Travel to India - Travel And Tourism In India

Kolkata

Kolkata or Calcutta, as it was previously known as is not just a city, it is a living entity. Situated on the eastern banks of the River Hooghly, the city of Kolkata is the capital of the state of West Bengal. A city that started its journey in 1690 with the British East India Company has come a long way in history to become one of the most pulsating and vibrant metropolis in the world. Kolkata is about culture, about traditions. It is about a city's awakening to a new age but still keeping the past glory intact. Back in 1702, Kolkata became the regional base for the British army and was notified as the headquarters of the Bengal Presidency. Very soon after the defeat of the Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah at the hands of Robert Clive, Kolkata became the capital in the year 1772. Under the hands of Richard Wellesley, Kolkata witnessed the coming up of numerous public buildings which earned it the title of "City of Palaces". Opium trade by the British East India Company made Kolkata a well known name and the city flourished a lot during the rapid industrialization of the 1850's when the jute and textile sectors gained prominence. With developments in the field of communication and education under the joint effort of the Colonial rulers and the Bengali intellectuals, a new group of people were born. Known as Babus, this elite class of urban Indians soon laid the foundation of a new society and Kolkata became the seat of revolutionary organizations and political parties which worked its way up to contribute to the Indian Independence movement.

A buzzing metropolis on the Ganga Delta and spread in the north south direction, this city in Eastern India is known for its Bengali culture. However, home to several other communities, Kolkata is a heterogeneous city. Divided among various districts like South Kolkata, Esplanade, Maidan, East Kolkata, Dum Dum and Howrah, Kolkata is a real tourist destination. With the tropical climate of the city suiting the tourists, Kolkata is a city both of the rags and riches. Kolkata is a changing city, life is always in a flux here and one thing that all tourists visiting the city are promised with is the heart to come back again.