When someone hears "India", they probably think about jungles, tigers, elephants, and unbearable heat. But not many people know about the chilly winter months in the North of this country.
Winter Kolkata may not be as harsh in January as the famous city of Varanasi, but it is still far from being stereotypically tropical, especially this year: dim sun breaking through the haze; early darkness; midday 22 degrees sliding down to 14 at night, and to 11 degrees by morning... The apartment can feel cold at night but day walks are pleasant if you have an additional jumper in your backpack to wear after 6... Sharing another set of images from this fantastic city.
The Hooghly River - once, its banks were just another swamp covered with jungles, with tiny villages scattered here and there. In the 18th century, the British turned it into the large city we know today. The Howrah Bridge over the Hooghly River:
It was built by the British administration in 1943, and keeps perfectly functioning in 2025, being one of the symbols of the city, and a center of Kolkata's life.
Here, we - me, Toni, and her mate Bernard - are on the way to Mullick Ghat Flower Market. A cycle rickshaw driver poses for me:
Vegetable cutter seller showcases its fine products:
Going down to the market, pushing through the crowd,
admiring the people carrying sacks and bags on their heads.
Entering a busy place, thickly littered with newspapers.
Some are resting,
the rest are buying and selling.
Everything is in constant motion; cycle rickshaws and motorbikes weave through the crowd - stay alert, watch your feet!
And the Howrah Bridge looms over everything.
Lively trade, deliveries, taxis - everyone is in a hurry.
Great energy at the market.
A place to be if you are a street photography lover.
You can just stand here, and pictures will enter your frame by themselves.
The day was coming to an end, and we made our way back to our apartment. Again, the Howrah Bridge:
I like to make mental notes of "first time in my life," - I did it there, under the bridge: by the railroad tracks, we found three drug addicts with syringes, one of whom had one sticking out of his arm. Incredibly friendly, sweet young men. Tony tried to take a photo of them, but they protested. And they were probably right to do so. An interesting memory - one that will remain in our memories without digital visual evidence.
The photos were taken with a Nikkor 24mm f/2.4D on a full-frame DSLR Nikon D750 on January 1, 2026, in Kolkata, India.