North 24 Parganas (উত্তর চব্বিশ পরগনা Uttar Cabbiś Parganā) is the most populous district of West Bengal.
Cities
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- 1 Barasat (বারাসত Bārāsat) — district headquarters, a regional rail and road junction, and shopping destination
- 2 Bangaon (বনগাঁ Bangān) and Petrapole (পেট্রাপোল Peṭrāpol) — two towns near the India–Bangladesh border
- 3 Barrackpore (ব্যারাকপুর Byārākpur) — a cantonment town with memories of the 1857 Rebellion
- 4 Berachampa (বেড়াচাঁপা Beṛācānpā) — best known for Chandraketugarh, an archaeological site
- 5 Dhanyakuria (ধান্যকুড়িয়া Dhānyakuṛiẏā) — mostly known for the European-style Gaine Castle, but also contains a few other heritage buildings
- 6 Gobardanga (গোবরডাঙা Gobarḍāṅā) — see the Gobardanga Zamindar Palace
- 7 Kanchrapara and Naihati — two towns along the Hooghly River, home to a famous railway workshop and the birthplace of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
- 8 Taki — a border town on the Ichhamati River, Taki is a scenic spot with beautiful views of the river
Other destinations
[edit]- 1 Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary (Parmadan Forest) — a safe haven for a healthy population of nearly 250 deer
Understand
[edit]North 24 Parganas is on the Indian half of the Ganges Delta, with a maze of distributaries in the Sundarbans. Although the Hooghly is the main river, other rivers in the region include the Bidyadhari, Ichhamati and Jamuna.
Till 1986, North 24 Parganas was a part of 24 Parganas district, whose name was derived from the number of "parganas" (divisions) contained in the zamindari of Calcutta which was ceded to the East India Company by Mir Jafar in 1757.
Get in
[edit]Get around
[edit]See and do
[edit]St. Bartholomew's Cathedral in Barrackpore (1831) is an excellent example of British church architecture from that period.
The Jubilee Bridge over the Hooghly River at Naihati was opened in 1885.
Taki is a popular day trip and weekend getaway. There are great views of the river and boat trips on the river are enjoyable.
Sagar Island is a lovely destination combining pilgrimage for Hindus and fun, on an island by the Bay of Bengal. It has a completely unspoiled beach on the estuary of the mighty Ganges.
Sundarbans National Park is home to an estimated 400 Royal Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer.
Eat and drink
[edit]The ground water may not be safe for drinking, as it might be contaminated with arsenic. So you are better off drinking from the municipal or panchayat (village administration) supply of surface water or bottled drinking water of reputed companies, not of ordinary companies, here and there in North 24 Parganas, even if those are cheaper by ₹2 per litre.
Stay safe
[edit]North 24 Parganas has faced several cyclonic storms, most notably Aila (2009) and Amphan (2020). Monsoon rains may reach terrible levels and breed diseases like malaria or dengue. Keep yourself updated with the latest weather news and take precautions against such natural disasters.