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West Bengal — Culture,
Heritage & Language

Durga Puja, Rasgulla, literature, Sundarbans

Introduction

West Bengal blends Bengali intellectual tradition with the colonial grandeur of Kolkata, the deltaic mystery of the Sundarbans and the Himalayan tea gardens of Darjeeling. It is the land of Tagore, Ray, Vivekananda and Durga Puja.

Quick Facts

Capital
Kolkata
Largest City
Kolkata
Official Language
Bengali
Formation Date
26 January 1950
Area
88,752 sq km
Population
99,000,000+
Region
East
Type
State
Language
Bengali is the official language, with Hindi, Urdu, Nepali (in Darjeeling), Santali and English widely used.
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Traditional Dress
Men wear dhoti-panjabi and kurta-pyjama; women wear the iconic red-bordered white Bengali saree, especially Tant, Baluchari and Jamdani.
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Festivals
Durga Puja is UNESCO-listed intangible heritage; Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja, Poila Boishakh, Jagaddhatri Puja and Eid are major celebrations.
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Cuisine
Fish-and-rice culture: Macher Jhol, Shorshe Ilish, Chingri Malai Curry, Kosha Mangsho, Luchi-Aloor Dom, Mishti Doi, Rasgulla and Sandesh.
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Literature
Rabindranath Tagore (Nobel 1913), Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Sarat Chandra, Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Mahasweta Devi and Sukumar Ray.
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Art Forms
Kalighat painting, Patachitra scrolls, Baul music, Rabindra Sangeet, Kantha embroidery, Chhau dance (Purulia) and the Bengal School of Art under Abanindranath Tagore.
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Historical Importance
Capital of British India until 1911; birthplace of the Bengal Renaissance and the freedom movement; partitioned in 1947 and reshaped by the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
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Districts & Cities

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