"Kolkata Metro, WB, India"

Established In: 1984
Total Length: 16.45 km
Total Stations: 17
Authority: KMRC (Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation)

Kolkata Metro was the first metro rail to be set up in India and the fifth one to be established in the entire Asian continent. Maintained by the Indian Railways, this underground metro network became functional in the year 1984. The metro rail stretches from the northern Kolkata at Dum Dum and continues through Park Street and Esplanade, in the center of the city, to the southern end, in Tollygunge. The entire length of Calcutta metro network is 16.45 km and there are a total of 17 stations on the entire stretch. Metro rail is one of the most convenient modes of traveling in a crowded city like Kolkata.

The plans of Kolkata metro rail project began much later than it was conceived. Bidhan Chand Roy, the then chief minister of West Bengal, came up with the idea of a metro as early as 1949. However, the conceptualization and application of the idea took over a huge period of 35 years. Even after the laying of foundation stone by Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, on December 29, 1972, the project suffered several hiccups, like lack of fund, lack of technology, unavailability of mandatory goods, lack of expertise, and court issues, and took about 12 years to be completed.

When Kolkata metro was started, in 1984, the rail served on a single line only, between Esplanade & Netaji Bhawan (then called Bhowanipore). At that time, there were no magnetic gates or electronic ticketing system. There were ordinary revolving gates, with normal tickets. In 1986, the extension of the rail up to Tollygunge took place, leading to many new developments. For instance, the metro service started on double line and magnetic tickets as well as electronic entry gates were also introduced.

The construction work related to Calcutta metro rail was again disrupted, for about six years, due to political insurgency. During this time, more magnetic gates, escalators and entry gates were added at the stations. At present, efforts are on to make the Kolkata metro a world class metro. There are also plans to increase the access of the metro rail by 2009 on other routes. Even an east-west metro corridor, under the authority of KMRC (Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation), has been planned in the near future.

আমাদের বিশ্বটি আসলেই কতোটা সুন্দর তা আমরা অনেকেই জানি না। পুরো বিশ্ব দেখা শুরু করতে চাইলে তা কখনোই শেষ হবে। প্রতিটি শহরের প্রতিটি মোড় ও অলিগলিতে অপেক্ষা করছে নতুন কিছু। পুরো পৃথিবীই সৌন্দর্যের আধার। আমাদের অনেক কিছুই দেখা হয় না পুরো জীবনে। যারা অনেক বেশি ঘোরাঘুরি পছন্দ করেন তারাও বলতে গেলে পৃথিবীর সৌন্দর্যের সিকি আনাও দেখে শেষ করতে পারেন না।

কিন্তু কিছু শহর এবং প্রাচীন কিছু স্থান রয়েছে যা এক নজর না দেখলেই নয়। এই সকল স্থান না দেখলে মনে হবে জীবনটাই বৃথা। এবং যতবারই যান না কেন, এই শহরগুলো বারবার আপনাকে আকর্ষণ করবে। আসুন, আজ দেখি ও জানি তেমনই ১০টি অসাধারণ শহরের কথা।

ভেনিস, ইতালি

পানির ওপরের রাজত্ব দেখার জন্য পুরো বিশ্বের টুরিস্ট চলে যান ইতালির ভেনিসে। শুধু তাই নয় এই শহরের বাড়িঘরগুলোর সৌন্দর্যও অনেক বেশি আকর্ষণীয়। না দেখলে যেন আসলেই জীবন বৃথা।

নিউ ইয়র্ক সিটি, ইউএসএ

নিউ ইয়র্ক শহরের মতো এতো রঙিন এবং নানা ধরণের শিল্প-সংস্কৃতি, সাহিত্য এবং মানুষের ছড়াছড়ি অন্য কোনো শহরে নেই। আর তাই একটিবার হলেও নিউ ইয়র্ক সিটি দেখে আসা উচিৎ।

লাসা, চীনা

আধ্যাত্মিক সৌন্দর্যের শহর এই লাসায় রয়েছে সব চাইতে বড় বুদ্ধের মন্দির। এর স্পিরিচ্যুয়াল আকর্ষণ সকল টুরিস্টকেই টানে।

রিও ডি জেনিরো, ব্রাজিল

অনেক বেশি রঙিন এবং রঙের সমাহার দেখা যায় ব্রাজিলের সকল কার্নিভ্যালে। যা জীবনে একটি বার হলেও দেখা উচিৎ।

লন্ডন, ইংল্যান্ড

অনেক বিখ্যাত যাদুঘর, মার্কেট এবং তাদের সংস্কৃতির বৈচিত্র্যময়তা দেখতে হলেও অন্তত একটিবার লন্ডন ঘুরে আসা উচিৎ।

মারাকেস, মরক্কো
অসাধারন স্থাপত্যশিল্পের শহর হিসেবে সকলের কাছেই বেশ আকর্ষণীয় মরক্কোর এই শহরটি।

পেট্রা, জর্ডান

বিশ্বের প্রাচীন শহর হিসেবে পরিচিত এই শহরটি প্রত্নতত্ত্বে আগ্রহী সকল টুরিস্টদের জন্য বেশ আকর্ষণীয়।

রোম, ইটালি

রোমের রাস্তায় হাঁটার অর্থ হচ্ছে এক কথায় ইতিহাসের পাতায় হারিয়ে যাওয়া। পৃথিবীর আর কোন শহরে ইতিহাস, আধুনিকতা ও এত দারুণ খাবারের সমন্বয় আছে কিনা সন্দেহ!

কয়টো, জাপান

অদ্ভুত সুন্দর এই শহরটি আপনাকে নিয়ে যাবে ভিন্ন এক জগতে। এর বাগান ও পার্ক, সম্ভ্রান্ত টি হাউজ ও দুর্গ গুলো আপনাকে দেবে রাজকীয় ও প্রাচীন জাপানের অনুভব।

ফ্রান্স, প্যারিস

"আলোর শহর" হিসাবে সুপরিচিত এই শহরে আসলে জীবনে একবার না গেলেই নয়। একে সিটি অফ লাভও বলা হয়ে থাকে। পৃথিবীর বুকে প্যারিস আজও সবচাইতে রোমান্টিক শহর রূপেই পরিচিত। এই শহরের শ্বাসরুদ্ধকর সব মিউজিয়াম ও দারুণ প্রাণবন্ত ক্যাফেগুলো আপনাকে আকর্ষণ করবেই!

"Dances of West Bengal, India"

The culture of West Bengal is renowned, worldwide, for its richness and variety. The cuisines, music, costumes, language and wonderful dances of the state are important constituents of its rich and varied culture. The folk dance forms of West Bengal are known for their beauty and fervor. The dance encyclopedia of this rich culture includes a wide variety within itself. Each region of the state has something different to exhibit. Altogether, it forms a wonderful combination of varied dance forms. Here, we will provide you information on the six most popular dance forms of West Bengal.

Folk Dances of West Bengal

Brita Dance
The land of West Bengal is famous for its festive culture and adorable art. Music and beats run in the veins of Bengali people. There are several kinds of folk music and dances prevalent in various parts of the state. Amongst the chosen few, the Brita Dance, also known as Vrita Dance, is considered to be very special.

Gambhira Dance
The folk dances of West Bengal hold a special place in Bengali culture. They complement the beautiful culture of the state, by their colorfulness and festivity. Initially, the folk dances were either agricultural or devotional. Gradually, the agricultural dances gave place to dances more inclined towards devotion and religion. One of the famous devotional dances of Bengal is Gambhira.

Chhau Dance
Chhau Dance is one of the most renowned tribal martial dances of India. The dance is known as Seraikella Chau in Jharkhand, Mayurbhanj Chau in Orissa and Purulia Chhau in West Bengal. Since the dance is supposed to have originated in the Purulia district of Bengal, it is known as such in the state. Purulia Chhau dance differs quite a lot from its counterparts.

Santhal Dance
Santhal is one of the most abundantly found tribes in India. A major chunk of this tribe can be found in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Santhal tribe has a rich cultural lineage and immense solidarity. Its members are basically the devotees of 'Thakurji', the deity they believe created this world. They move to the beats of music, to celebrate the glory of nature, raise a message and offer prayers.

Tusu Dance
West Bengal is a land of rich culture and lots of festivity. Almost every region in the state has a specific folk dance and music attached to it. These folk traditions are basically related to some specific season of festival. The Tusu Dance of Birbhum district is one of them. It is basically performed in the month of Pausa, during the Gregorian months of December and January.

Lathi Dance
Dance is a unique art of expression. Be it celebration, remorse, anger, love or pain, dance moves can clearly define every expression. Talking about the Lathi dance of West Bengal, performed on Muharram, it confines within itself the feeling of remorse and anger, associated with this Muslim festival. During the first ten days of Muharram, the Lathi players display their art at several places.

"Fairs & Festivals in West Bengal, India"

West Bengal is considered to be one of the richest states in India, in terms of culture, tradition, fairs and festivals. The colorful festivals of the state are full of joyous ceremonies, abundant fun and mouth-watering cuisines. In Bengal, there is a festival for every season and every kind of celebration. There is a popular Bengali proverb, ‘Baro Mase Tero Parban’, which means 'thirteen festivals in twelve months'. This signifies the umpteen numbers of fairs and festivals that are celebrated in this state. These celebrations reflect the hearty and composite cultural culture of India.

Fairs and festivals form an inseparable part of the life of people in West Bengal. A Bengali calendar is embellished with celebrations throughout the year, with innumerable festivals for each season. Some of these festivals are celebrated with same passion and devotion throughout the state, while some are confined to a particular zone only, depending upon its mythological or cultural linkage. The festive moods of Bengali people reflect their liveliness and deep-sited belief in their cultural heritage. Let us explore all the major fairs & festivals in West Bengal, in detail.

Basant Utsav
Basant Utsav literally means the 'celebration of spring'. The beautiful tradition of celebrating spring festival in Bengal was first started by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, at Vishwabharati Shantiniketan, the University founded by him. Actually,

Bera Utsav
West Bengal is a land of fairs and festivals. In fact, the culture of the state is characterized by the colorful celebrations that adorn it throughout the year. Almost every district of West Bengal plays host to at least one popular fair or festival in the entire year.

Charak Puja
Charak Puja has its own special place in West Bengal, the state of festivals. It is a special folk festival, celebrated for bidding good-bye to the passing year. It is believed that the celebration leads to prosperity in the coming year, wiping out all the sufferings and pains of the current year. This festival is celebrated on the midnight of Chaitra Sankranti,

Durga Pooja
Durga Pooja is the most important festival in West Bengal, celebrated with immense devotion and great pomp and show. This festival is also known by various names here, some call it 'Akalbodhan' - the untimely awakening of Durga, while others refer to it as 'Durgotsab' - the festival of Goddess Durga and even 'Maayer Pujo' - the worship of the Mother Durga.

Ganga Sagar Mela
West Bengal is the state of fairs and festivals. A large number of festivities take place in this state throughout the year. Amongst them, one of the most famous fests is the Gangasagar Mela. It is held in the month of January-February, on the Ganga Sagar Island, at the mouth of the river Hooghly in Bengal.

Jagaddhatri Puja
The culture of West Bengal is adorned by numerous fairs and festivals. Goddess Durga is one of the most religiously worshipped deities here and many of the festivals celebrated in the state are meant to pay regards to Her only. Jagaddhatri or Jagadhatri puja is one of the festivals observed by the devotees of 'Durga' - the Goddess of Power, who is also called Jagaddhatri i.e. 'the Protector of the World'.

Jalpesh Mela
Jalpesh Mela is an interesting fair in the land of festivals and fairs, West Bengal. It is celebrated in the month of February-March, on the occasion of Shivratri, in Mainaguri town of Jalpaiguri district. It is almost a month-long fair, organized with great pomp and show. Not only the local population, but people from far-flung areas of India also come to participate in this fair.

Jhapan
West Bengal is famous for its rich cultural heritage and the uniqueness of its traditions. There is a festival here for every season and every occasion. Jhapan is one of the most unique festivals celebrated in West Bengal. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Mansha, believed to be the daughter of Lord Shiva, who is also considered to be the Goddess of Snakes.

Kenduli Mela
The people of West Bengal celebrate their cultural lineage with immense love and respect. In fact, the celebration of their art and craft forms an integral part of their cultural heritage. Kenduli Mela is one of those traditional celebrations that celebrate the unique musical art of Baul community, a group of mystic minstrels, in Bengal. This fair is organized in Kenduli city of Birbhum district, the native land of Bauls.

Naba Barsho
Naba Barsho, also known as Poila Baishakh, marks the beginning of New Year in Bengal. It is celebrated on the first day of Baishakh, as per the Hindu calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, it falls either on April 14 or 15. It is a public holiday in West Bengal, with its celebrations dating back to the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. During Akbar's time, the last day of Chaitra (the month before Baishakh) was fixed to be the customary day for clearing all kinds of previous dues.

Poush Mela
West Bengal is the land of fairs and festivals. Innumerable festivals are celebrated throughout the year in the state. Apart from traditional festivals, like Durga Pooja and Diwali, harvest festivals like Jhapan and tourism festival like Teesta Tea and Tourism Festival are observed here. Another festival that Bengali people relish is the 'Cultural Festival of Poush'.

Rash Mela
Colorful festivals and fairs adorn the culture of West Bengal. Hundreds of festivities are held here every year, either to please the myriad deities worshipped by the Bengali people or to celebrate the glory and beauty of something important occurred in the past. Then, there are festivals organized to promote arts, tourism or even celebrate a good harvest.

Rath Yatra
Rath Yatra, which involves taking out of the procession of Lord Jagganath's Chariot, is one of the oldest traditions in Hindu Society. It is celebrated with great effervescence and immense devotion in Orissa and Bengal. Being celebrated since 1397, this Rath Yatra of West Bengal is the second oldest chariot festival in India, after the Rath Yatra of Puri.

Saraswati Puja
Maa Saraswati is the Hindu Goddess of Learning. She is worshipped in almost all the parts of the country with equal devotion. Saraswati Pooja is observed on 'Vasant Panchmi', which falls in the Phalgun month (January-February as per the Gregorian calendar). In almost all the households of West Bengal, Saraswati Pooja is celebrated with immense devotion.

Teesta Tea & Tourism Festival
West Bengal is considered to be the state of festivals .The Bengali calendar is full of fairs and festivals, each of them celebrated for a different reason. There is a festival for every season, every region and every occasion. Each of these festivals has a unique logic behind its celebration.

Vishnupur Festival 
Vishnupur, situated in the Bankura district of West Bengal, is the seat of ancient culture of Bengal. Adorned by magnificent art and architecture, this city tells the tale of the golden era of the state. The city of Bishnupur encloses within its boundaries a number of glorious monuments, like Shyam Ray Temple, Jorbangla and Radhey Shyam Temple.

"Bengali Music"

West Bengal is renowned for its rich art and culture as well as the intellectual aura of its people. The richness of Bengali culture also reflects in the music of the state. Music, more than being an art, is a passion for Bengali's. More than a millennium old, Bengali music has become diverse with so many varieties within. The variety is such that once you get familiar with it, you will not need to look beyond it. From classical to rock, folk to devotional, you will get almost every possible music form in Bangla Sangeet. Then, there is the display of a wide range of emotions - be it love, sadness, anxiety, motivation, devotion or spirituality. Let us know more about the music of West Bengal.

Classical Bangla Music
Classical Bangla music, like the classical music forms of India, is basically sculptured on the musical nodes called ragas. The traditional Bangla music is based either directly on the Bengali classical or some of its variation. Many of the ragas that are native to the classical Bangla music can also be found in the Hindustani classical or Carnatic classical music.

Rabindra Sangeet
Another popular form of Bengali music is the Rabindra Sangeet, developed by Nobel Laureate 'Rabindra Nath Tagore'. This music form is more popular amongst the educated group of people. Highly prophetic and intellectual, it is made up of a collection of over two thousand songs and is considered to be the most defining expression of Bangla music.

Nazrul Geeti
Nazrul Geeti is the form of music developed by the great revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. The music is highly motivational and revolutionary in nature and was used popularly during the freedom struggle. Though, unlike Rabindra Sangeet, this music wasn't used commercially, due to its revolutionary notions, it enjoyed great popularity. The music is a highly motivational, with strong and powerful words and catchy tunes.

Baul Sangeet
Baul sangeet is a popular folk form of Bengali music, very similar to modern western folk music. It can also be compared to the popular Sufi genre, not simply because of the similarity in ragas, but also due to its similarity in the approach to music as a medium to interact with god. It aims to urge a man to find god within himself, instead of searching him in mosque, temples and churches. The lyrics and music of Baul sangeet are highly spiritual and intellectual.

Bhatiyali Music
Bhatiyali sangeet is another folk dialect of Bengali music. This folk music is far away from religious and sectarian bias. Said to be created by the boatmen, it has a natural, undiluted and raw flair. The songs consist of wonderful tunes, with highly philosophical lyrics.

Shyama Sangeet
Shyama sangeet belongs to the devotional genre of Bengali Music. It is basically dedicated to Maa Kali, the goddess of power, also known as 'Shyama'. This form of music developed during the 12th-13th century, when 'Shaktism' gained hold in Bengal. This music describes the form of love between deity and devotee as the sublime love of mother and her child.

Adhunik Bangla Sangeet
Adhunik sangeet includes the exhaustive list of the different kinds of music developed in West Bengal, in the post independence era. The westernization and influence of movie-culture have given rise to a contemporary form of music in the state, which aims to cater the youth. Bengali pop and rock, along with Bengali film music, have also gained considerable popularity.

"Indian Museum, Kolkata, WB, India"

Location: Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata

Established in: February 1814
Spread over: 10,000 sq ft

The Indian Museum of Kolkata is a versatile and multi disciplinary establishment of national importance. The founder curator of this Museum was Dr. Nathaniel Wallich. The museum was established on 2nd February 1814, at the Asiatic Society in Kolkata and later transferred to its present building, at Jawaharlal Nehru Road, in 1878. Started merely with two galleries, the museum now owns more than sixty galleries, which include Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Botany sections. Due to its interesting collection of rare and unique objects, it is one of the most interesting places in Calcutta.

Spread over an area of ten thousand square feet, Indian Museum museum is an autonomous body that is fully funded by the Department of Culture, Kolkata. The Museum Directorate consists of seven different coordinating services i.e. Preservation, Publication, Photography, Presentation, Modeling, Education and Library. The administrative power over the cultural sections of Art, Archaeology and Anthropology is vested in the hands of the Board of Trustees, while the administrative authority of its three scientific sections viz Geology, Zoology and Botany lies with Geological Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India and Botanical Survey of India.

Various ancient Paintings, sculptures, ammunitions, biological evidences, texts coins and other such items are preserved in the Indian Museum of Calcutta. Amongst the earliest contributors to the anthology of this museum were Ram Kamal Sen, Raja Rajendralal Mitra - the then Secretary of Asiatic Society, and Sir John Anderson. Today, the museum has more than 1 million exhibits in its premises, including rare exhibits like ancient Egyptian mummies. Indian Museum, with its architecture done by the famous architect W.L.Granvil, is the ninth oldest museum of its kinds in the world and the oldest of its kinds in the Asia Pacific.

"Rabindra Bharati Museum, WB, India"

Location: Dwarakanath Tagore Lane, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Inaugurated in: May 1961
Inaugurated by: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

Rabindra Nath Tagore gave Kolkata and the Bengali culture recognition on the world forum. So, the entire Bengal is immensely in love with this great artist and noble laureate. Rabindra Bharati Museum in Kolkata is a small token of that love and honor only. It is also an effort to preserve his precious art and personal items as memento, for the coming generation to see and relate with. If you have even a little interest in art and crafts, Rabindra Nath Tagore is surely a must visit for you, in Kolkata. You must also come here to pay tribute to one of the greatest artists of this nation.

The initiative to build a museum dedicated to Rabindra Nath Tagore was taken by Dr. B.C. Roy, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. On his birth centenary celebrations, on 7th May 1961, B.C. Roy announced the procurement of the two hundred and seventeen year old ancestral house of Tagore family - "Jorasanko Thakurbari", for the formation of a museum dedicated to Rabindra Nath Tagore, in the city. On 8th May, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, inaugurated the museum, consisting of his original paintings, photographs and other valuable items.

The Rabindra Bharti Museum of Calcutta is now an integral part of the Rabindra Bharti University. It presents a rich study material for the students who want to pursue higher studies in the field of Arts and Humanities. Currently, the museum owns 716 paintings, 168 utensils, 208 personalia, 27 crafts & sculptures, 89 spools, 53 furniture items, 593 records, 3297 photographs, 3746 archival documents, and a total collection of 2701 books, all related to Rabindra Nath Tagore and his family. A visit to this museum gives a deep insight view of Tagore and his passion for art.