Ausgram (আউশগ্রাম Auśgrām) is a rural area in the Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. It is an off-the-beaten-path destination that provides an essence of the Rarh culture prevalent in the region, with open fields, mud huts, trails of red soil and Baul music.
Understand
[edit]The Ausgram area consists of Ausgram I and Ausgram II community development blocks of Purba Bardhaman, with Guskara (গুসকরা Guskarā) being a major town. Although the area is named after a non-notable village, the larger rural area covers a vast tract of western Purba Bardhaman with a rich cultural heritage.
Talk
[edit]Like many rural areas in West Bengal, locals generally understand only Bengali, with a basic knowledge of English.
Get in
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By train
[edit]1 Guskara ER 
(IR code: GKH) is the main station of the Ausgram area, which is well-connected with Bardhaman and Kolkata on the down line and Santiniketan, Malda, Rampurhat and Siliguri on the up line. Many Santiniketan- or Siliguri-bound express trains from Kolkata stop at Guskara, along with all MEMU passenger trains from Bardhaman or Kolkata.
By bus
[edit]There are multiple buses between Asansol, Bardhaman, Durgapur, Kalna and Katwa with stops at Guskara. The Kolkata-Bolpur route run by SBSTC also has a stop at Guskara.
By car
[edit]NH 112 runs north-south of Ausgram and it is the best way to get here from Bardhaman, Kolkata and Santiniketan. SH 14 runs east-west of the area and it may be the best way to get here from Asansol, Durgapur, Katwa and Suri.
Get around
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See and do
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- 1 Bannabagram Baul Ashram (বননবগ্রাম বাউল আশ্রম Ban(a)nabagrām Bāul Aśram), Bononabagram, ☏ +91 84201 06396, [email protected]. Set up in a rustic open setting, the ashram provides a traditional Baul music experience throughout the year. Different groups of baul singers are invited every week to provide a musical experience to the guest. The ashram also has options for staying, and music lovers can stay overnight to enjoy the music and the organic food that comes straight from the vegetable gardens. Special music programmes are held in winter, which attracts a lot of visitors.
- 2 Bhalki Machan (ভাল্কী মাচান Bhālkī Mācān, also spelt Valki Machan) (2 km (1.2 mi) from Bhalki village, 22 km (14 mi) from Guskara). A forested area with remains of an age-old watchtower. It is said to be a favourite spot for hunting bears (ভালুক bhāluk) of the Rajas of Bardhaman. Bhalki Machan is often used as a picnic spot. It has only one resort called Aranyasundari. There's a waterbody for boating and a fort near the resort called Bhallu Rajar Durga.
- 3 Chandni Jaltungi (চাঁদনি জলতুঙ্গী Cā̃dni Jaltuṅgī), Dignagar. A historical park built on a lake by Maharaja Kirtichand at around 1710. It is said that his wife from Rajasthan felt the lack of Rajasthani architecture and culture in Bengal, and the Maharaja built the park to create the ambiance of Rajasthan. The park was later restored by the Ausgram I block administration in October 2018 with a light and sound show at the evening.
- 4 Guskara Airfield (গুসকরা বিমানঘাঁটি Guskarā Bimānghānṭi). An abandoned airfield used by the United States Army Air Forces during the Burma Campaign (1944-1945) of World War II.
- 5 Kalikapur Rajbari (কালিকাপুর রাজবাড়ি Kālikāpur Rājbāṛi). A 350-year-old mansion that you can find in some Bengali movies. Now mostly in shambles, the palace was built by Parameshwar Roy, a Dewan of the Bardhaman Raj, for his sons. Terracotta reliefs can be found on the gates of the palace, which is surrounded by the temples of Shiva, Kali and Durga.
- 6 Pandu Rajar Dhibi (পাণ্ডু রাজার ঢিবি Pāṇḍu Rājār Ḍhibi). An archaeological site. According to legend, the main mound at Pandu Rajar Dhibi is associated with King Pandu mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, hence the name.
Buy
[edit]Ausgram is renowned for its dhokra artistic brassware. In particular, the Dwariapur village (দ্বারিয়াপুর Dbāriẏāpur) is famous for its dhokra metal craft.
Eat and drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Aranyasundari, ☏ +91 3452 200 604.
- Bannabagram Baul Ashram. ₹2,000-2,500 per person on a twin-sharing basis, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.