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| 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 |
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| 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.
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.
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| 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.
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| PLACES TO VISIT |
Victoria
Memorial:
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:
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.
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Fort
William:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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| EXCURSIONS |
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.
choose from. The hotels are convenient
and provide all the modern facilities.
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| HOW TO REACH |
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.
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