West Bengal

Unique among Indian states, West Bengal covers the bottleneck of India in the east stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. Known for luminaries like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Vivekanand, Satyajit Ray the noted film maker of international fame, Rabindranath Tagore, love for football, the famous Eden Garden cricket stadium. West Bengal has two natural divisions, the Himalayan north comprising the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and the alluvial plain lying south of it.  
 
Bengal tour beyond doubt offers an extraordinary assortment of landscapes and cultures, ranging from the dramatic hill station of Darjeeling with the joyous ride of the famous Toy Train, the vast mangrove swans of the Sundarban, prowled by Royal Bengal Tigers. Everything here appears to be magical as the Bengal beauty mesmerize every tourist. In a nutshell, West Bengal with its visual treasures is on travelmasti's must visit destinations.

General Information

Area : 87,853 Sq Kms.
Capital : Calcutta
Languages : Bengali
Road : 57,539 kms
Railways : 3,800 kms
Crops :  Fruits, Jute, Oilseeds, Pulses, Rice, Sugarcane, Tea, Wheat.
Minerals : Coal, Iron Ore, Limestone, Manganese.
Industries : Automobile, Chemicals, Coal, Cotton, Textile, Hides & Skins, Heavy
and light Engineering, Iron & Steel, Jute, Lac, Leather & Footwear, Liquor, Locomotive, Paper, Pharmaceuticals, Tea.

Places to Visit in West Bengal:

Kolkata: Kolkata tour offers varied flavors of culture, tradition, literature as well as religion. The largest city in the country, Kolkata acts as the perfect gateway to the north eastern part of India.

Darjeeling: Surrounded by spectacular mountains and valleys, Darjeeling 'The Queen of Hills' is a perfect holiday destination.The ride on the famous toy train is an exciting experience, enjoyed by kids as well as elders. Darjeeling tour also offers tourists a visit to Tiger hills where the sun rises first on Mt. Kanchenjunga.

Sunderbans: A perfect place to discover incredible flora and fauna. Some of the most unknown wildlife like jungle cats, fishing cats, Axis deer, wild boar, Rhesus monkeys, mongooses etc. are found here.

Dooars: Dooars valley again offers a relaxed and quiet holidays in the lap of nature. Also known for its Jaldapara Wild Life Sanctuaries and Gorumara National Park, Dooars valley lets the tourist explore fascinating flora and fauna.

Kalimpong: This small hill station is surrounded amidst lush greens and himalayan ranges which delights the heart and mind. The Neora Valley National Park offers even more exciting holidays.

Toy Train: Hey, Rail enthusiasts! If you have some time to spare, then take a slow toy train up to the hill resorts as there is nothing like chugging up the hills, past little hamlets and terraced fields, making your way through tunnels and over spectacular bridges.

Art: Bengal is well known for its arts and sculptures. Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Jyotirindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Ramkinkar Baize are just few of the famous modern artists. In fact Abanindranath Tagore is regarded as the father of the modern art in India. Let's go to the Thakurbaari (The house of the Tagore's) to explore the biography of the Tagores and their works.

Literature: As the popular saying goes, "The pen is mightier than the sword" and where else could this be proved to be more true than Bengal. Over the period of centuries, Bengal has given birth to numerous writers and poets who have with their powerful strength of words heralded a new world.

Wild Life: Ever thought of spending a whole day in the midst of mudclad crocodiles, hopping Cheetals and majestic Royal Bengals! If not, then come to Sunderbans.

• A bird sanctuary near river Kulik - Rajganj
• Buxa Tiger Reserve was set up in the year of 1982-83.......
• The Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Alipur Duar
• Dooars Valley - The East Himalayas
• Zoological Garden - Calcutta