North Bengal is the northern region of West Bengal, known for its mountains and its wide range of animals and forests. It houses many ancient landmarks of historical significance. It is well-known for its tea gardens, especially Darjeeling Tea. There are many cities that have interesting histories. It is one of the most important rice-producing regions of the country.
Regions
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| Darjeeling |
| Kalimpong |
| The Dooars (Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri) |
| The Northern Plains (Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur) |
Cities
[edit]- 1 Alipurduar — a city in eastern Dooars, close to the foothills of the Himalayas, forests and wildlife preserves
- 2 Cooch Behar — the former capital of the Kingdom of Cooch Behar has a glorious late 19th-century palace
- 3 Darjeeling — a beautiful hill station
- 4 Jalpaiguri — a historic city with the picturesque Teesta River
- 5 Kalimpong — home to many religious sightseeing places, apart from the beautiful views of the mountains
- 6 Kurseong — home to some of the most expensive teas in the entire world
- 7 Malda — an important junction and entry point to North Bengal from South Bengal
- 8 Raiganj — a city with important wildlife and bird sanctuaries
- 9 Siliguri — the gateway to North Bengal and a major commercial and shopping hub
Other destinations
[edit]- 1 Buxa Tiger Reserve — a forested area in Buxa and Jayanti Hills is a habitat for tigers, Asian elephants and other mammals plus a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles
- 2 Gorumara National Park — rolling grasslands and forest is rich with herbivores such as the Indian rhinoceros and elephants birds, reptiles and amphibians
- 3 Gour and 4 Pandua — former capitals of Bengal under the Sultans
- 5 Jaldapara National Park — a national park with wildlife including one-horned rhinos
- 6 Neora Valley National Park
- 7 Singalila National Park — a popular trekking destination with Mt Sandakphu, the tallest peak of West Bengal
Understand
[edit]North Bengal has a distinctiveness in terms of the dialects spoken, folk culture, and lifestyles. Far away from the madding crowds of the metropolis, it has a quietness of its own. Standing at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, it gradually slopes down to the alluvial plains of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. The Ganges flows circumventing the Rajmahal Hills and the Brahmaputra around the Garo Hills. Other turbulent rivers originate in North Bengal and flow down to the plains.
It is the land of the mountain-climbing Sherpas and other people with some distinctiveness of their own. Certain Muslim-dominated areas have their own traditions. It has been home to the famous one-horned rhino and numerous different species of animals and birds.
With the improvement in communication links, the inflow of tourists into North Bengal is increasing. It is a wonderful land waiting to be explored properly by inquisitive tourists.
Talk
[edit]Like all other parts of West Bengal, Bengali is the main language in North Bengal, and is widely understood. However, Nepali is the main language of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Hindi and English are also popular here; you are likely to find a speaker in any part of the region.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]One of the two airports serving the region is the Bagdogra International Airport (IXB IATA). The number of flights operating from Bagdogra has increased substantially and the airport has links with most major Indian cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Guwahati. In addition, several airlines operate connecting flights to and from Paro, while Druk Air offers bi-weekly direct flights to the Thai capital Bangkok.
There is another airport at Cooch Behar (COH IATA), but no airline flies to Cooch Behar at this moment.
By train
[edit]North Bengal is well-connected to all regions of India through the wide network of railways. There are many railway stations in the region providing easy mobility. New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station (NJP) in Siliguri is the busiest one. Direct trains from NJP run from Delhi several times daily. From Kolkata's Sealdah station, the best train is the Darjeeling Mail running nightly at 10:05 PM. There is also a train from Howrah station called Paharia Express, departing from Howrah at 9:55 PM and arriving at New Jalpaiguri at 8:45 AM. From NJP, the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) completes the journey to anywhere in the Darjeeling Hills.
By car
[edit]Road travel is efficient in this region. There are many highways connecting North Bengal to different parts of the country. Most road networks to North-Eastern India pass through this region. There are state highways that provide easy transport to places within the state of West Bengal. The State Highway 12 (SH 12) connects most of North Bengal. All major national highway systems connecting North-Eastern India with mainland India pass through this region.
Get around
[edit]By train
[edit]
North Bengal is part of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and is home to some of the most famous train rides in West Bengal, including the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the New Jalpaiguri–Alipurduar Tourist Special.
By bus
[edit]Bus services in this region are offered by North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC), operating daily bus services to all the cities and villages. The prices are very low and for long distances, online booking can also be done.
See and do
[edit]
North Bengal is known for its lush green forests, natural wonders and numerous landmarks of historical significance.
This region is also a highly active economic zone. There are many wildlife sanctuaries and forests to visit. Some of the popular ones are Gorumara National Park, Jaldapara National Park and Chilapata Forests. Paragliding is available in Kalimpong, providing breathtaking views of the mountainous landscape. Apart from these, there are many historical places to discover. You can also hike up hills. One great hiking location is at Buxa Tiger Reserve. Every city has parks that are well equipped with recreational types of equipment.
Events
[edit]Festival seasons from November to March attract many tourists. The Ras Mela in Cooch Behar is a famous event.
Eat and drink
[edit]
You can find the same regional cuisine as in the entire West Bengal. Fish is widely eaten and can be found in every restaurant. Typical breakfast items include luchi o alur dom (puffed chapati with potato curry). There are many snacks popular in this region. Some of the most popular evening snacks include shingara (samosa) and chop (fried blob of veg or non-veg patty).
Apart from these, you can get almost all kinds of food found in the country. One can get Chinese, Thai and Continental food easily. Mughlai dishes are very popular here.
There are many bars in every city that serve alcoholic drinks. Apart from this, Diet Cokes, soft drinks and refreshers can be found at any local store. Locals usually prefer tea and coffee with Darjeeling tea being the most popular.
Stay safe
[edit]There is a low crime rate in this area. Thefts in crowded areas can be seen. The weather here is mostly clear. During the monsoon, there are heavy isolated thunderstorms. Altitude sickness can be a problem for some people in high-altitude areas.
Go next
[edit]- Phuentsholing is a border town in southern Bhutan.
- Kakarbhitta is a border town in the south-eastern part of Nepal.