Kolkata is over 300 years old and had a fairy tale beginning. Amongst the British merchants sailing down the river Hoogly was one Job Charnock who rowed ashore to Sutanati, one of a cluster of three villages, the other two being Govindpur and Kalikata. Kolkata owes its origin to this English gentleman as he did pronounce the name of the last village.

During the British Raj Kolkata was known as the Jewel of the East and was the Capital of the country till 1911. It still bears the Victorian imprint on its streets and structures. Today, it is still the most important with in the east, the nerve center of trade and industry of the State.

Places Of Interest
Victoria Memorial
A splendid architectural structure in white marble, modelled on the Taj Mahal, was built in the early 20th century in memory of Queen Victoria and was formally inaugurated by the Prince of Wales in 1921 who later became King Edward VIII of England. The stately bronze statue of the queen near the entrances, the brass canons, wrought iron street lamps, manicured lawns, gardens and pathways, the magical lighting effect in the evening and a fairy tale 'Fountain of Joy' facing the memorial building create an atmosphere of unforgettable charm.

Botanical Gardens
There gardens have great variety of flora and fauna, all carefully classified. There is also 250 years old great Banyan tree measuring around 400 meters in circumference.

National Library
The sprawling structure of the National Library, with a most imposing façade and staircases in Belverde near Alipore houses collection of precious book in India

There are many museums in the city which, 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 Childrens Museum, Netaji Museum, Birala Academy of Arts and Culture, Birala Industrial and Technological Museum, Rabindra Bharati Museum and the Ashutosh Museum of Indian Art are some the museums that contain invaluable and rare objects of art.