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State in eastern India
Photo: Shubhankar.sengupta19, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
West Bengal (WB, Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchimbongo), a state in Eastern India, presents some of the marvellous landscape features and natural scenic beauty, from the picturesque hills of Darjeeling to the mangrove rainforest of the Sundarbans. Here, you can also find man-made structures with varying tastes, from the terracotta temples of Bishnupur to the colonial structures of Kolkata.
The northern part of West Bengal with its mountains, a wide range of animals and forests, and the presence of Gorkha, Rajbanshi and tribal cultures.
The transition zone between North Bengal and South Bengal.
Economic, administrative and cultural hub, stepped into history with diverse architectures, biodiversity, and once-thriving industry.
Less-developed region; home to beaches, forests, folk culture, and other hidden gems.
The backcountry with mixed terrains; fertile soil to the east and undulating red soil to the west. Home to temple towns, Baul music, mining and the thriving steel industry.
By plane
Travellers from abroad might certainly come in via Kolkata. Besides, a few major cities have domestic airports.
By train
Railways link it with other states from all sides. Howrah/Kolkata is the state's main rail hub with three secondary hubs: Asansol, Kharagpur and Siliguri.
By bus
Government-owned companies like NBSTC (North Bengal State Transport Corporation), SBSTC (South Bengal State Transport Corporation) and WBTC (West Bengal Transport Corporation) operate buses to and…
By car
Kolkata is one of the vertices of the Golden Quadrilateral project, a network of highways that connect the major cities of India.
By boat
Major ports are Kolkata and Haldia, and there are some smaller ports.
By train
West Bengal has an extensive railway network and is part of the four zones of the Indian Railways:
By rickshaw
Rickshaws are the most common mode of transport in West Bengal, especially for short and medium distances.
By car
There are highways and expressways connecting the cities and other adjacent states. There is almost no traffic except during the festival season, and even then traffic is reasonably light.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Kolkata · International · CCU
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Kolkata (Bengali: কলকাতা Kolkātā, Hindi: कोलकाता Kolkātā), formerly and still fondly called Calcutta, is the largest city in eastern India and the capital of the state of West Bengal. Once the capital of the British Raj till 1911, Kolkata is said to have been built on three villages along the Hooghly River, a distributary of the mighty Ganges.
Bardhaman (বর্ধমান Bardhamān) or Barddhaman (বর্দ্ধমান Barddhamān), also known as Burdwan, is the headquarters of the namesake Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal. It is the largest agricultural centre in the state, located in what has been traditionally called the "granary of Bengal".
Chandannagar (Bengali: চন্দননগর Chondonnogor, French: Chandernagor), formerly Chandernagore, is a small city in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. Situated along the banks of the river Hooghly, the city has been able to maintain a separate identity different from all other cities and abide by her own characteristics.
Darjeeling (Nepali: दार्जिलिङ Dārjiling, Bengali: দার্জিলিং Dārjiling) is a hill station in the northern region of West Bengal. It used to be a lovely Victorian town built among the Himalayan foothills, the remnants of which are still visible around the Chowrasta.
Durgapur (Bengali: দুর্গাপুর Durgāpur) is an industrial city in the Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. Being an industrial hub, there is little here of interest to tourists.
Howrah (হাওড়া Hāōṛā) is the twin city of Kolkata and an important industrial and transport hub of southern West Bengal.
Murshidabad (Bengali: মুর্শিদাবাদ Murshidābād) is a historic town in central West Bengal. It was the capital of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha during the Nawab rule.
Santiniketan or Shantiniketan (Bengali: শান্তিনিকেতন Shāntiniketon) is a university town in central West Bengal, where students of different backgrounds study in open air, under the canopy of a tree. It is deeply associated with the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore who developed the town.
Siliguri (Bengali: শিলিগুড়ি Shiliguṛi, Hindi: सिलीगुड़ी Silīguṛī), the largest city in northern West Bengal, is a liberal and cosmopolitan city that is known for its vibrant music scene and strong youth culture. On the banks of the Mahananda River and the Teesta River at the foothills of the Darjeeling Hills, Siliguri is the third-largest urban agglomeration in West Bengal.
The Ajodhya Hills (অযোধ্যা পাহাড় Ojōdhyā Pāhāṛ) are some of the most famous hills in southern West Bengal, in the state's western fringes. The hills offer scenic viewpoints, forests and waterfalls like Bamni Falls.
Buxa Tiger Reserve (বক্সা Boksā), also known as Buxa National Park, is a forested area in the Dooars of West Bengal. It is a habitat for tigers, Asian elephants and other mammals plus a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles.
Gorumara National Park (গরুমারা Gorumārā) is a national park in the Dooars of West Bengal.
former capitals of Bengal under the Sultans
Jaldapara National Park (জলদাপাড়া Joldāpāṛā) is a national park in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal, India.
Sagar Island, or simply Sagar (Bengali: সাগর Sāgar), is an island in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India. Sagar Island is a religious spot for Hindu pilgrims.
a popular trekking destination with Mt Sandakphu, the tallest peak of West Bengal
The Sundarbans National Park (SNP; Bengali: সুন্দরবন Sundorbon) is a huge littoral mangrove forest in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous as a sanctuary of the Royal Bengal Tiger.
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