A city that is modern but still has its own story will not let you ignore the city’s layout and the historical monuments from the history.
Kolkata is an obsession and filled with emotions
Kolkata is the city with rich cultural heritage and age-old traditions. This state of West Bengal is popular and well-known for its various literary works, music, and dance. The monuments and the historical architecture of Kolkata make it known to us as one of the first British colonies of India. The soul of the city lies with its historical monuments and buildings. To truly experience Kolkata you need to explore the ethnicity of the city. This will definitely give you the true image of the “City of Joy”.
Best time to visit Kolkata:
In summers the city mostly stays hot and humid with the minimum temperature of 30° C to 40° C and it continues till May. The seasonal monsoon hits Kolkata during the end of June or early July. It is during this time that the city receives heavy rainfall. The most favorable time to visit Kolkata is from October till March when the temperature tends to get as low as 11°C. During the winters the city has early morning mists making the city more beautiful.
How to reach Kolkata?
By Air: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the nearest airport which is about 17 kilometers from the main city of Kolkata. From the airport, you can take a taxi or cab and reach your final destination.
By Rail: The nearest railway station is Kolkata Railway station. It connects to all the major cities too. The minimum time taken is 10 hours and 58 minutes with a distance of 560 kilometers but it might extend too if the train waits for longer hours.
By Road: Kolkata is connected with most of the Indian cities by road. The National Highway number 2 and 6 is the easiest way to reach Kolkata from Siliguri with a distance of 558 kilometers. It takes approximately 13 hours 48 minutes.
Best educational places to visit in Kolkata:
1-Science City:
Kolkata has been the intellectual capital of India for a long time, so it is no surprise that the largest Science Centre in the subcontinent is located here. The place has a large variety of science-related exhibitions. It also has separate galleries for Evolution, Space and many other branches of science.
Highlights
Address: J.B.S Haldane Avenue, Kolkata, West Bengal 700046, India
Visiting hours: 9 am to 9 pm
Entry fee: INR 50 per person
Duration of visit: 3 to 4 hours
2-National Library:
It is the largest library in India. It has a volume in excess of 2 million books. The library is open to all the visitors and it is a perfect place for the book lovers. There are books on almost every subject and some of the rarest and hard to find books are available in this library.
Highlights
Address: Belvedere Road, Block A,
Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700027, India
Visiting hours: 9 am to 8 pm
Entry fee: Free
Duration of visit: 3 to 4 hours
3-Sri Aurobindo Bhavan:
A cultural and educational center in Kolkata, Sri Aurobindo Bhavan is the childhood mansion of Rishi Aurobindo. This mansion has been preserved and its gardens create a small oasis of peace in and around the place. The Bhavan has a library of works, on and by Sri Aurobindo, apart from general library.
Highlights
Address: No. 8, Middleton Row, Shakespeare Sarani, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071, India
Visiting hours: 8 am to 8 pm
Entry fee: Free
Duration of visit: 1 to 2 hours
4-Energy Education Park:
This park was set up by the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency in the first month of the New Millennium. The main aim of this park is to spread awareness about the dangers of climatic changes on life and on Earth and also teaches the way of mitigating these effects.
Highlights
Address: Dhapa Solid Waste Disposal Area, Dhapa, Kolkata, West Bengal 700105, India
Visiting hours: 10 am to 7 pm
Entry fee: INR 3-5 per person
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
5-Indian Museum:
This is the ninth oldest museum of the world. The museum has an impressive collection of archaeological, zoological and botanical objects which has made it the largest museum in India. It is also known as “Jadughar” and called the house of magic by the locals.
Highlights
Address: 27, Jawaharlal Nehru Rd, Colootola, Dharmatala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016
Visiting hours: Monday closed
Tuesday to Sunday- 10 am to 5 pm
Entry fee: INR 10 per person
Duration of visit: 1 to 2 hours
Why is one visit to Kolkata never enough?
Kolkata is changing with the modernization influence, but the best part is the cultural heritage. It has been highly preserved by the locals and the government. A Bengali always takes pride in the richness of Kolkata which brings happiness and joy to their lives. While the places like Indian Museum give you educational knowledge, Utkarsh Travels adds the taste of modern Kolkata to your trip to your educational tour to the “City of Joy”.