Kolkata the cultural capital of India

Kolkata is very well known for its literary, artistic and revolutionary heritage. Kolkata which was the former capital of India was considered as the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought. Kolkata has often been called as the cultural capital of India.




Kolkata has many buildings adorned with Gothic, Baroque, Roman, Oriental and Indo-Islamic motifs. The Indian Museum that was established in 1814 is the oldest museum in Asia and houses vast collection of Indian natural history and Indian art.

Kolkata's cuisine include rice and fish curry, with rasagolla, sandesh and mishti doi i.e.sweet yoghurt that is a dessert. Street foods includes dishes like fried battered eggplant slices, flatbread roll with vegetable or chicken, mutton, or egg stuffing, deep fried crepe that is also addressed as phuchka with tamarind and lentil sauce and Chinese food from China Town in the eastern parts of the city are quite popular.

Durga Puja is the most important and the most glamourous event in Kolkata that in a way shows the cultural heritage of Kolkata. Other notable festivals that are celebrated with pomp and show are Jagaddhatri Puja, Diwali, Eid, Holi, Christmas, poila boishak (new year), Saraswati puja, Rath Yatra and Poush parbon (harvest festival).

Book Fair, Dover Lane music festival, Kolkata Film Festival and National Theatre Festival are the cultural festivals of Kolkata. Mostly appreciated for Indian classical music as well as Bengali folk music, the city is also rich in literary traditions.

Explore the cultural heritage of Kolkata and get soaked in the festivals, traditions and culture of the city.

Karva Chauth

Festivals of India are the great essence of the Indian cultural heritage. Most religious festivals have elaborate prayers, traditions, customs and rituals attached to them. The colorful festivals are an integral part of every Indians. Karva Chauth is the most important festival for Indian woman.




The festival is celebrated nine days before Diwali around October-November. Married women, old and young, begin their fast on the day of Karva Chauth well before sunrise around 4 a.m. and fast for the whole day and pray for the long lives oftheir husbands.

On this ocassion women wear bright and beautiful clothes, don’t scrimmage on their jewellery, pamper themselves by buying bangles and apply henna on their palms and feet. The puja ends with the women showering rice and vermilion on Parvati and seeking her blessings for the well being of the husband and for marital bliss.