Kolkata also known as Calcutta (the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it is the principal commercial, cultural, and educational centre of East India, while the Port of Kolkata happens to be India’s oldest operating port and its sole major riverine port. In 2011, the city had a population of 4.5 million, while the population of the city and its suburbs was 14.1 million, making it the third-most populous metropolitan area in India.
In the late 17th century, the three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal. After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690, the area was developed by the Company into an increasingly fortified trading post. Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah occupied Calcutta in 1756, and the East India Company retook it the following year. In 1793 the East India company was strong enough to abolish Nizamat (local rule), and assumed full sovereignty of the region. Under the company rule, and later under the British Raj.Calcutta served as the capital of British-held territories in India until 1911, when its perceived geographical disadvantages, combined with growing nationalism in Bengal, led to a shift of the capital to New Delhi.
The word Kolkata derives from the Bengali term Kôlikata (Bengali: কলিকাতা) [ˈkɔlikat̪a], the name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the British, in the area where the city eventually was to be established; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur.
The name came into being when Job Charnock asked a farmer the name of the area around Hooghly River. The farmer misunderstood due to language problems and thought that he was referring as to when he harvested his paddy. He proudly replied “Kal Kaata hoe chhilo” meaning “I cut it yesterday.” Job Charnock thought that the name of the place is Calcutta.
The area where the city is now located was originally inhabited by the people of three villages: Kalikata, Sutanuti and Govindapur. However, the boundaries of the three villages gradually became less distinct, the city could be divided into four different sub-areas: European Kolkata (Dihi Kolkata); a residential village with some sacred spots (Gobindapur); a traditional Indian market (Bazar Kalikata or Burrabazar); and a riverine mart concentrating on cloth trade (Sutanati). After the battle of Plassey in 1757, the British started rebuilding the city with the idea of making it the capital for their empire.
The city has its genesis in the Maurya and Gupta period and it was an established trading post long before the Slave Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, the Portuguese, the French or the British established a modern township there.
The British East India Company chose the place for a trade settlement. In 1698, the East India Company bought three villages (Sutanuti, Kalikata and Gobindapur) from a local landlord family. The next year, the company began developing the city as a Presidency City. In 1727, on the order of King George I, a civil court was set up in the city.
In 1712, the British completed the construction of Fort William, located on the east bank of the Hooghly River to protect their trading factory. Facing frequent skirmishes with French forces, the British began to upgrade their fortifications in 1756. The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, condemned the militarisation and tax evasion by the company. His warning went unheeded, and the Nawab attacked; he captured Fort William which led to the killings of several East India company officials in the Black Hole of Calcutta. A force of Company soldiers (sepoys) and British troops led by Robert Clive recaptured the city the following year. Per the 1765 Treaty of Allahabad following the battle of Buxar, East India company was appointed imperial tax collector of the Mughal emperor in the province of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, while Mughal-appointed Nawabs continued to rule the province. Declared a presidency city, Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company by 1772.
Throughout the late 18th and 19th century, the city was a centre of the East India Company’s opium trade.
By the 1850s, Calcutta had two areas: White Town, which was primarily British and centred on Chowringhee and Dalhousie; and Black Town, mainly Indian and centered on North Calcutta. The city underwent rapid industrial growth starting in the early 1850s, especially in the textile and jute industries; this encouraged British company to massively invest in infrastructure projects, which included telegraph connections and Howrah railway station.
Spread roughly north–south along the east bank of the Hooghly River, Kolkata sits within the lower Ganges Delta of eastern India; t Much of the city was originally a wetland that was reclaimed over the decades to accommodate a burgeoning population. The remaining undeveloped areas, known as the East Kolkata Wetlands, were designated a “wetland of international importance” by the Ramsar Convention (1975). As with most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata is located over the “Bengal basin”, a pericratonic tertiary basin.
Kolkata skyline from Chowringhee (left) and Vidyasagar Setu – River Hooghly(right)
North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture, dilapidated buildings, overpopulated slums, crowded bazaars and narrow alleyways, it includes areas such as Shyambazar, Hatibagan, Maniktala, Rajabazar, Bagabzar, Jorasakho and others.
Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It contains B. B. D. Bagh, formerly known as Dalhousie Square, and the Esplanade on its east; Strand Road is on its west. The West Bengal Secretariat, General Post Office, Reserve Bank of India, High Court, Lalbazar Police Headquarters, and several other government and private offices are located there. Another business hub is the area south of Park Street. The Maidan is a large open field in the heart of the city that has been called the “lungs of Kolkata” and accommodates sporting events and public meetings.
The Victoria Memorial and Kolkata Race Course are located at the southern end of the Maidan.
East Kolkata is largely composed of newly developed areas and neighbourhoods of Salt Lake,Rajarhat,Beliaghata,Ultadanga, Phoolbagan etc. Two planned townships in the greater Kolkata region are Bidhannagar, also known as Salt Lake City and located north-east of the city; and Rajarhat, also called New Town and sited east of Bidhannagar.
South Kolkata developed after India gained independence in 1947; it includes upscale neighbourhoods such as Ballygaunge, Bhowanipore,Tollygaunge, Gariahat, Golf Green, Picnic Garden. The southern suburban areas like Narendrapur, Sonarpur, Baruipur are also within the city of Kolkata (as metropolitan structure).
Fort William, on the western part of the city, houses the headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army; its premises are under the jurisdiction of the army.
Food: When it comes to Kolkata, nothing beats its taste and variety for street food. Though there are plenty of five star restaurants in this metropolitan city which provides various multi-cuisines, if one has to properly experience the city of joy then he/she must take to the streets to experience some finger licking dishes.
Fast foods are very common in this city and almost in every street corner one can find a food stall serving dishes ranging from Oriental to Continental dishes.
Momos, egg rolls and chow-mein are among the few of the street delicacies which are found here. However this city has a lot more to offer and for that few places are a trademark and have been scattered all over the city.
1) Phuchkas: One of the most famous street dishes of the city is Phuchka. This mouth watering food comes in different types ranging from papri chat, dum aloo phuchkas and dahi phuchkas. Puchka corners and stalls can be found in every street corner with a huge queue of customers patiently waiting for their turns. Few famous puchka centers of the city are Maharaja Chaat Centre located in the Southern Avenue as well as Vivekananda Park. Alongside Phuchka, its cousin Churmur is equally famous. A crispy crunch and spicy combination of mashed baked potatoes, tamarind pulp and innumerable number of spices with broken pieces of the phuchka shells makes it hard for any foodie to resist.
2) Rolls: Nothing beats the pleasure of soft meat pieces wrapped in thin roti coatings which merges in the moment of placing in the mouth. Kolkata provides numerous good roll shops providing variety of this cuisine. Nizam and Badshah both located at New Market provide some exquisite rolls of the finest quality while ‘Hot Kathi Roll’ shop located in Park Street is a wonder. This special roll was first invented in this city and is a top favourite among the people of the city.
3) Luchi and Alu Dom: Hardly a week passes in the house of a Bengali where puris or luchis are not cooked. However this delight is not only restricted to the household and is found in all parts of the city. The best place to experience this food will be Fairlie place in BBD which is the central district of business of the city. Luchi and Aloor Dom can fill a good breakfast of a snack time delight. Accompaniment of any sweet or sandesh makes the delicacy equally mouth watering.
4) Dacre Lane’s food: Rated by WHO as the one of the Best Street Foods in the World, Dacre Lane provides a number of street delicacies. Ranging from Bengali dishes to Chinese, one can find Chowmein, fish rolls, Jhal Muri to Ghugni and the list is endless.
5) Mughlai: Mughlai is a famous dish comprising of Parathas filled with stuffings of chicken keema or broken pieces along with eggs. The best place for this dish with cheaper rates is Anadi Cabin located at Jawaharlal Nehru Road. This hot and spicy food adds a different flavor to the city’s food cuisine.
6) China Town: Traditionally cooked Chinese food is best found in China Town or Tiretti Bazaar. A Chinese breakfast is very common among the people and hundreds of people can be found in China Town at early morning seeking Fish bowl soup or rice dumplings and soup.
7) Telebhaja (Snacks): Bengalis and telebhaja goes hand in hand. Deep fried snacks are a finger licking and mouth watering dish among all the residents of the city. Although telebhaja shops can be found in streets here and there but ‘Kalika Mukhorochok Telebhaja’ located in College Street is a trademark shop for the different ranges of snacks it provides. Ranging from potato to brinjal to fish and mutton chops one can literally find numerous varieties of telebhaja here. If you are in College Street for buying books then this is a great place to hop in!
8) Sweets: If one is in Kolkata, the very first thing one need to try out is numerous mouth watering sweets that the city provides. From spongy Roshogolla to numerous varieties of Sandesh and ofcourse Mishti Doi, the city serves all. Few famous sweetmeat shops of the city would be Balaram Mullick and Radharam Mullick, KC Das, Girish Chandra Dey and Nakur Chandra Nandy and others. From Sandesh to curds to other sweet delicacies like Payesh and Rashmalai one can dip in the sweet flavor whenever he wants.
9) Cutlets: Mitra Café located in Shyambazar in North Kolkata provides the finest of the city’s cutlets, chops and other non-veg snacks. The Mutton Kabiraji cutlet is seeked by one and all who visits this shop. Finely minced mutton which is wrapped in a coating of deeply fried egg brings water into the mouth of foodies.
The City of Palaces and Joy is known for its number of places of interest such as Indian Museum,Marble Palace,Jorasanko Thakur Bari,National Library and Writer’s Building.
Other notable structures in Kolkata are Salt Lake Stadium, Jorasanko Thakur Bari, National Library, General Post Office, Tipu Sultan Mosque, St. Thomas Church, South City Mall, New Market, Alipore Central Jail, Rabindra Sadan and Calcutta High Court.
Victoria Memorial
The Victoria Memorial is one of the largest marble buildings of the city which has been dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria. Victoria Memorial is now a museum and tourist destination and has mixture of British and Mughal elements architectural influence.
Writers Building
The Writers’ Building was served as the office for writers of the British East India Company and housed the office of the Chief Minister of West Bengal. Considered to be one of the major land marks of city it is a tourist destination in Kolkata.
Indian Museum
The Indian Museum is the largest and oldest museum in India and also one of oldest museums in the world. Indian Museum has rare collections of Mughal paintings,armour and ornaments, fossils and skeletons, coins, seals and other ancient artifacts. A trip at this museum takes one back to the past.
Jorasanko Thakur Bari
The Jorasanko Thakur Bari is house of the Thakurs and ancestral home of the Tagore family and Rabindranath Tagore was born here. Jorasanko Thakur Bari house has been is known as Tagore museum for Kolkata. The famous festival of colours, Holi is celebrated in this place with grandeur.
National Library
The National Library of India is the largest library in India and one of the oldest buildings of the city with a collection in excess of 2.2 million books. National Library has collect, disseminate and preserve printed material produced in India.
Fort William Fort
The Fort William is a fort built of brick and mortar, located on the eastern banks of the River Hooghly. Fort William has a big Maidan which is the largest urban park in Calcutta. It consists of houses of the headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army and its premises are under the jurisdiction of the army
Belur Math
The Belur Mutt is located on the west bank of Hooghly River and headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Belur Math is an institution as well a temple, notable for its architecture of Hindu, Christian and Islamic as a symbol of unity of all religions. People flock this place at all times of the year.
Dakshineshwar Kali Temple
The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is located in Dakshineswar near Kolkata on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River and dedicated to Bhavatarini, an aspect of Kali Maa. Dakshineswar Kali Temple is one of the most famous temple in India and one of the biggest temples in Kolkata.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
The St. Paul’s Cathedral of Kolkata is a united church and part of the Anglican Communion and the building is also the part of an island of attractions in Kolkata. St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kolkata is one of the most important religious places of Kolkata. People wait in long queues to visit the church during Christmas
Howrah Bridge
The Howrah Bridge renamed as Rabindra Setu but still popularly known as the Howrah Bridge, is a cantilever bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly River linking the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata. Howrah Bridge is one of two on the Hooghly River and is a famous symbol of Kolkata and the sixth-longest bridge of its type in the world. Built during the British reign the bridge is one of the busiest places connecting both the twin cities.
Shaheed Minar
The Shaheed Minar or Ochterlony Monument was constructed in the victory of the East India Company and in the memory of the martyrs of the Indian freedom movement. 48 meter high Shaheed Minar popularly called the Monument is a prominent landmark of Kolkata.
South Park Street Cemetery
The South Park Street Cemetery is one of the earliest non-church cemeteries in the world and the largest Christian cemetery in India. South Park Street Cemetery is located on Mother Teresa Sarani and has number of notable tombs William Jones,Rose Aylmer and Elizabeth Barwell and Luis Derozio.
Football is one of the most popular sports in Kolkata, West Bengal. Kolkata is known to be the hub of Indian football with the two most supported teams in the country being based within the city –Mohun Bagan and East Bengal . Both teams play against each other in the Kolkata derby which is ranked amonf the top 5 derbies of the world. The city is also home to the biggest stadium in India, the Salt Lake Stadium, which as of 2015 has a capacity of 68,000. The record attendance of 131,000 was set in 1997 in a match between East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan AC where East Bengal FCwon 4-1.
Salt Lake Stadium, officially known as Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), is a multipurpose stadium in Kolkata, with a capacity of 85,000. It is the largest stadium in India by capacity. Before its renovation in 2011, it was the second largest football stadium in the world, having a seating capacity of 120,000. Prior to the construction and opening of Rungrado May Day Stadium in 1989, it was the largest football stadium in the world. Reportedly, a total of 85,000 bucket seats have been installed in the stadium for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The capacity of the stadium has been increased from 68,000 to 85,000 for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The stadium will host the final match of the U-17 World Cup, alongside hosting other matches of the tournament.
The stadium’s record attendance was recorded in 1997 when 131,781 spectators watched the Federation Cup Semifinal between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
The stadium recently switched back to natural grass from artificial turf as part of the preparations for hosting the U-17 World Cup in 2017.