Cultural briefing · West Bengal

Kolkata, with eyes open.

Facts-only — no opinions, no rankings. Refreshed for the year ahead.

Aira can narrate this for you

Download PDFOne page · prints in B/W

Search this briefing (schools, hospitals, holidays…)

Best seasons

Oct-Feb (cool, dry; 12-28 C)

Monsoon

Jun-Sep (very heavy rain; city floods in pockets)

Public holidays

Independence Day15 Aug 2026
Gandhi Jayanti2 Oct 2026
Durga Puja Saptami19 Oct 2026
Diwali8 Nov 2026

Festivals

Durga Puja · Sep-Oct
The defining festival of Bengal; pandals draw millions.
Kali Puja · Oct-Nov
Coincides with Diwali in Bengal.
Kolkata Book Fair · Jan-Feb
One of the largest non-trade book fairs in the world.

Etiquette

Greetings: namaskar or "nomoshkar" with hands together.
Shoes off in homes and temples.
Dress: modest, especially at religious gatherings.
Tipping: 10% restaurants; round up for taxis.

Languages

Bengali (official)
Hindi
English (business)

Transport

Metro is the oldest in India; yellow Ambassador taxis still run; trams in select corridors.

Safety

Generally safe; pandal-hopping during Durga Puja means crowds — keep belongings close.

Food highlights

Macher jhol
Kosha mangsho
Kathi roll
Mishti doi
Rasgulla

Food warnings

Tap water not safe.
Fish: confirm freshness, especially during monsoon.

Emergency numbers

Police

100

Ambulance

108

Fire

101

Tourist help

1363

Hospitals

Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals
EM Bypass · 24x7 emergency
Fortis Hospital
Anandapur · 24x7 emergency
Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital
Alipore · 24x7 emergency
SSKM Hospital (government)
Bhowanipore · 24x7 emergency

Major institutions for orientation. In an emergency, dial 108.

Corporate essentials

Commute: Ballygunge/Alipore ↔ Salt Lake Sector V: 30–50 min; metro network expanding east–west
Food + nightlife: Park Street is the classic strip; Ballygunge and Southern Avenue for dining
Safety: Generally safe; standard urban precautions, crowds peak during Durga Puja
Internet: Alliance Broadband + JioFiber — fibre widely available in serviced apartments
Cost-of-living: Most affordable of the big metros — housing well below Mumbai/Delhi
Expat density: Smaller but established; Alipore and Ballygunge are the traditional expat addresses