India’s rivers are central to the life of its people and the Hooghly River, a 160-mile branch of the Ganges that runs through the city of Kolkata in West Bengal, is no different. In the late afternoon, I walked to Babu Ghat, and onto the broad concrete slipway that descended into the water, where a few moored boats bobbed slowly and men and children bathed in underclothes.

The sticky heat had finally begun to break and people were out sitting on the banks of the Hooghly, chatting, eating, or just watching the sun glitter on the water as it began its descent. A young man approached me and, apropos of nothing, asked if I liked Kolkata. When I replied yes, he nodded and said, “Kolkata is the heart of India.”

After four days in Kolkata (or the Anglicized “Calcutta”), the capital of West Bengal and known by the nickname, City of Joy, it was difficult to argue. Kolkata, a city strongly associated with British rule and the East India Company, has a fascinating relationship with its colonial history. With a rich literary tradition and strong educational institutions, Kolkata also has a more relaxed and peaceful feel than some of India’s other modern metropolises. Combined with spicy Bengali cuisine and a love of fried street food, it proved a rewarding place to explore — and naturally, I managed to keep my budget in check.

My comfortable room ($27 per night) in the Ballygunge area of the city was centrally located and ideal for exploring the rest of the city. I rented the room through Airbnb, which I use judiciously. When traveling solo, I’ll typically rent a room in a family’s home: In many instances, hosts have happily clued me in on things to see and do. One tip: Click on the host’s profile picture to see how many properties they have listed. If I see that a host is managing a large number of places, I may choose to stay elsewhere — I’m more interested in using Airbnb as a cultural exchange than as a hotel.