|
Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is also the commercial capital of East India, located on the east bank of the Hooghly River. The city was the capital of India, until 1911, during the British rule. Calcutta was the official name of the city at that time. Kolkata has long been a port city and a metro city of India and considered cultural capital. Bengali is the official language here; however, majority of people in Kolkata speak Hindi and English as well. Kolkata is known as the cultural capital of India. The city traces a culturally rich history. Archaeological discoveries prove that the city has a history of more than 2000 years. However, the documented history of Kolkata is available from 1690. Job Charnock, an administrator of the English East India Company is the official founder of the city. Before British rule, the Nawabs of Bengal ruled the area. Kolkata was comprised of three rich villages namely Kolikata, Govindapur and Sutanuti. Kolkata is the place where one can still take a ride on hand-pulled rickshaws and trams. Kolkata is the birthplace of many prominent personalities as well. Tourists visit the city to take a tour to the ancestral houses of Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose and others. A large number of potters live in the city along the banks of the Hooghly River. Kumartuli is the area where clay statues are created and exported to other countries.
|