Kolkata

INTRO
Kolkata, called Calcutta in British times, is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Famous as the "City of Joy", it is one of India's largest cities, and the capital of the state of West Bengal. A lot of people still associate Kolkata with images of poverty, squalor and urban disaster, but that has improved a lot during the last decades. There is no doubt that besides all problems associated with infrastructure and burgeoning population, Kolkata remains a bewitching, bewildering and fascinating city that is well worth a visit. The city is famous for Mother Theresa and her charity works. Although she passed away a few years ago, the helping of the poor people continues.

City Profile
City: Kolkata (Calcutta)
Country: India
Area: 185,0 km2
Population: 4, 580,544
Districts: 3
Mayor: Bikash Bhattacharya
Language: Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, English, Maithili, Bhojpuri
Rating:

LOCATION
Kolkata is located in eastern India in the Ganges delta. It is spread along the banks of Hooghly River. The Sundarbans National Park separates the city frm the Bay of Bengal, which is 154 km to the south. A big part of what is now the city of Kolkata was originally a vast wetland, reclaimed over the years to accommodate the city's rapidly growing population.

TIME TO VISIT
Kolkata is just 6 meters above sea level on the banks of the slow-flowing Hooghly River. The best time to visit the city is in late autumn and in the winter - from October to February, when you can expect modest temperatures and limited rainfall. In that time the streets of Kolkata come alive with various fairs and festivals. From April to June - in the summer, temperatures often go quite high - 30-35 o C, and they remain that way during the drenching monsoon - from June to September.

POPULATION
Kolkata city has population of almost 4,600,000 , while the urban agglomeration is estimated to more than 13,000,000. Interesting to know is the sex ratio in the city is 828 females per 1000 males - a result of many working men coming from rural areas, leaving behind their wives. Bengalis comprise the majority of the city's population. Large portion of the minorities is formed by Marwaris and Bihari communities. Chinese, Tamils, Gujaratis, Anglo-Indians, Armenians, Parsis and Tibetans are some of the other ethnic groups that live in Kolkata. Major languages are Bengali, Hindi and Urdu, but also English, Maithili and Bhojpuri can be often heard there. According to the last census, 77,68% of the population of Kolkata is Hindu, 20,27% - Muslim, 0,88% - Christian, and 0,75% - Jains. There also are Sikhs, Buddhist, Jews and Zoroastrian.

DISTRICTS
The east-to west dimension of Kolkata city is quite narrow, and it streches from the Hooghly River in the west to the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in the east, with a range of barely 6 km. The north-south expansion is divided into North, Central and South Kolkata.

North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. It features narrow, cobbled streets alleyways as well as 19th century architecture. The spirit of this area is reminiscent of the old Kolkata. The Salt Lake City (Bidhan Nagar) area is a planned section of Kolkata city.
South Kolkata consists mainly of elite localities. It grew mostly after India gained its independence from the British Empire.
Central Kolkata houses the Central Business District, as well as the Government Secretariat, High Court, Lalbazar Police Headquarters and General Post Office. A lot of companies have settled their offices in the area south of Park Street which to a big extent has become a secondary Central Business District.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
Apart from the fairs and religious festivals there is a number of other attractions that contribute to the mystical and fascinating image of the city of Kolkata.

St Paul's Cathedral was completed in 1847, after 8 years of construction. It was built in Gothic style, with stained glass windows. There are also two frescoes in Florentine Renaissance style. The Bishop's house across the street of St Paul's Cathedral is also an impressive piece of architecture. It was not before 1874 when the St Paul's was consecrated.
Botanical gardens - give respite from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of Kolkata. The gardens were founded in 1786, and they extend along the west bank of Hooghly River. One of the prime attractions is a 250-year-old banyan tree, with shade stretching more than 400 meters. Entry is free.
Kali Temple - or Kalighat. It is believed to be the temple from which the village of Kolikata, afterwords the city of Kolkata has taken its name. Today's structure if the temple dates from 1809a. The goddess Kali is the destructive incarnation of Shiva's first wife - Sati. Kalighat has been an important pilgrimage destination since the 16th century.
MP Birla Planetarium is among the largest planetariums in the world. It is located within a walking distance of the central part of the city. planetarium@vsnl.com
The Victoria Memorial is a memorial of Queen Victoria. The Queen of the United Kingdom also carried the title Empress of India back in the old days. Finished in 1921, after 15 years of construction, the memorial is surrounded by a sprawling garden, and is well preserved and maintained - unlike many monuments of the British Raj in India.
The Indian Museum was founded in 1814 by Dr Nathaniel Wallich - a Danish botanist. Being one of the oldest museums in the world, it is a multi-disciplinary institution of national standing. http://www.indianmuseumkolkata.org/

AIRPORT
The city of Kolkata is served by 1 major airport which is located in Dum Dum - a city within the boundaries of the urban agglomeration.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is located near Kolkata. Originally it was known as Dum Dum Airport, and it was renamed after the Bengali Indian patriot Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The airport is located approximately 17 kilometers from the city centre, and used to be one of the busiest in Asia. Nowadays it is a small airport providing mostly domestic and a few international connections. It has 3 terminals - domestic, international (the oldest) and a cargo terminal. Recently, it was given a facelift. The airport is easily reachable by taxi, and fares are quite low. http://www.airportsindia.org.in/kolkata/index.jsp

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Kolkata Metro - is the underground rail network of the city. It was the first underground built in India, and started servicing from 1984. Its length is 16,5 km, and there are 17 stations. Fares are from 4 to 8 Rupees - depending of distance of trip. 1 Euro is equal to 54-55 Rupees.
Trams - are an easy and cheap way to get around Kolkata - the tram network is well maintained and well extended.
Auto rickshaws- belong to the most popular means of transportation in Kolkata and in urban India as a whole. Auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the traditional rickshaw - which is a small two- or three-wheeled cart pulled by a man
Cycle rickshaws - similar to the auto rickshaws, but powered by a pedalling driver
Taxi - taxis are usually metered, but fares vary in the different companies. Most of the vehicles are quite old and not very comfortable. Sometimes driver might ask for a flat rate for a certain distance - price could be bargained.

HISTORY
There is evidence that the area of modern Kolkata has been inhabited for almost two millennia. The documented history of the city begins when the the British East India Company arrived in Kolkata in 1690. In 1699 the British completed the construction of Fort William, which was used as a regional base. Kolkata - then Calcutta, later became the headquarters of the Bengal Presidency. Kolkata became the capital of British India in 1772. The city was a centre of the British India Company's opium trade in the 18th and the 19th century, when locally produced opium was sold at auction in Calcutta, being afterwards shipped to China. By the early 19th century the city was split into 2 distinct areas - British and Indian, known as the "Black Town" whose poverty was considered shocking at that time. In the 19th century the city underwent massive industrial growth, and it gradually became a centre of the Indian Independence movement. The 1905 Partition of Bengal resulted with boycott of British goods, and the British moved the capital of India to New Delhi in 1911. The city's port was bombed twice by the Japanese in World War 2. In 1971, war between India and Pakistan led to massive influx of refugees in Kolkata, causing massive strain to its infrastructure. Recently, Kolkata has experienced growth in manufacturing sector.

CITY LINKS

Kolkata travel guide - http://wikitravel.org/en/Calcutta
Kolkata official website - http://www.kolkatamycity.com/
General information - http://www.kolkata.net/
West Bengal Government - http://www.wbgov.com/e-gov/English/EnglishHomePage.asp
Kolkata Municipal Development Authority - http://www.cmdaonline.com/

UNIVERSITY LINKS

University of Kolkata - http://www.caluniv.ac.in/
West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences - http://www.nujs.edu/
Bengal Engineering and Science University - http://www.becs.ac.in/
Jadavpur University - http://www.jadavpur.edu/

-->