Kolkata vs Chennai — east vs south
Two former colonial capitals. Both slept on by most travellers. Both wrong to skip.
| Kolkata | Chennai | |
|---|---|---|
| Colonial spine | British Raj headquarters — Victoria Memorial + Park Street | Fort St George + Marina Beach |
| Food heritage | Bengali sweets + street kathi rolls + Peter Cat | Filter coffee + Chettinad + biryani |
| Literary weight | Tagore's city + College Street books + Indian Coffee House | Kalki Krishnamurthy + Carnatic music |
| Nights needed | 3 | 2–3 |
| Onward from | Varanasi flight (or Darjeeling toy train) | Mahabalipuram + Pondicherry + Kanchipuram |
Verdict
Kolkata rewards the reader; Chennai rewards the temple-hunter + coffee-drinker. If you have a Bengali friend, do Kolkata; if the temples of the south interest you, Chennai.
One dispatch a month