Kolkata, the city of joy, the city where the rich and the poor, the educated and the illiterate, live in amicable harmony. This is home to millions complete with dust, dirt and decay, bad roads, chaotic traffic, and basic infrastructural facilities in a deplorable state. Nonetheless, this is the home that exudes warmth, a warmth unknown elsewhere. Here ideals and principles take centrestage, where a just cause will have the masses up in arms, where women are respected more and hence are safer than in any other metro. Lower crime rates give a sense of security, lesser accidents on the roads take place despite awful driving conditions.

Kolkata is a place that you do not fall in love with overnight... it gradually grows on you and after a few years you never want to leave it. An inherent simplicity amongst people, who like you for what you are rather than what you have, where politics and cricket are a passion, where past glory dominates over present shortcomings, where animated discussions over cups of tea at roadside stalls are something to look forward to. Kolkattans love to celebrate-be it a victory in a cricket match or a religious festival-people from diverse backgrounds and religions, collectively display their enthusiasm with colours, crackers, music, flags and dance. Even the poor, unsure of their next meal, plagued by myriad problems, join in the celebrations, perhaps to forget life's harsh realities, for a while.

The people apart, the city despite undergoing massive restructuring and modernization, retains a lot of its old-world charm. South Kolkata has witnessed a sea-change with boutiques, shopping malls, cafes and restaurants mushrooming all over. Old dilapidated buildings have given way to swank glass and granite structures, the sleek Vidyasagar Setu providing yet another link between Kolkata and Howrah. The city has all that it takes to become a tourists' delight. Its most beautiful monument, the Victoria Memorial, stands out as a marvelous piece of architecture. Other monuments constructed under British Rule include the Town Hall, now renovated and refurbished, the Museum, the Raj Bhavan, the General post office, to name just a few. Newer tourist attractions include Swabhumi for the culturally inclined, Science city, Nicco Park, Nalban, Aquatica and many more. Old double storey houses and bungalows have sold out to builders who are constructing modern multi-storeyed buildings, thus revolutionizing the real estate segment. The belief of the locals in good, balanced education has been reinforced with schools equipped with the best teaching aids. Bengalis have always been avid tourists and their annual getaway remains as sacred.

Kolkata is abuzz with activity, having become a haven for investors from across the globe. It provides employment opportunities to people from nearby villages and towns as well-hence the overcrowded trains and streets. Every part of the city has swarms of people, giving the impression that it is bursting at its seams.

Food is the mainstay of the Bengali household, and cooking the most important activity. This has the active participation of the menfolk as well, who religiously go shopping every morning for the freshest stock of fish and vegetables. The women prepare elaborate meals after the daily ritual of washing their hair. "Mishti" is the essential after-mint and buying one sweet per head per day is the rule meticulously followed. A deep sense of complacency is conspicuous amongst the masses. Mediocrity as a level of achievement sufficient to pass through life-the urge to improve and excel singularly missing. The golden era of the British Rule, the glorious past haunts the city and seems adequate to give it a head-start in this overly competitive world. To some the city seems to be stagnating, for others it presents a gateway of opportunities. Its rich cultural heritage only adds to the charm that Kolkata exudes.