West Bengal
Located on the Eastern part of India, West Bengal is one spectacular region
adorned by natural beauty,exquisite lyrical poetry and enthusiastic people.
Surrounded by other states like Sikkim, Assam, Orissa and Bihar, West Bengal
forms a world best destination to be explored. Explore Victoria Memorial, Birla
Planetarium ,Kali Temple and Ravindra Gallery, the fascinating tourist spots of
West Bengal and make your travel an incredible experience. The people of West
Bengal inherit their identity and aspiration from the larger Indian mosaic and
from civilizations beyond the shore.Unfurl the West Bengal, one of the
spectacular State that lies in the northern part of India. Travel to West
Bengal, a land of natural beauty, exquisite lyrical poetry and enthusiastic
people.
West Bengal is a land of natural beauty, exquisite lyrical poetry and
enthusiastic people. Situated in the east of India, West Bengal is stretches
from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the South. This state
shares international boundaries with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Hence it is a
strategically important place. The state is interlocked by the other states like
Sikkim, Assam, Orissa and Bihar. Hooghly and its tributaries - Mayurakshi,
Damodar, Kangsabati and the Rupnarayan, enrich the soils of Bengal. The northern
districts of Bengal like Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Bihar (in the
Himalayas ranges) are watered by the rivers Tista, Torsa, Jaldhaka and Ranjit.
From the northern places (feet of Himalayas) to the tropical forests of
Sunderbans, West Bengal is a land of incessant beauty.
Getting There :
-
By Air: Calcutta is well-connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and other major cities in the country. Many International airlines also operate from Calcutta's busy international airport.
-
By Road: National Highways such as the Grand Trunk Road converge at Calcutta. Although these routes are mostly used by goods vehicles, a night-time "rocket" bus service run by the State Transport Corporation is an alternative way of travelling to North Bengal from Calcutta.
-
By Rail: Long distance trains leave for different destinations across the country everyday from Calcutta's two major stations Howrah and Sealdah. The City also has a sub-urban network which extends to the surrounding districts from the capital city.
Fast Facts :
-
Area: 88,752 sq km
-
Population: 80.2 million
-
Capital: Kolkata (formerly Calcutta)
-
Languages Spoken: Bengali
-
Best Time to Visit: October to March
-
Major Cities: Calcutta , Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Malda, Mirik , Murshidabad ,Siliguri , Vishnupur
Tourist Attractions :
Santiniketan :
Shantiniketan,
Tagore's university township, is a must on any itinerary that plots Bengal as a
stopover. Just two and a half hours away by rail from Calcutta, this town in the
Birbhum district is rich in culture and art. At Tagore's residence in the
Uttarayan complex, you could visit the museum and his various homes. From
Shantiniketan, you could also take a sojourn to Bakreswar, where ancient Kali
and Shiva temples rise into the azure sky. The hot springs are famous for curing
many chronic diseases.
Malda :
Malda is the base
for visiting the ruined cities of Gaur and Pandua, although it's probably more
famous now for its large Fajli mangoes. One reader wrote: 'You could probably
kill yourself through overeating mangoes in this place! Gaur is delightful, one
of the nicest places we visited in India, incredibly peaceful and beautiful'.
Malda's not very interesting, but it has a small museum.
Mirik :
Mirik is a small
hill resort which has come into prominence during the 1980's. The small town is
built around a 1.25 km long lake known as Lake Samendu. The pristine lake is
surrounded by high forested hills and tea gardens. Boating in the lake is a
fascinating activity for the tourists. Mirik is also famous for its tea estates,
orange orchards and cardamom plantations.
Sundarban Tiger
Reserve :
A wildlife tour in India would take you to the Sunderbans, which
is the most popular tiger habitat in India. These forests are spread in an area
of 1,000,000 hectares, is the world's largest delta, formed by the Ganges,
Brahmaputra and Meghana rivers. The vast swampy delta extends over areas
comprising of mangrove forests, swamps and Forest Island, all interwoven in a
network of small rivers and streams. The Sundarban National Park, home of the
Royal Bengal Tiger and the largest mangrove forest in the world, form the core
of this area.
Darjeeling :
Darjeeling,
centre of India's most celebrated tea growing district, has possibly the most
picturesque views among all Indian hill resorts. Outside the monsoon season
(June to September), the views across the snowy peak of Kanchenjunga and other
mountains down to the swollen rivers in the valley are, simply magnificent.
