India Travel
Gaur in Central Bengal
Spread across a landscape of lush paddy fields, 16km south of Malda on the border with Bangladesh, GAUR was the seventh-century capital of King Sasanka, and then successively belonged to the Buddhist Pals and the Hindu Senas. The latter, the last Hindu kings of Bengal, were violently displaced by the Muslims at the start of the thirteenth century. The city was eventually sacked in 1537 by Sher Shah Suri, and its remaining inhabitants were wiped out by plague in 1575.
Deserted and overgrown, Gaur today is hard to relate to the city of one million inhabitants described by the Portuguese historian, Faria-y-Souza. Nothing remains of the pre-Muslim period apart from large tanks, such as the Sagar Dighi, built in 1126 and almost 1500m long, and the embankments of the old city, which extend for several kilometres through the verdant rural landscape. Dakhil Darwaza. an impressive gateway built in 142.t of small red bricks, leads through the embankments surrounding the Fort, in the southeast corner of which a colossal twenty-metre-high wall encloses the ruins of the old palace. Nearby are the Qadam Rasul Mosque, built in 1531 to contain the Prophet’s footprint in stone, and the seventeenth-century tomb of Fateh Khan, one of Aurangzeb’s generals, in Bengali hut style. Other remains of interest include the elegant Tantipara Mosque. with its finely detailed terracotta decoration, the Lattan or Painted Mosque, where traces remain visible of the enamelled bricks that gave it its name, and the massive Bara Sona Masjid, “Great Golden Mosque", northeast of the Fort.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Malda and around in Central Bengal
The large, unattractive commercial town of MALDA. 340km north of Calcutta, straddles the highway co the north and is renowned for ins local mango harvest. A natural port, at the confluence of two rivers, it was once a prosperous trading post for silk and cotton: in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it housed Dutch, French and English factories. Little of interest has survived from that period, but Malda makes a good base to explore the historic sites of Gaur and Pandua, both earlier capitals of Bengal, which can be reached by either bus or tonga. Malda is on the main line
Central Bengal
Central Bengal offers little in the way of major sights to tempt tourists off the Calcutta-Darjeeling route. It is a low-lying rural region where the pace of life is in stark contrast to that of its frenetic capital, Calcutta. Shantiniketan, built on the site of Rabindranath Tagore's lather's ashram, is a haven of peace, and a must for anyone interested m Bengali music, art and culture. The other highlights of the region include a cluster of exquisite terracotta temples in Bishnupur, the rums of Gaur, the region's seventh-century capital, and the palaces of Murshidabad. capital of Bengal's last independent
North Bengal in North Bengal
North Bengal, where the Himalayas soar from the flat alluvial plains towards Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, holds some magnificent mountain panoramas, and also some of India's best hill stations. Most visitors pass as quickly as possible through Siliguri en route to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and the small state of Sikkim. For anyone with a bit of time on their hands, the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the one-horned rhino, bison and wild boar, east of Siliguri near the Bhutanese border, makes a worthwhile detour. Besides the occasional strike, few travellers will notice, but today the region is wracked by political turmoil, with
Information about Calcutta
The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm, is your best bet for information on Calcutta,'West Bengal and destinations further afield, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours.The Government ofWest Bengal Tourist Bureau. 3/2 BBD Bagh East, arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same services. English-language newspapers such as the
About Calcutta and West Bengal
Unique among Indian stares in stretching all the way from the Himalayas to the sea, WEST BENGAL is nonetheless explored in depth by few travellers. That may have something to do with the exaggerated reputation of its capital, CALCUTTA, which is actually a sophisticated and friendly city that belies its popular image as poverty-stricken and chaotic. Certainly the rest of Bengal holds an extraordinary assortment of landscapes and cultures, ranging from the dramatic hill station of Darjeeling, within sight of some of the highest mountains in the world, to the vast mangrove swamps of the Sunderbans, prowled by man-eating Royal
Information on Calcutta
The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, 4 Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1 pm;) is your best bet for information on Calcutta, 'West Bengal and destinations further a field, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours. The Government of West Bengal Tourist Bureau, 3/2 BBD Bagh East (©033/248 8271), arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same
Pandua in Central Bengal
The splendid Adina Masjid at PANDUA, 18km north of Malda, built by Sikander Shah around 1370, was in its day the largest mosque in the subcontinent. It now lies in ruins but these still betray the origin of much of the building materials - carved basalt masonry from earlier Hindu temples was used to support 88 brick-built arches and 378 identical small domes, the design following that of the great eighth-century mosque of Damascus. Other monuments include the Eklakhi mausoleum - one of the first square brick tombs in Bengal with a carved Ganesh on the doorway; and Qutb Shahi Masjid,
History of Calcutta (Kolkata)
Although Bengal was part of the Mauryan empire during the third century BC. it first came to prominence in its own right under the Guptas, in the fourth century AD. So dependent was it on trade with the Mediterranean that the fall of Rome caused a sharp decline, only reversed with the rise of the Pala dynasty in the eighth century. After a short-lived period of rule by the highly cultured Senas, based at Gaur, Bengal was brought under Muslim rule at the end of the twelfth century by the first Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din-Aibak. Sher Shah Suri, who usurped power
Coastal Bengal
The coast of West Bengal consists of two very distinct sections, on either side of the River Hooghly. To the east are the Sunderbans, one of the largest estuarine deltas in the world covering an area of 2500 square kilometres. Here you'll find the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve and the seaside resort of Bakkhali. On the west side of the Hooghly, an unbroken line of beaches goes all the way to Digha, the last resort before the coastline of Orissa begins.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Central Tamil Nadu
Set 1140m up in the Nilgin hills, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most accessible in the south, covering 322 square kilometres of deciduous forest, split by the main road from Ooty (64km) to Mysore (97km) Unfortunately, the park has been closed to visitors for the past couple of seasons amid fears that the sandalwood smuggler, Veerapan, may abduct tourists or Forest Department wardens. You can, however, still stop here en route to or from Mysore to sample the peace and fresh air of the Nilgiri forest after the bus parties of day-trippers from Ooty have all gone home Coming
Eastern Madhya Pradesh
On the tourist trail, Eastern Madhya Pradesh is singularly and justifiably famous for its amazing abundance of wildlife. Amid the rolling terraced plains and craggy cliffs are hidden two of the country's finest national parks. Kanha and Bandhavgarh. In the few remaining fragments of a forest that until 150 years ago extended right across central India, the reserves are among the last strongholds for many endangered species of birds and mammals, including the tiger, gaur (bison) and barasingha (swamp deer). The whole eastern area is deep in adivasi country; the villages of the Gond and Barga tribes dot the scrubby
Kendubilwa in Central Bengal
The town of KENDUBILWA, also known as Kenduli, on the bank of a wide shallow river 42km from Shantiniketan, is the birthplace of Jaidev, the author of Gita Govinda, and the spiritual home of the Bauls. Its small terracotta temple is engulfed each year in mid-January when the Jaidev Mela attracts streams of pilgrims, as well as an interesting collection of yogis and sadhus who gather amongst the folds of the tall banyan trees to hear the Bauls perform through the night. Over the years the meia has grown to include a wide range of stalls and even a funfair.
Murshidabad in Central Bengal
Set in the brilliant green landscape of rural Bengal, historic MURSHIDABAD lies close to the bustling commercial town of Behrampur, 200km north of Calcutta. Several eighteenth-century monuments along the banks of the Hooghly stand as reminders of its days as the last independent capital of Bengal. Established early in the eighteenth century by the Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, Murshidabad was soon eclipsed when the forces of Siraj-ud-Uaula were defeated by Robert Clive at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, as a result of which the British came to dominate Bengal from the new city of Calcutta. Clive described Murshidabad as
Along the Hooghly to the sea In Coastal Bengal
As the Hooghly bends south on its way to the sea, it becomes larger and larger; when it reaches the Bay of Bengal at Diamond Harbour, 50km south of Calcutta, it is very wide indeed. The harbour was used by the East India Company, and a ruined fort is said to date back to Portuguese pirates. The trip down here from the city, by bus or train from Sealdah station, is a popular day's excursion for Calcuttans, though it's also possible to stay the night at the Sagarika Tourist Lodge, which has some a/c rooms. Book through the tourist office
Bakreswar in Central Bengal
A quiet but important temple town on the edge of the Chotanagpur plateau, 58km northwest of Shantiniketan, BAKRESWAR is considered, along with Kalighat in Calcutta, to be one of the 51 Sati pithas.The temple of Mahishamardini commemorates the spot where a part of Shakti's forehead fell, cut by Vishnu as the distraught and destructive Shiva earned her dead body. Shiva himself is venerated by the Bakranath temple. Nearby hot springs such as Agnikund, or "fire spring", have a high sulphur content, reach temperatures of 67°C, and are considered to have great therapeutic value. Buses for Bakreswar depart from the Jamboni
Kanniyakumari in Central Tamil Nadu
KANNIYAKUMARI, at the southernmost extremity of India, is almost as compelling for Hindus as Rameshwaram. It is significant, not only for its association with a virgin goddess, Kanya Devi, but also as the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. Watching the sun rise and set from here is the big attraction, especially on full-moon day in April, when it's possible to see both the setting sun and rising moon on the same horizon. Although Kanniyakumari is in the state of Tamil Nadu, most foreign visitors arrive on day-trips from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala,
Practicalities in North Bengal
Bagdogra airport, 12km west of Siliguri and served by flights from Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati, is connected not only with Siliguri itself, but also directly to Darjeeling as well as to Gangtok in Sikkim by helicopter.
Bishnupur in Central Bengal
The tranquil and attractive backwater of BISHNUPUR, around 150km northwest of Calcutta, is a famous centre of Bengali learning, renowned above all for its exquisite terracotta temples. It was the capital of the Malla rajas, under whose patronage one of India's greatest schools of music developed. Largely beyond the sphere of Muslim influence in Bengal, Bishnupur s long tradition of temple-building had its roots in the basic form of the domestic hut. Translated into temple architecture, built of brick, as stone was rarely available, and faced with finely carved terracotta decoration (often depicting scenes from the Ramayana), the temples combine
Palamau (Betla) National Park
In a remote and lawless corner of the state, 170km west of Ranchi, the beautiful forests of the PALAMAU NATIONAL PARK (also known as Betla), cover around 1000 square kilometres of hilly terrain rising south towards Madhya Pradesh. Part of the Project Tiger scheme (see Contexts, p. 1532). Palamau has been hard hit by drought, and even optimistic estimates of its tiger population stand at a mere sixty.Tiger sightings, more common in the hot season, are proudly announced on a noticeboard at the park offices. Like many national parks, Palamau consists of a buffer zone, open to visitors, surrounding a core
Rabindranath Tagore in Central Bengal
The Bengali poet and literary giant, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), has inspired generations of arrists, poets and musicians, He developed an early interest in theatre, and set his poenis to music now, as Rabmdrd Sangeei, one of the most popular musical traditions in Bengal. Introduced to England and the West by the painter William Rothenstein and the poet W.B. Yeats, Tagore had his collection of poems Gittinjali first published in translation in 1912, and the following year was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Though he preferred to write in Bengali, and encouraged authors in other Indian languages, he was also