Formerly Calcutta and, more rarely, Kolcutta, Kolkata by any name still conjures up images of squalor, poverty and urban disaster. Too few bother to discover its enchanting colonial beauty, the energy and humour of its people and the charm of the city's distinctly Bengali soul.
Kolkota isn't an ancient city like Delhi - in fact it's largely a British creation that dates back a mere 300 years. As a crumbling snapshot of British
Colonialism, it is unrivalled. For such a smoggy, frantic city, it is also notable for its lovely green spaces.