India >WEST BENGAL

WEST BENGAL

Capital : Kolkata.

Area : 88, 752 sq.km.

Literacy : 69.6%.

Languages : Bengali, Hindi.

Roads : 77, 579 km.

Railways : 3, 768 km.

Airports : Bagdogra, Kolkata, Cooch-Behar, Malda, Balurghat.

When to visit : Oct to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 40 to 24 Winter 26 to 7.

Monsoon : June to Sept

Districts : 19, Bankura, Bardhaman Birbhum, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, East Midanapore, Hooghly, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Kolkatta, Maldah, Murshidabad, Nadia, North Twenty four Parganas, North Dinajpur, Puruliya, South Twenty four Parganas, South Dinajpur, West Midanapore.

Places of Tourist importance : Kolkata, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Shantiniketan, Sunderbans national park, beaches - Digha, Shankarpur, Junput, Sagardwip, Bakkhali.

KOLKATA (CALCUTTA)

Haora bridge : busiest hanging bridge (457 m length and 8 m wide with 8 line traffic), Vidya sagar setu (1993, second hanging bridge across Hooglie), botanical gardens with 2000 year old giant Banyan tree (19 km), Alipore zoological gardens, National library, Indian museum, Birla industrial and technological museum, Shahid minar, Kalighat temple, Victoria memorial, Birla planetarium, St. Paul's cathedral, Raj Bhavan, Writer's building, trams, double deckker bus, Marble palace at Chor Bagan, Parasnath Jain temple, Nakhoda mosque, Metro underground railway (16.5 km from Dumdum to Tollygunje), Belur (15 km, Ramakrishna mission headquarters), Dakshineshwar Kali temple (11 km), Tarakeshwar temple (80 km).

SUNDERBANS

Wild life sanctuary, a world heritage centre (Dec to May), the biggest delta in the world. Diamond harbour : River side picnic spot.

SHANTINIKETAN

Tagore's Viswa Bharathi University (215 km). TARAPITH temple (80 km from Shantiniketan).

DARJEELING (666 km from KOLKATA)

Shiliguri : 90 km toy train route to Darjeeling, a world heritage route, major hill resort, New Jaipalguri (86 km, 7.5 hour) connects Darjeeling by narrow gauge. Trekking (April-May, Oct-Nov), gardens, museums, temples, handicrafts, fishing, Himalayan training institute, zoological park and museum, Lloyd botanical park, Rangeet valley rope way (5 km), Observatory hills, Ghoom Buddhist monastery (6 km), Senchal (11 km) : View of Everest and Mt. Kanchenjunga from Tiger hill, picnic spot.

KALINGPANG - Hill station, tea plantation, handicrafts, Buddhist monastery.

SANDAKPHU - Excellent views of Himalaya, trekking.

JALDHAPARA - Wild life sanctuary (Dec to May).

FESTIVALS - Durga puja (Sept/Oct), Diwali (Oct/Nov), Baisakhi (April/May).

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