The Hooghli River links the charming rural scenes of West Bengal with the states’ capital city of Calcutta. The River’s banks are lined with beautifully rustic villages, charming temples, old decaying colonial mansions and farm land stretching as far as the eye can see. Much of India’s jute is grown on these banks to this day. If you find yourself aboard the Sukapha cruise vessel on the Hooghli it’s a wonderful experience just watching the slow change as the cruise vessel peacefully slips from Calcutta’s urban grip into the slow paced life of rural India. For keen bird watchers there’s plenty of life along the banks and there’s a good chance of seeing one of the endangered Gangetic River Dolphins that inhabit this river.