Location: West Bengal
First British Fort In The City :
Fort Williams
Founded in: 1696 AD.
Known for: Its More Than 100 years
Old Buildings |
Tourism in
Calcutta (Kolkata)
Calcutta, an ancient city which has seen
history unfold itself in front of her. A
city which has completed three hundred years
of its establishment. Calcutta, which had
the privilege of being the capital of
British India before it was shifted to
Delhi. Calcutta, a city which has adopted to
the modern trends and techniques of the
world but has not shed the leisurely life
style and the calm which it has acummulated
since ages. A city which till few years ago
was the most densely populated city in the
world. Calcutta has the country's first
Metro railway and also retains some of the
building which are more than hundred year
old. It is a city of enduring charm.
In 1696, the establishment of Fort Williams
marked the birth of a new city, Calcutta. It
derived its name from Kalikatta, one of the
villages which was incorporated in the new
settlement of Britishers. Calcutta has since
developed from a fishermens' village to
become one of the largest cities in the
world. Being the capital of the British till
1912, the architecture here is a medley of
occidental and oriental styles. Today the
city symbolises creativity and vibrance with
all the modern amenities available.
Calcutta is a city with strong cultural,
literary and religious flavours. this is the
home of many of India's leaders. Activities
in the field of fine arts, music, dance,
theatre and writing make the city a
happening place. The calm of the Hooghly
combined with the rush of people in the
streets make Calcutta a city to visit. It is
the city which acts as the gate way to the
North East and has been coming up as a major
commercial city in the nation.
SHOPPING IN CALCUTTA
Calcutta one of the places which is famous
as shoppers paradise. The markets of
Calcutta are full of items which can be
taken home as decorative pieces or gift
items. Calcutta has been attracting the
tourist attention for its handicrafts. The 'Tant'
sarees are the speciality of West Bengal and
Calcutta provides you the best market for
the purchase these sarees. The Tant sarees
are popular not only among the Bengali women
but are liked all over India for their
unique appearance and colours. Calcutta
offers great bargains in items made from
cotton and handloom. The famed Baluchari
work is something which every traveller to
this place looks for. The silk from West
Bengal is a shoppers delight.
Tantuja is the retail outlet for the West
Bengal State Handloom Weavers Co-operative
Society Limited which offers you a variety
of handwoven classics. Though the real
pleasure of shopping in Calcutta is on the
road side shops which surprisingly come up
with good stuff, there are the big names and
showrooms which provide the customer with
the latest fashion wears and dress material.
The government owned emporiums give good
offer in handicrafts and other decorative
items. The Bankura Horse in Calcutta is
easily identifiable and captures the
imagination. Brass figurines can also be
included in the shoppers list. The leather
wears are very cheap and durable. Calcutta
is also famous for the jewellery. There are
very old as well as new shops in the heart
of the Calcutta city which offer you good
quality gold & silver jewellery and
ornaments. The intricate work on the
jewellery items attracts buyers far and
wide. The China Town in Calcutta is famous
for the Chinese (imported) goods. This place
gives a Chinese experience if one walks down
the lanes. The Fancy market of Calcutta is
provides the Grey market in the city.
CLIMATE OF CALCUTTA
Calcutta is located at a point where river
Hooghly merges into the sea. In fact the
whole region is part the great Gangetic
delta. The climate of Calcutta is very much
influenced by the sea. The daily tidal waves
and the frequent rains accompanied by high
velocity winds has now become a part of life
in the city. Calcutta has a very tropical
type of climate with the summers being hot
and humid. The sweaty, sultry climate may
causes dehydration and uneasiness. The
temperature seldom crosses the 43 degree
barrier and in winter rarely goes below 8
degrees. But it is raining through out the
year. The best season to come to Calcutta is
between September and March.
GETTING THERE
Calcutta - The former capital of East India
company and at present the state capital of
India is well connected and easily
accessible from anywhere in India and
abroad. The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
Airport (Dum Dum airport) serves domestic as
well as the International needs of this
region. This airport is not only connected
to the major cities of India but is also the
transit point for the South East Asian
nations and Australia. All the major
Airlines have their flights to this city.
Calcutta is well connected with all corners
of the country. The two railway stations of
Howrah and Sealdah serve all the needs of
the city. From here one can board trains to
Southern India upto Kanyakumari, Jammu in
the North, Gandhinagar and Mumbai in the
West and Guwahati in the North East. Apart
from the long distance trains there are
plenty of local trains which connects the
Calcutta city with the near by areas. Within
the city there is a good network of tram
system which is probably the oldest in
India.
Just as the city is well connected by Air
and by trains it also has good road
communication with all corners of the
country. The Grand Trunk road connects
Calcutta with Amritsar. This national
highway was built by Sher Shah Suri to
promote and facilitate trade and commerce
from the city with other parts of India. The
purpose has been well served and till date
the GT road acts as the back bone of the
trade and commuting in India. Other national
highways also connect the city with other
areas. Calcutta has regular bus service from
various places within the state as well as
there are services to places in Bihar,
Orissa and Assam. The bus services are run
by the state transport as well as private
operators.
Calcutta also has the distinction of having
an inland water transport system. Though the
Hooghly is a very badly silted river there
are ferry and boat services from the near by
places but this service has been restricted
mainly to carry goods. There has been a
proposal to link Calcutta with Patna via the
Hooghly and Ganga.
SIGHTSEEING IN CALCUTTA
The Gardens - To consolidate their hold on
Bengal and avoid any further attack on the
trade establishments the British had built a
fort which cost them an awesome 2 million
pounds in those days. The forest around this
fort was cleared to give a clear shot to the
cannons. Today the fort stands as the
reminder of first steps of British towards
establishment of the Indian empire. The
cleared area is now known as the Maidan and
acts as breather for the, otherwise,
congested city of Calcutta.
Lake - An artificial lake was built towards
south of the Calcutta city. Today this lake
serves as venue for the hosting of various
competitions in swimming and boating. Beside
the lake is a sports complex which is meant
for training sportsmen in various
discipline. In the idyllic surroundings is
set a Yoga centre for meditation and
beautiful parks are meant for walks.
Victoria Memorial - An splendid example of
British architecture, this building was
built in memory of Queen Victoria and was
inaugurated by Prince of Wales in 1921. The
Memorial is based on architecture of the Taj
and is built in marble.
Birla Planetarium - One the earliest
planetariums in India, the Birla Planetarium
in Calcutta is a major tourist attraction.
The planetarium was opened in 1961 and the
cost of completion came to about 2 crores.
The capacity of the auditorium is 500 and
there are daily film shows. These shows are
in different languages. Inside the
planetarium you can relax and gaze at the
stars which are better seen here than in the
polluted atmosphere out side. The
planetarium gives complete information about
the Universe and our solar systems. The
models kept here are special attraction for
the children.
Indian Museum - This museum in Calcutta was
established in 1878. The museum is built in
Italian architectural style and is
considered as the largest museum in the
country and one of the best in Asia.
Shahid Minar in Calcutta - A combination of
Turkish, Egyptian and Syrian architectural
elements, this monument was built in 1828
and was named after Sir David Ochterlony who
won the Nepal war of 1814. It was renamed as
Sahid Minar and is located on Northern part
of the Maidan. Height of the column is 48m.
From the top of the Minar a good view of the
city can be obtained but permission to
ascend the tower has to be taken from the
police headquarters in Lal Bazaar.
Kali Temple - The present temple was built
in 1809 on the site of an ancient temple. It
is also known as the Kalighat temple. It is
on the name of this temple that English gave
the place name Calcutta (Kolkata) which is
anglicized form of Kalikata.
BBD Square - Right in the middle of the
Calcutta (Kolkata) city is the place
dedicated to three Martyrs of Bengal- Dinesh,
Badal and Binay. This place is bustling with
activity from morning till evening and is
the commercial nerve of the city. This place
is also known as the Dalhousie square. The
place flagged by the Raj Bhawan, The
Assembly house, the High Court and GPO
(General Post Office). Towards the north is
the Writers building (The Secretariat).
Today where the GPO stands was the first
citadel of the British. Near the fort was
the infamous Black Hole where Siraj Ud
Daulla put 146 people in a small room and
only 23 were alive in the morning. Today
nothing stands for the black hole only
memories haunt the mind.
Eden Gardens - Named after the sister of
Alexander, the Eden Gardens used to be lush
area covered by trees and garden. Major part
of the garden has been taken to construct
one of the largest and beautiful stadiums of
India- the Eden Garden or the Ranji stadium.
The place still holds the charm to attract
people who come here for a stroll and relax.
The area also has a wooden pagoda.
Ravindra Gallery- The Lalit Kala Academy is
located here. This gallery has some of the
rare and fine pictures and manuscripts of
Rabindra Nath Tagore. The paintings done are
in Rabindra style and attracts many curious
visitors. This place is also the venue for
many cultural programs and events.
Rabindra Setu ( Howrah Bridge) - It one of
three bridges on the river Hooghly and is
the most famous symbol of not only Calcutta
(Kolkata) but also West Bengal. This bridge
is marvel of British engineering. Howrah
Bridge is a suspended bridge on pillars. The
bridge though very old is still holding good
to reduce the traffic across the river. The
newly constructed Vidya Sagar Setu is also a
cable suspended bridge. This bridge is
supposed to reduce the traffic on the old
Howrah Bridge. The design of the new bridge
very much similar to the Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco.
Marble Palace - The marble palace was the
private mansion of a Zamindar (Land owner)
who had built this palace in 1835. Today
this place has an incongruous collection of
statues and paintings. There is also a
private zoo.
St. John's Church - The church which dates
back to 1787 has a number of monuments like
the octagonal mausoleum of the founder of
Calcutta (Kolkata), Job Char nock. Admiral
Watson, who helped Lord Clive in retaking
Calcutta (Kolkata) from Siraj Ud Daulla, is
also buried here. The obelisk commemorating
the Black Hole was moved from the GPO to a
corner of the graveyard.
Belur Math - The Ramkrishna mission
established by Swami Vivekanand has its head
Quarters here. The Indian Philosopher
Ramkrishna who preached unity among all the
religions died in 1897 and his follower
Vivekanand established the mission to preach
the teachings of his Guru.
Calcutta Metro Railway
In a city with 14 million people commuting
from one place to other is a big problem.
The narrow and tiled roads aggravates this
problem. This problem was solved by the
introduction of the underground railway in
the city. Though tunnel railways are very
popular in the Western countries but it was
introduced for the first time in Calcutta in
India. Today the Metro railway covers a
distance of 16 kms with 17 stations in 33
minutes. This rapid transport system has
decreased the load on the surface transport
and is also a major attraction for the
tourists. The metro runs from Tollygunge in
the Southern Calcutta to Dum Dum in the
Northern region.
EXCURSIONS FROM KOLKATA
Digha
It the nearest sea beach from Calcutta (Kolkata).
It takes a six hour bus journey to reach
this place. Digha has been coming up as a
major tourist center in the State. Digha is
very close to Orissa border. The seven
kilometer long beach is being developed as
the "Brighton of the East. Digha has every
thing which a sea loving traveller will
require-- good surf and sand. Just eight
kilometer from Digha is the Chandaneshwar
Siva Temple across the border in Orissa.
Digha is 185 kms from Calcutta (Kolkata).
Diamond Harbour
51 Km from the city is the old port of
Calcutta. From here Hooghly turns south to
merge into the sea. From here one can take
launches to Sagar island for the famous
Ganga Sagar Fair.
Haldia
This is the new port of Calcutta and is 96
km south of the city. This place was
developed as port to avoid the silting
problem in the Diamond Harbour. Today the
Haldia Refinery has added value to the
place. There are regular bus services to
both the ports from Calcutta.
Barrackpore
25 kms from Calcutta is a place which was
the cantonment of the East India company.
Today not much is left of that cantonment
but the place has acquired a historical
significance. The gardens along the river
bank are very nicely laid and are very
charming. The Gandhi memorial attracts a
large number of tourists. Barrackpore was
one of the places which was transferred by
the Danish settlement to the East India in
1845.
Chandernagore
The French trading post was handed over to
India along with Pondicherry in 1951. The
French settled here in 1673 and made it
their trade center. But they lost this place
to the British in a conflict. Today this
place along the river Hooghly has some
buildings of the French era and is now
famous for the artisans who make clay
figurines. Chandernagore is 39 kms from
Calcutta.
Bandel
43 kms from Calcutta is a site of Portuguese
church and monasteries which were built in
1599 and were destroyed in 1640 by Shah
Jahan and were rebuilt.
Sunderban Wildlife Sanctuary
Towards the South of Calcutta river Ganga
and Hooghly divide itself into many
distibutaries and they form the famous
Gangetic deltas. They provide an ideal
atmosphere and environment for the Sundari
trees to grow. Spread over an area of almost
10,000 sq kms which is now shared between
Bangladesh and India, the Sunderbans are
home to many exquisite animals and birds.
TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES
West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation(
A Govt. of West Bengal Undertaking) - 3/2,
B.B.D Bag East, Calcutta.
Government of India Tourist Office -Embassy,
4 Shakespeare Sarani, Calcutta, West Bengal,
India.
Government of India Tourist Office - 88
Janpath, New Delhi- 110001, India
FAIRS & FESTIVALS
Calcutta has always found its life in the
fairs and festivals. Here almost every
season carries one festival or other. The
culmination of all fairs and festival takes
place in the Durga Puja. Durga Puja is a
celebration of the victory of good over
evil. It is the worship of the 'Shakti' or
power which governs the world. During the
puja, which lasts for ten days, the whole
city is decorated like a bride. These days
are also meant for new attire and cloths
which means shopping. The whole city looks
like a big fair with shops full of customers
and the streets dotted with Pandals. These
Pandals are placed where the public worship
is done. Ten days of festivity with
different rituals mark the pujas. These
Pandals are huge in size and are tastefully
decorated and large amount of money is spent
on their construction. The Durga puja is
followed by the Kali puja another
incarnation of Durga as a destroyer and
Diwali the festival of lights.
Come spring and the city gears itself for
celebration of the Vasant Panchami. On this
day, the Goddess of Knowledge and music,
Saraswati is worshipped. Apart from these,
the city celebrates the festival of colour,
Holi, with traditional pomp and gaiety. Holi
is also known as the Dol Yatra in Bengal.
The Poila Baishak or the Bengali new year
starts with the worship of the Lord Ganesha.
The city is full of colours during the other
festivals which are celebrated through
India. Christmas and New year celebrations
are also observed with Pomp and pageantry,
as is Id-ul-Fitr.
POPULATION
About 14 million People resides in this
city.
MAIN LANGUAGES
Bengali, Hindi & English
A WORD OF CAUTION
Though the city has very simple life with no
or very little night life. But the city is
famous for the petty crimes which occur
during night as well as during the day time.
Tourists should avoid the railway stations
and bus terminals at night. Be conscious
about your valuables in market and crowded
places. Beware of pickpockets.
NEAR BY CITIE(S)
Digha - 185 kms.
Barrackpore - 25 kms.
Bandel - 43 kms.
Shantiniketan - 213 kms.
Haldia - 96 kms.
Sunderbans - 131kms.
Chandernagore - 39 kms.
Siliguri - 606 kms.
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India
Travel Guide / States /
West Bengal / Cities /
Calcutta (Kolkata) Travel
