Kolkata General Information:
Area : 1,380 sq km.
Altitude : 17 feet from sea level
Temperature
Summer : Max 41.7 °C, Min 38.1 °C.
Winter : Max 36.3 °C, Min 9.6 °C.
Rainfall : 160 cm
Languages : Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, English.
Kolkata Introduction
Kolkata is 300 years old. Kolkata is the oldestmajor
port in the country. It remains to be the capital
of India till 1911 and also the main area for the
activities of British. Kolkata was been selected
as the trading center by the British. After the
partition of India between India and Pakistan Kolkata
became the capital of West Bengal. Now after a long
time Kolkata had become a busy and flourishing town,
the center of the cultural as well as the political
and economic life of Bengal.
Kolkata History
In 1690, Job Charnok, from East India Company selected
Kolkata for a British trade settlement. He took
the lease of the three villages- Sutanuti, Govindapur
and Kolikata(Calcutta) as a trading post of British
East India. The city came into limelight in 1756,
when Siraj-Ud-Dawlah, the nawab of Bengal, captured
the city. But the British again captured it in 1757
under Robert Clive. The first Governor-General of
India, Warren Hastings made it the place of the
supreme courts of justice and then the Kolkata became
the capital of British India in 1772. By 1800 Kolkata
had become a busy and flourishing town, the center
of the cultural as well as the political and economic
life of Bengal.
Kolkata Fair & Festivals
There are many festivals which are celebrated in
Kolkata i.e.
Durga Puja :- Durga Puja held in early autumn and
is also referred to as "Sharadiya". An
earthen image is made of Goddess Durga with her
consort and family members i.e. Lakhsmi - Saraswati
- Kartik - Ganesh - Kalabau - their pets, decorated
with intricate dresses and ornaments. The main puja
is organised as "Sandhi Puja" which is
the juncture between "Ashtami" and "Navami".
On "Dashami" all the earthen idols are
carried in decorated carts or trucks and are immersed
in river. Fairs are also held on this occasion at
various places.
Laxmi Puja : In the month of October, on full moon,
this festival is celebrated, of the Goddess of properity
Laxmi. Public Pujas are organized in the same premises
as for Durga Puja.
Kolkata Best Season
As Kolkata is situated near the sea the temperature
remains constant through out the year still climate
from October to April is best.