Reasons why you can't miss out on Kolkata

Kolkata, also formerly known as Calcutta is not just another city, but an emotion. Kolkata is the capital of the East Indian state of West Bengal and is often referred as the land of the intellectuals.

As Vir Sanghvi once said " You want your cities clean and green; stick to Delhi. You want your cities rich and impersonal; go to Bombay. You want them high-tech and full of drought beer; Bangalore's your place. But if you want a city with a soul; come to Calcutta." The city with it's exquisite charm and incomprehensible antiquity does it's very best to spoil you.

Here are the five reasons why you can't miss out on Kolkata.

1. The cultural legacy of the city is matchless and one of the best experiences in the country. Kolkata represents creativity and vibrancy in all it's glory. It has the country's first Metro railway and some of it's buildings are over a hundred years old.

2. Kolkata offers a plethora of destinations that you can choose from .Some of them are Victoria Memorial, the Eden Gardens, Indian Museum, Birla Planetarium, National Library, Raj Bhawan, Princep Ghat and so on. River cruises to and fro from the Hooghly river is also available.

One can also pay a visit to Kumortoli to experience a divine connection. Idol makers bring life to figurines from Indian mythology at Kumortuli, and these idols are even sold across countries during the festivities. There are also many places of worship; from the famous Kali Temple at Kalighat , to Belur Math which is a place of pilgrimage for people from different religious faiths. Beyond it's tourist attractions. it serves as a gateway to the North and the North East India.

3. Kolkata's street food is an absolute no-miss. You cannot be here without ending up having a lot of it. The delightful sweets, the mouth watering seafood and others are to die for. Kolkata also has a variety of restaurants offering you delicacies from local food to the world beyond. Coffee House at College Street is the oldest coffee house in the city, and still throbs with life amidst the crowd of Starbucks, Barista and Cafe Coffee Days. Night life at Park Street is one of a kind experience.

4. The Markets at Kolkata have plenty of amazing fabrics and hand looms; so it's never a problem if you are a shopaholic. From local markets to luxurious shopping malls, Kolkata has it all. You can choose from a variety of options and decide for yourself. If you are a book worm, you are bound to like College street, which is the second largest second hand book market in the world. And if you are lucky enough, the vendors at the market even let you bargain a bit. So you end up buying a lot without having a hole in your pocket!

5. The people at Kolkata are warm and welcoming. They are helpful and extremely courteous. Public transport is the lifeline of the city - effective and fast, offering the best connectivity. It is also one of the few cities in the entire world to have tram as a mode of transport.

If you haven't visited Kolkata yet, you have reasons galore to come here and make some amazing memories that you can cherish throughout your life. So if you are planning on your next trip, Kolkata can surely be taken into consideration.

If you are planning to visit this place, you can very well carry a couple of comfortable shoes, a pair of headphones to have your music on the go and a shrug to protect yourself from the heat of the sun.

- Meenakshi Majumder.