Interesting to explore the origin & history of kolkata, the capital of British India. Calcutta history is not that old as that of Delhi. Calcutta, the city of joy was established in the year 1686, as a result of the expansion plans of the British Raj. It was during those times that European powers were heading their way towards capturing the small villages of Sutanati, Govindpur, and Kalikata. Calcutta derived its name from the last of the village settlements of kalikata. Read on to know the brief history of Calcutta India…
The city kept progressing until 1756, when Siraj-Ud-Daula (Nawab of Bengal) attacked and succeeded in driving the British away from the town. It was during that time that most of the British civilians had escaped, but a few of them were captured and imprisoned in a suffocating room. This incident has become a history in itself and was given the name 'Black hole tragedy'. In 1757, the following year, Battle of Plassey took place, in which Robert Clive took over the city by defeating the Nawab
The end of battle witnessed the establishment of Supreme Court in 1774, making Calcutta as the base of justice. Battle of Plassey saw the drain of wealth, which strained the Bengal's economy. The period between 1820 and 1930 saw the growing of seeds of nationalism that reached its height in 1905, when people stood against Lord Curzon's plan regarding the partition of Bengal. Rabindranath Tagore led the nationalist anti partition movements. The Partition was repealed in 1911, followed by the shifting of capital of India from Calcutta to New Delhi. In 2001, Calcutta was officially renamed Kolkata.
Till the 17th century, Calcutta was nothing more than a village. But, today it is one of the major metropolitan cities of India along with Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The credit for its present status goes to the expansion plans of the European powers, especially the British Raj. Kolkata was once the capital city of British India and also the Gateway to India till 1912. It is a major commercial city consisting of big industrial plants and corporate houses. Read further to explore more Calcutta travel guide.
Calcutta became the centre of all cultural and political movements in entire India. The 19th century Renaissance and Reformation in India was pioneered in this city. Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Satyendra Nath Bose (co-author of Bose-Einstein Theory) and many more eminent personalities enhanced the cultural heritage of the city of Calcutta.
Shopping
New Market
If you stand outside this sprawling market complex and crane your head in the right direction, you might still spy a faded sign or two that still refer to this place as Hogg Market. However, if you'd rather plunge into the heart of the shopping game, here's the best place to start bargain hunting in Kolkata. Shiny plastic clips, faux crystal ware, flowers, fabric, toys, luggage, ready-to-wear clothes, shoes, crockery, candles, swimwear, uniforms… name it and it's likely to be there in one of the shops here. The thumb rule at New Market? Bargain with all your might!
AC Market
If you want to get away from the heat on the streets, walk into AC Market on Shakespeare Sarani. No prizes for guessing what the AC stands for - an icy blast is bound to hit you as soon as you open the doors to this building. AC Market is much smaller than New Market, and doesn't offer the mind-boggling variety of goods that the former does. It used to be the haunt of the upwardly mobile, but with swanky new shopping complexes opening up over town, AC Market is now a toned down version of its former snooty self. Don't let the "Fixed Price" signs scare you off - this is as good a place as any for great bargains.
College Street
Collage Street MarketTrams, buses, people on foot, rickshaws, cows, dogs - and rows and rows of bookshops, that's College Street. If you're looking for books at a steal, this is the place to go to. A word of advice though - get to where College Street begins and undertake the rest of the journey on foot - this way, you can not only browse to your heart's content, you'll also not have to worry about parking your vehicle.
Attractions
Calcutta Museums
Calcutta preserves her history in many museums. Apart from Victoria Memorial, the Indian Museum and the Marble palace, the prominent ones to visit are the Asutosh Museum at Calcutta University, which has a collection of art objects with emphasis on Bengali folk art. The Birla Industrial and Technological Museum, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, with a good collection of sculputures and modern art. The Nehru Children’s Museum has a wonderful collection of dolls and puppets.
Tagore House
The dulcet whispers of history echo through the old mansions of Hindu aristocrats in North Calcutta. One such old house, Tagore House, at jorasanko, is the birth place of Rabindranath Tagore, India's greatest modern poet. Converted to Rabindra Bharati University, it is now a centre for Indian Classical Fine Arts. At Chorbagan is the Marble Palace built in 1840 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, now a museum. Spend your afternoon among precious objects d'art including works of Rubens and Sir Joshua Reynolds.
The Clubs of Calcutta
The afternoons are long and lazy, the evenings vibrant. Clubs, both social and sporting, are very much a part of Calcutta's culture. They are witness to a glorious past and are increasingly popular even now. The Bengal Club (estd 1827), Calcutta Club (estd 1907), The Saturday Club (estd 1880) and Dalhousie Institute are the most popular social clubs.porting clubs outnumber the social clubs. The Tollygunge Club and Royal Calcutta Golf Club have the finest full length golf courses. Others include South Club for grasscourt tennis, Polo Club within the Race Course, Royal Calcutta Turf Club, Calcutta Rowing Club and Lake Club. The Ladies Golf Club, with a nine hole course, is the only ladies golf club in the world. The Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is a favourite watering hole with the expats of Calcutta.
Corridors of Charm
A walk along Chowringhee Road sets the pace as you set out to unravel the rare beauty of this city. Across the road sweeps a huge, lush green, open parkland called the Maidan, centering around Fort William, the massive and impregnable British Citadel built in 1 773. The fort is still in use and retains its well guarded grandeur. Visitors are allowed in with special permission only.Along St George`s Gate Road, on the southern fringe of the Maidan, your sight is arrested by a splendid monument in white Makrana marble. Built in Italian Renaissance cum Saracenic style, Victoria Memorial was planned by Lord Curzon and opened by the Prince of Wales in 1921. This British attempt at building a second Taj Mahal, is dedicated to Queen Victoria and houses a fantastic collection of rare memorabilia from colonial days. A light and sound show recreates history every evening.The adjoining Race Course, built in 1819, is one of the best in the east and is the scene of much gaiety, especially during the winter season.
For voluntary work with the Mission, in India, you may contact the London branch of the Missionaries of Charity, 41 Villiers Road, Southall, Middlesex, UK, or write in to the "Mother House", 54A, Lower Circular Road, Calcutta 700 014.
Dalhousie Square
Dalhousie Square was the administrative centre for British India. On one side is the General Post Office, a majestic specimen of Edwardian architecture. It is built on the site of the original Fort William. On the other side stands Writers' Building, a massive Gothic structure with Ionic pillars - still the house of political power.
The Spiritual Sojouron
According to the legend, when Lord Shiva`s wife Parvati`s body was cut up, one of her fingers fell here. Rebuilt in 1809, this is an important shrine of Hindu Shakti worship. The temple is in the southern part of the city.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple and Belur Math
Built in 1847, on the banks of the Hooghly, north of Calcutta, the temple is associated with Shri Ramakrishna, the eclectic 19th century saint who revived Hinduism during the British Raj. Across the river stands Belur Math , headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission. The monastery is a haven of peace and religious harmony.
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
Commemorates the birth centenary of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Religious discourses and cultural exchanges are held here among international scholars. The institute is located at Golpark.
Nakhoda Mosque
Modelled on Akbar`s tomb in Sikandra, the red sandstone mosque has two minarets 46 mts high, a brightly painted onion shaped dome and can accommodate 10,000 people. Built in 1926 and located on Chitpur Road.
St John`s Church
Built in 1787 with Grecian columns. The burial ground has the mausoleum of Job Charnock, founder of Calcutta. On the north-west side of Raj Bhavan.
How to Reach
by Air from -
Ahmedabad, Bagdogra, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Munbai, Port Blair.
by Train from -
Agra, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bhopal, Bhubanesswar, Cochin, Darjeeling, Delhi, Gwalior, Lucknow, Madra, Mumbai, Puri, Trivandrum, Varanasi, Vishakapatnam.
