India
West Bengal
Country
Continent
Asia
Best Cities to Visit
- Kolkata
- Siliguri
- Darjeeling
- Asansol
- Durgapur
Size
88,752 KM2
Population
91,347,736
Spending Budget
$150 - $300
Famous For
- Terracotta Temples
- Local Food
Best Time to Visit
- January
- February
- March
- October
- November
- December
History
The area's early history featured a succession of Indian empires, internal squabbling, and a tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance. Ancient Bengal was the site of several major Janapadas, while the earliest cities date back to the Vedic period. The region was part of several ancient pan−Indian empires, including the Vangas, Mauryans, and the Guptas. The citadel of Gauḍa served as the capital of the Gauḍa Kingdom, the Pala Empire, and the Sena Empire. Islam was introduced through trade with the Abbasid Caliphate, but following the Ghurid conquests led by Bakhtiyar Khalji and the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, the Muslim faith spread across the entire Bengal region. During the Bengal Sultanate, the territory was a major trading nation in the world, and was often referred to by the Europeans as the "richest country to trade with".
Present Day
West Bengal, or Paschim Banga, is a state in the eastern region of India along the Bay of Bengal. With over 91 million inhabitants, it is the fourth-most populous state and the fourteenth-largest state by area in India. Covering an area of 88,752 square kilometres, it is also the eighth-most populous country subdivision of the world. Part of the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, it borders Bangladesh in the east, and Nepal and Bhutan in the north. It also borders the Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim and Assam. The state capital is Kolkata, the third-largest metropolis, and seventh largest city by population in India. West Bengal includes the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region, the Ganges delta, the Rarh region and the coastal Sundarbans. The state's main ethnic group are the Bengalis, with the Bengali Hindus forming the demographic majority.
Future
Already a hub of activity, Bengal continues to develop. With an onslaught of infrastructural development, including but not limited to building industrial corridors and conversion of land into tea farming plots, the state has more eyes turning towards it. It’s average annual GSDP growth rate was about 12.62% between 2015-16 and 2020-21. The construction of a deep sea port is additive to Bengal’s growing economy.
Victoria Memorial
The Victoria Memorial is a large marble building in Kolkata, which was built between 1906 and 1921. It is dedicated to the memory of Empress Victoria, and is now a museum under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture. The memorial lies on the Maidan and is one of the famous monuments of Kolkata. The design is in the Indo-Saracenic revivalist style which uses a mixture of British and Mughal elements with Venetian, Egyptian, Deccani architectural influences. The building is 338 by 228 feet and rises to a height of 184 feet. It is constructed of white Makrana marble.
Mother House
The Missionaries of Charity’s Mother House is a holy place of pilgrimage and reverence for those who are searching for a more meaningful existence. It was established by the Blessed Mother Teresa in 1950 with the purpose of selfless service to mankind and to uplift the plagued humanity towards the path of salvation. After Mother Teresa left her mortal body in 1997, she was laid to rest in a tomb inside the house where she lived and served. Situated amidst noise and crowd, Mothers tomb is a true reflection of her life which contemplated the example of soulful and mindful meditation.
Kolkata
It is the primary business, commercial, and financial hub of Eastern India and the main port of communication for North-East India. Kolkata is known for its literary, artistic and revolutionary heritage; as the former capital of India, it was the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought. Kolkata has been called the "City of Furious, Creative Energy" as well as the "cultural [or literary] capital of India". Kolkata has many buildings adorned with Indo-Islamic and Indo-Saracenic architectural motifs. Several well-maintained major buildings from the colonial period have been declared "heritage structures".
Sundarbans National Park
The Sundarbans National Park is a national park, tiger reserve, and biosphere reserve in West Bengal, India. It is part of the Sundarbans on the Ganges Delta, and adjacent to the Sundarban Reserve Forest in Bangladesh. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger. It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile. The present Sundarban National Park was declared as the core area of Sundarban Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On 4 May 1984 it was declared a national park. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1987.
Darjeeling
It is located in the Lesser Himalayas at an elevation of 2,000 metres. It is noted for its tea industry, its views of the world's third-highest mountain Kangchenjunga, and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Presently, around 50,000 foreign and 500,000 domestic tourists visit Darjeeling each year, and its reputation as the "Queen of the Hills" remains unaltered. Many visit this place for food specialities like momos, steamed sticky rice, and other steamed foods famous in this region, as well as to see the natural beauty of the area.
Shantiniketan
Santiniketan is a neighbourhood of Bolpur city in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, and later expanded by his son Rabindranath Tagore whose vision became what is now a university town with the creation of Visva-Bharati. The town is known for its literary and artistic heritage.
Mayapur
The main attraction in Mayapur is the Temple of Vedic Planetarium built by ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) which is the world's largest temple. Previously known as Miyapur, it is a neighbourhood of Bamanpukur, West Bengal, India, situated adjacent to Nabadwip, at the confluence of two rivers, where the waters of the Jalangi River mix with Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges, called Ganga by the Hindus.
Dooars Region
The Dooars or Duars are the alluvial floodplains in eastern-northeastern India that lie south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas and north of the Brahmaputra River basin. The beauty of the region lies not only in its tea gardens but also in the dense jungles that make up the countryside. Many wildlife sanctuaries and national parks like Chilapata Forests, Singalila National Park, Neora Valley National Park and Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal are located in this region. A number of endangered animals live in the forests of the Dooars like Bengal tiger, Indian rhinoceros, etc.
Mandarmani Beach
Mandarmani is a seaside resort village in the state of West Bengal, India, and lies in East Midnapore district, at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the largest seaside resorts of West Bengal, fast-developing. The beach is the primary attraction offering tourists to enjoy the sea from early morning to late afternoon. From 3 PM onwards, people head out nearer resorts where beach bikes, ropeway etc. can be availed. There are also a string of local shops selling shells, handmade jewellery and handicrafts. A few locals also offer groups to take trips towards the mohana (Estuary) during sunset.
Purulia
Purulia is a city and a municipality in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Purulia district. It is located on the north of the Kangsabati River. It is home to the distinctive acrobatic masked Chhau dance, performed in honor of the sun god. The dance was inscribed in UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. An annual three-day Chau Jhumur Utsav festival featuring the dance takes place in late December in Balarampur.