North Bengal forms the western part of West Bengal. The north Bengal stands on the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, and slopes down to the alluvial plains of the Ganges, the Padma, and the Yamuna. It is the land of mountain climbing Sherpas and people with the distinctiveness of their own.
North Bengal comprises six districts – Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda. North Bengal is a perfect gate away as it offers beautiful hills and resorts near rivers offering peace and tranquility.
You may awaken your spiritual mind as there is no dearth of temples and spiritual places also offering a delight to eyes in the form of lush green gardens. It offers you offbeat tourist destinations that you would be compelled to stay.
DOOARS
Dooars derived its name from the word ‘doors’, being the gateway to the whole of northeastern India. Blessed with dense natural forest and lush green tea gardens, crisscrossed by meandering river streams like Teesta, Raidack, Torsa, and Jaldhaka it is a heaven for nature lovers.
It abounds in forest reserves like Gorumara national park, Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary, Chapramari wildlife sanctuary, and Buxa Tiger Reserve several rare endangered species of animals like tigers and rhinoceros and elephants can be seen. There are a lot of options of accommodation available to the tourists in the form of resorts and forest bungalows can enjoy nature accompanied by a luxurious stay.
DARJEELING
The word Darjeeling is derived from the word DARJEE LING: which means thunderbolt place. It attracts a lot of tourists from around the world and is one of the hotspots for tourists. It is known as the queen of the hills and is a complete holiday destination. Also, whenever you are sipping tea from anywhere in the world’s afresh flush, Darjeeling tea will always sense your organs active.
Another thing, you should try if you are visiting Darjeeling that is Churpi Yak Cheese Candy. This is prepared by stirring yak milk for long hours inside a wooden cask. This is useful to prevent chills in the winter season and keep body temperature in balance.
Apart from the scenic landscape, it is equally famous for the train, see the Buddhist monasteries, Batasia loop but the trip remains incomplete if you miss seeing the sunrise from tiger hill. You witness the miracle of nature when you see the golden ball rising from the folds of mountains. Enclosed with daunting hills and lush green tea gardens, it captivates the tourists and compels them to revisit.
MALDA
English Bazar is what it was called before, is located in the western river of Mahananda. The Indo-Bangladesh border is the main attraction of this place. Gour is another of the spots to visit there are many beautiful mosques such as the Latin mosque, Gomti gate Firoz Minar. Pandua is another attractive place with many Muslim architectures such as the Adina mosque and many others.
KALIMPONG
The town is close to the Bhutan-Tibet- Sikkim border on the eastern part of the Darjeeling Himalayas. Deolo hills are the highest point of the hill. Zandhok Parli monastery is quite popular, along with Tampa Cholin monastery. There are also many Hindu temples worth seeing.
COOCHBEHAR
A peaceful town away from the hustle-bustle of city life. you can feel the freshness and the air itself is rejuvenating. There are many places to visit as the Rajbari palace, idealized from the concept of the classical European style of the Italian renaissance, the magnificent palace was built by the famous Koch king maharaja Nipendra Narayan in 1887. It is a great architectural monument worth seeing and admiring.
Lord Madan Mohan temple is situated in the great of the city. Deities of Lord Madan Mohan, Maa Kali, Maa Tara, and Maa Bhavani adorn the temple. On the occasion of rash Poornima, rash yatra along with Rash Mela is one of the biggest festivals of North Bengal
Baneshwar Shiva temple is 10kms away from the main city. The temple has a Shivalinga 10 feet below ground level. Another attraction of the temple is a pond that abounds in tortoises. Numerous tortoises approach the visitors and are playful and truly adorable. One carries back the natural beauty that these innocent creatures offer.
Sagar Dighi is a place for crowds and young people, with a big pond at the heart of the city. Mornings at Sagar Dighi are a paradise for joggers. In the evening the place undergoes a makeover. The still and quietness of the mornings are replaced by activities and bustling crowds.
It becomes a food joint with numerous food trucks parked offering varieties of fast food. You can find teens as well as young people sitting and eating delightfully while away the time. You will not even know how times fly there.
Though it is impossible to comprehend and write the beauty of North Bengal, yet if one wants to enjoy nature to the fullest North Bengal is the right choice. I may safely say there are places in north Bengal that are still virgin. Check out the weekend getaways from Kolkata to retreat your soul and treat your eyes.