With its choking traffic, constant noise and potholed streets, navigating Kolkata requires the patience of a saint — no wonder Mother Theresa was the city’s most famous resident. The rickety taxis and crumbling colonial architectural also reminded us of Mumbai, where Jen and I lived for three years.
Seen better days: Kolkata's crumbling colonial architecture
Like Mumbai, Kolkata was synonymous with British India. When the Brits first arrived in the 17th century, they founded a trading post that quickly eclipsed those of their French and Dutch neighbors. As trade prospered, the colony – then known as Calcutta — expanded until it was invaded by a rival prince. British residents were locked up in the “Black Hole of Calcutta,” a prison where many died. The incensed British quickly recaptured the city, defeating the prince and his French allies at the battle of Plassey.
The Victoria Memorial
With the British virtually unopposed, Kolkata flourished. Tiger-infested jungle was cleared away, villages flattened and palaces and churches built in their place. Most of the buildings are now little more than ruins, but the Victoria Memorial still retains regal grandeur. Built to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (though not completed until decades after she’d passed), the massive white marble dome looks like Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London. In front of the Memorial, the vast swathe of park known as the Maidan hosts impromptu games of cricket. At the end of Park Street, one of Kolkata’s main avenues, the South Park Street Cemetery contains the elaborate mausoleums of former colonial rulers.
The mausoleums of South Park Street Cemetery
Exciting as it may be, the city’s endless traffic, honking drivers and cramped sidewalks makes Kolkata a frustrating place to explore. After just a couple of days, we decamped to the Sundarbans, a nearby national park that promised to be a tranquil haven. Just three hours away, these semi-submerged mangrove forests are home to tropical birds, deer, crocodiles, monitor lizards and the Royal Bengal Tiger.
The Sundarbans National Park is the world's largest mangrove forest
This isn't the first time Jen and I have attempted a tiger safari in India. A few years back, we travelled to the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, where our tiger trek was thwarted by a mix of impenetrable bureaucracy and obvious corruption. This time, we splashed out and joined an organized tour, which people say offers better odds of spotting the elusive animal.
Sundarbans at sunset
Though initially promising – we overnighted in a charming village, took in a cultural show and cruised the canals on a sunset boat ride – it quickly became apparent the park wasn't the wildlife paradise promised. After spotting just two birds in four hours, we broke out a deck of cards. Just then, our guide called out, “tiger!” Naturally, we were skeptical. India is awash in scams, and nobody else on the boat had seen anything. Guides at tiger parks around the country have been caught creating fake tiger footprints to boost tourism, and the last tiger here hadn’t been spotted for months. But, as the boat slowly looped back around, we saw an unmistakable orange flash wallowing in shallow water. As we drew nearer, the tiger slowly turned and looked right at us, before padding back into the dense forest.
King of this jungle
We only saw the big cat for a few minutes, but it was enough to instantly rank as one of our top India experiences, right up with the Taj Mahal. We hadn’t even planned to visit the Sundarbans on this trip, but the inevitable hassles of India travel — our train to Kolkata was 30 hours late, leading us to rearrange our travel plans completely — meant that, in the end, we showed up right on time.
Tom Mountford