The British named Kolkata or Calcutta
after the patron deity of the city known as Goddess
Kali. Caluctta is actually the anglicized version of
Kalikatta while the Kolkata is the Bengali version of
the same name. The city is more than three hundred years
old and was once the capital of British India until
1912. Its leisurely life style and the old-world charm
still pervade this bustling metropolitan. It was
recently the most densely populated city in the world
and boasts of India's first Metro railway service. The
city was founded in 1696 with the establishment of Fort
Williams, which was the first British fort in India. It
was then a mere fishermens' village and has now grown
into being one of the largest cities in the world.
Calcutta and its people are known for their creativity
and vibrancy.
The strong cultural, literary and religious flavor of
the city can be seen in its fine, arts, music, dance,
theatre and writing. Calcutta has produced many Indian
leaders and the Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore. It
serves as an important gateway to the North East and one
of the major commercial cities of India. Durga Puja is
one of the most celebrated festivals here and fairs and
processions are held throughout the city. The festivals
lasts for ten days, during which the whole city is
profusely decorated and beautiful idols of Goddess Durga
are erected everywhere in the city. However, there is
almost no nightlife in the city.
Kolkata's Prime Attractions
Kali Temple
The ancient temple, which was reconstructed in 1809 in
its present form, is also known as the Kalighat temple.
The city was named Calcutta or Kolkata after this temple
as an anglicized version of Kalikata.
BBD Square
The memorial dedicated to the three brave Bengali
martyrs known as Dinesh, Badal and Binay, is also the
commercial centre of the city. It is also known as the
Dalhousie square and houses Raj Bhawan, Assembly house,
High Court and General Post Office along with the
Secretariat. GPO is said to be situated at the venue of
the first fort of British in India. There is also the
legend of the infamous Black Hole associated with the
area, where is it said that the tyrant Siraj-Ud-Daulla
cramped 146 people in a small room for a night and only
23 survived the ordeal and were found alive in the
morning.
Eden Gardens
The gardens were named after the sister of Alexander and
now houses one of the largest stadiums of India, also
known as the Ranji stadium. It also has a wooden pagoda
and many beautiful trees.
Ravindra Gallery
Lalit Kala Academy has a gallery dedicated to the rare
and fine pictures and manuscripts of Rabindra Nath
Tagore. It also exhibits paintings done in Rabindra
style and is a popular venue for cultural programs and
events.
Rabindra Setu
Also known as the Howrah Bridge, it is one of the three
bridges on River Hooghly. The bridge suspended on
pillars is a marvel of British engineering and has
become icon of Calcutta. It is still in working
condition, though it is very old. There is a new bridge
nearby too, known as the Vidya Sagar Setu, which is a
cable suspended bridge and is quite similar in design to
the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Marble Palace
Once the private mansion of a Zamindar, it was built in
1835. Today, it serves as a private zoo and museum with
several statues and paintings on display.
St. John's Church
Ilt in 1787, the church boasts of a number of monuments
such as the octagonal mausoleum of the founder of the
city known as Job Char nock and the tomb of Admiral
Watson.
Belur Math
The headquarters of the Ramkrishna mission established
by Swami Vivekanand is dedicated to the preaching of
Ramkrishna Paramhansa such as unity among all the
religions. He was a great Indian philosopher and died in
1897.
Kolkata City Facts
