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Kolkata grew rapidly in the 19th century to become the second most important city of the British Empire after London and was declared as the financial (commercial) capital of the British India. This was accompanied by the fall of a culture that fused Indian philosophies with European tradition.
4 days ago · Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), city, capital of West Bengal state, and former capital (1772–1911) of British India. It is one of India’s largest cities and one of its major ports. The city is centered on the east bank of the Hugli River, about 96 miles upstream from the head of the Bay of Bengal.
History of Kolkata dates back to the rule of Mughals before the British renamed the city as Calcutta. The name Kolkata also has gone through several transformations from the history of its origin. Kolkata was known as Kolikata or Kalikata before the British developed the city and named as Calcutta.
Ancient evidence suggests that Kolkata was an established trading hub much before the arrival of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, the Portuguese, the French or the British. The city's origins date back to the Maurya and Gupta period. The city has also been mentioned in the ancient epic Mahabharata.
4 days ago · The history of Kolkata as a British settlement, known to the British as Calcutta, dates from the establishment of a trading post there by Job Charnock, an agent of the English East India Company, in 1690.
Kolkata's recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India Company, which was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock is often regarded as the founder of the city; however, in response to a public petition, the Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a founder.
2 days ago · Kolkata - Cultural Hub, Colonial Legacy, India's City: Calcutta did not become the capital of British India until 1772, when the first governor-general, Warren Hastings, transferred all important offices to the city from Murshidabad, the provincial Mughal capital.
