Sudder Street runs off Chowringhee Road at the Indian Museum. It's the tourist and budget-hotel center of Calcutta. Because Sudder is a tourist street, it has many more beggars than the rest of Calcutta. Some beggars are professionals, others are just poor kids. It's best not to give money when on your way to or from your hotel because you'll be remembered and you won't be able to come or go in peace again. If you want to give, don't do it too near your hotel. Once, a women asked me to buy groceries for her family. Today, I'm happy that I did.

One way to help is to volunteer with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. Some people have found volunteering to be the experience of a lifetime. Anyone may volunteer for a week, a month, or longer. To find out more, write or go to the Missionaries of Charity. Training is "on the job".

"Missionaries of Charity", volunteer information web site, addresses

 

Click.to.some.words.of Mother.Teresa

 

 

 

 

My favorite hotel is the Fairlawn Hotel at 13A Sudder Street. The Fairlawn is a very eccentric place; waiters wear white turbans and meals are announced with a gong. Guests are told where to sit and you never have to eat alone. The mealtime conversation can be quite enjoyable. One guest, an Irishman in his 80's who lives at the Fairlawn half the year, has recently been working in the Sonagachi red-light district trying to prevent AIDS and help drug abusers. It's interesting to hear what the other guests are doing in Calcutta. The sense of community at the Fairlawn is very nice. Rooms have television, air-conditioning and private bath with hot water. The price includes all meals. The building is very old but has great character. The Fairlawn is usually booked solid. Be sure to get a reservation.

The Astoria is a good choice for your first night in Calcutta. It has television, air-conditioning, private bath. After you get your bearings, you can look at the cheaper places and decide if you want to move.

The Salvation Army Red Shield Guest House is popular and very inexpensive. It has dormitory beds and some nice common areas; there's not much privacy. It's located across Sudder St. from the Fairlawn Hotel.

The Shilton and Hilson hotels are not expensive. The Modern Lodge and the Paragon are popular with volunteers. There are many other budget hotels in the Sudder Street area. Read more about places to stay in The Lonely Planet guide book.

For excellent porridge, fruit juices, sandwiches and 'the finest curd in India' try the Blue Sky Cafe, located half way down Sudder Street on the same side as the Hilson Hotel.

The Oberoi Grand Hotel is on Chowringhee Road, two and a half blocks north of Sudder Street. The Oberoi is very expensive. You may sit by the pool even if you're not a hotel guest provided that you order a Coke or some tea. It's a lovely oasis. There are some nice shops for art, books and souvenirs just off the lobby on the ground floor.

Click here for Anne Jensen's impressions of The.Great.Eastern.Hotel.

Links for information about volunteering:

Calcutta - Hotels (prices in U.S. dollars)

To find currency exchange rates: click currency converter home page.


Astor, 15 Shakespeare Sarani (242 9950). (below $50)
Astoria Hotel, 6/2 & 6/3 Sudder St, Calcutta 700 016 (below $30)
Best Western Kenilworth, 1 & 2 Little Russel St (242 8394) (below $100)
Broadway Hotel, 27A Ganesh Chandra Ave. (236 3930) (below $10)
Central Guest House, 18 Prafulla Sarkar St (274876) (below $10)
Centrepoint Guest House, 20 Free School St (244 3928) (below $10)
Chowringhee, 1 Chowringhee Rd. (248 7905) (below $10)
Eastern Railway Yatri Niwas, Howrah Station (660 1742) (below $10)
Executive Tower, 52, Ananda Palit Rd
Executive Point, 8B, Lake Terrace, Calcutta 700 029 (below $30)
Fairlawn, 13A Sudder St (245 1510) (below $50, price includes all meals)
Great Eastern, 1/3 Old Court House St (248 2311) (below $50)
Hilson, 4 Sudder St (249 0864) (below $10)
Hindusthan International, 235/1 AJC Bose Rd (247 2394) (above $100)
ITDC Airport Ashok, Dum Dum Airport (552 9111) (above $100)
Lytton, 14 Sudder St (249 1872) (below $50)
Lindsay, 8A & 8B, Lindsay St (below $30)
Modern Lodge, 1 Stuart Lane (244 4960) (below $5)
Monalisa Guest House, 172A Sarat Bose Rd (463 2323)
Oberoi Grand, 15 Chowringhee Rd. (249 2323) (above $200)
Old Kenilworth, 7 Little Russell St (242 5325) (below $30)
Palace, 13 Chowringhee Lane (244 6214) (below $10)
Paragon, 2 Stuart Lane ( 244 2445) (below $5)
Paramount, 33/4 Free School St (294295) (below $10)
Park, 17 Park St (249 7336) (above $200)
Peerless Quality Inn, 12 Chowringhee Rd. (243 0301) (below $100)
Plaza, 10 Sudder St. (below $10)
Rutt Deen, 21B, Loudon St
Salvation Army Red Shield Guest House, 2 Sudder St (2452895) (below $5)
Samilton, 37, Sarat Bose Road
Shilton, 5A Sudder St (245 1512) (below $10)
Taj Bengal, 24B Belvedere Rd, Alipore (248 3939) (above $200)
Times Guest House, Sudder St (245 1796) (below $5)
Tourist Inn, 4/1 Sudder St. (below $5)
Wellesley Hotel, VIP Road, Dum Dum Airport. (below $30)
YMCA, 25 Chowringhee Rd. (292192) (below $5)
YMCA,42 SN Banerjee Rd (244 3814) (below $5)
Youth Hostel, 10 Ananda Dutta Lane, Howrah (692869) (below $5)
YWCA, Middleton Row (290260) (below $5)

(These are approximate rates. Prices do increase, and phone numbers change.)

 

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