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Sights of colonial architecture, cultural evenings and the soft running moods of the Hoogly River, Kolkata has something for everyone. The erstwhile capital of British India, Kolkata still reigns as a major cultural centre.
Kolkata is unexpected charming, that is perhaps even more striking when contrasted with the image of impoverishment it is more widely associated with. It is easily the country's most fascinating city, a unique and compelling mixture of Raj-era relics, Bengali culture, and communist politics. The state capital of West Bengal is one of the largest cities, with a population of more than 12 million.
However, Kolkata remains off the beaten track for many travellers, as Kolkata is a virtual synonym for dreadful squalor. Overcrowding, pavement slums, congested traffic, inoperable phones, daily electricity blackouts, with water shortages alternating with floods - living conditions that by any standard are intolerable. Yet Kolkatans defend their city with a kind of fierce pride, and few would choose to live anywhere else.
Travellers like me who sampled Kolkata's peculiar, yet stimulating, attractions often find that, above all, this city radiates an unforgettable triumph of human spirit. I was definitely moved by its unique energy.
The following citation is for all the German-speaking readers of my page:
Günther Grass once said, "Warum nicht ein Gedicht über einen Haufen Scheisse schreiben, wie Gott ihn fallen liess und Kalkutta nannte. Wie es wimmelt, stinkt und lebt und immer mehr wird."
Also als einen "Haufen Scheisse" würde ich Calcutta nicht bezeichnen... viel mehr ist es eine liebenswerte Stadt, die mit vielen (oft falschen) Vorurteilen zu kämpfen hat. Klar, Calcutta hat eine Menge Probleme, die sicherlich nicht von der Hand zu weisen sind, trotzdem rate ich Euch, gebt Calcutta eine Chance. Es ist eine faszinierende Stadt!
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Udaipur | Ahmedabad | Mumbai | Pune | Colva Beach
Kochi | Madurai | Tiruchirapalli | Mamallapuram
Chennai | Kolkata | Darjeeling | Varanasi
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