The Thomas Law House (Honeymoon House) was constructed between 1794 and 1796 near present-day 6th and N Streets, Southwest in Washington, D.C. The builder was a syndicate headed by James Greenleaf , an early land speculator in the District of Columbia.
114-468: In March 1796, Thomas Law moved into the house after his marriage to Martha Washington 's eldest granddaughter, Eliza Parke Custis . The house became known as "Honeymoon House" as the Laws lived there during their honeymoon while awaiting completion of their house. They did not stay long, as by the summer of 1796 they have moved to their home on the west side of New Jersey Avenue north of C Street Thomas Law
228-654: A United Nations Development Programme report, its wind and cyclone zone is "very high damage risk". The annual mean temperature is 26.8 °C (80.2 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 19–30 °C (66–86 °F). Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with temperatures in the low 30s Celsius; during dry spells, maximum temperatures sometime exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in May and June. Winter lasts for roughly 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9–11 °C (48–52 °F) in December and January. May
342-480: A "writer" or clerk, the entry-level position. He rose through the Company ranks. He became a revenue collector and judge in the province of Bihar and served as the first collector of Gaya and Rohtas district from 1773 to 1791, which had a population of two million, but resigned the position as judge. As collector, in addition to fiscal duties he had responsibilities that combined a judicial and executive nature of
456-573: A bank in Calcutta to provide support of his Indian consort. He brought his three Anglo-Indian, mixed-race "natural" sons with him in order to provide them with education. Once returned, Law encountered some personal and professional setbacks, getting into disagreements with company superiors and having difficulties because of the East India Company refused to pay him money that was owed. He also fell out of favor because of his opposition to
570-459: A chief magistrate. During this period, like many of his countrymen, Law formed a long-term relationship with an Indian woman and had three sons by her. According to East India Company records, his sons George (1784-1796), John (1787?-1822), and Edmund Law (1790-1829) were baptized at St. John's Church in Calcutta . Also like many ranking EIC officials, Law made a small fortune in trading in
684-823: A codicil to his will, Thomas Law also bequeathed $ 5,000 to his legitimate grandchildren, Edmund, Eliza, and Eleanor Rogers, with a provision that the will should be null and of no effect if they should set up a claim under the marriage settlement he had made with Elizabeth P. C. Law. In late December 1832 Lloyd N. Rogers (as he was known) had gained appointment as administrator for the estate of his mother-in-law Eliza P. C. Law, who died December 31, 1831, on behalf of her grandchildren, her only survivors. He sued Thomas Law for payment of annuity and interest in arrears since 1804 on her marriage settlement. In 1838, Joseph E. Law (illegitimate son of Edmund Law), represented by his mother Mary Robinson (as "next friend" in court) filed suit to receive his $ 1000 bequest and pay him interest. He amended
798-752: A concrete link between Britain's Second Empire in India and its First Empire in North America. The Maryland Historical Society maintains the Thomas Law Family Papers (1791-1834), including some of his sons Edmund and John. The Thomas Law House in Washington, D.C. survived significant redevelopment in the area in the late 20th century, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973 as one of
912-494: A councillor to the KMC. Each borough has a committee of councillors, each of whom is elected to represent a ward. By means of the borough committees, the corporation undertakes urban planning and maintains roads, government-aided schools, hospitals, and municipal markets. As Kolkata's apex body, the corporation discharges its functions through the mayor-in-council, which comprises a mayor , a deputy mayor, and ten other elected members of
1026-671: A deed of certain real estate as jointure, to provide an annuity to her during her life of $ 1,500, for her own separate use and benefit. At her death, the said real estate was to be reconveyed to Thomas Law and his heirs, clear of encumbrances by the annuity administrators. Eliza P. C. Law acquired a residence in Alexandria, Virginia (part of Washington D.C. until 1846), and continued active in Washington, DC society. Their daughter Elizabeth Law (19 January 1797 – 9 August 1822) had three children with her husband Lloyd N. Rogers: Edmund Law (1816-1865), Eliza, and Eleanor Rogers. Elizabeth Law Rogers
1140-667: A factory; Sutanuti was a riverside weavers' village; and Gobindapur was a trading post for Indian merchant princes. These villages were part of an estate belonging to the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family of zamindars . The estate was sold to the East India Company in 1698. In 1712, the British completed the construction of Fort William , located on the east bank of the Hooghly River to protect their trading factory. Facing frequent skirmishes with French forces ,
1254-517: A hotel and other properties along New Jersey Avenue, SE, and invested in others. He bought land down to Buzzard's Point, an area along the East Branch of the Potomac, and established some commercial businesses there, including a sugar mill. Because of his commercial background, he thought that area along the waterfront and canal in which he invested would rapidly develop. But early development in
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#17327766464631368-570: A metro population of over 15 million (1.5 crore). Kolkata is regarded by many sources as the cultural capital of India and a historically and culturally significant city in the historic region of Bengal . The three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal under Mughal suzerainty . After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690,
1482-424: A period, scouting for land and development opportunities. The senior Law also worked tirelessly to gather support to build a canal through the city to facilitate trade. Under the pseudonym "Homo" in the 'National Intelligencer', Law advocated the creation of a national paper currency, publicly financed debt and an agricultural society, all to improve the country's economic development. More publicly, he helped found
1596-541: A police commissioner, is overseen by the West Bengal Ministry of Home Affairs . The Kolkata district elects two representatives to India's lower house, the Lok Sabha , and 11 representatives to the state legislative assembly. The Kolkata police district registered 15,510 Indian Penal Code cases in 2010, the 8th-highest total in the country. In 2010, the crime rate was 117.3 per 100,000, below
1710-461: A quarter of the population live on less than ₹ 27 (32¢ US) per day. Major manufacturing companies in the city are Alstom , Larsen & Toubro , Fosroc , Videocon . As in many other Indian cities, information technology became a high-growth sector in Kolkata starting in the late 1990s; the city's IT sector grew at 70% per annum—a rate that was twice the national average. The 2000s saw
1824-479: A stall for the city dwellers. The city receives 2,107 hours of sunshine per year, with maximum sunlight exposure occurring in April. Kolkata has been hit by several cyclones; these include systems occurring in 1737 and 1864 that killed thousands. More recently, Cyclone Aila in 2009 and Cyclone Amphan in 2020 caused widespread damage to Kolkata by bringing catastrophic winds and torrential rainfall. Pollution
1938-460: A state agency. As of 2012 , the city had 16 fire stations. State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited , or BSNL, as well as private enterprises, among them Vodafone Idea , Bharti Airtel , Reliance Jio are the leading telephone and cell phone service providers in the city. with Kolkata being the first city in India to have cell phone and 4G connectivity, the GSM and CDMA cellular coverage
2052-435: A steady economic decline in the decades following India's independence due to steep population increases and a rise in militant trade-unionism , which included frequent strikes that were backed by left-wing parties. From the 1960s to the late 1990s, several factories were closed and businesses relocated. The lack of capital and resources added to the depressed state of the city's economy and gave rise to an unwelcome sobriquet:
2166-406: A surge of investments in the real estate, infrastructure, retail, and hospitality sectors; several large shopping malls and hotels were launched. Companies such as ITC Limited , CESC Limited , Exide Industries , Emami , Eveready Industries India , Lux Industries , Rupa Company , Berger Paints , Birla Corporation , Britannia Industries and Purushottam Publishers are headquartered in
2280-633: Is 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft). Much of the city was originally a wetland that was reclaimed over the decades to accommodate a burgeoning population. The remaining undeveloped areas, known as the East Kolkata Wetlands , were designated a "wetland of international importance" by the Ramsar Convention (1975). As with most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain , the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata
2394-447: Is a major concern in Kolkata. As of 2008 , sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide annual concentration were within the national ambient air quality standards of India, but respirable suspended particulate matter levels were high, and on an increasing trend for five consecutive years, causing smog and haze. Severe air pollution in the city has caused a rise in pollution-related respiratory ailments, such as lung cancer. Kolkata, which
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#17327766464632508-548: Is also experiencing marked growth in its manufacturing base. In the 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election , Left Front was succeeded by the Trinamool Congress . Spread roughly meridionally along the east bank of the Hooghly River , Kolkata sits within the lower Ganges Delta of eastern India approximately 75 km (47 mi) west of the international border with Bangladesh; the city's elevation
2622-602: Is east of the town. To promote the recycling of garbage and sewer water, agriculture is encouraged on the dumping grounds. Parts of the city lack proper sewerage, leading to unsanitary methods of waste disposal. In 1856, the Bengal Government appointed George Turnbull to be the Commissioner of Drainage and Sewerage to improve the city's sewerage. Turnbull's main job was to be the Chief Engineer of
2736-692: Is extensive. As of 2010 , Kolkata has 7 percent of the total broadband internet consumers in India; BSNL, VSNL , Tata Indicom , Sify, Hathway , Airtel, and Jio are among the main vendors. The Eastern Command of the Indian Army is based in the city. Being one of India's major city and the largest city in eastern and north-eastern India, Kolkata hosts diplomatic missions of many countries such as Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, People's Republic of China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States . The U.S Consulate in Kolkata
2850-746: Is home to institutions of national importance, including the Academy of Fine Arts , the Asiatic Society , the Indian Museum and the National Library of India . The University of Calcutta , first modern university in south Asia and its affiliated colleges produced many leading figures of South Asia. It is the centre of the Indian Bengali film industry, which is known as Tollywood . Among scientific institutions, Kolkata hosts
2964-519: Is located over the "Bengal basin", a pericratonic tertiary basin. Bengal basin comprises three structural units: shelf or platform in the west; central hinge or shelf/slope break; and deep basinal part in the east and southeast. Kolkata is located atop the western part of the hinge zone which is about 25 km (16 mi) wide at a depth of about 45,000 m (148,000 ft) below the surface. The shelf and hinge zones have many faults, among them some are active. Total thickness of sediment below Kolkata
3078-520: Is nearly 7,500 m (24,600 ft) above the crystalline basement ; of these the top 350–450 m (1,150–1,480 ft) is Quaternary , followed by 4,500–5,500 m (14,760–18,040 ft) of Tertiary sediments, 500–700 m (1,640–2,300 ft) trap wash of Cretaceous trap and 600–800 m (1,970–2,620 ft) Permian - Carboniferous Gondwana rocks. The quaternary sediments consist of clay, silt and several grades of sand and gravel. These sediments are sandwiched between two clay beds:
3192-547: Is the US Department of State 's second-oldest Consulate and dates from 19 November 1792. The Diplomatic representation of more than 65 Countries and International Organization is present in Kolkata as Consulate office, honorary Consulate office, Cultural Centre, Deputy High Commission and Economic section and Trade Representation office. Public transport is provided by the Kolkata Suburban Railway ,
3306-575: Is the largest and second busiest suburban railway network in the country by number of stations and track length, and also one of the largest in the world. Kolkata has five long-distance inter-city railway stations, located at Howrah (the largest and busiest railway complex in India, as of 2024 ), Sealdah (2nd busiest in India, as of 2024 ), Kolkata , Shalimar and Santragachi Junction , which connect Kolkata by rail to most cities in West Bengal and to other major cities in India. The city serves as
3420-703: Is the area south of Park Street , which comprises thoroughfares such as Jawahar Lal Nehru Road , Abanindranath Thakur Sarani , Dr. Martin Luther King Sarani, Dr. Upendra Nath Brahmachari Sarani, Shakespeare Sarani and Acharay Jagadish Chandra Basu Road . South Kolkata developed after India gained independence in 1947; it includes upscale neighbourhoods such as Bhowanipore , Alipore , Ballygunge , Kasba , Dhakuria , Santoshpur , Garia , Golf Green , Tollygunge , New Alipore , Behala , Barisha etc. The south suburban areas like Maheshtala , Budge Budge , Rajpur Sonarpur , Baruipur etc. are also within
3534-457: Is the hottest month, with daily temperatures ranging from 27–37 °C (81–99 °F); January, the coldest month, has temperatures varying from 12–23 °C (54–73 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 43.9 °C (111.0 °F), and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F). The winter is mild and very comfortable weather pertains over the city throughout this season. Often, in April–June,
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3648-816: Is the oldest High Court in India. It was preceded by the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William which was established in 1774. The Calcutta High Court has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Kolkata has lower courts: the Court of Small Causes and the City Civil Court decide civil matters; the Sessions Court rules in criminal cases. The Kolkata Police , headed by
3762-488: Is the oldest underground mass transit system in India. The fully operational blue line spans the north–south length through the middle of the city. In 2020, part of the Second line was inaugurated to cover part of Salt Lake city , Kolkata metro area. This east–west green line connects two satellite cities of Kolkata namely Salt Lake and Howrah. Other operational lines are Purple line and Orange line. Kolkata Suburban Railway
3876-564: Is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), has an area of 206.08 km (80 sq mi). The east–west dimension of the city is comparatively narrow, stretching from the Hooghly River in the west to roughly the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in the east—a span of 9–10 km (5.6–6.2 mi). The north–south distance is greater, and its axis is used to section
3990-585: The British Empire , after London , and was the centre of bureaucracy, politics, law, education, science and the arts in India. The city was associated with many of the figures and movements of the Bengali Renaissance . It was the hotbed of the Indian nationalist movement . The partition of Bengal in 1947 affected the fortunes of the city. Following independence in 1947, Kolkata, which
4104-498: The East India Company . Working with Lord Cornwallis , governor-general of India, Law formulated a major policy known as the Permanent Settlement , which served as the basis for land tenure and taxation policy for natives during subsequent decades of British rule. He returned to England for his health in 1791, taking with him his three illegitimate sons borne of his Indian mistress. Three years later, Law emigrated to
4218-648: The East Indian Railway Company responsible for building the first railway 541 miles (871 km) from Howrah to Varanasi (then Benares ). Electricity is supplied by the privately operated Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation , or CESC, to the city proper; the West Bengal State Electricity Board supplies it in the suburbs. Fire services are handled by the West Bengal Fire Service ,
4332-1123: The Geological Survey of India , the Botanical Survey of India , the Calcutta Mathematical Society , the Indian Science Congress Association , the Zoological Survey of India , the Horticultural Society , the Institution of Engineers , the Anthropological Survey of India and the Indian Public Health Association . The Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port. Four Nobel laureates and two Nobel Memorial Prize winners are associated with
4446-660: The Japanese between 1942 and 1944, during World War II . Millions starved to death during the Bengal famine of 1943 (at the same time of the war) due to a combination of military, administrative, and natural factors. Demands for the creation of a Muslim state led in 1946 to an episode of communal violence that killed over 4,000. The partition of India led to further clashes and a demographic shift—many Muslims left for East Bengal (later East Pakistan , present day Bangladesh ), while hundreds of thousands of Hindus fled into
4560-553: The Kolkata Metro , trams , rickshaws , taxis and buses. The suburban rail network connects the city's distant suburbs. Kolkata Metro is the rapid transit system of Kolkat. According to a 2013 survey conducted by the International Association of Public Transport , in terms of a public transport system, Kolkata ranks top among the six Indian cities surveyed. The Kolkata Metro, in operation since 1984,
4674-559: The Kolkata metropolitan area , which is the city's urban agglomeration. The agency overseeing the latter, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority , is responsible for the statutory planning and development of greater Kolkata. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation was ranked first out of 21 cities for best governance and administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 4.0 on 10 compared to
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4788-572: The Left Front , which was dominated by the Communist Party of India (CPM). It was the world's longest-serving democratically elected communist government, during which Kolkata was a key base for Indian communism . The city's economic recovery gathered momentum after the 1990s, when India began to institute pro-market reforms . Since 2000, the information technology (IT) services sector has revitalised Kolkata's stagnant economy. The city
4902-590: The Victoria Memorial , Howrah Bridge and the Grand Hotel . The city's heritage includes India's only Chinatown and remnants of Jewish , Armenian, Greek and Anglo-Indian communities. The city is closely linked with Bhadralok culture and the Zamindars of Bengal , including Bengali Hindu , Bengali Muslim and tribal aristocrats. The city is often regarded as India's cultural capital. Kolkata
5016-461: The secondary sector (industrial and manufacturing); and 83.69% worked in the tertiary sector (service industries). As of 2003 , the majority of households in slums were engaged in occupations belonging to the informal sector; 36.5% were involved in servicing the urban middle class (as maids, drivers, etc.) and 22.2% were casual labourers . About 34% of the available labour force in Kolkata slums were unemployed. According to one estimate, almost
5130-538: The summer monsoon , sometimes interrupt transportation networks. Kolkata along its metropolitan area is home to the second largest road network in India. As of 2022 , total road network in the city's metropolitan area is 4,018 km (2,497 mi), while the city proper has road network of 1,850 km (1,150 mi). The city has witnessed a steady increase in the number of registered vehicles: from 17 lakhs in 2019 to 21 lakhs in 2022, an 18.52 per cent jump. With 2,448 vehicles per kilometre of road, Kolkata has
5244-410: The "dying city". The city's fortunes improved after the Indian economy was liberalised in the 1990s and changes in economic policy were enacted by the West Bengal state government. Recent estimates of the economy of Kolkata's metropolitan area have ranged from $ 150 to $ 250 billion ( PPP GDP), and have ranked it third-most productive metro area of India. Flexible production has been
5358-499: The 1850s, Calcutta had two areas: White Town, which was primarily British and centred on Chowringhee and Dalhousie Square ; and Black Town, mainly Indian and centred on North Calcutta. The city underwent rapid industrial growth starting in the early 1850s, especially in the textile and jute industries; this encouraged British companies to massively invest in infrastructure projects, which included telegraph connections and Howrah . The coalescence of British and Indian culture resulted in
5472-418: The 1947 partition of India , transforming its landscape and shaping its politics. The city was overtaken by Mumbai (formerly Bombay) as India's largest city. A demographically diverse city, the culture of Kolkata features idiosyncrasies that include distinctively close-knit neighbourhoods ( paras ) and freestyle conversations ( adda ). Kolkata's architecture includes many imperial landmarks, including
5586-453: The 1962 Sino-Indian War , and immigration to foreign countries for better economic opportunities. The Chinese community traditionally worked in the local tanning industry and ran Chinese restaurants. According to the 2011 census, 76.51% of the population is Hindu , 20.60% Muslim , 0.88% Christian and 0.47% Jain . The remainder of the population includes Sikhs , Buddhists , and other religions which accounts for 0.45% of
5700-621: The 2005 National Family Health Survey, around 14% of the households in Kolkata were poor, while 33% lived in slums, indicating a substantial proportion of households in slum areas were better off economically than the bottom quarter of urban households in terms of wealth status. Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding and working with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata—an organisation "whose primary task
5814-437: The 2011 national census, Kolkata district, which occupies an area of 185 km (71 sq mi), had a population of 4,486,679; its population density was 24,252/km (62,810/sq mi). This represents a decline of 1.88% during the decade 2001–11. The sex ratio is 899 females per 1000 males—lower than the national average. The ratio is depressed by the influx of working males from surrounding rural areas, from
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#17327766464635928-442: The 20th century. The Jewish population of Kolkata was 5,000 during World War II, but declined after Indian independence and the establishment of Israel; as of 2003 , there were 25 Jews in the city. India's sole Chinatown is in eastern Kolkata; once home to 20,000 ethnic Chinese, its population dropped to around 2,000, as of 2009 , as a result of multiple factors including repatriation and denial of Indian citizenship following
6042-631: The Bengali language name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the British; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur . There are several explanations for the etymology of this name: Although the city's name has always been pronounced Kolkata or Kôlikata in Bengali, the anglicised form Calcutta was the official name until 2001, when it was changed to Kolkata in order to match Bengali pronunciation. The discovery and archaeological study of Chandraketugarh , 35 km (22 mi) north of Kolkata, provide evidence that
6156-483: The British began to upgrade their fortifications in 1756. The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah , condemned the militarisation and tax evasion by the company. His warning went unheeded, and the Nawab attacked; his capture of Fort William led to the killings of several East India company officials in the Black Hole of Calcutta . A force of Company soldiers ( sepoys ) and British troops led by Robert Clive recaptured
6270-737: The Columbian Institute (which Congress chartered in 1818 and which closed in 1838, but whose collection later passed to the Smithsonian Institution ), and funded many arts endeavors. He invested more in the national capital through thirty years than did the federal government, which a later historian found both remarkable and depressing. In 1817 Law bought a plantation, known as the Retreat or Tusculum, in Prince George's County, Maryland , from which he could see
6384-595: The East Branch of the Potomac and the city. He was elected as president of the county agricultural society. While he did use it as a retreat, he also entertained large parties, reportedly including President Monroe and top-ranking officials. Privately, Law supported the abolition of slavery, as well as the colonization of free blacks outside the bounds of the United States. Law also manumitted Ann (Nancy) Dandridge Costin and her children in exchange for small sums of money. Law's wife Eliza Custis had inherited Nancy, who
6498-445: The Hooghly River. The Kolkata metropolitan area is spread over 1,886.67 km (728.45 sq mi) and comprises 4 municipal corporations (including Kolkata Municipal Corporation), 37 local municipalities and 24 panchayat samitis , as of 2011 . The urban agglomeration encompassed 72 cities and 527 towns and villages, as of 2006 . Suburban areas in the Kolkata metropolitan area incorporate parts of
6612-603: The Indian military, which is based in Fort William, played a pivotal role in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 and securing the surrender of Pakistan . During the mid-1980s, Mumbai (then called Bombay) overtook Kolkata as India's most populous city. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi dubbed Kolkata a "dying city" in light of its socio-political woes. In the period 1977–2011, West Bengal was governed from Kolkata by
6726-549: The KMC. The functions of the KMC include water supply, drainage and sewerage, sanitation, solid waste management, street lighting, and building regulation. Kolkata's administrative agencies have areas of jurisdiction that do not coincide. Listed in ascending order by area, they are: Kolkata district ; the Kolkata Police area and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area, or "Kolkata city"; and
6840-527: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation limits, in their own municipal corporations or authorities. Kolkata is the commercial and financial hub of East and Northeast India and home to the Calcutta Stock Exchange . It is a major commercial and military port, and is one of five cities in eastern India (alongside Bhubaneswar , Guwahati , Imphal , and Kushinagar ) to have an international airport. Once India's leading city, Kolkata experienced
6954-579: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation) can be broadly divided into two groups— bustees , in which slum dwellers have some long term tenancy agreement with the landowners; and udbastu colonies , settlements which had been leased to refugees from present-day Bangladesh by the government. The unauthorised slums (devoid of basic services provided by the municipality) are occupied by squatters who started living on encroached lands—mainly along canals, railway lines and roads. According to
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#17327766464637068-552: The Nawabs were abolished, and East India company took complete control of the city and the province. In the early 19th century, the marshes surrounding the city were drained; the government area was laid out along the banks of the Hooghly River. Richard Wellesley , Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William between 1797 and 1805, was largely responsible for the development of the city and its public architecture. Throughout
7182-401: The United States and soon settled in Washington, D.C., then undeveloped but designated as the national capitol. Law became a major real estate investor and developer, as well as a prominent civic leader in the developing new capital after the demise of his fortune. A widely read intellectual, he had grand visions for bringing Enlightenment ideas to bear in reshaping both colonial British India and
7296-416: The area was developed by the Company into Fort William . Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah occupied the fort in 1756 but was defeated at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, after his general Mir Jafar mutinied in support of the company, and was later made the Nawab for a brief time. Under company and later crown rule , Calcutta served as the de facto capital of India until 1911. Calcutta was the second largest city in
7410-481: The city into North, Central, South and East Kolkata. North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture and narrow alleyways, it includes areas such as Jorasanko , Rajabazar , Maniktala , Ultadanga , Shyambazar , Shobhabazar , Bagbazar , Cossipore , Sinthee etc. The north suburban areas like Dum Dum , Baranagar , Belgharia , Sodepur , Khardaha , New Barrackpore , Madhyamgram , Barrackpore , Barasat etc. are also within
7524-616: The city is struck by heavy rains or dusty squalls that are followed by thunderstorms or hailstorms, bringing cooling relief from the prevailing humidity. These thunderstorms are convective in nature, and are known locally as kal bôishakhi ( কালবৈশাখী ), or "Nor'westers" in English. Rains brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west summer monsoon lash Kolkata between June and September, supplying it with most of its annual rainfall of about 1,850 mm (73 in). The highest monthly rainfall total occurs in July and August. In these months often incessant rain for days brings life to
7638-466: The city of Kolkata (as a metropolitan structure). Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It contains B. B. D. Bagh , formerly known as Dalhousie Square, and the Esplanade on its east; Rajiv Gandhi Sarani is on its west. The West Bengal Secretariat , General Post Office , Reserve Bank of India , Calcutta High Court , Lalbazar Police Headquarters and several other government and private offices are located there. Another business hub
7752-416: The city of Kolkata (as a metropolitan structure). The Maidan is a large open field in the heart of the city that has been called the "lungs of Kolkata" and accommodates sporting events and public meetings. The Victoria Memorial and Kolkata Race Course are located at the southern end of the Maidan. Among the other parks are Central Park in Bidhannagar and Millennium Park on Rajiv Gandhi Sarani, along
7866-472: The city such as the Coal India , National Insurance Company , Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers , Tea Board of India , Geological Survey of India , Zoological Survey of India , Botanical Survey of India , Jute Corporation of India , National Test House, Hindustan Copper and the Ordnance Factories Board of the Indian Ministry of Defence . The demonym for residents of Kolkata are Calcuttan and Kolkatan . According to provisional results of
7980-409: The city the following year. Per the 1765 Treaty of Allahabad following the battle of Buxar , East India company was appointed imperial tax collector of the Mughal emperor in the province of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, while Mughal-appointed Nawabs continued to rule the province. Declared a presidency city , Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company by 1773. In 1793, ruling power of
8094-437: The city was concentrated around the White House and Capitol, the center of its political life, and the Greenleaf syndicate's failure would also deeply affect his finances, and cause litigation. Over time, Law assumed a prominent role in the city's social, political, and economic life, becoming known as an energetic, if somewhat eccentric, promoter of his adopted country. He published poetry, and moral philosophy. He helped found
8208-527: The city. During the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist – Maoist movement by groups known as the Naxalites damaged much of the city's infrastructure, resulting in economic stagnation. During East Pakistan's secessionist war of independence in 1971, the city was home to the government-in-exile of Bangladesh . During the war, refugees poured into West Bengal and strained Kolkata's infrastructure. The Eastern Command of
8322-449: The city. Philips India, PwC India , Tata Global Beverages , and Tata Steel have their registered office and zonal headquarters in Kolkata. Kolkata hosts the headquarters of two major banks: UCO Bank , and Bandhan Bank . Reserve Bank of India , State Bank of India have its eastern zonal office in Kolkata. India Government Mint, Kolkata is one of the four mints in India. Some of the oldest public sector companies are headquartered in
8436-540: The city. Though home to major cricketing venues and franchises, Kolkata stands out in India for being the country's centre of association football. Kolkata is known for its grand celebrations of the Hindu festival of Durga Puja , which is recognized by UNESCO for its importance to world heritage. Kolkata is also known as the 'City of Joy'. The word Kolkata ( Bengali : কলকাতা [kolˈkata] ) derives from Kôlikata (Bengali: কলিকাতা [ˈkɔliˌkata] ),
8550-626: The course of his career. Unlike many of his colleagues, however, Law was also something of an intellectual. As a policy-maker he helped devise the so-called " Permanent Settlement ", which transformed the basis of taxation and land tenure for the natives of India, while attempting to establish a secure revenue base for the company. It was so successful that the Board adopted it across the country. When Law returned to England in 1791 because of declining health, he had £50,000. (Accounts of this vary; other sources say £100,000 or higher.) He had placed bonds with
8664-419: The earliest Federal-style houses built in Washington, DC. It became a rental property after Law and his wife lived there and was used as a hotel by the 1860s. In the 1960s it became a community center for a related apartment development. Calcutta Kolkata , also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001 ), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal . It lies on
8778-557: The early American republic. He eventually brought his sons to the US. The eldest, George, died in 1796. John attended Harvard and Edmund attended Yale. In 1796 Law married 19 year old Elizabeth Parke Custis , the eldest granddaughter of Martha Custis Washington . Before their separation in 1804, they had one daughter, Eliza Custis Law, who married Nicholas Rogers of Baltimore. Thomas Law was born on October 23, 1756, in Cambridge, England , as
8892-449: The eastern bank of the Hooghly River , 80 km (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh . It is the primary financial and commercial centre of eastern and northeastern India . Kolkata is the seventh most populous city in India with an estimated city proper population of 4.5 million (0.45 crore) while its metropolitan region Kolkata Metropolitan Area is third most populous metropolitan region of India with
9006-454: The eldest granddaughter of Martha Washington and step-granddaughter of George Washington. The marriage occurred at Hope Park, the home of her stepfather Dr. David Stuart . Soon after their marriage, Law and Elizabeth moved temporarily into a new house built on 6th Street SW as part of development in that area. The Federal-style house became known as "Honeymoon House"; the Laws lived there from about March through August 1796. They next moved to
9120-577: The emergence of a new babu class of urbane Indians, whose members were often bureaucrats, professionals, newspaper readers, and Anglophiles; they usually belonged to upper-caste Hindu communities. In the 19th century, the Bengal Renaissance brought about an increased sociocultural sophistication among city denizens. In 1883, Calcutta was host to the first national conference of the Indian National Association , which
9234-598: The first theater in the nation's capital, a dancing society, and a learned society called the Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences . After the War of 1812, in which Washington had suffered burning by the British, Law led an effort to retain the national capital there. He directed construction of a temporary Capitol, so Congress would have a place to meet, and to thwart some who proposed moving
9348-559: The following districts: North 24 Parganas , South 24 Parganas , Howrah , Hooghly and Nadia . Two planned townships in the greater Kolkata region are Bidhannagar , also known as Salt Lake City and located north-east of the city; and Rajarhat , also called New Town and located east of Bidhannagar. In the 2000s, Sector 5 in Bidhannagar developed into a business hub for information technology and telecommunication companies. Both Bidhannagar and New Town are situated outside
9462-992: The headquarters of three railway zones out of eighteen of the Indian Railways regional divisions namely the Kolkata Metro, Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway . Kolkata has international rail connectivity with Dhaka , the capital of Bangladesh. Kolkata is the only Indian city with a tram network, which was operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company . It has now amalgamated to West Bengal Transport Corporation . There are three operational routes: Tollygunge to Ballygunge , Gariahat to Esplanade , Shyambazar to Esplanade . Trams are environment friendly but due to slow-moving and traffic congestion, tram attracts less passengers. Water-logging, caused by heavy rains during
9576-487: The highest car density in India. This leads major traffic congestion. The city's main bus terminals are located at Esplanade and Howrah . The Kolkata–Delhi and Kolkata– Chennai prongs of the Golden Quadrilateral , and National Highway 12 start from the outskirts of the city. As of 2024 , Kolkata has one state expressway and two national expressways , all in its metropolitan area. Kalyani Expressway
9690-414: The house they had built for them. Due to differences, Law and his wife separated in 1804, and they were divorced on 18 January 1811. The couple had one daughter who survived infancy, Elizabeth Law (19 January 1797 – 9 August 1822). She married Nicholas Lloyd Rogers (known as Lloyd N. Rogers) of Druid Hill, Baltimore on 5 April 1817. When Law and his wife, known as Eliza P. C. Law, separated, he made
9804-442: The late 18th and 19th century, the city was a centre of the East India Company's opium trade. A census in 1837 records the population of the city proper as 229,700, of which the British residents made up only 3,138. The same source says another 177,000 resided in the suburbs and neighbouring villages, making the entire population of greater Calcutta 406,700. In 1864, a typhoon struck the city and killed about 60,000 in Kolkata. By
9918-535: The lower one at a depth of 250–650 m (820–2,130 ft); the upper one 10–40 m (30–130 ft) in thickness. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards , on a scale ranging from I to V in order of increasing susceptibility to earthquakes, the city lies inside seismic zone III . Kolkata is subject to a tropical savanna climate that is designated Aw under the Köppen climate classification . According to
10032-596: The national average of 3.3. The Kolkata Port Trust, an agency of the central government, manages the city's river port. As of 2023 , the All India Trinamool Congress controls the KMC; the mayor is Firhad Hakim , while the deputy mayor is Atin Ghosh. The city has an apolitical titular post, that of the Sheriff of Kolkata , which presides over various city-related functions and conferences. As
10146-526: The national capital elsewhere. Law continued to invest in real estate holdings in the Southwest and Southeast parts of the city. His son John Law served with United States forces in the War of 1812; he had become a lawyer. John Law also served as a local legislator. Both sons became involved in business affairs with their father. John Law also went out to the Illinois Territory to work for
10260-672: The national capital in 1790. Law invested large portions of his fortune in buying land there and helping develop the new capital. There was much speculation in real estate. He invested in property with the Greenleaf Syndicate, which went bankrupt in 1797. Law continued to care for his sons and arranged for their education. Following a trip to England about 1802–1803, he returned to the United States with Edmund. John attended Harvard College (Class of 1804) and Edmund attended Yale College (Class of 1806). On March 20, 1796, Law married 19 year old Elizabeth Parke Custis (d. 1831),
10374-592: The national rate of 187.6; it was the lowest rate among India's largest cities. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation supplies the city with potable water that is sourced from the Hooghly River; most of it is treated and purified at the Palta pumping station located in North ;24 Parganas district. Roughly 95% of the 4,000 tonnes of refuse produced daily by the city is transported to the dumping grounds in Dhapa , which
10488-414: The norm in Kolkata, which has an informal sector that employs more than 40% of the labour force. One unorganised group, roadside hawkers , generated business worth ₹ 87.72 billion (equivalent to ₹ 300 billion or US$ 3.6 billion in 2023) in 2005. As of 2001 , around 0.81% of the city's workforce was employed in the primary sector (agriculture, forestry, mining, etc.); 15.49% worked in
10602-416: The population; 1.09% did not state a religion in the census. Kolkata reported 67.6% of Special and Local Laws crimes registered in 35 large Indian cities during 2004. Kolkata is administered by several government agencies. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation , or KMC, oversees and manages the civic infrastructure of the city's 16 boroughs, which together encompass 144 wards. Each ward elects
10716-467: The projected war with France. Law decided to leave England and go to the United States. In 1794, he emigrated to the United States, taking his eldest sons, George and John, with him He left his youngest son Edmund, then four, with an aunt for a few years until he got settled and the boy was older. Law first went to New York, where he met James Greenleaf who told him of speculative and development opportunities in Washington, DC, which had been designated as
10830-708: The region in which the city stands has been inhabited for over two millennia. Kolkata or Kalikata in its earliest mentions, is described to be a village surrounded with jungle on the bank of river Ganga as a renowned port, commercial hub and a hindu pilgrimage site for Kalighat Temple . The first mention of the Kalikata village was found in Bipradas Pipilai's Manasa Vijay (1495), where he describes how Chand Sadagar used to stop in Kalighat to worship Goddess Kali during his path to trade voyage. Later Kalikata
10944-575: The rest of West Bengal; these men commonly leave their families behind. Kolkata's literacy rate of 87.14% exceeds the national average of 74%. The final population totals of census 2011 stated the population of city as 4,496,694. The urban agglomeration had a population of 14,112,536 in 2011. As of 2003 , about one-third of the population, or 15 lakh (1.5 million) people, lived in 3,500 unregistered squatter-occupied and 2,011 registered slums . The authorised slums (with access to basic services like water, latrines, trash removal by
11058-476: The saleable property, and went bankrupt in 1797. Law was repeatedly on the verge of bankruptcy. Property values fell, for instance, after the 1814 invasion and destruction by the British during the War of 1812. In 1832, two years before his death, and having survived his ex-wife and both legitimate and all but one of his illegitimate children, Thomas Law executed a will, in which he bequeathed $ 5,000 (~$ 167,953 in 2023) each to his grandsons Thomas Law and Edmund Law,
11172-696: The seat of the Government of West Bengal , Kolkata is home to not only the offices of the local governing agencies, but also the West Bengal Legislative Assembly ; the state secretariat, which is housed in the Writers' Building; and the Calcutta High Court . Most government establishments and institutions are housed in the centre of the city in B. B. D. Bagh (formerly known as Dalhousie Square). The Calcutta High Court
11286-874: The settlement he made when they separated. By then, this property had appreciated substantially in value, making his estate one of the most valuable in DC. Only the Rogers children and Joseph E. Law survived to see their inheritance. By the time of his death in 1834, Law had earned the support and friendship of such important national figures as presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams (both of whom he outlived) and diverse figures as John C. Calhoun , Henry Clay , many ordinary citizens. However, he had outlived most of his family, as well as his fortune, and would be buried in an unmarked grave in Rock Creek Cemetery . One historian considers Law's life and career as
11400-507: The sons of the late John Law, Esq., his natural son, of Washington, DC. (Townsend said he bequeathed them $ 5,000 in Illinois lands to be available when they came of age.) James Adams was the executor of his will. He also bequeathed $ 1000 to Joseph Edmund Law, the illegitimate son of Edmund law with Mary Robinson and $ 1000 to Thomas Law, an illegitimate child the elder Thomas Law had later in life with his enslaved servant, Margaret Jones. By
11514-552: The suit seeking to have as parties Edmund and Thomas Law, and Edmund, Eliza, and Eleanor Rogers, and other heirs of Eliza P. Custis Law. The case went to the Circuit Court, which ruled that the Rogers children (grandchildren of Thomas Law) had a claim on the property he had identified as jointure in his 1804 settlement with Elizabeth P. C. Law, as did Lloyd N. Rogers for arrears of annuity and interest as administrator of Eliza P. C. Law's estate until her death. The court ordered
11628-506: The will to be executed and an auditor was assigned, reporting from 1848 to 1852. The trustee of the jointure and executor of the estate (Adams) appealed. The US Supreme Court finally decided the case in Adams v. Law (1854). Ruling only on the grandchildren's claim, the justices found that the Rogers grandchildren had no "take" on the property that was subject to jointure, which Law had assigned by trust to Elizabeth P. C. Law in her lifetime via
11742-549: The youngest son of a clerical British family. He was raised in the Anglican Church as his father was Edmund Law , Bishop of Carlisle ; his brothers were John Law , Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh in Ireland ; Ewan Law MP; Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough , Lord Chief Justice; and George Henry Law , Bishop of Bath and Wells . Thomas Law went to India in the service of the East India Company in 1773, as
11856-494: Was active in this period in supporting relocation of free blacks to the colony of Liberia (originally separate settlements were established by state colonization societies, including one in Maryland). Law had invested most of his fortune in property in Washington, DC, at a time of speculation as the capital was being moved to this new city. He bought some property from the Greenleaf Syndicate, which at one time owned one-third of
11970-630: Was also found to be mentioned in Mukundaram Chakrabarti 's Chandimangal (1594), Todar Mal's taxation-list in 1596 and Krishnaram Das's Kalikamangal (1676–77). Kalighat was then considered a safe place for businessmen. They used to carry on trade through the Bhagirathi and took shelter there at night. Kolkata's recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India Company , which
12084-493: Was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock is often regarded as the founder of the city; however, in response to a public petition, the Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a founder. The area occupied by the present-day city encompassed three villages: Kalikata , Gobindapur and Sutanuti . Kalikata was a fishing village, where a handful of merchants began their operations by building
12198-526: Was deeply impressed with him. On December 4, 1794, Greenleaf sold 500 city lots to Law for £50,000 (or $ 133,000). The price per lot was $ 297.60, a 372 percent increase over the $ 80 per lot which Greenleaf had paid just a year earlier. In 1816, former Congressman Richard Bland Lee and his wife Elizabeth (Collins) Lee purchased the house. During the Civil War, it was the Mt. Vernon Hotel. Starting around 1913, it
12312-482: Was once the premier centre of Indian commerce, culture, and politics, suffered many decades of political violence and economic stagnation before it rebounded. In the late 20th century, the city hosted the government-in-exile of Bangladesh during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. It was also flooded with Hindu refugees from East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) in the decades following
12426-505: Was survived by her husband and children, and both her parents, who at her death had been divorced for more than a decade. Following the end of his sole recognized marriage, Law had another relationship with a woman of color, Mary E. Robinson, who bore the only son who would survive Law, Joseph E. Law, who would become involved in the litigation involving his father's shrunken finances after the death of his ex-wife Eliza P.C. Law, as discussed below. Law built several buildings in DC, including
12540-619: Was the Washington Sanitarium's Mission Hospital. Dr. Henry G. Hadley operated a clinic in the house from 1923 to 1961. The National Park Service listed the Thomas Law House on the National Register of Historic Places on August 14, 1973. Thomas Law (1756%E2%80%931834) Thomas Law (October 23, 1756 – 1834), was a reformer of British policy in India, where he served as collector of revenue for
12654-411: Was the first avowed nationalist organisation in India. The partition of Bengal in 1905 along religious lines led to mass protests, making Calcutta a less hospitable place for the British. The capital was moved to New Delhi in 1911. Calcutta continued to be a centre for revolutionary organisations associated with the Indian independence movement . The city and its port were bombed several times by
12768-566: Was the son of Edmund Law , the Bishop of Carlisle . Among his brothers were: Thomas Law spent many years in India , where he made a fortune in trade. Law came to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 1794. He was one of Washington's wealthiest citizens and was active, although not successful, in business enterprises. He eventually lost his fortune. Law met Greenleaf in November or December 1794 and
12882-422: Was thought to be Martha Washington's half-sister, and who married a slave named Costin, then had four daughters before that relationship ended and she had another two children by a man named Holmes. Her son William Costin would become important as a free Black in the new federal city, and successfully challenge an early Black Code. Law also emancipated William's wife and children. The American Colonization Society
12996-850: Was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after". Languages spoken in Kolkata city (2011 census) Bengali , the official state language, is the dominant language in Kolkata. English is also used, particularly by the white-collar workforce. Hindi and Urdu are spoken by a sizeable minority. Bengali Hindus form the majority of Kolkata's population; Marwaris , Biharis and Urdu-speaking Muslims compose large minorities. Among Kolkata's smaller communities are Chinese , Tamils , Nepalis , Pathans/Afghans (locally known as Kabuliwala ) Odias , Telugus , Gujaratis , Anglo-Indians , Armenians , Bengali Muslims , Greeks , Tibetans , Maharashtrians , Konkanis , Malayalees , Punjabis and Parsis . The number of Armenians, Greeks, Jews and other foreign-origin groups declined during
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