Maybe Moving to Kalyani West Bengal

meliz11 · May 10th, 2009, 02:46

Hi, I am American and currently live in America with my husband who is Bengali. He is looking at a job in Kalyani which I understand which is about 30 miles from Calcutta. I have been to India twice with him and have enjoyed it.

My husband's job will pay him around 70,000 rupees per month. I have some questions about what kind of lifestyle we can afford in India. In Boston we like to go out every day to have coffee and like going out to dinner three or four times per week. We also enjoy going to the movies and to comedy clubs. I am wondering if this is normal in a small town like Kalyani for people who are in their mid 20s. Being close to Calcutta is definitely a plus. We can always go up there on Saturday nights for some fun.

I would also like to visit my family twice a year. Our rent is probably going to be very low or free because his employment may provide housing for us so that is one expense that we wont have to worry about.

I am currently working for a non profit that helps people with disabilities. I would like to do something similiar in India even if I get paid very little or not at all.

Any information on the cost of living and what life is like in West Bengal would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!

nayan · May 10th, 2009, 03:10

70000 ia a lot of money in kalyani. you can afford whatever recreations that a place like kalyani offers(not much) and still not spend a tenth of it.

Its 3-4 years since I had last been to Kalyani but I dont think it still offers the "going out for a coffee" kind of lifestyle. There are no coffee bars/pubs etc, the best you can expect are a few not so authentic multicuisine restaurants. There will be theatres but mostly showing hindi and bengali films.

Most of your going out will have to be to kolkata on weekends.

The local 20 somethings have their own version of "going out for a tea" where tea and snacks and very vigorous discussions about everything from Ukrainian cinema to madagascar politics takes place but you have to have a good knowledge of bengali to participate in the local lifestyle

.

BTW I am a bengali woman who grew up in a kolkata suburb(and still regularly visit the place) - not kalyani though, one much smaller and much nearer kolkata.
I am sure there will be a lot of opportunity for voluntary work with NGOs.

meliz11 · May 10th, 2009, 05:59

Thanks Nayan for your helpful response. It seems as if I will have to become fluent in Bengali if I want to make friends in Kalyani.

We were also looking at a city called Chandannagar which may be a good place to live although Kalyani looks very peaceful and beautiful.

nayan · May 10th, 2009, 15:37

I think Kalyani is a bigger place than chandannagore. They are on different suburban rail routes from kolkata. chandannagore is on howrah line and kalyani is on sealdah line.
Whatever holds true for kalyani holds true for chandan nagar too. Chandan nagro was french colony so there are some french architecture around. But the day to day living would be the same as any other large town near kolkata.

May 10th, 2009, 02:46	#1
meliz11 Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cambridge MA Posts: 3	Maybe Moving to Kalyani West Bengal Hi, I am American and currently live in America with my husband who is Bengali. He is looking at a job in Kalyani which I understand which is about 30 miles from Calcutta. I have been to India twice with him and have enjoyed it. My husband's job will pay him around 70,000 rupees per month. I have some questions about what kind of lifestyle we can afford in India. In Boston we like to go out every day to have coffee and like going out to dinner three or four times per week. We also enjoy going to the movies and to comedy clubs. I am wondering if this is normal in a small town like Kalyani for people who are in their mid 20s. Being close to Calcutta is definitely a plus. We can always go up there on Saturday nights for some fun. I would also like to visit my family twice a year. Our rent is probably going to be very low or free because his employment may provide housing for us so that is one expense that we wont have to worry about. I am currently working for a non profit that helps people with disabilities. I would like to do something similiar in India even if I get paid very little or not at all. Any information on the cost of living and what life is like in West Bengal would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

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May 10th, 2009, 03:10	#2
nayan Forum Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hyderabad/tokyo Posts: 1,930	70000 ia a lot of money in kalyani. you can afford whatever recreations that a place like kalyani offers(not much) and still not spend a tenth of it. Its 3-4 years since I had last been to Kalyani but I dont think it still offers the "going out for a coffee" kind of lifestyle. There are no coffee bars/pubs etc, the best you can expect are a few not so authentic multicuisine restaurants. There will be theatres but mostly showing hindi and bengali films. Most of your going out will have to be to kolkata on weekends. The local 20 somethings have their own version of "going out for a tea" where tea and snacks and very vigorous discussions about everything from Ukrainian cinema to madagascar politics takes place but you have to have a good knowledge of bengali to participate in the local lifestyle . BTW I am a bengali woman who grew up in a kolkata suburb(and still regularly visit the place) - not kalyani though, one much smaller and much nearer kolkata. I am sure there will be a lot of opportunity for voluntary work with NGOs.

May 10th, 2009, 05:59	#3
meliz11 Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cambridge MA Posts: 3	Thanks Nayan for your helpful response. It seems as if I will have to become fluent in Bengali if I want to make friends in Kalyani. We were also looking at a city called Chandannagar which may be a good place to live although Kalyani looks very peaceful and beautiful.

May 10th, 2009, 15:37	#4
nayan Forum Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hyderabad/tokyo Posts: 1,930	I think Kalyani is a bigger place than chandannagore. They are on different suburban rail routes from kolkata. chandannagore is on howrah line and kalyani is on sealdah line. Whatever holds true for kalyani holds true for chandan nagar too. Chandan nagro was french colony so there are some french architecture around. But the day to day living would be the same as any other large town near kolkata.