There are no direct flights to Kolkata from the U.S. Air travel will require a layover. The cheapest flights to India are typically out of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. When booking your air travel for our Kolkata ashirbad event, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions on flight logistics.
Please be sure to check your country's specific travel requirements for India. For U.S. citizens traveling to India, you must obtain a Visa or tourist e-Visa prior to travel. You can find all India travel requirements on the State Department website: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/india.html
Depending on where you are in the U.S., Kolkata is anywhere between 9.5 (EST) to 12.5 (PST) hours ahead. To allow for adjustment to the time zone and be fresh and ready to party with us on the night of our ashirbad, we suggest arriving in Kolkata at least two days prior to the event. Jeff and Prita will be in Kolkata, India from February 14th - February 20th.
For those traveling to India for the first time, we highly suggest staying in one of our provided hotel suggestions. Kolkata is a vast, highly-populated city and can sometimes be tricky to navigate, so we would love to make sure everyone is comfortable and has the smoothest experience during their stay. If you are exploring separate hotel accommodations, please let us know. We would love to provide guidance on getting around the city from the hotel of your choosing, and to-and-from our ashirbad event.
For guests staying at the ITC hotels, transportation will be provided to-and-from the ashirbad event at the Taj Bengal on February 18, 2027. For getting around the city, we suggest using rideshare apps like Uber and Ola.
Semi-formal, cocktail, or traditional Indian attire. Women can wear dresses, jumpsuits, or traditional Indian attire such as sarees, lehengas, churidars, salwar kameez, etc. Men can wear dress shirts with slacks or khakis, or traditional Indian attire such as sherwanis, dhuti panjabis, kurta pajamas, jhodpuri suits, etc. Please Note: These are simply suggestions on what to wear, not requirements. We are so happy to have you join us and our top priority is that you are comfortable while you are celebrating with us!
For those who have expressed interest in wearing or learning more about formal/semi-formal Indian attire, here are a few suggestions on websites to order from and browse: House of Indya: https://www.houseofindya.com Lashkaraa: https://www.lashkaraa.com Ustav Fashion: https://www.utsavfashion.com Manyavar: https://www.manyavar.com/en-us Etsy: https://etsy.com There are also several storefront locations across the US. If you are around the New Jersey area, Edison, NJ (Oak Tree Road) is widely known as "Little India" and there are many high-quality Indian clothing stores to explore within walking distance. Common outfits for women: Saree Lehenga/Lehenga Choli Salwaar Kameez Common outfits for men: Sherwani Kurta Set/Kurta Pajama Dhuti Panjabi (traditional Bengali formal attire) Jhodpuri Please note: Wearing Indian attire is not required; please dress however is the most comfortable for you!
Yes, dinner and drinks are on us all night! A variety of Indian and Continental food options will be available.