Calcutta is the former capital of India. It is rich in history and culture, and makes for a very fruitful vacation.

Calcutta is the former name of Kolkata. It is often referred to as Kolkata, to pertain to the whole city including the suburbs. It is the capital of West Bengal’s Indian State. This city is located in the eastern part of India along the banks of the Hooghly River. The population is more than 15 million which makes it the 3rd largest city in India. The large population also earned for it the label urban agglomeration. Calcutta is also the 14th largest metropolitan area in the world.

Calcutta is the capital of India during the reign of Raj the British in 1911. The city is also India’s center of modern industry, education, culture and science as well as politics. Due to its vast history, Calcutta witnessed a lot of intense clashes, economic stagnation and political violence since the 1950s. After half a century however, a life-changing economic rejuvenation had resulted in Calcutta’s growth and development. Like most other Indian cities, Calcutta still continues to struggle with urbanization problems including pollution, traffic congestion and poverty.

The city is noted for its very interesting history that ranges from the Trade Union Movements to the Indian Struggle for Independence. The revolutionary scheme of their history garnered them fame and respect around the world. Furthermore, Calcutta is noted by some as a source of inspiration from other countries.

The city of Calcutta is widely known for it artistic, revolutionary and literary heritage. Since Calcutta was the former capital city of India, it is the birthplace of modern artistic thought and Indian literature. The people who live in this city always possess a special participation and appreciation for literature and the arts. It’s in fact a welcoming tradition for new talents. As a result, it has gained popularity as the city with a furious and creative energy.

A special characteristic for those who live in this city is their strong sense of community among its neighbors. This act of kindness and strong bond is locally called para. Usually, each para has its own community clubs complete with a playing field and clubroom.

Calcutta presently is a very industrialized city already. It is the center of business, commercial and financial trade in eastern India. It has a very competitive tourism industry that in fact it is the only city in the region with an international airport.

German football team Bayern Munich have caused football mania in the Indian city of Calcutta, where they will become the first big European club to play in India. The team have arrived in the city to play a friendly match against local side Mohan Bagan at Calcutta’s Salt Lake Stadium. It’s believed that the historic match will attract 120,000 spectators. It is particularly special for Bayern Munich, as it will be the last for the legendary German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who is retiring after 22 years with the team.

During their time in Calcutta, Bayern Munich will be engaging with the local community by running a coaching clinic, which was organised by Adidas, at the Calcutta Cricket and Football club. 48 promising youngsters were selected to participate in the clinic, where they were taught by the likes of Mark van Bommel, Andreas Ottl, Jose Ernesto Sosa and other top footballers. The top six players from the coaching clinic will be flown to the Bayern Football School in Germany to attend the FC Bayern Football Camp later in the year.

As the team spent so much time with the community, they didn’t have the opportunity to practice before the game. As Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld explained, “We have some social responsibilities, so that won’t allow us time for practice.” However, Mr Hitzfeld said that he believes the team have practiced enough, he said: “We have practiced enough in Bali and that I feel it is sufficient to keep us in right shape.”

Bayern Munich’s visit to Calcutta signifies the increasing popularity of football in a country that is known for its love of cricket. BBC reporters spoke to two young boys, Ramjit and Sanjoy, who will be in the crowd at Wednesday’s match. One believes that football is getting so popular in India that it could eventually rival the popularity of cricket, while the other is not so sure. Ramjit said: “If Bayern Munich can come down here why can football not compete with cricket? It is just a slow ongoing process. There are kids who like watching football, they prefer it to cricket as cricket is getting boring.” His friend Sanjoy wasn’t quite so sure, he said: “Every sport in this country is secondary to cricket.”