My experience of Kolkata is really a one-day affair and perhaps a rushed trip all over the city. Hiring a tourist taxi for the entire day is perfect to cover most of the iconic sights. One of those must-see sights was the Howrah Bridge over River Hooghly that was looking all polished up and shiny from a distance. I thought the driver had fooled me and that I was looking at a wrong bridge (I came home to google its pictures and was happy to see some shiny pictures of the bridge, so I owe an apology to the driver). I remembered learning as a school student that there was something special about the way it was built. You can google it and I will not bore you with the online borrowed details.
Next was the Victoria Memorial, built to celebrate the silver jubilee of the reign of the Queen of England over India, with funds raised from Indians, as the driver informed. If possible consider a trip to visit the Mother House. Stepping into House where Mother Teresa once live is one of the most serene moments one will experience, and there is absolutely no sadness in that place, just still calmness.
As we drove around, marveling at the old architecture of the British buildings and the tram service that jostled with the vehicles on the road, the surroundings reflected poverty. People were bathing on the road with public water that appeared to be muddy. Shanties all over. Having lived in Mumbai and seen roadside living this was bit worse. Some of my friends who have stayed at Kolkata  insisted I must have visited the wrong parts of the city but that does not really matter. It was a reality check even for a visitor. I left Kolkata feeling sad and a thought that life can be very unfair to some for absolutely no fault of theirs. I do hope that the City of Joy has another side to it, that perhaps I have yet to see.