A City of Culture - Kolkata

Kolkata, a city in West Bengal, nicknamed as the 'Culture capital of India’ is a place where art, architecture and culture flourishes immensely. It is one of the most elegant places in India where all things get along well.

The choice I made is because it is most famous for its architectural heritages. As a former capital of India this city is also credited with the title "The city of joy”. The architectural master pieces of Kolkata include the Victoria memorial, which is one of the finest art museums. This is about 184 ft tall and constructed in 64 acres of land. The museum houses picturesque masterpieces of art above the north porch that epitomizes prudence, learning and motherhood. 

Victoria memorial, Kolkata

The significance of this architectural building is that this was constructed for young writers to engage in writing about culture.  This ginormous site is also known as ‘Mahakaran’. This sumptuous white marble Victoria memorial is a copy of the Taj Mahal, opened in 1911 surrounded by serene ponds on the sides situated on the banks of the Hooghly River as the showpiece of the British Empire portraying the culture.

The other major attraction in Kolkata is the Howrah Bridge. This long unwinding bridge which is placed above the Hooghly River is a famous symbol of Kolkata. The illuminated picture of this Howrah Bridge at night is such a visual treat.

 Howrah Bridge, Kolkata

In the book “Lonely Planet the Cities Book: a Journey through the Best Cities in the World” by Trent Holden, Anna Metcalfe says “Kolkata is a land of poets and artists, with penchant for arts and culture and a level of intellectual vitality”  which certainly describes Kolkata’s rich cultural and architectural heritage in a few sentences. 

The specialty of this bridge is that it has no pillars for its support but it is hung by steel wires. Essentially, it does not have any intermediate supports in between. It is supported on 2 pillars at each end. It was the first of its kind in India so it was special. It even has a high utility value since it connects to the suburban areas.

The culture in Kolkata is fresh and special. Apart from architectural towers like the memorials, museums, marble palace, the dance and festivals is one which put forward a fresh look to Kolkata. The traditional festivals include Durga puja, which is celebrated all over. 

Durga puja festival, Kolkata

Durga puja is a festival which is a special occasion that occurs in this city. This festival epitomizes the victory of good over evil. 

This is celebrated in a big level in Kolkata. The dance forms of Kolkata are also very unique. Dandiya, kathak, odissi, manipuri and some other dance forms are also famous in Kolkata.

As a cultural capital of India, Kolkata stands unique in art, architecture and tradition. That is the reason why I chose this as a city of culture.