Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of west Bengal. It has been formerly known as Calcutta. It was a former capital of India during the British Raj until 1911. It lies on the eastern part of India. Kolkata is spread along the banks of the River Hooghly in a north-south direction. Calcutta is the ninth most populated city in the world. It is 60 miles away from Bay of Bengal. The temperature of the city during winter is 12-27c and summer is 24-38c. The average rainfall of the populous city is 160cm. The total population is 4.85 million as of 2004. Metropolitan area of the city is about 1380 sq km (1991). Calcutta is one of the metropolitan cities in India.
The literacy rate in kolkatta is around 76% but the female rate is extremely low with only 38 per cent. Kolkata is a “city of joy”, a city of great culture and of intellectuals. It is a phenomenon of people belonging to every religion, culture, language trade and so on. It is also a city with spirit of harmony. It is a place with a human and intellectual face represented by such exemplary kolkatans as Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Guru Rabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa, Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen. There are various primary and higher secondary schools. There are three universities: Calcutta University with 173 colleges and 20 eng & tech colleges; Jadvapur University with two colleges and Rabindrabarathi University.
Bengali, Urdu, English and Hindi are common spoken language of Bengalis. Kolkata is a wonderful mirror of the Bengalis who call it home- volatile poets, sensitive artists and romantic men and women. It is the city of the intellectual- indeed of anyone with an enormous zest for life. Calcutta is also home to a variety of fairs, film fests, music conferences and folk fairs. Marwaris, Parsis, Anglo Indians, Jews, and the many people of china town all call kolkata their city of joy. Food is Calcutta’s greatest indulgence. Junk-food is most popular among the city.
Calcutta is known for its poverty. It is a compelling city, a city with a soul, and a visit there can be one of the richest experiences in the world. In many ways Calcutta seems familiar: the English language, the English Street names, and the architecture. Bengali culture is magnificent. Kolkata is known as the cultural center of India. Satyajit ray made his beautiful films in Bengali.
India’s most fascinating museums, such as The Indian Museum and Marble Palace are lies in Calcutta. There are most publishers in Calcutta than any parts of India. Many poets and artists live there to enlighten their city. Religious and cultural festivals enliven the city throughout the year. A Birla planetarium is one of the largest planetariums in the world which adds more value to the city. Tagore’s house is near the Marble Palace and now is a center for dance, drama, music ands other arts. The climate in Calcutta is pleasant from late September through early march. There are number of amusement spots in this fabulous city.
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