Kolkata is where we are going to be spending the majority of our time. Udayan is based here, and most of the children in Udayan are from the slums of Kolkata.rnrnIt may have changed its name, but for many Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) still conjures up images of squalour, poverty and urban disaster. Too few bother to discover its enchanting colonial beauty, the energy and humour of its people and the charm of the city’s distinctly Bengali soul.rnrnWhile the teeming humanity, chaotic streets and crumbling colonial heritage are all too real, Kolkata is also acknowledged as the cultural capital of India and its friendliest metropolis. It is also home to India’s heaviest concentration of political activists, poets and artists. rn rnThe city undoubtedly has its share of problems – chronic labour unrest, population overload, political ineptitude, environmental degradation and traffic snarls that bite. Yet time and again entranced visitors tell of its beauty and the dignity and altruism of its people.

For over 2000 years, Varanasi, the ‘eternal city’, has been one of the holiest places in India. Built on the banks of the sacred Ganges, it is said to combine the virtues of all other places of pilgrimage and anyone who ends their days here, regardless of creed and however great their misdeeds, is transported straight to heaven. The easternmost city in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is an important seat of learning, and is the home of novelists, philosophers and grammarians. This has been reflected in its role in the development of Hindi – the closest thing to a national language in India.rnrnVaranasi lies alongside the Ganges where the Varuna and Asi rivers are tributaries. The site was originally called Kashi, or city of light, possibly after the aboriginal Kashia tribe who inhabited the riverbanks. From well before 1000BC, the city was already a centre for learning, attracting philosophers, poets and pilgrims. In the 6th century BCrnPrince Siddartha gave his first sermon near here at Sarnath, the very origins of Buddhism.rnrnThe considerable revenue from pilgrimages has, over the centuries, led to competing interests for control of the area. Invaders, including the Moghuls and the British, also sought influence here. Every day is devoted to some saint in the Hindu pantheon, and there is a never ending round of devotions.

Delhi is situated roughly in the middle of North India, and has been the gateway to many invasions. As a result, the city you see is an amalgamation of seven previous cities, the first dating from around 1200BC, and the most recent completed in 1931.rnrnFor the visitor interested in history, Delhi is an absolute goldmine, with thousands of designated archaeological sites scattered over the city, with few visitors for many of them. In addition, Delhi houses many museums and galleries of national and international importance along with countless buildings of architectural note. rnrnThere are currently two main areas to Delhi, Old Delhi to the North, next to the banks of the river Yamuna, and New Delhi to the South, away from the river.rnrnThe contrast between them is typical of India. Old Delhi is a labyrinth of narrow streets, constantly crowded markets and traffic jams consisting of bullocks, cycle rickshaws and large trucks ploughing their furrows through the entire melee. New Delhi, with so much space, light and air combined with the imperial buildings, suburban houses and villas tucked away along quiet avenues, is a world away from its older neighbour. In fact, both cities are a delight to walk around in for different reasons, though larger distances mayrnbe covered more easily by rickshaw.