What this tour is about: The rail terminus for the east Indian railway is at Howrah. An estimated two million people (yes! you heard right!) pour into/out of Howrah station each day. To get to Calcutta, they walk or drive through the Howrah bridge, or take local ferries.  For millions of people, Howrah bridge represents the quintessential image of Calcutta, the first thing they see when they arrive here. The area around Howrah station has grown into a self-contained mini-universe, catering to the needs of a huge floating population.

Howrah station and Howrah bridge are a “real life spectacle” not to be missed by any visitor to Calcutta. And what better way to experience this spectacle it than by ferry and foot, joining the throng of daily commuters, vacationing families, railway porters, tea vendors, fruit sellers, et al. It doesn’t get more real than this!

At the base of the Howrah bridge, on the Calcutta side, is the city’s bustling wholesale flower market. Flowers are an essential part of life in the city, they are bought not just for temple prayers but also for wedding decorations, events and festivals. Each god or goddess has their own favourite flowers and leaves. Walking through the flower market is a colourful, fragrant experience.

How the tour works: We will start the tour at Akashbani Bhawan, the All India Radio building (a familiar city landmark).

• From here, we walk for about 10 minutes through the city’s heritage district, seeing the Town Hall, High Court, State Assembly and the popular Eden Gardens cricket stadium, to reach the banks of the river at Babu Ghat.
• The Babu Ghat river bank is an interesting place, with lots of activity (traditional masseurs, barbers, priests, and people offering prayers). We will clamber aboard one of the popular local ferries to Howrah. The ride takes about 30 minutes, offering panoramic views of the twin cities (Calcutta and Howrah) on both sides of the river, and the bridge spanning the river.
• After disembarking, we will visit the bustling Howrah Station. Built in Romanesque style, this huge station is among the largest in the country. If you feel like a cup of tea, you can take a short break at the station.
• From here, we will join commuters to walk on the iconic Howrah bridge back to Calcutta (25 minutes)
• At the bottom of the bridge, we will visit the Flower Market, with its many stalls buzzing with activity, providing the perfect colourful ending to the walk.

Prior reservation is mandatory. Email deepa@magictoursofindia.com or WhatsApp wa.me/+919867707414.