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West Bengal - The land of Maach (fish) / The land of Rabindranath Tagore
West Bengal, an East Indian state, has many destinations with natural and architectural wonders to attract tourists from all over the world. With over 91 million inhabitants, India's fourth-most populous state is also the world�s seventh-most populous sub-national entity.
Sprawling over 88,750 sq km (34,267 sq miles), the state shares international borders with the countries of Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. It also borders Indian states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim and Assam. Two broad natural regions are also covered by the state including the Gangetic Plain in the south and the sub-Himalayan and Himalayan area in the north. West Bengal�s capital city Kolkata is also a very famous destination.
Sprawling over 88,750 sq km (34,267 sq miles), the state shares international borders with the countries of Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. It also borders Indian states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim and Assam. Two broad natural regions are also covered by the state including the Gangetic Plain in the south and the sub-Himalayan and Himalayan area in the north. West Bengal�s capital city Kolkata is also a very famous destination.
How to Reach
- Air: West Bengal has its international airport � Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport � at Kolkata, receiving flights from abroad. It has also a domestic airport at Bagdogra, near Siliguri, linking it with all the major cities of the country.
- Rail:The state has good rail connectivity with the other parts of the country, with key railway heads as Howrah and Sealdah, both of them serving the capital city of Kolkata. Its New Jalpaiguri Railway Station is close to Siliguri, apart from several other railheads connecting the key cities to almost all the parts of the country.
- Road:The well planned and extensive road network with a number of national and state highways traversing the state links it to the neighboring states of Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand, and also neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Best Time to Visit
- West Bengal witnesses summer from March to early-June, with hot and dry climate.
- Monsoon stays here from mid-June to September, with hot and wet climate.
- Winter comes in the state in October and remains till February, with dry and clear weather.
The period from October to March is the best time to visit West Bengal as during this period you can avoid the sweaty, humid and suffocating summers of Bengal. The splendid Durga Pooja celebration also emerges generally in October and Bengal enjoys it with full pomp and show.
Major Destinations and Attractions
Hill Stations
- Kolkata : The West Bengal capital, Kolkata developed to be the cultural capital of India, with a dramatic transformation occurred last week.
- Darjeeling : Popular for its lush tea gardens, Darjeeling is among India's top 10 hill stations, providing the tourists amazing view of Mount Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world.
- Sundarbans National Park : The Sunderbans, among the top five national parks in India, is a splendid tangle of mangrove forest, the only one of its kind in the world.
- Shantiniketan : The picturesque university town, known as Shantiniketan (Abode of Peace), was established by Noble Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore as a school in 1901, which later grown into the Visva Bharati University emphasizing humanity's relationship with nature.
- Jaldhapara Wildlife Sanctuary : Jaldhapara Wildlife Sanctuary possesses almost 40 rare one horned rhinoceros, and also an elephant safari.
Fairs and Festivals
- Gangasagar Mela (January)
- Kenduli Mela (January)
- The birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (January)
- Jalpesh Mela (February - March )
- Sivarathri (February-March)
- Vasanta Utsav (March)
- Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Jayanti (March)
- Naba Barsho (mid-April)
- Rabindra Jayanti (Celebration of the birthday of Rabindrnath Tagore)
- Rathayatra (June-July)
- Jhapan (mid-August)
- Bera Utsav (mid-September)
- Dussera (October)
- Durga Puja & Deepavali (October)
- Rash Mela (November)
- Jagaddhatri Puja (November)
- Teesta Tea & Tourism Festival (November - December)
- Poush Mela (end-December)
- Vishnupur Festival (December)
- Eid (Throughout West Bengal)
Flore and Fauna
According to Government records of 2009, the total forest area in West Bengal is 11,879 sq km (4,587 sq miles). That is 13.38% of the state's total geographical area, in comparison with the national average of 21.02%. Of the total forest area, reserves, protected and un-classed forests constitute 59.4%, 31.8% and 8.9% part. Situated in southern West Bengal, the Sundarbans is the part of the world's largest mangrove forest. Its major wildlife sanctuaries include Sundarbans National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Gorumara National Park, Neora Valley National Park and Singalila National Park.
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