Expats in Kolkata: Managing Life in India’s Second Biggest City

Kolkata is not just a city, but is a festival of human existence. The city has gone through a lot of tragedies and traumas gifted by the westerners, but every time the city came out to be a winner. Regarded as a city of intellect, you can find the city donning a dual image of being a colonial gem and an urban city with flourished industries and an excellent infrastructure to offer. If you are someone who is planning to move towards this eastern city, then be ready to get bewitched by the dynamic new-town suburbs, chaotic back alleys, the Hooghly river and what not. 

As an expat, you can have a new and a very exciting life here in Kolkata. If you’re here alone or with your family; in both the scenarios, Kolkata can offer you a life that is both colorful and a whole new living experience.

 

image:en.wikipedia.org

Here are important 5 things that you should be aware of if managing life in the Kolkata city is the motive.

1.   The Interesting Cultural Mix

India is a different world that is breathing within the boundaries of the continent. Every Indian city has a life of its own and Kolkata is no different, for sure. It is really hard to describe the city to someone who hasn’t been there, but an expat can definitely have a summarized description of chaotic markets, colonial essence in the blowing air and old churches that have beautiful silence of their own. You can expect a cultural shock in terms of language, food and even customs, but Kolkata will surprise you with its very cozy serene feeling. A city with a respectable space given to each religion and interesting people, Kolkata can be a good place for you to explore.

2.   The Climate & Atmosphere

Commercial capital of east India, Kolkata is situated on the banks of river Hooghly. The geographical positioning is the reason behind the hot and humid climate in summers. The temperature can rise up to 36 degrees and may go down to a pleasant 14 degrees in winters. The Bay of Bengal can be given the due credits for the monsoon rains that can lead to 1,582 mm (62 in) of annual rainfall. You can witness the highest rainfall during the month of August. Choose to wear cotton clothes for summers and light woolens for winters. Be prepared for the humidity and keep a stack of clothes ready so that you can change one on one.

3.   The ‘Home Sweet Home’

Depending upon the situation that you are going through currently, you can have the choice of housing in Kolkata city. As an expat, you cannot afford to buy a home, but you can definitely seek to have a rental property in the city. The flats in Kolkata that are put on rent are affordable and can be secured near your workplace as well. For instance, if you have your work setting in Rajarhat, then be assured that rental property has options in abundance, After all, the locality is fast-growing planned satellite city. Similar to this, realtors are also focusing to elevate the standards of realty markets operating in central and southern Kolkata as well.

4.   The ‘Yum’ Factor

This is something that you know from the time immemorial. The Bengali food is rich, delicious and ‘oh so yummy!’. If you are a die-hard lover of fish curries and sweets then you are the right place. Kolkata will definitely satiate your appetite for good food. Fondly known as the land of maach (fish) and bhaat (rice), you can find these 2 food items staple in almost every householdFor vegans, the city can offer you delicacies with plantains, potatoes, water lily roots, brinjal and beans. Are you thinking about the sweets, then take a bow people, Mishti Doi, which is a sweetened yogurt with rich amounts of jaggery is a usual and a very famous accompaniment. Take your family with you to road side or premium restaurants to get a taste of India’s one of the most sumptuous cuisine.

5.   An Explorer’s Delight

Exploring a particular city on foot is the best way considered so far. If you are an expat with a heart of a traveler then you can have the best of times here in Kolkata. It’s perfectly doable to walk the streets of the city with a map in your hand. There are half-day and full-days tours that are available by bike, car or coaches. You can explore Dalhousie Square, Kumartuli pottery village or the riverside flower market. All these areas depict colonial architecture and modern design; all in one. You can have a gist of urban lifestyle here with a right amount of reminiscence of the ‘16^th Century Lace’.

As an expat in Kolkata, you can be a part of not just the developed SEZs but also be a participant in the watchable scenic and cultural delight that it has to offer.