The river Ganga flows by Kolkata, seperating the city from Howrah. To be very specific, it is actually the river Hooghly, the largest Indian distributary of Ganga that flows here, but is mostly referred to as Ganga.
"Kolkata has numerous ghats (= small jetteys for boats) along the Ganga. In olden days, when transportation by boat was very much popular and unavoidable, people resorted to using these ghats for embarking on vessels that took them even to North India! But time has changed, and other faster modes of conveyence have taken their place. But, the ghats and small boats still thrive on the banks of Ganga. They are mainly used for point to point crossings, for pleasure trips and also for fishing!" (Courtesy: http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/East/West_Bengal/Kolkata/photo130814.htm)
Kolkata served as the capital of India during the British Raj until 1911, when its perceived geographical disadvantages and a growing nationalism in Bengal led officials to shift the capital to New Delhi. The city is noted for its vibrant political culture. It was a center of the Indian struggle for independence and remains a hotbed of contemporary politics. Once the center of modern education, science, culture, and politics in India, Kolkata witnessed economic stagnation in the years following India's independence in 1947. However, since the year 2000, economic rejuvenation has led to an acceleration in the city's growth. Like other metropolitan cities in developing countries, Kolkata continues to deal with contemporary urban problems like pollution and traffic congestion. Despite such problems, it remains the dominant urban area of eastern India and the major economic, educational and cultural hub.
Source - Wikipedia
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