push to abolish the cruel human-powered rickshaw and install CNG taxis still hasn't come to fruition. There is still much work to be done.

And the rest of it? The people were actually the most polite in India. There was very little of the full-body-contact queuing and general rude staring than I have seen anywhere else. The food was actually the most tasty (for fish eaters of course). Bengali sweets are world-renowned. Ian talked about the state's addiction to them in his own blog and I'll go into more details soon. The women? You can ask Ian's opinion of that. However, if you just judge from among my cousins, the Bengali women win it hands-down.

Given the above, you would think it would be on everyone's travel list, right? Wrong. Not only are there less Western tourists in all of Calcutta than anywhere else in India, most have a very negative opinion of it. One Polish girl I met in Chennai was traveling India for three months. When asked if she was going to Calcutta, she replied "I have absolutely no desire." Good, the subtle wonders and historical marvels Calcutta would be lost on her anyway.

~ Nisha