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 https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/heritage/future-of-the-past/cid/1800367 Future of the Past Walks, talks, fests, guests. After years of being defined by the Howrah Bridge, Park Street and sandesh, Calcutta was learning to speak a heritage language. Then came the virus. Checking out the pulse of a nascent but promising industry Time Travel: Walks and tours conceptualised by The Ganges Walk (left) or Calcutta Walks (right) made heritage accessible to all and upheld legacy traditions Picture courtesy: The Ganges Walk (right) & Calcutta Walks (Right) Manasi Shah     |      |    Published 13.12.20, 01:22 AM Pre-pandemic. The heritage industry of Calcutta was booming. Yes, the heritage industry. A little more than 200 guided tours — walking tours, cultural tours, archaeological tours, food tours, photography tours — run by individuals, community groups, private companies and institutions. Hooghly’s Flower Fest tour by Calc...

  Visit architecturally beautiful and historically significant places of worship on this full-day tour of Kolkata that will surely be a feast for both your eyes and mind.  Learn about the importance of Hinduism and Islam in India on visits to five different temples as well as Mother House, where Mother Teresa's tomb is located.  Visit two cathedrals and the Victoria Memorial to learn about the architectural and cultural nuances the British brought to this region. Your private guide will ensure an educational and enlightening experience. After pickup from your hotel in Kolkata, embark on your private tour of places of worship in Kolkata. Head to Belur Math, an architectural beauty that houses the volunteer organization Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Walk around and be in awe of the intricate architecture that fuses Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as a symbol of the unity of all religions.Then, enjoy a 20- to 30-minute boat cruise on the Hooghly River to the Dakshineswar...

It has been a pretty memorable winter in Kolkata . While the early phase in the first half of December has been pleasant , the chill started picking up from the third week and by the end of December and still onto the third week of January the temperature has often been going below 10 deg C. The night of 25th December has been particularly memorable as we went to attend Christmas Carols and an evening of entertainment by the children of Tollygunge Club. The program was to bring in cheer into the life of orphaned and deprived children and I thought that the gesture was indeed thoughtful. We followed it up with dinner at the Belvedere . This was the restaurant serving Continental food and the same has been relocated to above the clubhouse. Flooring has a reflective marble style and the food has been really improved upon. Coming back to the main theme , I picked up my new car too on December 25th. There was quite a celebration and a small party organized by the distributors of Maruti...

*The City of Kolkata has its own old world charm with all the amenities of the new world. *On one hand the architecture of the business areas of the City takes you back to Old World Britain and the business houses of LeadenHall Street. Some of the buildings which send a tingling sensation of Britain through me are Duncan House , Balmer Lawrie Building , the Old Standard Chartered Building belonging to the Maharaja of Burdwan , the Old Mint .The list continues endlessly.  When I stand besides these buildings I think of  the British Managers who lorded over their Indian subordinates in these Chambers and after a hard day's work would sit on horse carriages and drive down to their nearest Clubs .  *And that brings me back to the club life of the City. Life in Kolkata is not complete until you have enjoyed the sports and games and nightlife of the City. Some of the prominent clubs of British legacy include Bengal Club, the Tollygunge Club, the Saturday C...

Diwali is considered as the Festival of Lights in India & symbolizes the victory of good over evil . Its marked by lighting lamps , diyas as they call it in India and backed up by family get togethers , exchange of pleasantries and sweetmeats . In Bengal the worship of Goddess Kali takes place while Goddess Lakshmi the Goddess of Wealth is also worshipped that night especially by the business community . Owing to pollution reasons the High Court of Delhi banned the use of firecrackers this year in Delhi.It created many a heartbburn as it was construed as a means to snub Hinduism and favour the minority community . In Kolkata a deep depression marked an end to the fun and gaiety. A deep depression over coastal Orissa ran into Kolkata and adjoining areas with wind speeds exceeding 40kmph.Despite a 4 day weekend , Wednesday and Thursday got completely wiped out by the rains and neither did candles or diays survive the winds. The only hope was Chinese lights and lanterns. Children...