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West Bengal is a state in eastern India. With Bangladesh,
which lies on its eastern border the state forms the ethno-linguistic region
of Bengal. To its northeast lie the states of Assam and Sikkim, and to its
southeast lies the state of Orissa. To the west it borders the state of
Jharkhand, and to the northwest it borders Nepal. The region that is now
West Bengal was ruled by small kingdoms as well as the Maurya empire and the
Gupta empire. Between the 7th century and 12th century CE, the region was
ruled by the Pala dynasty and the Sena dynasty, which were later overthrown
by the Turkish and Afghan chiefs of the Delhi Sultanate. Under Jahangir, the
reign of the Mughal empire was established in the area. The British East
India Company captured the region following the Battle of Plassey in 1757
CE, and the city of Kolkata (then Calcutta) would serve for many years as
the capital of British India. A hotbed for the Indian independence movement
through the early 20th century, Bengal was divided in 1947 into two separate
entities — West Bengal belonging to India, and East Bengal belonging to the
new nation of Pakistan.
Geography and climate :- West Bengal is on the eastern bottle-neck of
India, stretching from the Himalayas in the North to the Bay of Bengal in
the south. The state has a total area of 88,853 km². The Darjeeling
Himalayan hill region to the northern extreme of the state belongs to the
eastern Himalaya. This region contains Sandakfu (3,630 m)—the highest peak
of the state. After a brief Terai region starts the plains. The plains
continues into the Ganges delta towards the south. The rarh region
intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and
high lands. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the
Sundarbans mangrove forests form the most remarkable geographical landmark
of the Ganges delta.
West Bengal's climate is transitional between tropical savannah in the
southern portions and humid subtropical in the north. The main seasons are
summer, rainy season, a short autumn, and winter. While the summer in the
delta region is noted for excessive humidity, the western highlands
experience a dry summer like northern India, with the highest day
temperature ranging from 38 °C to 45 °C .[17] At nights, a cool southerly
breeze carrying moisture from the Bay of Bengal is usually present.
Transport :- The total length of surface road in West Bengal is about
57,600 km; National highways comprise 2,357 km and state highways 2,393
km[32] Average speed on state highways varies between 40–50 km/h; in
villages and towns, speeds are as low as 20–25 km/h due to the proliferation
of speed bumps.[32] Total railway length is 3,825 km.[33] Kolkata is the
headquarters of two divisions of the Indian Railways — Eastern Railway and
South Eastern Railway. The Northeast Frontier Railway plies in the northern
parts of the state. The Kolkata metro is the country's first underground
railway and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (NFR) is a World Heritage Site
declared by UNESCO.The state's only international airport is Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum, Kolkata. Bagdogra airport
near Siliguri is the other significant airport in the state. Kolkata is a
major river-port in eastern India. The Kolkata Port Trust manages both the
Kolkata docks and the Haldia docks.
Culture :- West Bengal has a long tradition in folk literature. The
musical tradition of West Bengal is lyrics-based (Baniprodhan), with minimal
instrumental accompaniment. The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of
Bangla folk music, which has also been influenced by regional music
traditions. Gombhira and Bhawaiya are a few of the better-known musical
forms. Folk music in West Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, an
instrument with only one string. West Bengal also has an active heritage in
North Indian classical music. Bengali dance forms draw from folk traditions,
especially those of the tribal groups as well as the broader Indian dance
traditions. Chau dance of Purulia is a rare form of mask dance. Mainstream
Hindi films are quite popular, as are films of Bengali cinema industry
dubbed "Tollywood." Bengali film industry is known for its art films.
Rice and fish are traditional favorites leading to a common saying that
"fish and rice make a Bengali. Meat consumption has increased with higher
production in recent years. Durga Puja in October is the most popular
festivals in the West Bengal.
Tourism :- West Bengal is a place of varied charms. The mighty
Himalayas in the north, the Bay of Bengal in the south, the verdant plains,
hilly terrains and the wonderful mangrove forests - all these have inspired
many poets to pen down lines in praise of the state. Digha, the marvelous
beach on the Bay of Bengal and Darjeeling, the beautiful hill station in the
foothills of the Himalayas, are the two extremes of the state. It is the
only state in India where a tourist can have the opportunity to see both the
majestic Himalayas and the beautiful Bay of Bengal. And in between these two
lies the city of Kolkata or Calcutta as it was called earlier. A journey to
West Bengal gives you the opportunity to experience a culture unique to
Bengal.
Major Travel Destinations
>> Darjeeling
>> Jaldapara
>> Kalimpong
>> Kolkata
Refer Map of West Bengal
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