Kolkata (formerly called Calcutta) is the present capital of the eastern state of West Bengal and one of the most densely populated cities in India. Kolkata became a British trading post in the last part of the 17th century. The city that once served as the showpiece capital of the British power in India is noted for its colonial buildings, including the grand Victoria Memorial.

History

The city’s former name, Calcutta, is an Anglicized version of the Bengali name Kalikata. According to some, Kalikata is derived from the Bengali word Kalikshetra, which means ground of (the goddess) Kali. Kolkata was the capital of the British Indian empire until 1911, when the capital was relocated to Delhi. Kolkata grew rapidly in the 19th century to become the second most important city of the British Indian Empire. This was accompanied by the development of a culture that fused Indian philosophies with Victorian traditions.

One of the most populous and biggest cities in India, Mumbai, earlier called Bombay, is in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city, popularly called the City of Dreams, is also known as the financial and entertainment capital of India. The name of the city, Mumbai, is derived from goddess Mumba Devi, worshiped by Kolis, who are the earliest inhabitants of the city.

History

In 1534, the Portuguese took possession of a group of seven islands, originally inhabited by Koli fishermen. They called it ‘Bom Bahia’, which means the good bay. The English arrived in the early 17th century. The Portuguese handed over the city to the English in 1661 as a part of the dowry to King Charles II when he married Catherine of Portugal. In 1687, it became the Indian headquarters of the East India Company. The city was under the control of British until India’s Independence in 1947. In 1995, Bombay was renamed as Mumbai.

Coimbatore, also known as Kovai, is one of the major metropolitan cities in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state. The city is known to be one of the largest exporters of jewellery, wet grinders, poultry and auto components. Coimbatore Wet Grinder and Kovai Cora cotton are recognized for having Geographical Indication tags by the Government of India, which give assurance on quality for the fact that their origins belong to the defined geographical locality.

History

The ancient city of Coimbatore is known as the birthplace of Chola rulers, a place where many cultural and traditional activities occurred every year. To offer good service to people, the rulers back then constructed a highway named Rajakesari Peruvazhi. During the medieval period, the Kongu region, which encompassed the present Coimbatore, was occupied by several dynasties. The rulers of the Chola Kingdom constructed beautiful temples using the Chola style of architecture. It is also important to note that the city which is steeped in history played a significant role in the Indian Independence movement.

Located along the southwest coastline of Kerala state, Kochi, also known as Cochin, is one of the most picturesque destinations in India. It is known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea as it has an all-weather harbour and a grand seascape. Though it is one of the leading commercial centers in south India, it is generally said to be a peaceful city. As the city is famous for supplying aromatic spices to global markets, this is the place to shop spices in India.

History

The Kingdom of Cochin dates to the 12th century. Chinese and Arabs were the first traders who came to Cochin. That paved the way for Portuguese and Dutch traders, and finally, led to the arrival of British in this region. This city, with several scenic spots, has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in India for several decades. Cochin remained as an important spice trading centre on the west coast of India for a long time, starting from the 14th century. And it maintained trade networks with Arab merchants since the pre-Islamic era. In 1505, the Portuguese established trading ports in Cochin.

Gurugram and Noida are both part of the National Capital Region (NCR), which is a planning region centred around the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi in India. NCR encompasses Delhi and several districts surrounding it from the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

History

Both Gurugram and Noida are relatively new cities. NCR was created in 1985 to plan the development of the region and to bring about harmonized policies for the control of land-uses and development of infrastructure in the region. A few major cities that come under NCR are Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Noida.

Mysore, officially known as Mysuru, is a city in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about 150 kilometers from Bengaluru. The historical place served as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore for several centuries.

History

The Wodeyar dynasty contributed greatly to the legacy of Mysore. The place reached its zenith of military prowess in the latter half of the 18th century under Haider Ali, and his son Tipu Sultan, one of the biggest foes of the British Empire. After his death, the kingdom was brought under the control of the British. In 1831, the city of Mysore lost its status as the administrative centre when the capital was moved to Bangalore.

Also known as Mangalore, it is a major port city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located around 352 kilometers from the state capital Bengaluru. During the ancient times, the city developed as a port in the Arabian Sea. Since then, it has been a major port of India, and handles 75 percent of India’s coffee and cashew exports. Mangaluru is also the country’s seventh largest container port.

History

A place that has always been a strategic port, Mangalore was once ruled by several major powers, including the Kadambas, Alupas, Vijayanagar Empire, Keladi Nayaks and the Portuguese. Mangalore witnessed a major power struggle between the British and the Kingdom of Mysore rulers Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Eventually, in 1799, it was annexed by the British. And Mangalore remained a part of the Madras Presidency until India’s independence in 1947. Later, it was unified with the Mysore State, which is now called Karnataka.

Bhubaneswar, the capital city of the Indian state of Odisha, is known for its economic, educational and cultural significance to the east of India. Over the years, the city has become a hub for education and business. The Daya river and Kuakhai river flow on the south and east of the city, respectively. And the city lies southwest of the Mahanadi river. The Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nandankanan Zoological Park are among many tourist places in the city.

History

While the modern city of Bhubaneswar was established in 1948, its history goes back to the seventh century BCE. The name of the city is derived from Tribhubaneswara or Bhubaneswara, which means the Lord of the Earth. The modern city of Bhubaneswar, with wide roads, gardens and parks, was designed by a German architect named Otto Königsberger.

Indore holds the distinction of being the cleanest city in India, topping the cleanest cities in India ranking several times. It is the biggest and the most populous city in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as an educational hub in central India with prestigious institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Management having their campuses in the city.  Indore is located at the southern edge of Malwa Plateau, and the city has the highest elevation among major cities in central India.

History

Indore was earlier known as Holkar State, which belonged to the Maratha Holkar dynasty. Later, it became a princely state under the British Raj. After India’s Independence in 1947, Indore was named the summer capital of Madhya Bharat, a newly formed state then. However, Madhya Bharat was renamed as Madhya Pradesh in 1956 and Bhopal was named the state capital. Today, Indore is known as the business capital of the Madhya Pradesh with several multinational companies having offices in the city.