10 Cultural Facts about Kolkata | 10 Tips

Kolkata, the city of Joy, is a pioneer of the Indian Renaissance. During the freedom struggle, it was a hub of Indian culture and still is. The people of Kolkata are proud to call the city their home which is also home to the Indian renaissance and many literary artists. 5 out of the 6 Indian Nobel laureates are from the city. Satyajit Ray, the first Indian to get an Oscar is from Kolkata too. The cultural life is so diverse that it has the perfect blend of western and eastern cultural influences. The universities in the city date back to over two centuries including the Asiatic Society of Bengal and many more. The city is rightly referred to as the “Culture Capital of India”. So here are 10 famous facts about Kolkata.

Kolkata Art and Theatre

Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel in 1913 for literature and Kolkata saw the beginning of a literary movement during the mid-nineteenth century. However, that was not the beginning of literature and art in Kolkata. Bengalis have for long had a fascination with literature be it stories or poetry. Bengali theatre is over two centuries old starting in the early 19th Century.

Bengali movies became known worldwide with Satyajit Ray. However, he isn’t the only pioneer of classic Bengali movies. There’s Mrinal Sen, Ritwick Ghatak and Tapan Sinha being the other contemporaries of Ray at the time.

Music

We have all heard Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindra Sangeets are songs composed by the great poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Be it “Aguner Poroshmoni” or “Tumi Robe Nirobe”, each and everyone brought up in Calcutta know these songs, irrespective of their religion, caste or creed. Not only old songs, but even the new wake of Bengali rock music is also growing up day by day. Bands such as Fossils, Cactus, Lokhichara are considered to be some of the most pioneering bands. From Kishore Kumar to Manna Dey and Hemanta, the music scene of Calcutta is one of the richest cultures. The history of Kolkata integrates music as a major part.

Kolkata Football 

“Shob khelar e shera bangalir tumi football” this literally translates to “Football is the best game of Bengalis”. Kolkata without football is like a ship without a radar. From Chelsea to Manchester United and Mohun Bagan to East Bengal, Kolkata loves football. Even to the extent that Oliver Kahn actually played the last game of his career at Yuvabharatiya Kirangan. Be it summer, monsoon or winter, the fields of Maidan are never empty. No matter when you go, you will definitely find the playgrounds teaming up with young boys and girls enjoying the most beautiful that has been ever created.

Football is among the culture of Kolkata in current times.

Durga Puja

The biggest festival of West Bengal, Durga puja takes place over a span of 10 days. This festival makes the whole city of Calcutta lit up. People hop between different pandals and even stay awake the whole night just to make sure that they visit each and every pandal. From buying new clothes to meeting old faces after a long time, Durga puja is more than a puja for the Bengalis. It is an emotion. It is a part of the Cultural Facts about Kolkata.

Kolkata Food

Bengalis love food. Sundays in Kolkata are never complete without Mutton and steamed rice with a pinch of lemon. “Puchka”, “roshogolla”, “mishti doi” are some of the most famous dishes of Kolkata. Even though Hyderabadi biryani is one of the most famous variants of biryani available in the market, people living in Kolkata cannot even imagine biryani without a piece of potato. An affinity for dishes made out of fish is one of the most striking features of Bengal. When it comes down to Cultural Facts about Kolkata food plays a huge role in that.

Politically Aware 

Whether in tea shops or in crowded buses, a political discussion is one of the most common things that you will see. People in Kolkata are very much aware of Politics. Be it state or India as a whole, political discussions about a large number of topics is one of the prime ways to pass time. Kolkata is very much politically aware. Discussing trends in politics is one of the Cultural Facts about Kolkata.

“Adda”

“Adda” in English literally translates to banter. The people of Kolkata love to sit on a rock and chill with their pals and discuss various topics. From college kids to retired group of friends, “Adda” is for everyone.  In the evening, you will often find groups of friends sitting in a tea shop and gossiping about a lot of different subjects. From football to the current political scenario of the country, all of these topics are covered when these group of friends sit together while sipping on their tea. It is the culture of Kolkata.

Bengali Literature 

Bengali literature is an integral part of the culture of Kolkata and the Bengali culture in general, as it defines who we are and through the stories and poetry over the years you can see the changing trends and lifestyles. From Rabindranath Tagore to Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bengali literature has a very rich history. Many scholars from outside Kolkata come to Kolkata in order to study Bengali literature. Satyajit Ray has won the Oscar for lifetime achievement. Directors of his calibre are very rare in the whole world, leave alone India. 

Hospitality

Bengalis are very welcoming to guests. If you visit a Bengali home you will be cared for and even pampered. We truly believe in the saying “Atithi dev o bhava”. Even for small things, you will find the people of the city of joy being extremely helpful. It is among the cultural activities of Kolkata.

Read on about the 10 Best Attractions of Kolkata

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