Sweltering in Kolkata

Kolkata, located in the Southern tip of West Bengal, Northern India, the gateway to the next adventure.

Kolkata streets

Stepping off the plane after a short hop (2.5 hr) from Bangalore the increased temperature and humidity was instantly obvious. 

With a prepaid slip in hand (£2.75) I joined the queue for the massed ranks of classic yellow cabs and ended up in a little white Nissan for the hour long journey into town. Most of this hour was the final 2km navigating the blaring horns and gridlock of the city centre streets. 

Wandering the streets was a discovery of old colonial buildings in various states of disrepair. When the rain started I ducked into the Indian museum, a rather grand building although I was to later discover, the cause of some resentment locally due to the amount if money spent on it. 

Victoria monument

I made it to the Victoria monument just as it was closing but persuaded the chap on the gate to let me in for a quick photo and returned the next day to walk the gardens properly. By just wandering down the wrong path I came through the workers residences, a rather grand word to describe the incredibly basic living conditions of what looked more like a series of concrete cells in stark contrast to the extravagance and cleanliness of the neighbouring white marble edifice. 

market trader shaving

An afternoon stroll along the banks of the Hooghly river brought some respite from the busy city streets, past a succession of bathing ghats. 

Ultimate destination was the 24-7 flower market beneath Howrah bridge. A photographers dream
location with the colours & characters of the market. I also met a local chap particularly keen to show me the burning ghats. This of course being the location for cremating your dead, sure enough the was plenty of action, with a head and set of feet sticking out either side of a 6ft pyre, one fire just finishing & another body on the side awaiting their turn. I declined the opportunity to wait & see the stomach explode but learnt the cost is around £200, compared to £500 for an electric cremation - I can't validate the source of my information but it sounds very expensive for a country in which you can eat a good meal for less than £1. 

Sunday night I met a couple of my tour group for food & drinks on the 9th floor of a hotel to watch night fall

South Park Cemetery

Monday morning, after a group meeting & some paperwork completed there was time for some further sightseeing. First stop the South Park Cemetery, no sign of Kenny however many times he died.  Just one block across was the Scottish cemetery, however this was significantly  less well maintained than the South Park one, but was notable for containing crosses, the lack of these in SP only became noticeable after the event.

Flower market

A taxi ride around the streets eventually took us back again to the flower market and after a ride on the metro & dinner it was time to board the overnight train to Siliguri.