Kolkata

Kolkata (Bangla: কলকাতা, Hindi: ??????), is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and was capital of British India until 1912. The city's name was officially changed from Calcutta to Kolkata in January 2001. Despite the new name being phonetically closer to the Bengali version, many people and organizations still refer to it as Calcutta. In Hindi, the city is referred to as Kalkatta.

Kolkata Culture

Para, Adda and "Club" culture

Paras in Kolkata signify a neighbourhood with a strong sense of community, and are usually sharply defined on the basis of loyalties (like which households contribute economically to which public or "barowari" puja). Paras culture typically segregate Kolkata communities on the basis of origin ( West Bengal origin "ghotis" versus East Bengal origin "bangals" - there are paras which have names like "prothom bangal para" (first bangal para) ), occupation and sociio-economic status ( paras have names like "kumorpara" (potter para) ), and sometimes even politics and religion.

Related Topics:
Para - Barowari - Puja - Ghoti - Bangal

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Typically, every para has its own community club, with a club room ("club ghar"), and often a playing field. People of a para habitually indulge in adda or leisurely chat in "rock"s or "rowacks" (porches) and teashops in the evenings after work. North Kolkata paras typically have more streetlife at late nights with respect to South Kolkata paras. Sports ( cricket, football, badminton) and indoor games (carrom) tournamnets are regularly organized on an inter-para basis.

Related Topics:
Para - Adda - North Kolkata - South Kolkata - Cricket - Football - Badminton - Carrom

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The para culture is fast waning, for good or bad, with the rise of apartment complexes, and the rise of the cosmopolitan nature of Kolkata.

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Graffiti

Graffiti was used not for vandalism per se, or counterculture art, but mainly for political propaganda. Walls were "captured" for fixed numbers of years, and graffiti overpainting was tantamount to political transgression. Generations of political graffiti artists have been at work on Kolkata's walls, producing slander, witty banter and limericks, caricatures and propaganda. However, such acts being clear cases of defacing private property, the Calcutta High Court ruled to ban political graffiti from private properties without express consent of the property owner. Graffiti lives on in "club" walls, unclaimed property walls, and the occasional flouting of the order.

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Traffic and Commuter Culture

Cuisine and Restaurants

Bengalis love to cook, entertain and eat, so it is natural that Kolkata has more than its fair share of restaurants, with novelty cuisine.

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A list of heritage and novel eateries, restaurants and food shops in Kolkata:

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SNACK AND VICTUALS

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Putiram's Cabin

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India Coffee House, College Street

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India Coffee House, Jadavpur

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Paragon

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Dilkhusha Cabin

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Sutripti Cabin

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Basanta Cabin

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Bonophool

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Ujjala Chanachur Store

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Ganguram's

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Sen Mahasay

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MUGHLAI

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Nizam

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Shiraz

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Aminia

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PAN INDIAN

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Amber

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Grain of Salt

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BENGALI

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Bhajahari Manna

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6, Ballygunge Place

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Oh, Calcutta!

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CHINESE

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Peking

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Waldorf

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MULTICUISINE

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Peter Cat

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Tangerine

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BarBQ

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CONTINENTAL

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Mocambo

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Blue Fox

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Moulin Rouge

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Floriana

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CONFECTIONARY

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Flury's

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Nahoum's

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CELEBRITY

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Sourav's

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FOOD SHOPS

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Kalman's

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Lingo

Places

Baro ghori (big clock): The large clock at Howrah Station

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Victoria: Victoria Memorial

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Dalhousie: B.B.D. Bagh or Dalhousie Square

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Nullah: Tolly Nullah

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Lake: Rabindra Sarobar

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Paach Mathar Mor (five point crossing): The Shyambazar five point crossing

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Monument: Shaheed Minar, previously Ochterloney Monument

Related Topics:
Shaheed Minar - Ochterloney Monument

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Objects and concepts

Electric: Tram

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Load Shedding: A power failure of any sort

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Metro: The underground railway or Metro Railway

Related Topics:
Underground railway - Metro Railway

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Auto: Auto Rickshaw

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Goldar: The weather bureau, headed by Dr. Goldar

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Alimuddin Street: Communists in general or The Communist Party of India (Marxists) in specific, headquartered at Alimuddin Street

Related Topics:
Communists - Communist Party of India (Marxists) - Alimuddin Street

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