Location: West Bengal

West Bengal
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee composed his famous song, “Vande Mata ram”, in 1882; he was in many ways symbolizing the beauty of Bengal. Some things here are still eternal. The rich culture of the state binds the population together through its unique unity in diversity and offers matchless geographical variety to its visitors. West Bengal, located in the eastern part of the Indian peninsula, is one of the country’s medium-sized, states. However, in its physical form, it is a complete representation of the Indian subcontinent. Darjeeling, its northern end, is embraced by the arms of the mighty Himalayas. The Dooars in the foothills are rich in forest. The unconquerable river Ganga flows across the state’s rich alluvial plains to reach the Bay of Bengal in the south, through vast swamps that are known as the Sundarbans.
There are 19 districts in West Bengal, namely:
Bankura Bardhaman, Birbhum, Cooch, Behar, Darjeeling, District East Midnapore. Hooghly. Howrah. Jalpaiguri. Kolkata, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, District North 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur, Purulia South 24 Parganas, DakshinDinajpur& West Midnapore.
West Bengal Travel Information
West Bengal is one of the first destinations in a tourist’s itinerary visiting the eastern part of the country. Calcutta (Kolkata), the capital of the state, is the proud intellectual capital of the country. The city has made outstanding contribution to the country in the fields of art, science, medicine, social reform and literature. The city retains some of the most striking colonial buildings of the country. It used to be the capital of the British East India Company and the evidence of the British colonization continues in the city even today. The Victoria Memorial is a majestic house constructed in the memory of Queen Victoria. This building houses a number of rare specimens of the historical preserves of the land. Moreover, the manuscripts, the paintings and the sculptures here are outstanding. Howrah Bridge is yet another landmark that denotes this city of joy. This hanging bridge is an architectural marvel of the country. The second largest planetarium in Asia, the Birla Planetarium, is another site that attracts attention of all, regardless of their age.
Tourism in West Bengal
This state attracts tourists from all over the country. The diversified physical features of the place make West Bengal a favourable tourist destination. Be it mountains or lush green forests, sea beaches or places of worship, the state has all. West Bengal hill stations are one of the major attractions of this state. From the breathtaking views of Darjeeling to the quite retreats of Siliguri, from the stunning tea gardens to the woody forests, West Bengal hill stations have something for everyone. Some of these hill stations are also sites of historical and religious significance. But it is the tranquil and scenic beauty of the West Bengal’s hill stations that attract the visitors from all over the world. Each hill station is different from the other and provides great opportunities for the visitors to lose themselves in the serene lap of nature. There are forests and valleys, picturesque settings and tranquil mountain walks. Some of West Bengal’s hill stations are very old and date back to the ancient times of Indian history. They provide the perfect mountain experience to the visitors.
Language
Bengali and English are the official languages of West Bengal. The National Language Hindi is also widely spoken in the state. The three subdivisions of the Darjeeling district have Nepali as their official language. Urdu, Oriya, Santali are some other languages spoken in the state.
Best Time to Visit
West Bengal experiences heavy rains during the monsoons and the summers are little scorching there. So the best time to be in the state is during the winter season between October and March.