Among the rest of the world, it has struggled against its perception as a ‘black hole’ of poverty, an image cemented by the highly visible (and not uncontroversial) work of Mother Teresa.

Let’s put that to bed now. Kolkata has its problems, that’s not in doubt. So does Delhi, so does Mumbai – welcome to the Indian metropolitan city. This is a country careering into the mid-21st century, and the issues of overcrowding and wealth inequality won’t be solved overnight. But they are not what defines modern-day Kolkata, which is exciting, tumultuous, sometimes exhausting – but always full of verve, and proudly steeped in culture.

Kolkata’s street life is relentlessly interesting. There are so many, many people here, and so many things going on. In some respects, it feels almost mediaeval: sacrificial goats are still beheaded at the Kalighat Kali Temple, and narrow alleyways packed with sculptors crafting clay gods and vanquished demons to be immersed in the Hooghly River during Durga Puja. Old men still pull hand-drawn rickshaws, while a huge flower market blankets the ground in petals in the shadow of the Howrah Bridge. But these traditions go on amid the hustle and bustle of a modern city, not one stuck in the past.

In the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought, modern Kolkatans still flock to art exhibitions, literary festivals and contemporary dance and theatre shows. The city also draws youth from across India to study at its esteemed university, and the growing middle classes pack out jazz clubs, indie music venues and rooftop cocktail bars. Head to the suburbs, meanwhile, and you’ll find hipster enclaves, with rainbow-painted murals, art galleries and edgy concept stores. Kolkatans are also serious about sport, and catching a test match at the 66,000-seat Eden Gardens stadium is pretty unforgettable, too

Kolkata was the jewel of the British Raj for over two centuries – ‘rapacious and luxurious beyond conception’, according to General Clive – but the modern city has too much force of personality to be bogged down by colonial history. Notwithstanding the Taj-like Victoria Memorial, which is magnificent, the city’s grand Palladian edifices are now rundown and shabby; its statues of Victorian worthies removed or encased in mirrored cabinets, out of view.

What has lived on, instead, is the heart of the Indian city. Once confined to ‘Black Town’ (segregated from British ‘White Town’), it’s now the whole town. To get the most out of it, you need to take a deep breath, jump in, and let the chaos carry you where it will.