West Bengal

Calcutta, three hundred years old, traces its history to the landing of Robert Clive on the banks of the Hooghly beside three villages. It was from here the monumental British Raj was launched in India. The capital of West Bengal, Calcutta is the major entry point. 

If Delhi is the elegant capital of the nation, and Bombay its major industrial city, then Calcutta ranks as the intellectual capital. Poets, thinkers and film directors of international renown hail from this city where avant garde plays and art exhibitions go on show practically every day of the year. Calcutta was the first headquarters of the East India Company, and some of its best known monuments were built by this British trading house. However, the city has, within its 300 years’ history, hosted other communities both from other parts of India as well as abroad - Chinese, Armenians, Jews - all of whom have left their imprint in pockets of Calcutta. Sightseeing in this fascinating city includes Raj Bhawan, the residence of the Governor of Bengal; Victoria Memorial, the city’s landmark; Botanical Gardens, which are notable for the oldest banyan tree, and orchid house; Armenian Church; Marble Palace, one family’s collection of memorabilia; and the Birla Planetarium. Darjeeling, the state’s most popular hill resort, is a slice of England 2,134 metres above sea level. Surrounded by tea gardens growing the prized leaf known as Darjeeling, the little town faces some of the Himalaya’s highest peaks. Darjeeling is an abrupt variation from the lowlands of West Bengal. Buddhism, being a major faith here, Darjeeling and the nearby town of Kalimpong have, between them, several Buddhist monasteries, chiefly of the Yellow Hat sect. 

Calcutta

Area : 187 sq. kms. 
Altitude : 5.8 metres
Climate (deg c) : Summer- Max. 41.7, Min. 38.1; Winter- Max. 29.3, Min. 9.6.
Rainfall : 158 cms June to Mid September
Clothing : Tropical
Languages Spoken : Bengali, English, Hindi etc.
Season : Throughout the year.
STD Code : 033.

Grown from mangrove swamps, Calcutta is the largest metropolis in India. Calcutta's role in the national economy is of crucial importance as the Gateway to Eastern India. Ships were the begining of Calcutta's history & the river Hoogly was the key to the city's fortunes.

Infrastructure
Air : India Airlines connect Calcutta with Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Port Blair, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, Patna, Lucknow, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Imphal, Bagdogra, Agartala, Bangalore, Vishakhapatnam (Vizag), Guwahati, Dimapur, Hyderabad and Car-Nicobar. 
Rail: Howrah and Sealdah, two main railway stations are there in Calcutta. Calcutta is connected by rail to most of the important places in India. 
Road : Good motorable roads connect Calcutta to all the major cities in India. Some of these are: Puri-560 kms, Bhubaneshwar-498 kms, Shiliguri-000 kms, Darjiling-678 kms, Krishnanagar-000 kms, Baharampur-000 kms, Patna-547 kms, Ranchi-000 kms, Alahabad-000 kms, Kanpur-000 kms, Lucknow-000 kms, Haridwar-1586 kms, Varanasi-681 kms, Bombay-2060 kms, Delhi-1490 kms, Madras-0000 kms, Panaji (Goa)-0000 kms. 
Local Transport : Metred Taxis, Cycle & Man-pulling rickshaws, city buses, Trams, Electric Trains & Metro rail services are available. 

Hotels
Deluxe - Taj Bengal, The Oberoi Grand. Standard - Park Hotel, Airport Ashok, Hotel Hindustan International. New Kenilworth International, Rutt-Dean, Lytton, Astor. Budget - Astoria, Minerva, Swagath, Carlton, The Shamilton, Host International, Shalimar, Udaychal Tourist Lodge, YMCA, YWCA.

Places to see
Belur Math 16.5 km, Botanical Garden 19.2 km, Dakshineshwar Temple 20 km, Howarh Bridge 6.4 km, Jain Temple 9 km, Kali Temple 3.2 km, Marble Palace 6.8 km, Nakhoda Mosque 6 km, National Library 1.4 km, Rabindra Sarobar 4.2 km, Raj Bhavan 3 km, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture 5 km, Sahid Minar (Ochterlony Monument), St.Paul's Cathedral, Victoria Memorial 0.5 km, Zoological Gardens 3 km.

Museums and Art Galleries 
Academy of Fine Arts, Tel: 248-4302; Asutosh Museum, Tel: 34-7472; 
Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Tel: 76-6802; 
Birla Industrial & Technological Museum, Tel: 247-7341; 
Birla Planetarium, Tel: 242-1554/-6619; 
Gurusaday Museum; Indian Museum, Tel: 29-9902; 
Nehru Children's Museum, Tel: 248-3517; 
Rabindra Bharati Museum, Tel: 34-5241; 
State Archaeological Gallery, Tel: 243-6636; 
Victoria Memorial Hall Museum, Tel: 248-5142.

Digha Beach 185 kms, Santiniketan 213 kms, Bakkhali Beach 132 kms, Chandannagar 39 kms, Diamond Harbour 51 kms, Sundarban 131 kms, Tribani 48 kms, Gangasagar 140 kms, Malda 340 kms, Kalna 82 kms, Navadweep 110 kms, Mayapur 134 kms, Murshidabad 221 kms etc.
Vishnupur : 152 kms. Famous for the exquisite 17th & 18th century terracotta temples, Seat of classical music. The Stylised, "Bankura horse" symbolic of excellence in rural handicrafts is native to this district.
Belur Math (16 km) is a modern temple within the grounds of the Ramakrishna Mission. Dakshineshwar Temple (20 km) dedicated to Kali is built in the architectural style of Bengal. Botanical Gardens (8 km) cover 110 hectares and have a number of rare plants, including a 200 year old banyan tree. Murshidabad (221 km) centre of Bengal’s silk industry and the residence of the erstwhile nawab of Bengal. Shantiniketan (167km) now a university, founded by the Nobel literature laureate, Rabindranath Tagore.
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Informations
Government of India Regional Tourist Office, EMBASSY, 4 Shakespeare Sarani, Calcutta - 700 071, Tel : 242-1402, 242-5813. 
Government of India Tourist Information Counter, New Terminal Building, Calcutta Airport, Calcutta - 700 052, Tel : 552-8299. 
West Bengal Tourist Bureau, 3/2 Binoy Badal Dinesh Bagh (East), 1st Floor, Calcutta - 700 001, Tel : 248-8271.