5 City Walks To Sign Up For In Kolkata

The Murder and Mayhem Walk

The walk is inspired by real-life crime stories from the 1850s to the 1890s, as told in police officers' personal diaries and press articles (a sampling"Jewish housewife discovered brutally killed in her bedroom" or "A queen and her accomplices loot a jewellery store"). You will walk through places where these events occurred. The walk will also examine the incidents from a sociocultural, racial, and gender dynamic perspective. A few of the cases have yet to be resolved. You will have the opportunity to see some of Kolkata's most fascinating neighbourhoods, including Armenian Street, Ezra Street, Pollock Street, Amratolla Lane, and others.

More details here.

Calcutta In WWII Walk

The Second World War came to the city in 1942 with Japanese bombers on regular scouting missions to destroy the industrial sector in an effort to harm the Allied war effort. For people in the city, air-raid sirens were an everyday reality. This walk will take you around the places in Kolkata that were associated with WWII. 

More details here.

The Culture Kaleidoscope Tour

Organised by&nbspthe first photo tour company in Kolkata, this walk takes you through the many cultural fabrics that make the city. Guiding you will be well-known photographer and explorer Manjit Singh Hoonjan. You will learn about&nbspthe Chinese community in the city, the oldest surviving Christian tombs, the synagogues which have stood for centuries, and sample local foods. 

More details here.

The Ghats Walk

Kolkata was developed along the Hooghly river which has played a very important role in the lives of its inhabitants and helped shape the city. There are dozens of ghats along the river with archeologically significant buildings, evidence of the rich heritage of colonial Calcutta. Many prosperous businessmen built magnificent structures just above the stairs which provided shelter for the people taking a bath or visiting the river for rituals. Another interesting feature of most ghats are the temples that were built beside it. Some of these beautiful structures still exist though the maintenance and supervision are minimal.

More details here.

The Magic Hour Tour

This is about Kolkata at the break of dawn. This tour starts before the sun is up, when the light-sensitive neon street lamps of Kolkata (that are on through the night) switch off.

What You Will Experience&nbspYou will visit local hidden spots around the oldest parts of Kolkata, before the city wakes up. And you also get to travel via iconic transport modes such as trams and buses have breakfast at a secret hole-in-the-wall place with an extraordinary view and learn the meaning of the Bengali word &ldquoadda&rdquo. Calcutta Capsules, who organise the walks, call this an &ldquounguided tour&rdquo. You will wrap up with a taste of some of the best mishti (Bengali sweets) the city has to offer. And did we mention that&nbspyou will be starting the tour by taking the first bus of the day Among the places you will visit are Howrah Bridge, the Flower Market, and Kumartuli, the neighourhood of potters who make those stunning Durga idols.

More details here.

The Melting Pot Walk

Kolkata-Calcutta is a city that has seen a variety of cultures. Some are gone, some are fading away, and others remain. This walk will explore &ldquothe origins and remains of the varied communities that hung their boots and called Calcutta home&rdquo, as the website says. For instance, why Chinese breakfast still rules Tiretta Bazar, how the Armenians gave the city its oldest surviving Christian church, the Anglo-Indians, Muslims, Marwaris, and Biharis and many more that made this city a great melting pot of diverse cultures.

More details here.

Cabin Food Walk

Everyone knows that Kolkata people take their food very seriously. And also that the city has a rich culinary culture with many layers. The Cabin Food Walk explores one such layer - the cabins, Kolkata&rsquos eateries that dot old Calcutta popular with everyone from revolutionaries to literati.

More details here.