West Bengal : The land of Indian renaissance

General Information:

Area: 88,752 sq km

Language: Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, English, Bhutia and Nepali.

Best time to visit: September to March

Capital City: Kolkata (Calcutta)

Airports: Kolkata, Bagdogra

About West Bengal

Location: 
Situated in the eastern part of India with snow clad Himalayas in the North and the Bay of Bengal in the south, West Bengal is the gateway to the North eastern states of India. The only state of India which shares international boundaries with three countries; Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan and shares the regional boundaries with Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim and Assam.

Climate:
The southern parts of West Bengal actually sweat it out with humidity for most time of the year, while the northern and north eastern parts of West Bengal are chilly and cool. Monsoon plays havoc in the northern regions and the southern parts also receive considerable amount of rainfall every year.

About West Bengal:
Earlier known as Vanga, West Bengal was spread over a vast area. Ruled by several dynasties from ancient times, it was the Gupta dynasty of Magadh (320-520 AD) in present day Bihar, from where the history of West Bengal came to be known. In 750 AD Gopal became the king of Gaur. This led to foundation of the Pala dynasty in Bengal. But it was only during the rule of Mahipala � I, from 977-1027A.D., that the dynasty�s powers and importance grew. The other important dynasty in Bengal was the Chandra dynasty. Interestingly, both the Pala and the Chandra dynasties believed and followed Buddhism. It was during this time the Bengali language developed and became popular. Many poets and authors like Joy Dev, who composed the Geet Govinda, are associated with this period. The Mughals ended the rules of Hindu dynasties and appointed Governors who went on to become the Nawabs of Bengal. It was in the late 17th century that the British, through the East India Company established its foothold in West Bengal on the pretext of business. The battles of Plassey and Buxar paved the way for almost two hundred years of British colonial rule of India. As India's main city with educated middle class, Calcutta became a major center for the nationalists when West Bengal produced nationalists like Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekanand and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who fought for the freedom of India. The British policy of divide and rule became a reality when the Muslim dominated region of east Bengal went on to became a part of Pakistan, during the post independence partition and later secured a separation from Pakistan to become an independent country of Bangladesh. Today West Bengal is ruled by the left government. There are many dialects including the Bangladesh�s Bengali that is spoken all over West Bengal. Many northern parts of this state speak the languages like Nepali and Bhutia, of the neighbouring countries.
It is the cultural hub of India with theatres, plays and films being the most popular forms of entertainment. Folk dances and folk music form an integral part of this state. West Bengal with its diverse geographical nature provides a wide arena of tourist spots. With the ancient temples of Vishnupur, to the churches of Kolkata, from Himalayas to sea beaches and world famous Gangetic deltas, from Sunderban to Darjeeling, from Tea to Tant sarees, from Rabindranath Tagore to Satyajit Ray, from Durga Puja to Christmas, from Fish curry to Sweets, Bengali culture is truly unique and exciting.

Vindhya and Satpura ranges running east to west in parallel formations traverse almost the entire peninsular India. Parallel across the Western coast are the Sahyadri Mountains. The Eastern coast is also lined with a hill system, irregular though, called Eastern Ghats. Each mountain system is dotted with hundreds of exotic beauty spots made easily accessible and equipped with modern amenities. There are skiing resorts in the Himalayas. Well planned mountaineering treks and river fording sports are also available in Himalayas and elsewhere. Each mountain range has its own peculiar majesty, grandeur and specific geological character. The forests, mostly sub-tropical and some of them perennial, harbour a variety of wild life. There are scores of wild life and bird sanctuaries which provide an exciting glimpse of the jungle world.
Proximity of Sahyadri has created numerous beautiful gorges, fiords, creeks and lagoons shaded by perennial green cover along the Arabian Sea coast particularly in Kerala, Goa and Konkan region of Maharashtra. These provide blissful coves of retreat known for their serene beauty. And the long pristine beaches along the Arabian Sea and also the Bay of Bengal - India has a 7,516 km.-long coastline - provide haven for sun-bathers and lovers of all kinds of water sports. At several places along the backwaters of Kerala traditional rowing tournaments, complete with colourful festivities, fetch rowing buffs and spectators in large numbers.
Down from the snow-topped Himalayas and across the fertile plains of Punjab stretch the undulating sandy deserts of Rajasthan, stark and hot, bereft of greenery and yet known for a riotous celebration of colours. As if to compensate for the nature's chicanery, the people of Rajasthan have created their own world of beautiful colours - the rich textiles, the turbans of men and the flowing ghagaras of women, ornamental embroidery, exquisite jewellery, the huts, the houses and the princely mansions. It is said that every village housewife, every child of Rajasthan is a born artiste endowed with a talent for brush and colour. Miniature paintings of Rajasthan School have admirers across the world. The exotic cities of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner known for their harmonious architecture and a superb blend of colours offer a feast to the discerning eye.
But the vibrancy of folk art, colour, folk dance and music is not confined to Rajasthan. It manifests in the harsh terrain of Ladakh, in the colourful life styles of the north-eastern tribes of Arunachal, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura and in the tribal belts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Maharashtra. The traditional village fairs, whether in tribal habitats or agricultural villages of the plains, express the quintessential spirit of rural India. A fair is a veritable riot of sound and music, fun and games, feast of local delicacies, songs and dances and a market of astoundingly colourful local handicrafts. A heartening glimpse of a robust and vigorous India of indomitable hope. There are over 700,000 villages in India and thousands of fairs are held annually. Some of these have earned a reputation attracting visitors from all corners of the country and abroad.