Kolkata: Cuisines

Cuisines The style of food preparation in Bengal is different from other parts of the country. Bengalis are famous for various preparations of fresh water fishes. The cuisines are rich in specialized spices and flavors giving unique tastes. The Bengali meals include fish curry prepared with spices and chilies. Snacks include Singada, Beguni, Piazi, Muri and Pudi. The major attractions of the city are Jhal Muri, Rasagolla, Sandesh and Misti Doi. Bengali Food Items

Sorse Bata Diya Maach : Fish cooked in spicy mustard paste. This is a simple fish dish. Tastes great with green chillies and boiled rice!!

Hilsa machher jhal : This is a well known recipe of Kolkata. The curry is prepared from hilsa fish, cooked with spicy mustard paste.

Fish and Potato curry : Light Fish curry cooked with potatoes.

Chicken Dopiaja : Spicy chicken cooked with extra onions, adds a punch to almost any meal.

Egg Chop : A tasty all time snack.

Rehu Fish Curry : Rehu fish cooked in red chili and spicy sauce.

Machher Kalia : Rich spicy curry which makes fish everybody's favorite.

Dal Pakora : A tasty tea time snack made out of Lentil.

Saag Chicken : Spicy chicken cooked with spinach - a delightful combination.

Beguni : A delicious and mouth watering snack made of eggplant - a favorite for Bengali people. Hot Beguni with hot mudhi is excellent.

Singada / Samosa : This wonderful crispy snack does not need any introduction because of its popularity, once tried you will like to have it every day.

Eggplant Cutlet : Crunchy sliced eggplant (brinjal) fries.

Gharelu Murga : Hot and Spicy red gravy based chicken drumsticks (home style prep).

Egg Bhujia : Fried scrambled egg with onion and green chili - an excellent quick snack or side dish for main course.

Alu Jhuri Bhaja : Finely chopped crispy fried potato. Eat it just like that or as a side dish with Lentil & Rice.

Mutton Cutlet : Delicious snack as starter for any occasion.

Kolkata: Art & Crafts

Art & Crafts Kolkata has played an important role in the development of modern Indian art and crafts. People of Kolkata worth their salt (or fish!) have an artist's passion tucked away somewhere in the corners of their hearts. Small wonder, then, that the city is dotted with innumerable havens for art aficionados. The city has some of the country’s oldest art galleries and institutions, famous for their old and contemporary artistic heritages.

Art Schools

Ananda Shankar Centre for Performing Arts (Tanushree Shankar)
11-F Palm Avenue
Calcutta 700019
Phone : 033-22475997

Arpan Centre for Perf. Arts
29 Lake Road
Calcutta 700029
Phone : 033-24407030

Ashutosh Museum of Indian Art
Centenary Building, Calcutta University,
College Street, Calcutta - 700 073,
West Bengal

Academy of Fine Arts
2, Cathedral Road, Calcutta 700 016,
West Bengal

Anya Theatre
W 18(M) 3/8, Phase II, Golf Green,
Calcutta 700 045, West Bengal

Birla Academy of Art and Culture
108 - 109, Southern Avenue,
Calcutta 700 029, West Bengal

Calcutta Film Society
B-5, Bharat Bhavan 3, Chittaranjan Avenue,
Calcutta 700 013, West Bengal

Art Galleries

The Academy of Fine Arts, [Estd.1933]
2, Cathedral Road, Calcutta - 700071

Birla Academy of Art & Culture
108-109, Southern Avenue
Calcutta - 700029 India
Phone : +91 33 2466 2843/6802
Website : www.birlaart.com

Ashutosh Museum of Indian Art
19B Anthony Bagan
LA Amherst St- 700009
Phone : 033-23503981

Chitrakoot Art Gallery
55, Gariahat Road, Kolkata 700019

Centre of International Modern Art Gallery (CIMA Gallery)
Sunny Towers, 43, Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue,
Kolkata 700019

Kolkata Information Centre
1/1 AJC Bose Road,
Kolkata 700016

Kolkata: Dance & Music

Dance & Music Dance and music are essential parts of the Bengali culture. A culturalextravaganza in Kolkata is bound to soak you in the spirit ofRabindranath Tagore, Uday Shankar, Jamini Roy and Satyajit Ray.Indian classical, Hindustani or Carnatic and the lighter ghazals are the traditional music which gives divine pleasure to the people of Kolkata. Apart from these, the city organizes several musical concerts of contemporary singers and dancers.

Dance and Music Schools

Ajitesh Natya Academy
A-5/6, Labony Estate Salt Lake City,
Sector I Kolkata 700064
Area of Interest : Theatre, Music and Dance

Ali Akbar College of Music
29-B, Harish Mukherjee Road,
Calcutta 700026

Anjika
P-108, Raja Basanth Roy Road
Calcutta 700029
Phone : 033-24664719

Anonyo

55/D Shyampukur Street
Kolkata 700004

Bani Chakra Music and Dance Training College
95/1-A, Rashbihari Avenue,
Calcutta 700029
Phone : 033-24634208

Calcutta Cultural Centre
8, Puramchand Nahar Avenue
Calcutta 700013
Phone : 033-22441022

Chandril Academy of Dance & Music
9/14, Fern Road Calcutta 700019
Phone : 033-24407187

Calcutta School of Music
6B, Sunny Park, Calcutta 700019
Phone : 033-24765394

Childrens Little Theatre
Aban Mahal Gariahat Road
Kolkata 700029
Area of Interest : Music, Dance, and Drama

Dakshini
1, Deshapriya Park West,
Calcutta 700026
Phone : 033-24641111

Dancer's Guild (Manjushree Chaki-Sircar)
EC-49, Salt Lake, Sector 1
Calcutta 700064
Phone : 033-23370987

Durga Prasdee Sangeet Vidyalaya
Kanan Sen 123/5A, Raja Dinendra Street
Calcutta 700004
Phone : (033) - 25551714

Geetabitan
17/1A, R R K St,
Calcutta 700006 Phone : 033-25558418

Gunjan
107 A, Ripon Street
Calcutta 700016

Gurukul
66-E, Southend Park
Calcutta 700029
Phone : 033-24664066

Indian Mime Theatre
20/6, Seal Lane
Calcutta 700015
Phone : 033-23298297/23293236

Kala Bhawan (Girija Murali)
58/83/1A Prince Anwar Shah Rd,
Calcutta 700045
Phone : 033-24735814

Kalamandalam Calcutta (Thankamani & Govindan Kutty)
3, Dover Lane
Calcutta 700029
Phone : 033-24641865/24754338

Kolkata School of Music
6b, Sunny Park
Kolkata 700019
Area of Interest : Western Classical Music, Indian Music and Dance

Lake City Centre for Art & Culture
4ra, 6/2g, Purbachal Housing Estate
Salt Lake City Kolkata 700091
Area of Interest : Classical Hindustani Music

Mallhar (Institute for Music, Dance & Art)
4, Sambhunath Pandit Street, Kolkata 700020
and 22/1 Gariahat Road, Kolkata 700019
Phone : 033-2223-9610/2223-4601

Manipuri Nartanalaya
15A, Bipin Pal Road
Calcutta 700026
Phone : 24641922

Manjeeram
Flat 3-A/15, Mayfair Road
Kolkata 600019

Mitrayan (Amitava & Mahua Mukherjee)
6, Sen Para, Garfa Jadavpur,
Calcutta 700075
Phone : 033-24722402

North Kolkata Panorama
55b, Abhedananda Road
Kolkata 700006

Nritya Kutira (Anjana Banerjee)
13/2C, Palm Avenue
Calcutta 700019
Phone : 033-22475893/24747745

Nupur Dance Academy
Odissi Dance Centre
Balaka, 253J, NSC Bose Road Calcutta 700047
Phone : 033-24718772

Odissi Vision and Movement Centre
Flat 4B, Megdoot Apts #12, Rowland Road
Calcutta 700019

Padatik Dance Centre
6/7, A J C Bose Road
Calcutta 700017
Phone : 033-22404426/22476087

Rabi Tirtha
37, Parasar Road,
Calcutta 700029
Phone : 033-24662589

Ragini
49, Panchanantala Lane
Kolkata 700034
Area of Interest : Dance, Drama and Music

Salt Lake Cultural Association
Ad-306, Salt Lake City
Kolkata 700064
Area of Interest : Indian Classical Music and Dance

Sangeet Research Academy
1, N S C Bose Road, Regent Park,
Calcutta 700040
Phone : 033-24810559

Sangeetayan Academy of Music
72/18 Ibrahimpur

Samskritiki Shreyaskar
1-W, 312, Jodhpur Park
Calcutta 700068
Phone : 033-24733851

Sapphire Creations
CF80 Salt Lake
City Calcutta 700064
Phone : 033-23370665

Saurav
20 Sarat Bose Road,
Calcutta 700020
Phone : 033-24756473

Shankar Kathak Centre (Vijai Shankar)
AB 150, Sector 1 Salt Lake City
Calcutta 700064
Phone : 033-23346716

Shibaranjani School of Dance
3B, 4 Turf Road
Calcutta 700025

Shinjan
153-A Sarat Bose Road 3rd Floor,
Calcutta 700026
Phone : 033-24644141

Sishu Rangan
11/1, Fakir Dey Road
Kolkata 700 012

Sur Bahar
4, Ruby Park
Kolkata 700 078
Area of Interest : Dance, Drama, Vocal and Instrumental Music

Surchhanda
28 Avinash Kaviraj St,
Calcutta 700005
Phone : 033-25308404

Surageeti Music College
103 Keshab Ch Sen St,
Calcutta 700009
Phone : 033-23503354

Surer Maya Sangeet Samaj
180 Rai Bahadur Rd,
Calcutta 700034
Phone : 033-24782542

Swaralipi
26 Biplobi Pulin Das St,
Calcutta 700009
Phone : 23505711

The Kolkata Ensemble
11/1, Richie Road Kolkata 700019
Area of Interest : Music and Cultural Pursuits

Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre (Amala Shankar)
Apt 10 A, Jayjayanti 2, Mandeville Gardens
Calcutta 700019
Phone : 033-24405062

Udayan (Magmata Shankar)
21-A, Hindustan Road Calcutta 700029
Phone : 033-24643251/24640618

West Bengal State Music Academy36, Prince Anwar Shah Road,
Calcutta 700033
Phone : 033-24731851

West Bengal State Academy of Dance, Drama, Music and Arts
Rabindra Bharati University,
D. N. Tagore Lane, Kolkata 700007

Kolkata: Fairs & Festivals

Fairs & Festivals The city of Kolkata becomes a lively place during festive seasons. All Indian festivals are celebrated in the city with cordiality. The major festivals observed in the city include Durga Puja, Kali Puja, SaraswatiPuja, Eid and Christmas. Apart from these religious festivals, the city also hosts several trade and technological fairs. Various cultural festivals like National TheatreFestival, Jatra Festival, Calcutta Film Festival and music conferences are also organized in the city to encourage cultural genius of the country.

Religious Festivals

Poila Baisakh

Poila Baisakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar. It marks the beginning of a crop cycle in West Bengal and is considered as the most appropriate time for marriage. On this day, people wear new clothes and present sweets to their friends and relatives. Special cultural programmes are held in different parts of the city. A procession called ‘Prabhat Pheri’ is held early in the morning to welcome the New Year.

Durga Puja

The festival of Durga Puja brings in rejoice and festivity in WestBengal. The festival usually falls in the month of October for which the preparations begin in September itself. All Bengalis wear new clothes and prepare delicious foods to observe the festival with a new style.

It was on this day that Durga was assigned the task of eliminating evil. The familiar pose of Goddess Durga unleashing her wrath on an out powered demon can be seen in the form of idols. The idols are made from clay, Bamboo, Jute, Straw and paints. The five day long festival comes to an end on the day of Dusherra when people arrange to burn the statue of Ravana. Legend goes that Ravana performed Durga Puja despite the time of the year not being right. Click here for more…



Kali Puja

Kali puja is celebrated every where in the city. This festival usually comes in the month of November. The importance of observing this festival is to propitiate Goddess Kali who is believed to be the destructor of all hostile forces.The festival brings rejoice among all people in the city.


Eid-ul-Fitr

Eid-ul-Fitr, popularly known as the "Festival of the Breaking of the Fast", is celebrated as soon as the new moon is sighted at the end of the month of fasting i.e. Ramadan. Special food and delicacies are prepared for the day and are presented to neighbors and friends. The Muslims of Kolkata celebrate Id-ul-Fitr with great enthusiasm. Click here for more…

Saraswati Puja

On the eve of Saraswati Puja, girls dress in yellow saris to emulate Goddess Saraswati. The Puja is basically observed in schools and colleges with idols of Saraswati, who is believed to be the Goddess of Education and Arts in Indian mythology, making the festival special for students. Students pray to the divine Mother for their success in studies and wish for a bright future.
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Shivratri

This is a festival observed in honor of Lord Shiva and it is believed that on this day Lord Shiva was married to Goddess Parvati. This is an important day for the devotees of Lord Shiva, who stay awake throughout the night, praying to him. It is a grand occasion for the people of Kolkata. From the very early morning, Shiva temples are thronged with devotees, mostly women, who come to perform the traditional worship of the Shivalinga. Click here for more…

Muharram

The festival commemorates the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson- Hazrat Imam Hussein. It is celebrated with great fervour by the Muslims of the city especially the Shia community. Tazias, glittering replicas of the Martyr's tomb, are carried in procession through the streets. Click here for more…

Christmas

Each year, on the eve of Christmas, millions of homes across Kolkata are decorated with Christmas trees and fairy lights. Christmas is celebrated in the Kolkata with love and enthusiasm. The St Paul Cathedral of the city is decorated with candles and electrical bulbs to make the surrounding more vivacious. Click here for more…

ISKCON Rathayatra

The Rathayatra or Car Festival is high spot of the year for all ecstatic devotees of Lord Krishna in Kolkata. The festival is celebrated all over the city but one on a grand scale in Kolkata is organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISCKON). Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra are taken out on chariots on Albert Road to the strip of Maidan bordering the Victoria Memorial. After seven days, these are taken back to the temple again and the day is known as Bahuda Yatra.


Modern Fairs & Festivals

Dover Lane Music Conference

The Dover Lane Music Conference initially started as a small get together of some music lovers in the lanes of Kolkata. But as time flew, it became the biggest musical event in Kolkata. The festival is organized at Nazrul Mancha every year between January 22 and 26. Renowned classical singers from various parts of India come here to participate in the mega musical event.

Calcutta Book Fair

Calcutta Book Fair is one of the largest book fairs in the country held every year from the end of January till early February. This 12-day long Book Fair is held over a large area of the Maidan near the crossing of Chowringhee and Park Street.

Calcutta Film Festival

The Calcutta film festival is organized every year between November 10th and November 17th. It is a gala event, representing films in various theatres and is attended by large crowds of film lovers.

National Theatre Festival

National theatre festival is probably the biggest event in the Indian Theatre Calendar. It isorganized between 16 and 25 December every year. Usually, the festival is held at the Academy of Fine Arts attracting thousands of theatre lovers from various parts of the country and also from abroad.

Jatra Festival

Jatra is a form of entertainment, exclusive in Bengal and Orissa. A month-long festival of Jatra shows is held at Rabindra Kanan, Chitpur during the months of December and January. Various Jatra groups of Bengal and Orissa participate in this festival to demonstrate their talents.

Venue of fairs
Calcutta Book Fair Publishers & Booksellers Guild, 5a, Bhawani Dutta Lane, Kolkata – 700073 Phone : 033-2241-3680 Tentative Timings : January	Calcutta Book Fair Publishers & Booksellers Guild, 5a, Bhawani Dutta Lane, Kolkata – 700073 Phone : 033-2241-3680 Tentative Timings : January
Crafts Bazaar Dev. Comm of Handicrafts Mso Bldg., 3rd Floor, ‘A’ Wing B1-Df, Salt Lake City Kolkata - 700 064 Phone : 033-2334-5601/5403 Tentative Timings : January	Crafts Bazaar Dev. Comm of Handicrafts Mso Bldg., 3rd Floor, ‘A’ Wing B1-Df, Salt Lake City Kolkata - 700 064 Phone : 033-2334-5601/5403 Tentative Timings : January
Crafts Bazaar Dev. Comm of Handicrafts Mso Bldg., 3rd Floor, ‘A’ Wing B1-Df, Salt Lake City Kolkata - 700 064 Phone : 033-2334-5601/5403 Tentative Timings : January	National Handloom Expo Development Commissioner of Handlooms 21, C.R. Avenue Kolkata – 700072 Tentative Timings : December-January
Sonar Sansar Swarno Silpo Bachao Committee 185, B.B. Ganguly Street Kolkata – 700 012 Tentative Timings : March-April	Sonar Sansar Swarno Silpo Bachao Committee 185, B.B. Ganguly Street Kolkata – 700 012 Tentative Timings : March-April
Technology Fair Fed, Of Scientists, Engineers, & Technicians 15, Lindsay Street Kolkata – 700087 Tentative Timings : January-February	Travel & Tourism Fair Tourism Dept. Govt. of West Bengal 2, Brabourne Road, 4th Floor Kolkata – 700001 Phone : 033-2248-8273 Tentative Timings : September-October
Vidyasagar Mela Bangiya Saksharata Prasar Samity 6a, Serpentine Lane Kolkata – 700 014 Phone : 033-2245-6712 Tentative Timings : November-December

Kolkata: Introduction-Cultural Spirit

Cultural Spirit Kolkata’s rich culture and artistic thought among people has made it an appropriate place for cultural-sadhana. Kolkata is believed to be the birth place of Modern Indian literature from where Rabindranath Tagorebelongs. People of Kolkata belong to diverse and ethnic social backgrounds. Festivals in a multidimensional scale are observed in spiritual ecstasy. The city becomes a lively place during Durga Puja (a Hindu festival) when the sound of Dhak, Dhunuchi nachh, the mild fragrance of Shiuli, gives a familiar tug in every Bengali heart.

Drama and theatres are essential parts of the Bengali culture. There are big and small theatre groups in the city featuring large outdoor stage plays. Music and dances are also integral parts of the Bengali culture. Citizens of Bengal or Bengalis are closely associated with Rabindra Sangeet, Rabindra Nritya Natya (songs and song-dance sequences composed by Tagore) and Nazrul Geeti (songs by Kazi Nazrul Islam). Folk dances and songs are also popular in the city.

People of Kolkata are fond of Bhaat (rice) and Macher jhol (fish curry). The city offers a wide range of dishes and cuisines with variety of tastes. Kolkata’s wide range of sweets can live you quite winded. Don’t miss the charm of Kolkata Rassagolla (a kind of sweet) while visitingKolkata.

ATM Centers in Kolkata

ATM Centers in Kolkata

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Citi Bank

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Chowringhee Road Kanak Building 41,Chowringhee Road Calcutta - 700071	Garihat 7B, Manderville Gardens P.S.Garihat Calcutta - 700019
Howrah 9, Brabourne Road Howrah Calcutta - 700001	Salt Lake Infinity Building, Plot No 3A GP Block, Sector V, Salt Lake Calcutta - 700091

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HDFC Bank

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AJC Bose Road Gasper Petrol Station 240 A,A J C Bose Road Calcutta - 700020	Alipore 174A, Block G New Alipore Calcutta - 700053
CIT Road P-28 A,C I T Road Scheme Vi (M) Calcutta - 700054	Gol Park 132/A, Southern Avenue Opp Ramakrishna Mission, Golpark Calcutta - 700029
Salt Lake Ba 3, Sector 1 Salt Lake City Calcutta - 700064	Shyam Bazar 551/1, Bhupendra Bose Avenue Near Shyam Bazaar Metro Station, Shyam Bazaar Calcutta - 700001

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ICICI Bank

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Brabourne Road P B #18, 19 Synagogue St Brabourne Rd Calcutta - 700001	Chowringhee Road 36 Chowringhee Road Calcutta - 700071
Kalakar Street P 16 Kalakar street Calcutta - 700007	Nandan Market 17/1 D,Alipore Road Nandan Market Calcutta - 700027
RNM Road Rasoi Court, 20, Sir R N Mukherjee Road, Calcutta - 700001	Salt Lake AE-331, Sector-1, Salt Lake City, Calcutta - 700064
Shyam Bazar 84 B, Bhupendra Bose Avenue Shyam bazar Calcutta - 700004

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SBI

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Alipore Megh Mallar 24/1/1 Alipore Road Calcutta - 700027	Bhawanipore 1-Jun Ramesh Mitra Rd Calcutta - 700025
Chowringhee Himalaya House, 38B J. N. Road Calcutta - 700071	Garia 20/2 Kendua Main Road, Patuli Township Calcutta - 700098
Kalighat 79C Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road Calcutta - 700026	Salt Lake Db-2 Sector I Salt Lake Calcutta - 700064
Shyam Bazar 124A Bidhan Sarani Calcutta - 700004

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UTI Bank

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A.J.C. Bose Road India Oil Trading Company Calcutta - 700020	Behala 76/69, Diamond Harbour Rd. Behala Chowrasta Calcutta - 700008 Phone : 24465203/04
Gariahat Road 20, Gariahat Road Golpark Calcutta - 700019	Golpark Lords Bakery Prince Anwar Shah Road Calcutta - 700045
Howrah No.75, G.T. Road, Howrah Calcutta - 711101	Park Street Paragon Toys, 77 Park Street Calcutta - 700017
Salt Lake Fd-391Salt Lake City Calcutta - 700091	Shyambazar 126 A,Bidhan Sarani Shyambazar Calcutta - 700004

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Canara Bank

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Jadavpur 98/10/1, Raja SC Mullic Road, 1 Floor, No. 4, Jadhavpur, Kolkata – 700032	Lake Town 111, Lake Town Block 'A', Kolkata – 700089
Entali Canara Bank 53, Lal Mohan Bhattacharjee Rd Entally, Kolkata - 700014	Esplanade 21, Camac Street Ground Floor Bells House, Shakesh pear Sarini, Kolkata – 700016

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UCO Bank

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Branch : D D Block Sector-I K M D A Island (Near City Centre) Salt lake Kolkata- 700 064 Phone : 033-23216887/23216893	Branch : S N Banerjee Road 42, S N Banerjee Road Kolkata - 700014 Phone : 033-22446354/22273399
Branch : Salt Lake Sec I AB-14, Sector I Bidhan Nagar (Saltlake) Kolkata - 700064 Phone : 033-23215932/23374162	Branch : India Exchange Place 2, India Exchange Place Kolkata – 700001. West Bengal Phone : 033-22203383/22203384
Branch : Ballygunge 15 / 1A, Gariahat Road Kolkata – 700019 West Bengal Phone : 033-24407274/24601613	Branch : Kolkata Main 10, BTM Sarani Kolkata - 700001 Phone : 033-22254120/22254130

Kolkata: Economy & Industry

Economy & Industry Kolkata is known as the Business Capital of eastern India. The city’s economy largely depends on trade and industries. The importance of Kolkata as a trading centre was first recognized by the British East India Company. Despite an economic setback throughout its history, Kolkata upholds a great potential for economic development. A large section of the population of Kolkata is poor and participates

only in the informal sector of the economy. The informal sector includes laundering, housecleaning, sweeping, plastic salvaging, plumbing, furniture making,

Kolkata Reserve Bank

electrical wiring, TV repair, masonry, messaging, hawking, rickshaw pulling, hair design, folk medicine, music and art, tailoring, leather work, shoe making, and food selling. There exists the economic and technical basis necessary for improvement, especially in the IT sector.

The state of West Bengal has now liberalized its industrial policy. As a result of which foreign investors have shown their interests for direct investment. Kolkata has the potential for Foreign Direct investment (FDI) but the sole problem is the lack of infrastructure. The government is trying to overcome the situation by developing various industrial zones. The city’ dual economy has two features – the informal economy helps the poor to survive while the educated mass tries to step into the global economy. The multifaceted financial system of the city is rapidly changing for a rich economy in the near future.

Kolkata: Administration

Administration The civic administration of the city is managed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). It is responsible for the civic maintenance and development of infrastructure of the city. Kolkata metropolis is divided into 141 administrative wards that are grouped into 15 boroughs.

Each of these wards elects a councilor to the KMC. Each borough has a committee consisting of the councilors elected from the respective wards of the borough. The Corporation, through the borough committees, maintains government-aided schools, hospitals and municipal markets and partakes in urban planning and road maintenance. The corporation is headed by a Mayor who is assisted by a deputy mayor, and ten other elected members of the KMC. The mayor is responsible for the overall functioning of the KMC and has tenure of five-years.

Other administrative bodies include theKolkata Police and the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). The Kolkata Police is headed by a Commissioner that comes under the state Home Ministry who is responsible for maintaining law and order in the city. The city is administratively divided into five police-zones subdivided into 48 local police stations. The role of KMDA is multidisciplinary in nature. It is the agency of city planning, it sculpts new areas and townships, it develops physical infrastructure as well as provides basic services like water, drainage, waste management.

Kolkata: Politics

Politics Kolkata played a vital role in the pre-independence politics of the country. It was home to some of country’s famous politicians like Subhash Chandra Bose, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, Bipin Chandra Pal and many others. The city has retained its past glory and is still taking active participation in national politics.

Kolkata, being the capital of West Bengal is also a political hot-spot of the state. The city houses the state legislative assembly, the Secretariat and the Calcutta High Court. Major political parties of the state and nation have their offices in Kolkata. There are three Lok Sabha constituencies in the city namely Calcutta North East, Calcutta North West and Calcutta South and 21 assembly constituencies. The city witnesses large demonstrations of political parties especially during the elections. The present Chief Minister of West Bengal Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya is running the CPI (M)-led Left Front government in the state.

Kolkata: Introduction-History

History In the 17th century, Job Charnock came to the banks of the river Hooghly and took the lease of three large villages - Sutanuti, Govindapur and Kolikata (Calcutta) to establish British East India Company in the Bengal region. The sites were carefully selected which were covered by river Hoogly on the west and salt lakes on the east. The selection of sites was very important due to the presence of a river. The villages were bought from the land lords and the company was given the right to carry on its trade with full autonomy by the Mughal emperors with an annual premium of Rs.3000.

Before the British rule, Kolkata was a small village and the capital of Bengal was Murshidabad which is situated at a distance of 60 miles from the present city. Calcutta was captured in the year 1757 by Robert Clive by defeating Siraj-Ud-daullah in the battle of Plassey.

During the time of British rule in India, Kolkata played a key role in both political and cultural reformation. Eminent personalities like Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, had chosen this place as their Karma Bhumi. Till 1912, Calcutta was the capital of India, with important establishment like the Supreme Court. The capital was then shifted to Delhi and the city became the capital of West Bengal.

Kolkata: Milestone

Milestone 1690, August: Job Charnok, an agent of East India Company(established 1600) settles in Calcutta. A reference to Kolkata was found back in the famous novel of "Manasa Mangal" (Chand Saudagar paid a visit to Kalighat to offer puja to Goddess Kali). 1693: Death of Job Charnok.

1698: East India Co. bought three villages (Sutanuti, Kolikata, and Gobindapur) from local landlord Sabarna Chowdhury.

1699: East India Company started developing Calcutta as a Presidency city.

1707: Death of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

1715: British people completed building the Old Fort.

1717: Mughal emperor Farrukh-siyar granted the East India Company freedom of trade in return for a yearly payment of 3,000 Indian rupees.

1727: A civil court was set up in Calcuttaaccording to an order of King George I. The city corporation was established and Hallwell became the first mayor of the city.

1756: Siraj-ud-daulla captured Calcutta. He named the city as Alinagar.

1757, 23rd June: British troops defeated Siraj-id-daulla on the battlefield of Plassey (in Nadia district).

1757: Britishers first printed currency bill in Calcutta mint.

1765: Clive took Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from Badsha Alam II (Delhi) with an agreement of paying excises.

1772: Calcutta became the capital of British India when the first governor-general, Warren Hastings, transferred all important offices to the city from Murshidabad.

1775: Nandakumar, a local landlord was hung in a false allegation when he protested against the misdeeds of the British.

1780: James Hicky established a printed press and published the first news paper, "The Bengal Gazzette".

1784: The first official news paper, "The Calcutta Gazzette", was published.

1784: Asiatic Society was established in the city by Sir William Jones.

1801: Fort William College was established.

1804: The Governor House (presently Raj Bhawan) was built.

1813: The Town Hall was built.

1818: First Bengali Magazine, "Digdarshan", was published from Sreerampur, with the help of David Hare.

1817: The Hindu College (presently Presidency College) was established with efforts by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, David Hare and Radhakanta Dev. It was initially started with 20 students.

1828: Sahid Minar (Octorloney Monument) was built.

1829: British General Bentinck banned 'satidaho' (a Hindu rule).

1854: First Railways in India (from Calcutta to Hooghly).

1857: The University of Calcutta was established.

1873: First Tram car (horse drawn) in Calcutta.

1875: "The Statesman", leading English Daily newspaper, started.

1875: The Indian Museum was built.

1883: Surendra Nath Banerjee called for a National convention (which led to the forming of Indian National Congress in 1885 at Calcutta).

1886: Second convention of Indian National Congress at Calcutta.

1888: Indian Football Association established.

1896: First motor car appeared on city's street.

1902: First Electric tram car from Esplanade to Kidderepore.

1905: Lord Curzon, viceroy of India, tried to partition Bengal. There was a strong protest. And finally he failed to do so.

1911: The capital of British India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.

1911: A local football team, Mohun Bagan, defeated British in IFA shield final and created national sensation.

1913: Rabindranath Tagore, the great philosopher, poet and writer received Nobel Prize in literature.

1921: King Edward VIII inaugurated the Victoria Memorial building.

1924: Chittaranjan Das was elected as the first Indian mayor of the city of Calcutta.

1929: Agnes Goinxha Bejaxhiu (Mother Teresa) came to Calcutta to join Bengal Loreto mission.

1939: World War II hit Calcutta.

1941: The demise of Rabindranath Tagore.

1941: Subhash Chandra Bose escaped from house arrest by British.

1943: Famine hit undivided Bengal (now independent Bangladesh and West Bengal) killing over five million people due to starvation, malnutrition and related illnesses.

1946: Communal riot killed thousands of people in and around the city.

1947: India gained independence. Bengal was divided; Calcutta became the capital city of the state of West Bengal in India. Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh became the first Chief Minister of West Bengal, followed by Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. Calcutta and surrounding places were inundated with thousands of people from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as a result of the partition.

1952: The National Library was moved to Alipore from Esplanade.

1962: India-China war affected Calcutta.

1971: Tension of India-Pakistan war on freedom of Bangladesh.

1970-71: The Naxalite Movement hit the city resulting arrests of hundreds of youths and creating enormous tension among city dwellers.

1975, August 9th: First TV transmission started in the city.

1977: Left Front led by CPI (M) Party won the state election and came into the power of state Govt.

1978: A major flood hit Calcutta.

1979: Mother Teresa, a permanent resident of Calcutta was awarded Nobel Peace Prize.

1984: Metro, the first underground railway in India, started from Tollygunge to Esplanade.

1984: First color TV transmission from “Door Darshan Kendra”.

1989: France's highest civilian award, Legion d'Honour was conferred upon Satyajit Ray by President F. Mitterrand in Calcutta.

1992: Satyajit Roy, film director, received prestigious "Life Time Achievement" Oscar award and "Bharat Ratna". He died in the same year.

1995: First cellular phone service starts in the city.

1997: The demise of Mother Teresa in Calcutta.

1998: Amartya Sen (grew up in Shantiniketan and studied at Calcutta) received Nobel Prize in Economics.

2001, 1st January: Calcutta was officially renamed as ‘Kolkata’.

Kolkata: Relevance of Name

Relevance of Name • Kalikata is derived from the Bengali word Kalikshetra, meaning " Ground of the Goddess Kali." • Some say the city's name is derived from the location of its original

settlement on the bank of a canal (khal).

• Some match it to the Bengali words for lime (kali) and burnt shell (kata), since the area was noted for the manufacture of shell-lime.

• Another opinion is that the name is derived from the Bengali term kilkila (meaning, "flat area"), which is mentioned in the old literature.

Kolkata: Introduction-Geography

Geography Kolkata is located in the eastern part of India at 22°82'N latitude and 88°20'E longitude. It has stretched linearly along the banks of the river Hooghly and has an elevation ranging between 1.5 to 9 metres. The city originally, was a vast wetland and now one of the most populatedcities of the world. The city has a total geographical area of 1480 sq. kms. The Sundarbans delta which is located at a distance of 154 km to the south of Kolkata separates the city from the Bay of Bengal. The city has been

divided into different topographical regions. There are mainly five geographical units including east, west, north, south and central Kolkata. The adjoining regions include Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Nadia.

The city’s soil type is mainly alluvial similar to the soil of Indo-Gangetic plains. Quaternary sediments consisting of clay, silt, various grades of sand and gravel underlie the city. These sediments are sandwiched between two clay beds, the lower one at depths between 250 and 650 m and the upper one ranging between 10 and 40 m in thickness. Kolkata falls under the seismic zone-III with moderate damage risk in case of an earthquake. However, the city comes under the “Cyclonic Zone” creating very high damage risk from a Cyclone.