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Top 5 Must See Tourist Places in West Bengal, India

Updated on August 18, 2013

West Bengal, india

With picturesque hill stations like Darjeeling and Kalimpong, imposing Himalayan slopes with sprawling tea gardens, rich forest lands like Sunderbans, thick woods with extraordinary species like wild elephants and one-horn-rhinos, alluring beaches, the enchanting Victoria Memorial, the incredible Howrah Bridge, several rare historical monuments as well as notable religious sites, the world renowned Santiniketan - West Bengal is indisputably a tourist’s paradise. West Bengal share its borders with Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, Assam, Nepal, and Bhutan.

The magnificent Howrah Bridge, an engineering marvel, Kolkata
The magnificent Howrah Bridge, an engineering marvel, Kolkata

Places to see in Kolkata

Kolkata

Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal is widely known as the City of Joy and true to its name, it is full of life and zest and bustles with activity throughout the year. The first cantilever suspension bridge of its type, the Howrah Bridge is an extraordinary feat in modern engineering. Constructed in 1874 over the river Hooghly, this landmark bridge joins the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata. Howrah is one of three bridges on the river Hooghly and it is the most famous symbol of not only Calcutta or West Bengal but the entire India.

Victoria Memorial is a fascinating piece of architecture with Italian style of statue designs and Mughal styled domes – a curious blend of differing cultures. The structure is built with special white Makrana marbles and the dome of the building is made of bronze. The memorial eventually got converted to a museum. The museum features some of the classical Western and Indian paintings, ancient lithographs, Mughal miniatures, rare manuscripts, coins, sculpture and several other valuable collections. Eden garden in the heart of Kolkata is one of the foremost tourist attractions. Eden garden is basically a cricket stadium, where people have witnessed several historic international cricket matches. The stadium is very commodious and can seat about 1, 20,000 persons.

Boat Trip from Dakshineshwar to Belur Math

Dakshineswar and Belur Math

The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a famous temple located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River. The site comprises of the nine-spired main temple with rooms along the boundary walls, built in the traditional 'Navaratna' style of Bengal architecture. The entire temple reverberates with spiritual vibrations – particularly during special pooja times. This temple gained special prominence after the spiritual giant Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa chose this as his abode. In 1897 Swami Vivekananda founded Ramakrishna Mission in memory of his Master Ramakrishna Paramhamsa. The architecture of Belur Math combines the features of a church, a temple and a mosque - to promote the spirit of religious unity. Its sprawling prayer hall with a statue of Ramakrishna provides an overwhelming sight. The Belur math is a serene place ideally suited for spiritual seekers and those embarking on an inward journey.

24 hours in Darjeeling

Darjeeling

Darjeeling is described as the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once, would crave to visit again and again. If you are a great lover of nature and wish to experience the sheer majesty of pristine mountains, make sure you visit the hill station of Darjeeling, perched 7,000 feet above sea level. The flora in Darjeeling includes about a large species of Rhododendrons, magnolia flowers in white, pink and magenta and orchids in all shades. One of the grand sights in Darjeeling is the Tiger Hill situated at an altitude of 8482 ft. From here you can get a magnificent view of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain peak. Make it a point to undertake short trips to Mirik, the land of oranges, and Kalimpong, renowned for its orchids and curio shops. Kalimpong can offer tourists a quiet and relaxed holiday, against the pleasant backdrop of the Kanchenjunga.

Shantiniketan

Shantiniketan

Yet another not-to-be-missed tourist places in West Bengal is Shantiniketan, the famous university town in West Bengal, founded by Rabindranath Tagore. Visitors to Shantiniketan lose themselves in the natural charm of the campus and reluctantly leave the site with a heavy heart. Tagore lived in the Uttarayan Complex which is comprised of several buildings - Udayan, Konark, Shyamali, Punascha Udichi. The other notable building is Rabindra Bhavan that houses a research institute and a museum.

Sunderbans

Sunderbans

No visit to West Bengal can be deemed complete without a visit to Sunderbans, the famous abode of Bengal tigers. Sunderbans consists of abundant flora population, unusually tall Goran trees and bayonet-like roots of mangrove forests. Sunderbans is home to jungle cats, fishing cats, axis deer, wild boar, rhesus monkeys, mongooses and giant crocodiles. Sunderbans is also the breeding ground of immense variety of birds like Heron, Egret, Cormorant, Fishing Eagle, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Seagul, Tern and Kingfisher.

Visit West Bengal

To sum up, West Bengal is a land of enormous natural splendor, time-honored heritage and man-made architecture. Extending from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south, West Bengal is one of the priority destinations in the itinerary of tourists visiting India. An important commercial hub and a popular tourist destination as well, West Bengal receives a tremendous influx of tourists all through the year.

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