"Kolkata also known as Calcutta is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, the city is regarded as the cultural capital of the country. It is at the same time the financial capital of eastern India, a gateway to the far-flung areas of the region. It is largely a British creation and was the capital of British India till the beginning of the 20th century.
The city slowly gained ground and importance till 1756 when Siraj-ud-daulah Nawab of Murshidabad attacked the town. Most of the British fled the city but the unfortunate ones became prey to what came to be later known as the Black Hole of Calcutta. The independence of India and the end of the 20th century saw a positive change in Kolkata - from power to transport to telephones, a lot of the once crumbling infrastructure has now improved.
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Santiniketan, literally means abode of Peace and a place reverberating with the memory of the great poet Rabindranath Tagore, is the embodiment of peace and tranquility and the world renowned Visva Bharathi University is located at this place. Here in this University and in Santhiniketan cultures of west and east meet together for common cause of World Peace and it attracts many talented students from all India and other foreign countries. It has the stature of a spiritual meeting place in a serene, artistic and culturally rich secluded environment.
The Victoria Memorial was built in the memories of Queen Victoria after her death in 1902. it was opened to general public in the year 1921. The magnificent building was designed by William Emerson, a famous architect of that era. The cost of construction that time amounted to Rs.10.5 million which was voluntarily donated by British and Indian people. Inside the Memorial there are various painting of the Royal British families, royal and historic artifacts, lithographs and documents of the historical interests. Today the monument is a major landmark of Kolkata.
Howrah Bridge of Kolkata is also known as Rabindra Setu. The Howrah Bridge of Kolkata is the busiest bridge in the world. The bridge caters to about 1,00,000 vehicles and uncountable pedestrians. The bridge is 450 meter long and it stands over Hooghly River without any pylon. The bridge is the best example of the 20th century engineering techniques. today it is one of the most visited tourist attraction in Kolkata.
The Fort is named after King William III of England. Fort William was constructed in 1781 to mark the victory of Robert Clive over Sir David Ochterlony at Plassey. The large patch of garden that surrounds the fort is called the maidan. The Maidan is 3 kilometer long and 1 kilometer wide. It is the largest urban park in Kolkata. Within the Fort’s premise there lies a church, cinema, boxing stadium, market, football ground, post and telegraph office, swimming pool and firing range.
As the name says, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali. The construction of the temple started in the year 1847. The founder of this temple is Rasmani, the queen of Janbazar. The temple is located on the banks of Hooghly River. The main deity of temple is Bhavatarini who is a form of Devi Kali. It is believed that the person who worships Devi Bhavatarini, will overcome all his sorrows and problems. The temple is spread over 25 acres of land that includes the temple premise and the surrounding gardens.
The St. Paul’s Cathedral is built on the basis of Indo-Gothic architectural style and was designed by Major William Nairn Forbes. The foundation of the building was laid in 1839. It took eight long years to complete the construction. The main building was destroyed twice because of the massive earthquakes and was rebuilt. The last time it was destroyed in 1934 and was re-built on the lines of the Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral.