Leafy Alipore is one of India’s most affluent residential areas. It’s home to the Zoological Garden, founded in the 1870s, with large animals like elephants, rhinos, and Bengal tigers, plus reptiles, birds, and marine life. Nearby, the National Library holds over 2 million volumes in a grand 18th-century palace. Other colonial landmarks include Hastings House and Vijay Manzil, a colorful former royal mansion