Kolkata 324 Years Old Today 24 August 2014 - Happy Birthday Calcutta

Courtesy India+ : Kolkata 324 Years Old Today 24 August 2014 - Happy Birthday Calcutta

Calcutta (Kolkata), the capital of West Bengal and former capital of India, turns 324 today. The City of Joy was founded by British colonist and explorer Job Charnock, officially on August 24, 1690. Previously, what used to be a neighbourhood of three villages - Kolkata, Sutanuti and Gobindapur - now developed into a city, the city that would lead the freedom struggle of India, give birth to the Indian Renaissance and even the Idea of modern India in general. Since its day of foundation, this great city has served as one of the greatest centres of education, culture, patriotism, literature and development. Countless children of the City of Joy - including the likes of Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Raja Rammohan Ray and Swami Vivekananda - have contributed to the cause of India in general. Let us together wish a very happy birthday to the Kolkata, the cultural capital of India, the city that gave us our National Anthem, Vande Maataram and the idea of India as a united nation. NOTE: A recent Calcutta High Court ruling dictates that August 24, 1690 would not be officially regarded as the foundation day for Kolkata, since the village of Kalikata existed before 1690. But considering all sides, it is evident that what we call modern Kolkata, emerged only after 1690s. It's similar to how India existed before 1947, but still August 15, 1947 is hailed as the day of modern India's emergence