West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in eastern India. It has the mighty Himalayas in its north and the Bay of Bengal in its south. The Himalayas provide hill-station getaways whereas the sea ensures beach getaways. Kolkata is the capital and most important city of the state. The local dialect is Bengali but hindi and English is widely spoken and understood. Places to visit in West Bengal include destinations like Darjeeling, Bolpur, Digha and Kolkata itself. Murshidabad and Bishnupur are historical places in West Bengal. Apart from Digha, West Bengal beach destinations include beach resorts like Mandarmani and Tajpur. Sunderbans is one place in West Bengal which adventurous people shouldn't miss.
-
An Outing to Chupi Char in Purbasthali
The tangerine hue of sunset paints the canvas both above and below the horizon. Gentle waves in the water sway the rickety boat. Silhouettes of odd poles, used for fishing and anchoring boats, jut out of the lake bed. I’m in Chupi Char, an ox bow lake formed by the water of river Ganga in Purbasthali village of Purba Bardhaman district in West Bengal. Where exactly is Chupi Char? By road Chupi Char is around 128 kilometres north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal in India. Purbasthali is the nearest railway station on the Bandel-Katwa line. Battery rickshaws, known as “totos” in this part of the world, take passengers…
-
A daytrip from Kolkata: Exploring Belpahari
“Dulung river is just by the temple, take that path,” says our driver as we trudge along a dirt road lined by old growth trees on both sides. We are on an impromptu daytrip to Belpahari, an area in the Jhargram district of West Bengal in India. The region is endowed with acres of forests, gentle hills, lakes, and waterfalls. Belpahari was the nerve-centre of Maoist guerrilla fighters for a long time. Lately peace has been restored. Ecologically, Belpahari is a part of Chotanagpur Plateau region. It is sparsely populated and agriculture is the mainstay here. Inhabitants here often face water crises. At one point, the people here, who are…
-
One of the best places to visit in Darjeeling — Shrubbery Nightingale Park
Have you ever heard about the Shrubbery Nightingale Park in Darjeeling? Alternative to Tiger Hill
-
Darjeeling Sightseeing, Food Trail And Shopping
Travel to Darjeeling- The Himalayan town of toy train, pastries and all things good!
-
Honeymoon in Darjeeling: The Flashpacking trip
“I don’t care if it is too cold to be romantic, I don’t care if it is too short for a trip to the mountains, I want nothing but the Himalayas as my honeymoon destination” I grudged on. No wonder I chose to honeymoon in Darjeeling. We got married in 22nd January 2017, a time when winter is at its peak in India. Many would consider going to the Himalayas suicidal and the least romantic honeymoon idea during this time of the year; but well, I wasn’t looking for a romantic honeymoon at all, in my mind it’s all about adventure. Our dates were pretty tight. The marriage party was…
-
Sonajhuri — Part 3: When I Had The Entire Place To Myself
The crowd which had gathered for the ‘Shanibarer Haat’ had completely vanished the next day, i.e, a Sunday. My last night in Sonajhuri was already a history and currently I was spending the ‘last day’. I always tend to suffer from incredible bouts of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). The previous night before falling asleep I had promised to myself that next day I would wake up early in the morning at 6AM and go for a long walk to the nearby village and meet the villagers. The medicines I took to cure my painful shingles definitely worked against my plan. At 8 AM I found myself sleepily shouting at…
-
Sonajhuri — Part 2 : The Musical ‘Bauls’ And The Weekly Fair
The train reached Bolpur station in West Bengal, India just in time for breakfast. Our Sonajhuri trip officially started. The weather was comfortably cold. The entire gang pounced on the first tea seller we came across. As for me — nothing wrong with tea — just that I feel irritated holding anything hot in my hand. Tea is generally served in minuscule cups in the roadside shacks of India. I am constantly weary the liquid may just spill over and burn my hands. Well then again, I am also one of those who feel scared of putting a switch on or off. In my mind I have gotten electrocuted a…
-
Sonajhuri — Part 1: The Shingles, The Plan and The Mad Drive To The Station
Generally people cringe and cry when they suffer from a painful disease, particularly diseases which may leave a scar. My case was different. Before consulting the doctor I had googled my symptoms and the Almighty Internet had made me believe I would die within a month. So, when I was diagnosed with the Herpes Zoster (Shingles) – a curable disease, it didn’t bother me much. I was extremely happy to know it wasn’t life threatening and I would be alive. Suddenly I was a minor ‘celebrity’ and each single member of my extended family either visited me multiple times or called on the phone to know my health condition. Though…
