Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River 80 km (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, commercial, and financial hub of Eastern India and the main port of communication for North-East India. According to the 2011 Indian census, Kolkata is the seventh-most populous city in India, with a population of 45 lakh (4.5 million) residents within the city. It is a part of Kolkata Metropolitan Area which has a population of over 1.41 crore (14.1 million) residents making it the third-most populous metropolitan area in India. In 2021, the Kolkata metropolitan area crossed 1.5 crore (15 million) registered voters. The Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port and its sole major riverine port. Kolkata is regarded as the cultural capital of India. Kolkata is the second largest Bengali-speaking city after Dhaka. It has the highest number of nobel laureates among all cities in India.
Mithun Chakraborty is an Indian actor, producer and politician who predominantly worked in Hindi and Bengali language films. He is a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. He is the recipient of three National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards for his acting performance.
The music of West Bengal includes multiple indigenous musical genres such as Baul, Ramprasadi, Bishnupuri Classical, Kirtan, Shyama Sangeet, Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, Dwijendrageeti, Prabhat Samgiita, Agamani-Vijaya, Patua Sangeet, Gambhira, Bhatiali, Bhawaiya, Bengali Rock.
Gostha Behari Pal was an Indian footballer who played as a defender. He was the first captain of the India national team, played during the 1920s and 1930s. Spending most of his career in Mohun Bagan, Pal is regarded the best player ever to have played for the century-old club.
The International Kolkata Book Fair is a winter fair in Kolkata. It is a unique book fair in the sense of not being a trade fair—the book fair is primarily for the general public rather than whole-sale distributors. It is the world's largest non-trade book fair, Asia's largest book fair and the most attended book fair. It is the world's third-largest annual conglomeration of books after the Frankfurt Book Fair and the London Book Fair. Many Kolkatans consider the book fair an inherent part of Kolkata, and instances of people visiting the fair every day during its duration are not uncommon. The fair offers a typical fairground experience with a book flavour—with picnickers, singer-songwriters, and candy floss vendors. With a total footfall of over 2 million people, it is world's largest book fair by attendance.
Rashmoni Das, popularly known as Rani Rashmoni, also spelled as Rani Rasmani, was an Indian businesswoman, Zamindar, philanthropist and the founder of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Kolkata and remained closely associated with Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa after she appointed him as the priest of the temple. Her other construction works include the construction of a road from Subarnarekha River to Puri for the pilgrims, Babughat, Ahiritola Ghat and Nimtala ghat for the everyday bathers at the Ganges. She also offered considerable charity to the Imperial Library, the Hindu College.
Baranagar or Baranagore is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is close to Kolkata and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Baranagar is the fifth most densely populated city proper in the world.
Kalighat Kali Temple is a Hindu temple in Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal, India dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is one of the Shakti Peethas.
The Noakhali riots were a series of semi-organized massacres, rapes and abductions, combined with looting and arson of Hindu properties, perpetrated by the Muslim community in the districts of Noakhali in the Chittagong Division of Bengal in October–November 1946, a year before India's independence from British rule.
Jisshu Ujjwal Sengupta is an Indian actor, producer, television presenter. who predominantly works in Bengali, Hindi and Telugu films. Sengupta made his debut through a Bengali TV series, Mahaprabhu where he portrayed the role of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; the role gained him much recognition. Subsequently, he made his film debut with Priyojon (1997), which became a debacle at the box office. In 2002, he played Tagore in Sukanta Roy's ambitious venture Chelebela alongside Debashree Roy playing Kadambari Devi. following which he appeared in a spate of critically and commercially unsuccessful projects. He made his Bollywood debut with Shyam Benegal's National Award winning film Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2004). A turning point came in his career when he collaborated with Rituparno Ghosh for the latter's Abohomaan, which earned him critical acclaim. His subsequent collaborations with Ghosh for films which include Noukadubi and Shob Charitro Kalponik brought him a higher degree of critical and commercial success. Sengupta's collaborations with other directors for films such as Jaatishwar enabled him to become one of the most sought out actors in Bengali cinema.
Zee Bangla is an Indian general entertainment pay television channel broadcasting in the Bengali language. It is owned by the Zee Entertainment Enterprises.
Mohammedan Sporting Club is an Indian multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Its football team competes in I-League, the second-tier of Indian football, as well as in Calcutta Football League (CFL), the oldest football league in Asia. Formed in February 1891, it is one of the oldest active football clubs in the country.
Hinduism is the largest religious tradition in the Indian state of West Bengal with approximately 70.5% of the population identifying themselves as Hindus . The Hindus in West Bengal mostly belong to the Shakta, minority to Vaishnavite and a small community belong to Shaivite and other denominations. The vast majority of Hindus in West Bengal are Bengali Hindus numbering around 55 million and comprising 60.2% of the state population of 91.35 million (2011) but a notable section of non-Bengali Hindus also exist, particularly among Marwaris, Biharis, Odias, Gurkhas, Sindhis, Gujaratis and various tribal communities such as Koch, Santals, Munda and particularly Adivadis numbering around 9.4 million comprising rest 10.3% of the state population.
Ananya Chatterjee is an Indian actress who works in Bengali films. Known for her role in Abahoman which won her a National Award. She started her career as a TV actress. She acted in several TV serials and films, including three directed by Anjan Dutt. Her role as the muse of a married director in Abahoman, directed by Rituparno Ghosh, won her the National Film Award for Best Actress.
Bansdroni is a locality of South Kolkata in West Bengal, India. The area is under Kolkata Municipal Corporation & it comes under Kolkata Police jurisdiction.
Aryan Football Club is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal, that competes in the Calcutta Football League. The club was founded in 1884 as Aryan Sports Club. It started playing football some years later, making it one of Asia's oldest football clubs. It plays home matches at the East Bengal-Aryan Ground.
New Delhi Kali Bari is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Kali and the center for Bengali culture in New Delhi, India. Established in 1930s, it is situated on Mandir Marg, close to Laxminarayan Temple in Delhi.
Washington Bangla Radio on Internet (WBRi) is an online streaming Bengali language radio station and associated news and entertainment web portal that operated from Washington, DC metro area in the United States. The free service was provided until July 2016 by privately owned WBRi Inc. headquartered at Germantown, Maryland, United States, which also owned the trademark and has been featured in SPAN magazine published by the United States Department of State for bridging India-US cultures.
Thanthania Kalibari is a Kali temple on Bidhan Sarani in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The deity in the temple is known as Siddheshwari. On the occasion of Kali Puja, devotees gather at the temple for worship.
Locket Chatterjee is an Indian actress, politician and Member of Parliament for Hooghly, West Bengal, India. She is also a classical dancer. She completed her training in Bharat Natyam, Kathakali, Manipuri and Creative, but is better known as an actress. Previously, she was the state president of BJP Mahila Morcha, the women's wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal. Now she is a General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party, West Bengal.
