Kolkata, the original ‘British era’ capital of India is of the most interesting cities to travel. It has an eclectic blend of history, architecture, culture, food and people. Kolkata is one of the popular tourist destination due to its old heritage and culture. However, there are plenty of destinations situated close to Kolkata which can be accessed for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Shantiniketan
Santiniketan Griha in Viswa Bharati University( Photo: Paul Ancheta)
Shantiniketan( Photo: Sudip Basu)
Kalabhavan( Photo: Deb Bhattacharjee)
One such place would be Shantiniketan. Also known as the Land of Tagore, this place is generally famous due to its relation to Rabindranath Tagore. Previously known as Bhubandanga after a dacoit who was notorious in the region. It is owned by the Tagore family and Rabindrnath’s father renamed it to Shantiniketan due to it’s calm and serene environment. It means the abode of peace in English. This town is a hub for learning and education. There are several poets from this region who lived in buildings such as konark, Udayana et all.
Kala Bhavan is also a college of art and crafts, Sangit bhavan depicts music and dance and many more such universities who teach some part of literature and art. This town has a liking towards music art and culture and these three things depict the nature of the town itself.
Sunderbans
Sunderbans steamer ( Photo: Kishore)
Sunderban(Source: flickr.com/photos/64449147@N00/6420615635/)
Royal Bengal Tiger (Photo: Sundarban Khulna)
Sunderbans is one of the most beautiful forests you can come across. Situtated in both Bangladesh as well as India it is the go to place for adventure travellers as well as photographers. Known for the largest mangrove enclosure in the world as well as its rich biodiversity it is no wonder that it has been announced as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The section under India is known as the Sunderbans National park and covers a huge area of abour 38500 square kilometres. There are over 400 Royal Bengal tigers, the kind it is famous for and more than 30000 deer in the park. The land is covered by water and marsh mostly. It’s name is mostly originated from the sundari trees that it is home to. It gives the best wild life experience anyone can get.
Sunderban Deer ( Photo: Prabir Das)
Apart from the Royal Bengal tiger and herds of deer it also has fowls, giant lizards, wild boars and crocodiles that would be a wildlife enthusiasts delight. For the calmer serene type of people the huge group of Siberian ducks are always a treat to watch. The point where you can catch most of the wildlife action is the Hiron Point. For bird watching one may head to Katka which also has trekking upto a point called kachikali. For wild tiger sightings there is no better place than tin kona island and the fishermen are seen flocking around to the Dublar char island. It is ideal for tourists to refresh their minds and soak in the natural beauty this place has to offer.
Darjeeling
View of Kanchenchonga in Darjeeling ( Photo: Babena)
Darjeeling Views( Photo : Sumanta Seal)
Darjeeling is popular since the Britishers set foot into it and its location is towards the northern side ofWest Bengal and towards the south of Sikkim. The scenery and the beauty of the destination never ceases to amaze visitors and lures them into a daze of natural beauty. The word arises from Dorje which means thunderbolt or precious stone in the Tibetan dialect. It is believed that the thunderbolt in question is either a symbol of the Lord Indra or a part of the Lamaist religion. All north eastern tours make sure to consider Darjeeling as one of their stops due to its beautiful and important nature. It has an evergreen charm and with its various attractions and monuments it adds to the experience of the journey.
This city was earlier under the regime of the Sikkim king but later the Gorkhas lost it to the British Empire. The British used the area to great importance and also used it as a getaway to escape the harsh summer in other states. They facilitated tea growing as well as created it as a hill station destination for the people. This made the city famous for its sprawling tea gardens and industries as well as its popular trend of eco-tourism. Their economy is facilitated by the growth and development of timber, tea as well as their tourism.
Darjeeling Tea Garden ( Photo: Angshuman Manna)
Darjeeling Ropeway ( Photo: Sriram)
Along with tea gardens, they grow oranges and cardamom locally as well. Famous for these as well as the local and traditional handicrafts of Tibetan and Sikkimese nature, these factors make it a well known spot for shopping for traditional art. You are provided with an opportunity to buy shawls, handmade paper, carpets etc that give you an insight into their culture. Also, their food has flavours of Tibetan and Sikkimese infused alongwith the other Indian cuisines as well. The weather is quite pleasant with rainfall that occurs regularly and unexpectedly. Their main visiting seasons are Summer as well as Spring where the rest of the States have a hot and humid climate. With their perfect combination of hills and the amazing view alongwith the fresh and pollution free climate and smiling local friendly faces, this place has been rightfully crowned as the queen of hill stations.
The tourists feel friendly and right at place with the welcoming smiles all around them. The popular sights are accompanied with a toy train that was built in the 19th century. Also marked as a World Heritage, The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway astounds visitors that hop on to it. It stretches over 70 kms and over and passes through an altitude of over 7500 ft. The toy train gives tourists a chance to capture all the beautiful scenery they pass through as well as breathe in the mountain fresh and crisp air. The famous ropeway or the Cable car which is situated in the north point of the city is one of the oldest ropeways carrying passengers. It has connectivity to the bottom of Darjeeling towards the city’s bazaar area.Famous for its picturesque scenery many movies ranging from Bollywood to Bengali film shootings take place here.
In honor of the Dalai Lama’s receipt of the US Congressional Gold Medal, Tibetans in Darjeeling celebrated with a parade and a cultural festival. ( Photo: Sarah Shmitt)
The natural attractions present in this city have no other justifiable substitute and the beauty is incomparable. The mode of transportation in the destination is preferably a four wheeled drive such as Land rovers as they can navigate through the path easily. The trained drivers can skill their way through narrow and steep areas of the hill. This place has an abundance of local festivals all around the year. The festivals are rich and vibrant and colourful and add to the overall experience gained whilst in the city. The tourist can experience and celebrate the festivals himself or herself
Digha
Old Digha Sea Beach ( Photo: Anand)
Sunset in Digha Sea Beach ( Photo: Supriya Banerjee)
Digha is also situated in the East Midnapore district with the bay of Bengal on its north. It is only about 200 kilometres away from the city of Kolkata. Due to its close proximity it is one of the most popular sea resorts of Kolkata. It was initially known as Beerkul. It was first set foot upon by the Britishers and was described as Brighton of the east by them. The shallow nature of the sea makes it easy to carry out activities such as swimming, scuba diving, jet skiing and surfing. It is also known for its various plantations growing around the place. It also has two other beaches in close proximity known as the Udaipur beach and the Shankarpur beach.
Also for cleanliness purposes and to reduce the ill effects of erosion a new Digha beach has been formed around 2 kilometres away from the old one. The connectivity options are plenty with it having its own railway station and also direct bus facilities. The Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport at Kolkata is the nearest airport.Apart from the beach it also has the largest aquarium in India as well as its own Science centre.
Mandarmani
Mandarmani sea beach ( Photo: Sumanta Pramanick)
Mandarmani ( Photo: sumanta Pramanick)
The next place is Mandarmani. It is a seaside village with a resort facility that is located next to Kolkata. It is quite up and coming and is developing as the next tourist spot. Located in East Midnapore with the Bay of Bengal next to it, it can be accessed through a highway from Kolkata or Howrah. Some statistics claim that it is the longest beach that one can drive upon in India. With comparatively low waves and formations of dunes all around this place is quite calm and serene. If you wish to travel by train getting down at Contai station would be adviced. The sunrise and the sunsets are a specialty and this place is perfect to relax and rejuvenate.
Diamond Harbour
Diamond Harbour ( Photo: Surobindo Mallick)
Diamond Harbour is in the southern suburbs of Kolkata and is only around 50 kilometres away from the main city. It was initially known as hajipur and has the Ganges flowing next to it. With the industries cropping up in Haldia and the river on the other side this place is an unusual destination to go to for the weekend. It was said to be inhabited by the Portuguese pirates earlier who left behind the ruins of the Chingrikhali Fort. Apart from the fort the Sarisha Ramakrishna mission ashram is also a must see. It also has an ancient light house which compliments the day spent watching the river and passing boats. All these qualities make it the perfect spot to go on a picnic for. It has a pollution free environment and also offers boat tours to the visitors as well as a ferry ride towards Haldia. Diamond Harbour can be accessed through private cabs or buses from Kolkata. Trains also pass through this place.
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