West Bengal is a land of natural beauty, exquisite lyrical poetry and
enthusiastic people. Situated in the east of India, West Bengal is stretches
from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the South. This state
shares international boundaries with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
Hence it is a strategically important place. The state is interlocked by the
other states like Sikkim, Assam, Orissa and Bihar. Hooghly and its tributaries
- Mayurakshi, Damodar, Kangsabati and the Rupnarayan, enrich the soils of Bengal.
The northern districts of Bengal like Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Bihar
(in the Himalayas ranges) are watered by the rivers Tista, Torsa, Jaldhaka and
Ranjit. From the northern places (feet of Himalayas) to the tropical forests
of Sunderbans, West Bengal is a land of incessant beauty.
Calcutta, three hundred years old, traces its history to the landing of Robert
Clive on the banks of the Hooghly beside three villages. It was from here the
monumental British Raj was launched in India. The capital of West Bengal, Calcutta
is the major entry point.
If
Delhi is the elegant capital of the nation, and Bombay its major industrial
city, then Calcutta ranks as the intellectual capital. Poets, thinkers and film
directors of international renown hail from this city where avant garde plays
and art exhibitions go on show practically every day of the year.
Calcutta was the first headquarters of the East India Company, and some of its
best known monuments were built by this British trading house. However, the
city has, within its 300 years’ history, hosted other communities both
from other parts of India as well as abroad – Chinese, Armenians, Jews
– all of whom have left their imprint in pockets of Calcutta.
Sightseeing in this fascinating city includes Raj Bhawan, the residence of the
Governor of Bengal; Victoria Memorial, the city’s landmark; Botanical Gardens,
which are notable for the oldest banyan tree, and orchid house; Armenian Church;
Marble Palace, one family’s collection of memorabilia; and the Birla Planetarium.
Darjeeling, the state’s most popular hill resort, is a slice of England
2,134 metres above sea level. Surrounded by tea gardens growing the prized leaf
known as Darjeeling, the little town faces some of the Himalaya’s highest
peaks. Darjeeling is an abrupt variation from the lowlands of West Bengal. Buddhism,
being a major faith here, Darjeeling and the nearby town of Kalimpong have,
between them, several Buddhist monasteries, chiefly of the Yellow Hat sect.
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