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Kolkata is the de facto cultural capital of India and a historically and culturally significant city in the historic region of Bengal. [1] [18] [19] It is the second largest Bengali-speaking city in the world. It has the highest number of Nobel laureates among all cities in India.
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Kolkata, city, capital of West Bengal state, and former capital (1772–1911) of British India. It is one of India’s largest cities and one of its major ports. The city is centred on the east bank of the Hugli (Hooghly) River, once the main channel of the Ganges (Ganga) River, about 96 miles (154 km) upstream from the head of the Bay of Bengal; there the port city developed as a point of transshipment from water to land and from river to sea. A city of commerce, transport, and manufacture, Kolkata is the dominant urban centre of eastern India.
The city’s former name, Calcutta, is an Anglicized version of the Bengali name Kalikata. According to some, Kalikata is derived from the Bengali word Kalikshetra, meaning “Ground of (the goddess) Kali.” Some say the city’s name derives from the location of its original settlement on the bank of a canal (khal). A third opinion traces it to the Bengali words for lime (calcium oxide; kali) and burnt shell (kata), since the area was noted for the manufacture of shell lime. In 2001 the government of West Bengal officially changed the name of the city to Kolkata. Area city, 40 square miles (104 square km); urban agglom., 533 square miles (1,380 square km). Pop. (2011) 4,486,679; urban agglom., 14,057,991.
Fashioned by the colonial British in the manner of a grand European capital—yet now set in one of the poorest and most overpopulated regions of India—Kolkata has grown into a city of sharp contrasts and contradictions. Kolkata has had to assimilate strong European influences and overcome the limitations of its colonial legacy in order to find its own unique identity. In the process it created an amalgam of East and West that found its expression in the life and works of the 19th-century Bengali elite and its most noteworthy figure, the poet and mystic Rabindranath Tagore.
This large and vibrant Indian city thrives amid seemingly insurmountable economic, social, and political problems. Its citizens exhibit a great joie de vivre that is demonstrated in a penchant for art and culture and a high level of intellectual vitality and political awareness. Crowds throng to Kolkata’s book fairs, art exhibitions, and concerts, and there is a lively trading of polemics on walls, which has led to Kolkata being dubbed the “city of posters.”
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Geography of India
The location of the city appears to have been originally selected partly because of its easily defensible position and partly because of its favourable trading location. The low, swampy, hot, and humid riverbank otherwise has little to recommend it. Its maximum elevation is about 30 feet (9 metres) above sea level. Eastward from the river the land slopes away to marshes and swamplands. Similar topography on the west bank of the river has confined the metropolitan area largely to a strip 3 to 5 miles (5 to 8 km) wide on either bank of the river. Reclamation of the Salt Lake area on the northeastern fringe of the city, however, demonstrated that the spatial expansion of the city is feasible, and further reclamation projects have been undertaken to the east, south, and west of the central area.
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Suburbs of Kolkata include Haora (Howrah) on the west bank, Baranagar to the north, South Dum Dum to the northeast, Behala to the south, and Garden Reach in the southwest. The whole urban complex is held together by close socioeconomic ties.
Kolkata has a subtropical climate with a seasonal regime of monsoons (rain-bearing winds). It is warm year-round, with average high temperatures ranging from about 80 °F (27 °C) in December and January to nearly 100 °F (38 °C) in April and May. The average annual rainfall is about 64 inches (1,625 mm). Most of this falls from June to September, the...
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Explore Kolkata (Calcutta), India's intellectual, artistic and cultural capital, with Lonely Planet's expert tips and recommendations. Discover its attractions, history, food, festivals, and more.
- Victoria Memorial. The incredible Victoria Memorial is a vast, beautifully proportioned festival of white marble: think US Capitol meets Taj Mahal.
- Botanical Gardens. Despite being an awkward journey by public transport, Kolkata’s lovely 109-hectare Botanical Gardens makes for a great place to escape from the city’s…
- Belur Math. Set very attractively amid palms and manicured lawns, this large religious centre is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, inspired by 19th-century…
- Kumartuli Idol-makers. Countless clay effigies of deities and demons immersed in the Hooghly during Kolkata’s colourful pujas (offering or prayers) are created in specialist…
- Sharell Cook
- Go Museum Hopping. Start by acquainting yourself with Kolkata's heritage at any of its informative museums. One of the city's most imposing monuments, Victoria Memorial, houses an impressive Indo-British art history museum, while the city's new generation of themed museums have dynamic exhibitions on Bengali theater, film, art, and culture.
- Wander Through Historic Neighborhoods. One of the most absorbing things to do in Kolkata is simply wander the streets. The city is divided into distinct neighborhoods, their names a reflection of colonial-era segregation and stratification when Kolkata was the capital of British India.
- Marvel Over Palatial Noble Homes. Several grand aristocratic homes provide a glimpse into the well-heeled lifestyles of their Bengali owners. Illustrious Bengali merchant and art connoisseur Raja Rajendra Mullick made his Marble Palace out of some 100 types of the rock in the 19th century.
- Stay in a Heritage Hotel. Don't pass up the opportunity to stay at Calcutta Bungalow, a cozy 1920s Bengali townhouse. A home-away-from-home, it has been thoughtfully restored with contemporary and antique features, and even has its own vintage Ambassador car!
Jan 18, 2024 · 8 min read. Kolkata, the City of Joy, radiates an indomitable spirit that intertwines history, art, and literature. The capital of West Bengal beckons with its colonial-era architecture, bustling markets, and a cultural landscape that has nurtured Nobel laureates and literary giants.
Mar 8, 2021 · Kolkata, though often associated with poverty, is commonly overlooked by tourists when visiting India. This friendly, intellectual and vibrant city is full of history and culture, with many faded remnants of the British Raj (British rule of India from 1757 to 1947).
