West Bengal, situated at the eastern part of India, is a land of superb beauty and charm. It’s one of the most important states of India and one that is replete with rich heritage, wildlife, culture, festivals bustling streets and a thriving lifestyle. Among all the Indian states, West Bengal holds a prime position with regard to the cultural and ethnic diversity.
Right from the mighty Himalayas in the north to the sea-kissed beaches in the south, West Bengal is the only Indian state to be blessed by both the Himalayas and the seas. It’s an unforgettable experience to visit West Bengal. There are also some virgin Himalayan and mangrove forests in the state. In fact, the Sunderbans, lying in the southern part of the state, is the largest mangrove forest of the world.
Kolkata, earlier known as Calcutta, is the capital of this Indian state. It’s the home to several Nobel laureates like Ronald Ross, CV Raman, Mother Teresa, Amartya Sen and Rabindranath Tagore. The city also boasts of being the home to various important personalities of the world like Subhas Chandra Bose (popularly known as Netaji, a freedom fighter), Satyajit Ray (a renowned filmmaker) and many others. Among all the major cities in the states of India, Kolkata is considered to be the nerve centre of art and culture. Tourist attractions comprise of French, Dutch, Portuguese and English styled buildings and monuments. Other important places to visit in Kolkata includes Vidyasagar Setu, Eden Gardens, Raj Bhawan, High Court, tajpur resorts Birla Mandir, Science City, Marble Palace, Howrah Bridge, Academy of Fine Arts, Ochterlony Monument, Nirmal Hridaya (Mother Teresa’s home) and Fort William.
Shantiniketan, the town where Rabindranath Tagore set up his Visva-Bharati University is a few hours drive from Kolkata. Besides, the town is also a place to visit as a tourist. The town is blessed with abundant natural beauty among the states of India. One can visit the hill towns of Kalimpong and Darjeeling that has some lush green tea gardens as also blessed with the majestic Himalayas. The Himalayas in West Bengal are frequented by tourists from all over the world. The Bay of Bengal in the south is also visited by tourists. The coastline is dotted with many beautiful beaches like Digha, Shankarpur, Mandarmani, Tajpur and others.
The description of West Bengal, one of the most important states of India, wouldn’t be complete with the festivals of the land. Durga Puja is the most important festival of the state. It’s held over four days usually during September-October. This apart, many other important festivals are held at various times during the year. They are attended by people from all over the country and from abroad as well.