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Calcutta (Kolkata)- Culture |
As
one enters the city of Calcutta, the impressive Howrah Bridge across the Hooghly
river, a huge cantilever structure, supported by two 270 feet high piers, greets
the eye. Forming the green heart of the city is the great stretch of lawns
called the Maidan, fringed on one side by the river, and on the other by an
elegant boulevard, the Chowringhee. The Maidan is the venue for an assortment of
events, ranging from football matches to political rallies. The grounds are also
aptly, referred to as the 'lungs of the city.'
Surrounding the lawns are a number of famous landmarks. At the southern end is the Victoria Memorial, an imposing white marble edifice, a museum housing the relics of the British Empire. The Memorial which took 15 years to build, also has an Art Gallery within. At the northern end is the Ochterlony Monument, a 48 metre high column , now known as the Shahid Minar. Just adjacent to it, are the Eden Gardens, with a picturesque lake and a quaint Burmese pagoda. The world - renown Eden Gardens Stadium is also located in this area. The Birla Planetarium, one of the largest in the world, is placed at the southern end of the vast Maidan, along with the Zoological Gardens.
The many museums in the city, pay testimony to the cultural richness of India's heritage. The Indian Museum, one of the largest of its kind in India, housing relics of ancient civilizations, and an art gallery is located in Chowringhee. The Academy of Fine Arts, Nehru Children's Museum, Netaji Museum, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Birla Industrial and Technological Museum, Rabindra Bharati Museum and the Ashutosh Museum of Indian Art are some of the museums that contain invaluable and rare objects d' art.
Calcutta also has shrines and sites of worship belonging to all faiths. The Armenian Church (1650), at Brabourne Road, is one of the oldest churches in the city. The massive Nakhoda Mosque or Rabindra Sarani, modelled after Akbar's mausoleum in Sikandra, is said to
accommodate 10,000 people at a time. 10 km from the city is Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission which propagates the neo-Vedantic movement. It has been built to resemble a temple, a church and mosque.
Festivals
The one event that all of Calcutta anticipates, with a great deal of zest, is the Durga Puja (in the month of October) - when the city seems to don a brilliant garb of vitality and festivity, an atmosphere of bonhomie, that carries on through Christmas and the New Year. During the 10 day Pooja, the Goddess Durga is worshipped, her statuesque images are created, and millions of pandals all over the city come alive to the thunderous and rousing beat of drums. Basant Utsav, Saraswati Pooja and Holi are the other festivals that are celebrated with fervour.
