KOLKATA - The City of Joys.

This beautiful city of joy and amazement is located in the Eastern Part of the India and is the capital of West Bengal. It lies in the Bay of Bengal and was the previous capital of India.

I had very short time to explore the city but I made sure to enjoy its beauty to the fullest.

As soon as I reached, I was surrounded by the bunch of taxi drivers. The Yellow Taxis. Yes, they can be only found in Kolkata and acts as a signature to the city. Of course, Uber has not spared this city too, so don't worry if you don't want to travel through local taxis. Uber has your back. Even I was in a confused state to hire a local taxi or not, but later I found that it was a good option. 

I reached my hotel which was quite far from the airport but was in the middle of the market so you wouldn't feel lonely there or a cut off.

Get my hotel details here. 

I am a Chai lover. No matter what people say, but wherever I travel, I look for the best Chai I can get at that place. Or I look forward to the street vendors who sell Chai there. It is my fuel. Give me some Chai and watch me climb Mt. Everest!

 

This was the first chai I had there before the dinner. It was served in a Kullad  and cost only INR 6. Back in my town we get this of INR 5, but never mind.

I was having my exam the very next day I arrived here. I had an amazing dinner as this place was in the market area, so I didn't miss any street food left. I repeat, I had an amazing dinner. The food of Kolkata will make you gaga over it. It has its authentic Bengali touch in each of its street food.

 In the morning I reached my exam center and it was finished by 1 pm. My flight was scheduled at 11 pm on the same day, so I had to do everything in a hurry. I asked some locals as which monument place is the nearest to my location, and all of them said one place --- VICTORIA MEMORIAL.

VICTORIA MEMORIAL :

 

 

That's me in the middle. As I was on a solo travel, I had to request a guy to click my photo in front of the monument and this is what he came up with. Something is better than nothing, I thought.

Okay, coming to the description of the place, it was beautifully made with amazing architecture and maintenance. The history of it says that,

HISTORY :

In January 1901, on the death of Queen Victoria,The 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston (later created The 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston), the then Viceroy of India, suggested the creation of a fitting memorial. Lord Curzon proposed the construction of a grand building with a museum and gardens. Curzon said,

"Let us, therefore, have a building, stately, spacious, monumental and grand, to which every newcomer in Calcutta will turn, to which all the resident population, European and Native, will flock, where all classes will learn the lessons of history, and see revived before their eyes the marvels of the past."

The Prince of Wales, later King George V, laid the foundation stone on 4 January 1906, and it was formally opened to the public in 1921.

In 1912, before the construction of the Victoria Memorial was finished, King George V announced the transfer of the capital of India from Calcutta to New Delhi. Thus, the Victoria Memorial was built in what would be a provincial city rather than a capital.

I really enjoyed my time there and had an unforgettable experience. I felt really glad that I was able to explore such a wonderful piece of art.

DESIGN : 

 The design factor is important to know here because it is such a beautifully designed masterpiece that you can not resist yourself to know about the creator of it. So here it goes,

The Victoria Memorial's architect was William Emerson (1843–1924), president of the Royal Institute of British Architects. The design is in the Indo-Saracenic revivalist style which uses a mixture of British and Mughal elements with Venetian, Egyptian, Deccani and Islamic architectural influences. The building is 338 feet (103 m) by 228 feet (69 m) and rises to a height of 184 feet (56 m). It is constructed of white Makrana marble. The gardens of the Victoria Memorial were designed by Lord Redesdale and David Prain. Emerson's assistant, Vincent Jerome Esch, designed the bridge of the north aspect and the garden gates. 

I know there are way too many places to visit in Kolkata and I knew that I had a shortage of time which cost me so many unexplored places. I am planning to visit there soon with ample of time in my hand.

SEE ALL THE IMAGES FROM THIS TRIP HERE