Kolkata is not an ancient city like Delhi, with its impressive relics of the past. In fact, it's largely a British creation which dates back only some 300 years and was the capital of British Indiauntilthebeginningofthiscentury.
In 1686, the British abandoned Hooghly, their trading post 38km up the Hooghly River from present-day Kolkata, and moved downriver to there small villages - Sutanati, Govindpur and Kailkata. Kolkata takes its name from the last of those three tiny settlements.
Much of the Kolkata's most enduring development took place between 1780 and 1820. Latter in the 19th century, Bengal became an important centre in the struggle for Indian independence, and this was a major reason for the decision to transfer the capital to Delhi in 1911. Loss of political power did not alter Kolkata's economic control, and the city continued toprosperuntilafterWW11.
| Population : | 113 Lakh. | |
| STD Code : | 033 | |
| Altitude : | 6m. (20 ft.) | |
| Weather : | The weather is very Indian, slightly on the humid side. Summers are hot, the temperatures fluctuating between max. 30c - 35c and a min. 14c - 25c. The rainy season begins in the month of June and lasts up to October bringing in moderately severe rains. The temperature is also moderate. Location : Near the eastern coast of India, in the state of West Bengal. |
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| Languages : | Bengali, English, Hindi. | |
| Clothing : | Summer : | Light cottons. |
| Winter : | Light woolens. | |
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