Kolkata

Located on the east bank of the River Hooghly, Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal and the commercial capital of entire East India. The city was the capital of India, until 1911, during the British rule. Calcutta was the official name of the city at that time.

Bengali is the official language here; however, majority of people in Kolkata speak Hindi and English as well. Kolkata is known as the cultural capital of India. The city traces a culturally rich history. Archaeological discoveries prove that the city has a history of more than 2000 years. However, the documented history of Kolkata is available from 1690.

Job Charnock, an administrator of the English East India Company is the official founder of the city. Before British rule, the Nawabs of Bengal ruled the area. Kolkata was comprised of three rich villages namely Kolikata, Govindapur and Sutanuti. Textile, cotton production and trading were the main professions of the villagers.

Kolkata is one of the metropolitan cities of India with many schools, colleges, universities, offices and a fast-growing Information Technology sector. Shopping malls, multiplexes, flyovers and metro rail are the main features of the city. Kolkata is the place where one can still take a ride on hand-pulled rickshaws and trams.

With tropical wet and dry climate, summers are hot and humid in Kolkata. The city experiences high temperatures in April, May and June usually. The rainy season starts from June and continues up to September. Winter and spring are quite comfortable in the city.

The city is home to palaces, monuments and temples that bear architectural significance. Many people travel to visit the Kolkata Museum, Botanical garden and zoo. With universities, engineering and medical colleges, B-schools and libraries the city attracts a considerable number of students from the surrounding areas as well. A lot of people from the eastern states of India and Bangladesh visit Kolkata for medical treatments.

Kolkata is the birthplace of many prominent personalities as well. Tourists visit the city to take a tour to the ancestral houses of Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose and others.

A large number of potters live in the city along the banks of the Hooghly River. Kumartuli is the area where clay statues are created and exported to other countries. Hotels and restaurants offer varieties of Bengali cuisine, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Besides, Kolkata offers an exciting nightlife too.

That the city is the cultural capital of the nation can be felt especially during the winter season, which is also the best time to visit the city, with a number of events happening across the city. The Dover Lane Music Conference is one such event taking place in January. 

Another major event which is held in Kolkata during this time is the International Kolkata Book Fair. It is a treat for book lovers, who visit the fair in millions, with publishers from across the country as well as from different countries participating. The range of books is overwhelming too – starting from science and technology to travel, photography, fiction, music, engineering – any type of book under the sun is available here. Apart from books, there are lots of artists who showcase their handiwork here.