West Bengal

Well known as a state of Rabindranath Tagore, the guru who wrote India's National Anthem, the artistic streak of West Bengal does not end at its lyrical musical literature. It finds its undertones extended to everything from the baluchari or cotton handloom sarees, conch shell products to precious silks. Kolkata or Calcutta or 'the city of Joy', is synonymous with mouth-watering street food, love for soccer, 'Baul' style of folk music and centuries of Indian heritage blending effortlessly into a cosmopolitan culture. The fragrant mangrove forests of Sundarbans are the habitat of the famous Royal Bengal Tiger. The state comes alive with colours and festivities during Durga Puja, the most prominent festival of Bengal.

General Information

Latitudes : 21^o 31' and 27^o 14' North
Longitudes : 86^o 35' and 89^o 53' East
Area : 89,000 square Kilometers
Capital : Kolkata
Temperature : 24^o C to 40^o C in summer & 7^o C to 26^o C in winter
Districts : 19
Population : 80,221,171
Official Language : Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, English
Male Population : 35,510,633
Female Population : 32,567,332
Population Density : 767/sq km
Literacy Rate : 72%
Major Railway Station : Sealdah, Howrah, Asansol, New Jalpaiguri, Maldah, Bolpur, Kharagpur, Cooch Behar, Bardhaman
Airport : Kolkata, Bagdogra
Major Towns : Kolkata, Siliguri, Durgapur, Darjeeling, Asansol, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Bardhaman, Kharagpur
Urbanization Ratio : 27.4%
Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000) : 55
Major Crops : Rice, Wheat, Jute, Tea, Potato, Sugarcane, Pulses, Oilseeds, Forest Products, Betel Leaf
Major Industries : Chemicals, Coal, Cotton Textiles, Jute, Paper, Tea, Heavy and Light Engineering, Leather & Footwear, Liquor, Locomotive, Petrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Electrical and Electronics, Software and InfoTech
Major Minerals : Coal and china clay, Rock Phosphate, Limestone, Dolomite, Granite

Places to see in West Bengal

Hill Stations: Darjeeling - a quaint hill station connected with a fairytale toy train, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Lava, Loleygaon, Mirik
Heritage: Kolkata, Cooch Behar, Malda, Murshidabad, Bishnupur - famous for its Terracotta Temple, Shantiniketan - a place of learning founded by the Poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore, Antpur(Hooghly)
Sea Beaches: Digha, Shankarpur, Mandarmani, Bakkhali, Gangasagar, Frazerganj, Tajpur etc

Adventure Activities in West Bengal

Trekking: Darjeeling - Sandakphu - Phalut or Buxa Tiger Reserve Dooars region of West Bengal in India
Mountaineering and Mountain Biking: Hills around Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Old Silk Route through Pedong
Rock Climbing: Himalayan Mountaineering Institute – Singamari - Darjeeling
River Rafting: Darjeeling Tarkhola – Malli – Teesta Bazar on the River Teesta
Paragliding: Deolo Hill - Kalimpong and in Darjeeling

Fairs & Festivals of West Bengal

Gangasagar Mela (Sagar Island)
Kenduli Mela (Kenduli, District Birbhum)
Vasanta Utsav (Shantiniketan)
Durga Puja & Kali Puja (throughout West Bengal)
Jagadhatri Puja (District Hooghly)
Poush Mela (Shantiniketan)

Wildlife of Bengal

Sunderbans Tiger Reserve
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
Buxa Tiger Reserve
Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuary
Neora Valley National Park
Singalila National Park
Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary

Pilgrimage / Places of worship in West Bengal

Bakranath Temple at Bakreswar (Near Siuri)
Balrampur Jain Temple at Balrampur (Near Purulia)
Chaitanyadev Temple and Bandel Church at Guptipara (Near Kolkata, Hooghly)
Dakshineshwar Kali Temple (Kolkata)
Jagannath Temple at Srirampur (Near Kolkata)
Kalighat Temple (Kolkata)
Tarakeshwar Temple at Tarakeshwar (near Kolkata, Hooghly)
Tarapith (One of the Shaktipith Temples dedicated to the mother goddess)
Mayapur (Head Quarter of the ISKCON Hare Krishna Movement)
Belur Math (Howrah-Head Quarter of the Rama Krishna Mission)

Art, Craft & Culture of Bengal

Artistic Leather Craft - Brass & Bell Metal
Cane & Bamboo
Clay Dolls
Dokra Metal Work
Masks & Puppets
Stone Carving
Shell & Conch Shell
Wood Carving
Leather and Jute Products
Kantha Stitch Sarees
Zari Work
Shola Craft
Glass Work
Coconut Shell Work
Silver Filigree

Dance & Music of Bengal

Chaau Dance (Purulia Region)
Santhal Dance
Gambhira Dance (Malda District)
Tusu Parab
Jhumar
Raibense Dance
Mech
Rawa
Baul
Bhawaiya

Cuisine of Bengal

Macher Jhol
Daal, Maangsho
Begun Bhaja
Muri Ghanta
Chorchori
Dalna
Shondesh
Rosogolla
Pantua
Chomchom
Pitha or Pithe
Jilapi
Kalo Jam
Chhanar Murkhi
Rajbogh
Paesh
Raghobshai
Shor Bhaja
Mishti Doi
Malpoa

Connectivity of Bengal

By Air: The state has an international airport in Kolkata, the state capital and another airport at Bagdogra near Siliguri, in northern Bengal.
By Rail: Howrah and Sealdah near Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri, close to Siliguri, are key railway stations in the state covered extensively by rail.
By Road: An extensive road network covers the entire state. A number of National Highways and State Highways crisscross the land.