West Bengal Rabindranath Tagore. Kolkata is known as the "cultural capital of India". West Bengal is also known for its enthusiasm for the sport of association football, as well as cricket. The origin of the name Bengal ("Bangla" and "Bongo" in Bengali) is unknown. One theory suggests that the word derives from "Bang", a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000BCE. The Bengali word "Bongo" might have been derived from the ancient kingdom of "Vanga" (or "Banga"). Although some early Sanskrit literature mentions the name "Vanga", the region's early history is obscure. At the end of British rule over the Indian
Arts of West Bengal Pot of Dakshindari, Shiva Head of Nabadwip are very famous. Kantha Stitch is one of the most popular handicrafts of Santiniketan in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India. Dorka art is the most interesting and creative art of West Bengal. The Dokras are now dispersed over the western part of West Bengal in four districts namely Bankura, Purulia, Midnapore and Burdwan and are mainly concentrated in Bankura and partly in Purulia. The Dokra artistes of Bankura make various kinds of images and figurines of gods and goddesses, birds and animals, like Lakshmi, Lakshmi-Narayan, Shiva-Parvati flanked by Ganesh and Kartik,