Kolkata
Once known as 'Calcutta', the riverine city of Kolkata has earned many sobriquets, including 'The City of Palaces' and the 'City of Joy'. This city definitely shows enthusiasm, gives its denizens a reason to live. Offering an easy blend of past, present and future, Kolkata grew up on the banks of the River Hoogly in the great Gangetic Delta, from three sleepy villages - Sutanati, Gobindapur and Kolikata - known for their artisans, into the nerve centre of the British Empire. The Colonial Raj aroma is strong here, and you can't miss the English fragrance still floating in the air. Start your Kolkata itinerary under the humoungus Howrah Bridge, the venerable cantilevered miracle of the 19th century. Go for a memorable boat cruise and you will be overwhelmed to see the brilliantly lit Vidyasagar Setu (the largest cable-stayed bridge in the world) dazzling like a beautifully dressed bride.
The colonial heritage is strong here - you can't miss the iconic Victoria Memorial, built in 1921, its shape symbolic of the Kolkata skyline. Visit the three storeyed Raj Bhawan, once the residence of the Governer General (Latsaheb), now a silent sentinal of the pre-independence bygone glory. If you are interested in arts, drive to 'Jorasanko Thakurbari', the birthplace of eminent Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. One can see innumerable memorabilia of the Tagore family and Kolkata at that time together with the charm of fine arts at the Art Centre, nestling inside the mansion premises. Remember to make a day trip to the famnous Botanical Gardens at Shibpur, Howrah - the largest and the oldest in India, its pride resting on the shoots of the awesome 250 year old banyan tree.
Sunderbans
When in West Bengal for a holiday vacation, you just cannot miss the thrill of duping the Royal Bengal Tiger on the land while saving your soul from the vicious crocodiles in water at Sundarbans. The largest riverine estuary in the world, a protected wildlife reserve part of Project Tiger and a World Heritage Site under UNESCO, Sunderbans promises every tourist an eventful holiday experience. A site where you can have the pleasure of exploring distinctive flora and fauna. Nature apart, if you want to feel the essence of spirituality then this is the place to be. A place of Ma Bonobibi (the goddess of the forest) to Shiber Kumir (Lord Shiva's Crocodile) or from Dakshinaroy (an ogre, the ancestor of all tigers) to Kapil Muni (an incarnation of Vishnu), Sunderbans pulsates with many interesting yet frightening legends and myths of rural Bengal.
Ask your tour operator for a trip to the famous Bhagbatpur Crocodile Project, where you can see many species of crocodiles - with their mouth wide open and tears in eyes - bathing in the warmth of the tropical sun. Spend an afternoon at Mayadwip, the hatching grounds of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles. The tour through labyrinthine channels, trimmed by paddy plants is a memorable experience, before your steamer dives into world's largest delta, the conference room of Ganges and Bay of Bengal. And should someone offer you as pot of the jungle honey, accept it with alacrity. Though alternative arrangements for going to Sunderbans from Kolkata are possible, these are often tedious and time consuming. The best way for tourists is to go on a cruise conducted by the State tourism authorities. For more information, one can contact their office at 3/2 BBD Bagh, Kolkata.
Unleash Yourself on Beaches With A Fishy Flavour
A sea side extravaganza is synonymous with vacationing among Bengalis and it is said that they can't digest their lunch without a stroll beside the ebullient waves of Bengal. Within an easy day's journey, there are a bouquet of pristine beaches that enthrall every tourist to this queenland. Take a bus from Esplanade to visit Digha, nestling at 185 km from the state capital at Kolkata. With plenty of casurina trees, and the azure waters rushing to embrace the golden sands, both the land and the sea cast a picturesque spell on every traveller. Satiate your culinary thirst with a wide array of delicious sea food Bengali cuisine, that is as tasty to your tongue as to your memory. About 10 km from Digha is Shankarpur, where hordes of fiddler crabs advance to your feet and back into the breaking waves. If you happen to visit West Bengal in January, remember to visit Ganga Sagar, the confluence of the Holy Ganges and the fathomless Bay of Bengal. The whole area springs up to life during the Ganga Sagar Mela on Makar Sankranti, where thousands of devotees from all pockets of India hem in to celebrate the grand occassion.
Here Comes The Mother
Come Autumn, and you have to recharge all your senses. Smell the sweet fragrance of 'Shiuli', hear the euphony of 'dhaks', behold the divine deity of Ma Durga, taste the irresistible 'rosogulla' and feel the charm of a Bengali Pujo, during the most celebrated Durga Puja ceremony in West Bengal. It is a time when the whole state reverberates with the aura of festivities with a newer vision - new clothes, new places, new friends.. everything is eye-catching, everything that should ask for a holiday. Visit the famous Dakhineshwar Kali Bari that still harbours the memory of Sri Ramakrishna. The temple attracts numerous pilgrims from all corners of the state who come to share their gaiety with 'Ma'. And on the western bank of the Ganga, look for Belur Math, established by Swami Vivekananda. Its impressive facade resembles a church from one side, a mosque on another, a Hindu Temple on the third side, while the fourth is reminiscent of Buddhist stupas and 'Viharas' - a striking architectural exempler of universal cult of secularity. |
