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City in West Bengal, India
Photo: Kingshuk Mondal, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cooch Behar (কোচবিহার Kōchbihār), a small city in northern West Bengal in India, is known for its rich cultural heritage and the remnants of its royal heritage. Being one of the main tourist destinations of West Bengal, housing the Cooch Behar Palace and Madan Mohan Temple, it has been declared a heritage town.
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কোচবিহার রাজবাড়ি Kōchbihār Rājbāṛi
The main attraction of Cooch Behar and the "Buckingham of West Bengal". The palace shows the acceptance of European idealism of the Koch kings and the fact that they had embraced European culture without renouncing their Indian heritage. The palace houses over 50 rooms including bedrooms, dressing rooms, billiard room, kitchen, dining hall, dancing hall, library, Tosha khana and the ladies gallery. Tickets can be booked at Archaeological Survey of India. No food items are allowed inside the palace premises. There are provisions for clean drinking water for visitors. Photography is not allowed inside the museum.
A minuscule version of the National Rail Museum in New Delhi. The museum is based on the theme "Role of Railways in Development of Dooars region". The building resembles the architecture of Madan Mohan Temple. It has a gallery showing the technological and socio-cultural perspective of rail travel in India. It displays old exhibits dating back to the 1890s of the Cooch Behar State Railways. Photography is not allowed inside the museum.
Large rectangular pond surrounded by government offices and seasonally populated by migratory birds. The walkway around it is favourable for morning and evening walks.
NELC Christian Burial Ground
The graveyard of the Cooch Bihar Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC), initially set up for European residents and Christian missionaries of the area during British India.
A park full of Sal trees. Great place for walking and relaxing. Has a view of the airport and a railway line.
Cooch Behar Matri Mandoli
Cooch Behar's only church and convent, with a school for the blind.
One of the few temples in West Bengal constructed in European architecture instead of the usual Bengal architecture. It is a Durga temple and it hosts a big fair during Durga Puja.
A holy Hindu temple which hosts the Ras Purnima event. A Ras Chakra is also built each year.
মধুপুর সত্র
Built by Nara Narayan of Cooch Behar in honour of the Assamese preacher Sankardeva. It has a very peaceful environment. Great place to look at Assamese culture.
Good place for movies in a busy street. Mostly Bengali movies are aired.
One of the best places to watch movies in the town. Refreshment facilities are available too. English and Hindi movies are mostly aired here.
Great place to watch movies with friends and family. Mostly Bengali and occasionally Hindi movies are aired.
A multiplex in the town airing Hindi and Bengali movies. Refreshment facilities are also available.
A great park to go to with family and kids. It has a child-playing area and features a toy train. It has lush green gardens and also has some animals in an enclosure. There are 2 water bodies in the park hosting water sports like boating and bubble swimming.
Great Indian food. Famous for its Mughlai Parantha
One of the best sweet shops in the town. Usually crowded. Known for its samosa.
A crowded place full of food trucks offering many types of food in the evening.
Huge range of quality food. You can get almost anything you want. Ranging from burgers to full meals; from authentic food to international meals; from drinks to bakery
Reasonably priced bakery. Great food and is known for its fresh breads, wraps, hot dogs, and cakes.
Great Punjabi food and also offers other Indian delicacies
Restaurant chain known for its buckets of fried chicken, wings & sides.
A restaurant chain offering a wide range of pizzas & a variety of other dishes & sides.
Part of Hotel Yubraj, Great restaurant and great food
Part of Hotel Ellora. Great food and services. It is a bit pricey.
Great food. It can handle a large number of guests
A well-designed café and a bistro known to be cosy. Great for a quick coffee break.
Laid-back, neon-lit hookah lounge dishing up unpretentious snacks, plus mocktails.
One of the best affordable hotels in the town. Located within the town centre, it has a view of the busy roads and markets
It has a bar and a restaurant. Provides a great view of the Cooch Behar Palace.
A pocket friendly stay within 300 meters walking distance from the Cooch Behar Palace.
An affordable hotel with a great fast-food restaurant in its ground floor
A value for money hotel with good sized rooms.
A great hotel with a multi-cuisine restaurant and on-demand Wi-Fi.
One of the best reasonably priced hotels.
2-star hotel, with multi-cuisine restaurant
A century-old store with a wide range of collection of garments. Known for women's garments.
You can get modern or authentic Indian outfits in this well-developed store.
Great shop stocked with all kind of snacks and other necessities.
A one-stop destination for all groceries.
Largest shopping mall in the town. Includes many clothing stores, food courts and a movie theatre.
Located in the outskirts of the town. Has a play area, movie theatre, food courts and clothing stores.
বড় বাজার
The biggest street market in the town. Includes clothing stores, cosmetic stores, food courts, street food vendors, hotels, jewellery stores, restaurants and many more.
One out of the two main street markets. You can find everything like vegetable stores, fish and meat stores, hardware stores, ATMs etc
Known for its quality vegetables and wide variety of fish.
The only foreign exchange in the town.
By train
By bus
Cooch Behar is the headquarters of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) and there are numerous government and private bus services that connect Cooch Behar to the neighbouring cities.
By car
Cooch Behar is well connected by national and state highways. NH 17 and NH 27 are the principal highways and are the best ways to get here from Siliguri or Guwahati.
Getting around Cooch Behar can be quite hectic. There are rickshaws, public transport like buses and rental cars. Operators of electric rickshaws, locally known as totos, can charge huge fares on seeing a tourist.
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