Kolkata City Guide: A Newcomer's Handbook

Kolkata was the capital of British India and is still one of its most literary cities: book markets, adda over coffee, Victorian buildings, yellow taxis and Durga Puja, which UNESCO lists as intangible cultural heritage. This guide covers where to live, how to get around, the seasons, what to eat and how to settle in.

Why People Move to Kolkata

Kolkata is eastern India's largest city and a hub for trade, education, healthcare and, increasingly, IT in Salt Lake and New Town. Many people find it one of the most affordable big cities in India, with a deep cultural life of theatre, music, literature and film, and some of the best food in the country.

Neighbourhoods

Every para (neighbourhood) has its own character. A quick orientation:

• Ballygunge and Gariahat: classic South Kolkata, with tree-lined streets, old homes, markets and good restaurants.
• Park Street and Central Kolkata: old restaurants, bars and Victorian buildings, close to the Maidan and New Market.
• Salt Lake (Bidhannagar): a planned township with parks, offices and the Sector V IT hub.
• New Town (Rajarhat): newer apartments, wide roads, Eco Park and IT campuses, close to the airport.
• Alipore: leafy, upmarket and quiet, with old mansions and the zoo.
• North Kolkata (Shyambazar, Bagbazar, Shobhabazar): the old city of rajbaris, sweet shops and riverside ghats. Full of history.
• Behala, Tollygunge and Jadavpur: residential South Kolkata, good value, near Jadavpur University and the Tollygunge film studios.

Getting Around

The Kolkata Metro opened in 1984 as India's first. The Blue Line runs north to south through the city centre, from Dakshineswar to the southern suburbs, and the Green Line includes India's first underwater metro tunnel, under the Hooghly between Howrah and Esplanade. Newer lines are growing towards the south-west, the eastern suburbs and the airport.

The yellow taxis, many of them old Ambassadors, are part of the city's identity, though their numbers are falling and app cabs are widely used. Autos run shared, fixed routes, buses go everywhere, and ferries cross the Hooghly between Howrah and the city's ghats. The trams, once a defining sight, now run on just a couple of routes, though the state government has announced plans to revive them.

Weather and Durga Puja

Kolkata is humid for much of the year. March to June is hot and sticky, and the monsoon from June to September brings heavy rain and waterlogging. October to February is the best time, with mild winters. Durga Puja, usually in September or October, transforms the city: thousands of pandals, crowds through the night and five days of celebration.

Food

Kolkata takes eating seriously. Bengali meals revolve around fish, mustard, rice and dal; the biryani comes with a potato; the kathi roll is widely credited to Nizam's near New Market; Park Street keeps its old continental restaurants; Chinatown serves Indian-Chinese food; and the sweet shops, some of them around 200 years old, make sandesh and rosogolla every day. Pet Pujo, our Kolkata food guide, lists where to go and what to order.

The Language

Bengali (Bangla) is the city's language and the language of its literature, theatre and film. Hindi and English are widely understood, especially in business and markets, but Bengali makes people warm up instantly. Start with our survival Bengali phrases.

Things to Do

• Visit the Victoria Memorial and walk across the Maidan.
• Cross the Howrah Bridge on foot and see the flower market at Mullick Ghat below it.
• Browse the book stalls of College Street and take a coffee break at the Indian Coffee House.
• Watch idol-makers at work in Kumartuli, especially in the weeks before Durga Puja.
• Visit the Dakshineswar Kali temple and take the ferry across the river to Belur Math.
• Watch the sunset at Princep Ghat beside the Vidyasagar Setu.
• Explore Jorasanko Thakur Bari, Rabindranath Tagore's family home, and the Indian Museum.

Settling In

Choose a neighbourhood with a metro station or a good bus route nearby, keep an umbrella and waterproof shoes for the monsoon, and find your para's sweet shop early. In autumn, get involved with your neighbourhood's Durga Puja: it is the quickest way to make friends. To find out what is on, check Ooru's Kolkata events page every week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kolkata a good place to live?

Kolkata is known for its affordability, culture, food and warm neighbourhoods. The downsides are the humidity, monsoon waterlogging and fewer large corporate employers than in Bengaluru or Mumbai.

Which area is best to live in Kolkata?

Ballygunge and Gariahat suit people who want classic South Kolkata; Salt Lake and New Town suit IT workers and anyone who wants a newer apartment; Alipore is upmarket and quiet; and North Kolkata suits those who love old-city character.

When is the best time to visit Kolkata?

October to February, when the weather is pleasant. Durga Puja, usually in September or October, is the city's biggest celebration.

Do I need Bengali in Kolkata?

Not strictly: Hindi and English are widely understood. But Bengali is the language of everyday life, and even a few words go a long way.