Kolkata also known as Calcutta (the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the city is approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, commercial, and financial hub of Eastern India and the main port of communication for North-East India. According to the 2011 Indian census, Kolkata is the seventh-most populous city in India, with a population of 45 lakh (4.5 million) residents within the city limits, and a population of over 1.41 crore (14.1 million) residents in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area. It is the third-most populous metropolitan area in India. In 2021, Kolkata metropolitan area crossed 1.5 crore (15 million) registered voters. The Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port and its sole major riverine port. Kolkata is regarded as the Cultural Capital of India.
In the late 17th century, the three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal under Mughal suzerainty. After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690, the area was developed by the Company into an increasingly fortified trading post known as Fort William. Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah occupied Calcutta in 1756, and the East India Company retook it the following year. In 1793 the East India company was strong enough to abolish native rule, and assumed full sovereignty of the region. Under the company rule and later under the British Raj, Calcutta served as the capital of British-held territories in India until 1911. In that year, after assessing its geographical location, combined with growing nationalism in Bengal (Calcutta became the centre for the Indian independence movement), the British moved the capital to the relatively more centrally located New Delhi.
An imposing white monument, Victoria Memorial is one of the most visited places in Kolkata, and for all good reasons. Named after Queen Victoria, it now serves as a museum and is perfect for history buffs. If you ever feel like taking a walk down our past and reflect on how long India has come from its colonization days, visit this place. There are light and sound shows held in the evening. The era of India’s freedom struggle is shown not only through the light and sound show but through a series of paintings, artifacts, sculptures and books. We would recommend spending at least 3-4 hours to gain knowledge about our country’s past.
Museum – 10:00 am to 05:00 pm; closed on Mondays and National Holidays
Gardens – 05:30 am to 06:15 pm; every day
To say that Howrah Bridge is one of the top places to visit in Kolkata would be an understatement. An unofficial emblem of the city, Howrah Bridge merits a visit if you want to spend some time alone with just the ocean in front of you. Sit here in silence or simply observe the fishermen go about their work at dawn and dusk.
The bridge has been renamed after Rabindranath Tagore and is now called Rabindra Setu.
If you are a cricket fan, there is no way you can miss the Eden Gardens. This is one of the popular visiting places in Kolkata. Cricket fans get really fond memories of matches played and won here when they step into the building. This is the second-largest cricket stadium in the world and can house an impressive 66,349 spectators at a time.
Location :B.B.D Bagh, Kolkata
Timings: 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM
Kalighat Kali Temple is a Hindu temple in Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal, India dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. Kalighat was a Ghat sacred to Kali on the old course of the Hooghly river in the city of Kolkata.
This is the largest park in the country. Spread over 480 acres, the park is complete with a water body and an island in the middle. The park is split into three regions – a themed garden and open spaces, recreational spots, and ecological zones. This is definitely one of the best tourist attractions in Kolkata.
With its foundation laid down in 1814, the Indian Museum is one of the oldest in the world. Its 35 galleries are filled with historically significant items like stunning Mughal paintings, skeletons, fossils, Egyptian mummies, and other sacred items. This is the largest multi-purpose museum in the whole of the Asia-Pacific region.
Located along the river Hooghly, Princep Ghat is a perfect place to spend your evenings. The surroundings are fully lit up post-sunset and you can pack some food and spend a relaxed time enjoying the grounds. The Princep Ghat is a Greek-style building located in a strategic place right under the 2nd Hooghly Bridge.
The only Chinatown in all of India, this place is a haven for people who want to taste the delicacies of this Asian country. The place evolved after Chinese traders who came to work on the ports settled here. While the place may have lost its authenticity, there are some stalls that still serve authentic Chinese appetizers like pork sausage, prawn crackers, momos and fish ball soup..
Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu navaratna temple located at Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, a form of ParashaktiAdya Kali, otherwise known as AdishaktiKalika. The temple was built in 1855 by Rani Rashmoni, a Zamindar, philanthropist and a devotee of Kali. The temple is known for its association with Ramakrishna and Ma Sarada Devi, mystics of 19th Century Bengal
Belur Math is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, Belur, West Bengal, India and is one of the significant institutions in Kolkata.
The Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, previously known as Indian Botanic Garden and the Calcutta Botanic Garden, is situated in Shibpur, Howrah near Kolkata. They are commonly known as the Calcutta Botanical Garden and previously as the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta.
The Birla Planetarium in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, is a single-storeyed circular structure designed in the typical Indian style, whose architecture is loosely styled on the Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi.
The Zoological Garden, Alipore (also informally called the Alipore Zoo or Calcutta Zoo) is India's oldest formally stated zoological park (as opposed to royal and British menageries) and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and covers 18.811 ha (46.48 acres). It is probably best known as the home of the now expired Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita, who was reputed to have been over 250 years old when he died in 2006. It is also home to one of the few captive breeding projects involving the Manipur brow-antlered deer. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Kolkata, it draws huge crowds during the winter season, especially during December and January. The highest attendance till date was on January 1, 2018 with 110,000 visitors.
Bhasa, was consecrated and opened to public in the year 2014. History states that Lord Swaminarayan (as NilkanthVarni) had passed through this land to visit Ganga Sagar (Sagar Island) in the Bay of Bengal. The mandir was envisioned by HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the then Spiritual Guru of BAPS SwaminarayanSanstha, several years back and has had a unique journey of construction and completion of project. BAPS is also present through one other centre at Bhawanipur which is 44 years old and the root to satsang activities in Kolkata and Eastern region of India.
