 |
Information on Kolkata
|
 |
About Kolkata
Hi, I am Indranil, Ex-Student of Haldia
Institute of Technology and Hindu School. I love Kolkata and
I like to see the glamour of Kolkata and beauty of Kolkata. Do you
want to know something about Kolkata? Let me introduce with you
to Kolkata. Kolkata, formally Calcutta was just a village by the
Hooghly river. In 1690, Job Charnok, an agent of the East India
Company chose this place for a British trade settlement. It was
flanked by the Hooghly River on the west, a creek on the north,
and Salt lake about two and a half miles to the east. The large
villages of Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata along the east bank
of the river Ganga were bought by the British from local land lords.
The Mughal emperor granted East India Company freedom of trade in
return for a yearly payment of three thousand rupees. There were
two successive change of rule in the years 1756 and 1757. In 1756
Siraj-ud-daullah, nawab of Bengal, attacked the city and captured
the fort. Kolkata was recaptured in 1757 by Robert Clive when the
British defeated Siraj-ud-daullah on the battle field of Plassy
(Palashi).
As Kolkata is near the sea, the city has uniform
temperature throughout the year. The temperature ranges from 14-25°C
in the winter and 23-36°C in the summer. Annual rainfall is
around 160 cm. Humidity level can be very high in the summers. Cotton
clothing is ideal for the summer months whereas light woolens are
required for the winters.
Kolkata has the area of 1,380 Sq. Km. and it is
17 ft above the sea level.
Today, it ranks among the four major metropolis
of India along with Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. A mere village in
the 17th century, Kolkata is not an ancient city like Delhi. Like
Mumbai and Chennai, it originated largely due to the expansionist
ambitions of the European powers, especially the British Raj. Little
wonder, Calcutta- Kolkata has some of the finest Raj edifices built
in a variety of styles.
Kolkata comes alive during the 10-day long Durga
Puja that is celebrated in the months of October/November. The entire
city takes off for almost a week for the festivities and large pandals
with large idols of Goddess Durga are set up all over the city.
Everyone comprises long cultural evenings, feasts of traditional
cuisine, showing off a newly acquired wardrobe, and generally enjoying
oneself with friends and family.
The Kolkata Book Fair has become a part of the
cultural calendar of Kolkata.This annual event takes off from the
last Wednessday of January of every year and runs for 10 days. The
Fair ground has Monmarte, where poets and painters are assembling
daily to give vent to their feelings. In the Fair ground also painters
painting and selling their wares.
|
 |
