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West Bengal,
is bounded on the north by Bhutan and the state of Sikkim , on
the east by Bangladesh and the state of Assam , on the south
by the Bay of Bengal, on the southwest by the state of Orissa
& Jharkhand, on the northwest by Nepal and the state of Bihar
and on the south by Bay of Bengal. Its capital, Kolkata is one
of the largest and most developed cities in India. The vast
majority of the people in West Bengal are the Bengalis. The
other communities in the state are Sherpas, Gorkhas and
Paharis, residing in the hilly regions of West Bengal.
The mysterious land of West Bengal has many reasons to attract
the tourists. The land of rich culture and heritage has a
unique feature: it is the only state in India, which has
historical sites, forests, beaches, snow-capped mountain
ranges and rare wildlife. The state has an unmatched rich
cultural treasure. Earlier known as Vanga, history of West
Bengal dates back to the times of Gupta dynasty. The state has
seen rise and falls of many dynasties and rulers. Bengal came
under Islamic rule starting in the 13th century, and developed
into a wealthy centre of trade and industry under the Mughal
Empire during the 16th century. European traders had arrived
in the late 15th century and eventually the British East India
Company controlled the region by the late 18th century, from
which the British extended their rule over all of India and
Kolkata (Calcutta) became the capital of British ruled India.
The home of five Nobel prize winners, West Bengal has produced
numerous well known personalities in the history of India. The
world famous film director Satyajit Ray ("Lifetime
Achievement" Academy Award winner) was also born here. The
birthplace of Rabindra Nath Tagore, West Bengal gave birth to
innumerable well known poets and writers who enriched the
world literature ceaselessly.
The state is home to Sunderbans, a heritage site, which
shelters the rare Royal Bengal Tigers. A travel through this
state takes one on a ride to varied cultures, languages and
landscapes. Hooghly and its tributaries- Mayurakshi, Damodar,
Kangsabati and the Rupnarayan, enrich the soils of Bengal.
Kolkata is amongst the largest metropolitan cities of world.
Some of the sites worth seeing in the state are Victoria
Memorial, Indian Museum, Birla Planeterium, Hazariduar, Howrah
Bridge, Sunderbans, Shantiniketan, Mirik and Kalimpong.
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Victoria Memorial - A splendid example of British
architecture, it was built in memory of Queen Victoria and was
inaugurated by Prince of Wales in 1921. The Memorial is based
on the architecture of the Taj and is built in marble.
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Birla Planetarium - is one the earliest
planetariums in India and a major tourist attraction. The
auditorium has a capacity of 500 and there are daily
multi-lingual film shows. The planetarium gives complete
information about the Universe and the solar systems. The
models kept here are a special attraction for the children.
» Sahid
Minar
- A combination of Turkish, Egyptian and Syrian architectural
elements, this 48-m high monument was built in 1828. It is
located on the northern part of the Maidan. From the top of
the minar, the view of Calcutta is panoramic. But permission
is needed from the police headquarters in Lal Bazar to climb
the tower.
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Kali Temple - The present temple was built in
1809 on the site of an ancient temple. It is also known as the
Kalighat temple. It is after the name of this temple that the
English christened the place, Calcutta, an anglicized form of
Kalikata.
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Eden Gardens - Named after the sister of
Alexander, the Eden Gardens is a lush area covered by trees
and garden. The major part of the garden is covered by one of
the largest and most beautiful stadia of India- the Eden
Garden or the Ranji stadium.
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Ravindra Gallery- This gallery has some of
the rare and fine pictures and manuscripts of Nobel Laureate
Rabindra Nath Tagore. The paintings are done in a style
peculiar to the poet and attracts many visitors. This place is
also the venue for various cultural programs.
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Rabindra Setu ( Howrah Bridge) - is one of
three bridges on the river Hooghly and is the most famous
symbol not only of Calcutta but also of West Bengal. Howrah
Bridge is a bridge suspended on pillars. The newly constructed
Vidya Sagar Setu is also a cable suspended bridge. It was
built to reduce the pressure of traffic on the old Howrah
Bridge. The design of the new bridge is very similar to the
Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
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Belur Math - The Ramkrishna Mission
established by Swami Vivekanand has its head Quarters here.
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Digha - is the nearest sea beach from
Calcutta. It takes a six-hour bus journey from Calcutta to
reach here. Digha offers every possible attraction for a
sea-loving traveler: good surf and golden sands. Just eight
kilometer from Digha is the Chandaneshwar Siva Temple across
the border in Orissa.
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Tiger Hills - is the highest point in
Darjeeling and it provides the most exotic view of the
Kanchenjunga peaks. From this place the other peaks of the
Eastern Himalayas can also be seen. The sight of the sun
rising from over the Tiger Hills is an unforgettable
experience. The first rays of the sun on these peaks of the
Great Barriers gives an impression of molten gold having been
spread.
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Mirik - is 52 km from Siliguri and 55 km from
the Bagdogra airfield. It is surrounded by tea estates, orange
orchards and cardamom plantations. Free from the hustle and
bustle of a regular hill station, it attracts the tourists
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