FACTS
& FIGURES
Area : 1,380 sq km
Population : 12 million
Altitude : 17 ft above sea level
Languages : Bengali, Hindi, and English
Best time to visit : October to March
STD Code : 033
INTRODUCTION
Calcutta, a city that means many things
to many people. For some, Calcutta is the city of joy,
while for others it is dirty, crowded, and noisy. Once
the greatest colonial city in the Orient, Calcutta was
later reviled as a cauldron of poverty, dirt, and disease.
Today, it ranks among the four major metropolis of India
along with Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. A mere village
in the 17th century, Calcutta is not an ancient city
like Delhi. Like Mumbai and Chennai, it originated largely
due to the expansionist ambitions of the European powers,
especially the British Raj. Little wonder, Calcutta
has some of the finest Raj edifices built in a variety
of styles.
LOCATION
The metropolitan city of Calcutta in
the eastern Indian state of West Bengal extends between
the latitude 22°82' N and longitude 88°20' E.
The city is well connected to the other cities of India
through train, bus, and air services. Most of the countries
in the Asia have flight links to the city.
CLIMATE
As Calcutta is near the sea, the city
has uniform temperature throughout the year. The temperature
ranges from 12–27°C in the winter and 24–38°C
in the summer. Annual rainfall is around 160 cm. Humidity
level can be very high in the summers and can make one’s
life difficult.
PAST
The first capital of the British in
India, Calcutta does not have an ancient history like
Delhi. The city was established in 1686 when British
moved to the small villages of Sutanati, Govindpur,
and Kalikata from their trading port of Hooghly. The
city got its name from the last of the settlements mentioned
above. The city progressed well until 1756 when Siraj-Ud-Daula
(Nawab of Bengal) attacked the town and drove away the
British. Lord Clive retook Calcutta and until 1911,
Calcutta remained the capital of the British government
in India. Being the center of power for so long created
a unique culture and heritage of the city, totally unlike
any other city of India. The people here are proud of
their culture and can go to any length to defend it.
The humanity of the city can be felt only through visiting
the place and not by reading.
SITES TO VISIT
Victoria Memorial is a huge white-marble
structure and the most enduring of remains of the British
Raj in India. The structure, which is now floodlit in
the night, gives a fascinating site. It has been now
converted in a museum that houses the most impressive
collection of memorabilia’s from the days of Raj.
Indian Museum, built in 1874, has a beautiful structure.
The oldest museum in India, it has one of the rare collections
of archeological. The entrance to the museum houses
an original Lion Capitol, the national symbol of India.
The museum is opened all days of the week except Monday.
The normal timing is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fort William was constructed in 1781 after the unfortunate
happenings of 1756 in which many British soldiers with
their families were killed by Siraj-Ud-Daula. Large
area around the village of Govindpur was cleared off
the forests and this fort was constructed, which for
some time also lent its name to the city. The fort is
still in use and visitors are allowed inside only after
getting special permits. The area around the fort is
a very large patch of green known as the Maidan (ground).
The Maidan is also known as the lung of Calcutta and
stretches 1 km in width and 3 km in length.
Eden Garden, located in the northwest corner of the
city, is a small and pleasantly laid-out garden. The
place also houses the renowned cricket ground by the
same name.
Birla Planetarium is one of the largest of its kind
in the world, and a good place to enjoy oneself. Regular
shows in Hindi and English are held here.
Kali Mandir is the temple dedicated to Kali, goddess
of destruction. This is the temple from which the old
village Kalikata took its name, which, in turn, also
gave the city its name.
Howrah Bridge is an excellent example of engineering
techniques of the early 20th century. The whole bridge
is 450 m long without any pylon in the river. The bridge
also has the distinction of being the busiest bridge
in the world catering to around 100,000 vehicles and
innumerable pedestrians.
When Calcutta was the capital of British India, BBD
Bagh was the center of power. This is the place that
houses the now famous Writer’s Building (clerks
were known as writers in the British India) and the
old Fort William.
Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission,
is situated in the north of the city. The place was
founded in 1899 and houses a structure that was designed
to be a church, temple, and mosque all in one.
Other important sites that can be visited are Dakshineshwar
Kali Temple, Botanical Garden, Marble Palace, Tagore
House, Church of St John, Nakhoda Mosque, Raj Bhawan,
Town Hall, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
SITES NEARBY
The most popular place to visit around
Calcutta is Shanti Niketan. Situated 136 km northwest
of the city, this is the place where Rabindranath Tagore
lived and established a university.
Bishnupur, 100 km northwest of Calcutta, is yet another
exciting and hitherto unexplored holiday destination.
Bishnupur houses unique terracotta temples, each more
beautifully embellished than the other. Once the capital
of the Malla kings, Bishnupur is renowned for its crafts
such as intricate Balucheri saris, the rare ganijifa
(circular Indian playing card), delicate carving on
shells and bell metal artifacts.
Chandernagar (35 km) is the former French settlement
that still abounds in buildings from that period of
history. The important places to visit are the Quai
Dupleix, Eglise Du Sacre, and image of Joan of Arc.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
To know and understand Calcutta in its
eternity, one is invited to the city during Durga Puja—a
time when Calcutta becomes unforgettable. Every year,
for four days, Calcutta forgets its worries and yields
to a paroxysm of celebration and worship. This special
time of the year comes just before the full moon in
late September or October. This is a special occasion
because of the transcendent place Goddess Durga holds
in the Bengali imagination.
Saraswati Puja is the celebration of Saraswati, the
goddess of learning. The festival is celebrated just
before the coming of spring in the months of January
or February.
Calcutta Book Fair is the largest in Asia and provides
ample opportunities to the bibliophiles to explore the
fascinating world of books. The event is held every
year in the month of January or February.
Poush Mela is celebrated in the Shanti Niketan usually
on the 22nd or 23rd of December. The three-day function
marks the foundation of Shanti Niketan.
Other important festivals celebrated in the city are
Kali Puja, Diwali, and Holi.
LOCAL DELICACIES
Calcutta is a paradise for the lovers
of ethnic food. The regular food here is boiled rice
with fish curry, saag, and mutton kalia. A meal is incomplete
without sweet curd and mishti. The variety of Bengali
cuisine is enviable. There are numerous restaurants
in the city that specializes in the ethnic Bengali food.
Most of them maintain good quality of hygiene and provide
the environment complementing the food.
WHERE TO STAY
With the growth of the city, Calcutta
provides very good choices in accommodation. Every income
group has wide spectrum of accommodation to choose from.
The hotels are convenient and provide all the modern
facilities.
SHOPPING
Calcutta can be described as a shopping
paradise for them who really want to get value for their
money. Every market, which has a crowded and dusty look,
has its own history and specializes in something exotic
and unique.
New Market, Calcutta's oldest and most renowned municipal
market, offers one of the widest ranges of goods. Recently,
a new complex has been added on Bertram Street to house
the partially burnt-out section of the market. The market
offers leather goods, plastic toys, fancy silverware,
jewelry, garments, fabric, confectionery, clothing,
dry fruits, poultry products, fish, meat, flowers, etc.
The air-conditioned market at Shakespeare Sarani specializes
in clothes, novelties, artificial plants, jewelry, electronic
household gadgets, watches, etc. For plastic toys, stationary,
firecrackers, diaries, electrical goods and appliances,
and glassware, one can visit Bagri Market. Bowbazar
at B. B. Ganguly Street can be searched for wooden furniture
and musical instruments. The best place to go for second-hand
products is Chandni Market. China Bazaar is famous for
its paper buntings, streamers, and other domestic goods.
College Street is the best place to bargain for books.
For imported goods, one can check out Five Star and
Fancy Market. Dakshinapan Market houses most of the
government emporia. The place is well known for its
handlooms, textiles, handicrafts, cosmetic jewelry,
fancy goods, object d'art, etc. For flowers, one can
have a look on the Lake Market at Rash Behari Avenue.
HOW TO REACH
Calcutta is connected with most of the
Indian cities by road. The Esplanade Terminus in the
heart of the city is the main bus terminus. A new development
is the starting of Dhaka–Calcutta bus service.
The buses are colorful, air-conditioned, and comfortable.
Most of the domestic airlines have direct services
to and from Calcutta to other important cities of India
such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Patna, Varanasi, Lucknow,
etc. Calcutta provides direct flights to most of the
countries in the Southeast Asia. The airport in Calcutta
is situated at Dumdum, around 17 km northeast of the
city center.
Trains from the other parts of the country connect
Calcutta. Super-fast trains such as Rajdhani Express
and Shatabdi Express join the city from Delhi and nearby
cities such as Bokaro and Rourkela. Coromandel Express
and Gitanjali Express connect Calcutta to Chennai and
Mumbai respectively. The city has two major railway
stations—one at Howrah and the other at Sealdah.
Mechanized boats and ships are available on a regular
basis for Andaman & Nicobar Islands. One should
contact the offices of the Shipping Corporation of India
on 13, Strand Road for more information on schedules.
Luxury cruises are also operational between Calcutta
and Haldia, a modern port city nearby.
For local transport, Calcutta Metro is India’s
first and only underground railway network and a good
option to move around the city. Trains run from 8:15
a.m. to 9:15 p.m. on Monday to Saturday and 3 p.m. to
9:15 p.m. on Sunday. Other options to explore the city
are taxis, trams, and buses. The services are basic
and crowded but cheap.
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