Kolkata is the most beautiful city in the West Bengal state of India. It is the capital of the state now. During the colonial period, it was the capital of the country. The city has the major sea ports of the country. Kolkata Port is the oldest seaport in India. Kolkata is a well-cultured and beautifully architected city. It is on the bank of the Hooghly River. The city was lately named Calcutta. But to regain the original accent of the regional language Bengali it is renamed Kolkata.
Being the capital of India in the colonial period the city has various memorials as well as historical buildings designed with colonial architectural style. This city is famous for its traditional and modern art galleries, music, theatres, food, temples, festivals, and so on. Kolkata is the least costly city in the entire world to survive and is a densely populated city. This majestic city is 350 years old capital of the country.
Major attractions of Kolkata
- Mother House :- It is a charity house founded by Mother Teressa on October 5, 1950. Missionaries of Charity Mother House is situated on AJC Bose Road. It is a Roman Catholic church now with the tomb of Mother Teressa. Here, help to needy people is provided and take care of them until they get well.
- Victoria Memorial :- It is a museum dedicated to Queen Victoria of England. Earlier it was a memorial made by King Gorge V. during 1906 – 1921 in the memory of Queen. This memorial is made of white Carrara marble. It is a must to visit locations to explore the culture as well as art styles of Britishers during their rule in India.
- Gariahat Market :- This is one of the biggest markets of Kolkata. Here you can purchase everything you want from shoes to jewellery at very reasonable rates. Basically, this market is famous for its glorious jewellery. It is in south Kolkata and is known as Triangular Park. This market is about 135 years old and serves everyone including wholesalers, resellers, sellers, retailers, and customers.
- Prinsep Ghat :- It is a classic location in the city. This ghat is famous for many reasons but importantly for its historic location. It was built in 1841 during British Raj and is constructed on the Hooghly River bank. It is dedicated to Anglo-Indian Scholar James Prinsep. This place was used to load and reload ships during the colonial period. It is a beautiful picnic spot in the city, also famous for its sunset views.
Durga Puja
Kolkata is a colourful city famous for its festival and cultural events during these festivals. Various festivals are celebrated in this holy land but Durga Puja is the biggest festival celebrated here. Durga Puja is the largest festival celebrated in the whole state of West Bengal with colourful pandals, firecrackers, lightning, delicious foods and many more.
Durga Puja is the symbol of victory of Goddess Durga after finishing Demon Mahishasura. It literally means the victory of good over bad. It is a 10 days festival and the last five days are the most important. This puja is done in the months of September – October, during Navratri. In this puja idols of goddess Durga and her children, i.e., Kartikeya, Ganesh, Lakshmi, and Saraswati are worshipped.
In Kolkata these idols are prepared and decorated by highly skilled artists as well as a priest is appointed in the pandals for timely prayers. During these times the whole city vibes in the colours of traditions and you can hear the sounds of huge speakers reciting prayers everywhere. This is the most beautiful time to visit the city for experiencing true Indian spiritual values.
Bengali Theatre
Kolkata is famous for its Bengali music as well as theatres. The city is the birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore along with many great poets, musicians, artists, writers, and singers. Bengal is priorities for its culture, traditions, and art. Moreover, all these things in Bengal are shown through artworks, theatres, music, and literature. The state is being famous for all these things since the British Raj in India.
The Bengali theatres have played an important role in both independence as well as in increasing the state’s intellectual aura. During the colonial period, Bengali plays were used to spread awareness among the local people. Theatre was practised in Bengal since 1770 but only for private entertainment. In the 19th century after the invention of T.V. as well as widespread mass communication the theatre culture has grown.
Now there are a lot of theatre groups divided into Kolkata-based theatres and Rural theatres. Bengali theatres have given numerous talented artists to the world like Asha Bhosale, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Kishore Kumar and many more. The famous theatres of Bengal are Girish Manch, Rabindra Sadan, Academy of Fine Arts, etc.
Kolkata has many theatres and a huge value among the people. So, if you are a theatre lover then it is advised to must visit to see any Bengali play while visiting the city.
Best time to visit Kolkata
Being on the west coast the city has tropical climate conditions. So, the best time to visit the city is in the months of October – March, in the winter season. During this season the weather is moderate here. It is the most favourable time to easily wander around the city and experience its beauty. Tourists also prefer to visit the city in the month of September. Because during this month the city experienced a little rainfall and the environment becomes lovely for exploring the city.
Conclusion
Hence, this city of joy has a lot to explore and experience. Kolkata is an amazing city with uncountable tourist destinations along with astonishing views. This city itself is a joyful vibe as well as a melody. However, the city is not only pronounced with the names of famous personalities. But those personalities are still alive in the houses of Kolkata. You can still hear the voice of Rabindra Sangeet on its roads.
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