Search results
Kolkata, [a] also known as Calcutta [b] ( its official name until 2001 ), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, 80 km (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary financial and commercial centre of eastern and northeastern India. [16] .
- Overview
- Character of the city
- City site
- Climate
Kolkata, 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 centred on the east bank of the Hugli (Hooghly) River, once the main channel of the Ganges (Ganga) River, about 96 miles (154 km) upstream from the head of the Bay of Bengal; there the port city developed as a point of transshipment from water to land and from river to sea. A city of commerce, transport, and manufacture, Kolkata is the dominant urban centre of eastern India.
The city’s former name, Calcutta, is an Anglicized version of the Bengali name Kalikata. According to some, Kalikata is derived from the Bengali word Kalikshetra, meaning “Ground of (the goddess) Kali.” Some say the city’s name derives from the location of its original settlement on the bank of a canal (khal). A third opinion traces it to the Bengali words for lime (calcium oxide; kali) and burnt shell (kata), since the area was noted for the manufacture of shell lime. In 2001 the government of West Bengal officially changed the name of the city to Kolkata. Area city, 40 square miles (104 square km); urban agglom., 533 square miles (1,380 square km). Pop. (2011) 4,486,679; urban agglom., 14,057,991.
Fashioned by the colonial British in the manner of a grand European capital—yet now set in one of the poorest and most overpopulated regions of India—Kolkata has grown into a city of sharp contrasts and contradictions. Kolkata has had to assimilate strong European influences and overcome the limitations of its colonial legacy in order to find its own unique identity. In the process it created an amalgam of East and West that found its expression in the life and works of the 19th-century Bengali elite and its most noteworthy figure, the poet and mystic Rabindranath Tagore.
This large and vibrant Indian city thrives amid seemingly insurmountable economic, social, and political problems. Its citizens exhibit a great joie de vivre that is demonstrated in a penchant for art and culture and a high level of intellectual vitality and political awareness. Crowds throng to Kolkata’s book fairs, art exhibitions, and concerts, and there is a lively trading of polemics on walls, which has led to Kolkata being dubbed the “city of posters.”
Britannica Quiz
Geography of India
The location of the city appears to have been originally selected partly because of its easily defensible position and partly because of its favourable trading location. The low, swampy, hot, and humid riverbank otherwise has little to recommend it. Its maximum elevation is about 30 feet (9 metres) above sea level. Eastward from the river the land slopes away to marshes and swamplands. Similar topography on the west bank of the river has confined the metropolitan area largely to a strip 3 to 5 miles (5 to 8 km) wide on either bank of the river. Reclamation of the Salt Lake area on the northeastern fringe of the city, however, demonstrated that the spatial expansion of the city is feasible, and further reclamation projects have been undertaken to the east, south, and west of the central area.
Students save 67%! Learn more about our special academic rate today.
Learn More
Suburbs of Kolkata include Haora (Howrah) on the west bank, Baranagar to the north, South Dum Dum to the northeast, Behala to the south, and Garden Reach in the southwest. The whole urban complex is held together by close socioeconomic ties.
Kolkata has a subtropical climate with a seasonal regime of monsoons (rain-bearing winds). It is warm year-round, with average high temperatures ranging from about 80 °F (27 °C) in December and January to nearly 100 °F (38 °C) in April and May. The average annual rainfall is about 64 inches (1,625 mm). Most of this falls from June to September, the...
Explore Kolkata (Calcutta), India's intellectual, artistic and cultural capital, with Lonely Planet's expert tips and recommendations. Discover its attractions, history, food, festivals, and more.
- Victoria Memorial. The incredible Victoria Memorial is a vast, beautifully proportioned festival of white marble: think US Capitol meets Taj Mahal.
- Botanical Gardens. Despite being an awkward journey by public transport, Kolkata’s lovely 109-hectare Botanical Gardens makes for a great place to escape from the city’s…
- Belur Math. Set very attractively amid palms and manicured lawns, this large religious centre is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, inspired by 19th-century…
- Kumartuli Idol-makers. Countless clay effigies of deities and demons immersed in the Hooghly during Kolkata’s colourful pujas (offering or prayers) are created in specialist…
People also ask
Is Kolkata a city?
What is Kolkata known for?
Why is Kolkata a great city?
Why is Kolkata a cultural capital of India?
- Sharell Cook
- Go Museum Hopping. Start by acquainting yourself with Kolkata's heritage at any of its informative museums. One of the city's most imposing monuments, Victoria Memorial, houses an impressive Indo-British art history museum, while the city's new generation of themed museums have dynamic exhibitions on Bengali theater, film, art, and culture.
- Wander Through Historic Neighborhoods. One of the most absorbing things to do in Kolkata is simply wander the streets. The city is divided into distinct neighborhoods, their names a reflection of colonial-era segregation and stratification when Kolkata was the capital of British India.
- Marvel Over Palatial Noble Homes. Several grand aristocratic homes provide a glimpse into the well-heeled lifestyles of their Bengali owners. Illustrious Bengali merchant and art connoisseur Raja Rajendra Mullick made his Marble Palace out of some 100 types of the rock in the 19th century.
- Stay in a Heritage Hotel. Don't pass up the opportunity to stay at Calcutta Bungalow, a cozy 1920s Bengali townhouse. A home-away-from-home, it has been thoughtfully restored with contemporary and antique features, and even has its own vintage Ambassador car!
Local Experts. When to go. Map. Travel Advice. Accommodation. One of the great urban centres of India, Kolkata is – to its proud citizens – equal to any city in the country in charm, variety and interest. The showpiece capital of the British Raj was the greatest colonial city of the Orient.
Explore Kolkata, the second largest city in India, with its rich heritage, vibrant culture, and diverse cuisine. Find out the best places to visit, hotels to stay, and things to do in Kolkata and nearby destinations.
![Kolkata [City of Joy] With Best Places To Visit & Eat](https://in.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=Kolkata%2C+India&ei=UTF-8&fl=0&rd=r2&xargs=0&fr=fp-hotsearch-hifi-in&th=98&tw=167.2&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelescape.in%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F07%2Fccimage-eb36b80b2ffc053ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e7d619b914469df8c9-1.jpg&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelescape.in%2Fkolkata-city-joy%2F&size=1080KB&name=Kolkata+%5BCity+of+Joy%5D+With+Best+Places+To+Visit+%26+Eat&oid=2&h=2721&w=4624&turl=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.eoy8J05GbW2RtYoTypyO9QHaEW%26pid%3DApi%26rs%3D1%26c%3D1%26qlt%3D95%26w%3D167%26h%3D98&tt=Kolkata+%5BCity+of+Joy%5D+With+Best+Places+To+Visit+%26+Eat&sigr=R2H47iXdNZt1&sigit=4WrPmWxR5Zab&sigi=otv.H9kOwotI&sign=lAQwc_7.vgvy&sigt=lAQwc_7.vgvy "Kolkata [City of Joy] With Best Places To Visit & Eat")
