INTRODUCTION

West Bengal is one of the most culturally and ethnically divers states of India. The people of West Bengal inherit their identity and aspiration from the larger Indian mosaic and from civilizations beyond the shore. Different ethnicity, religion, languages and culture adds to this rich landscape and unifies the people instead of separating them. 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. Poets, thinkers and film directors of international renown hail from this city. Some of the best known monuments of the British Raj were built here. 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 meters 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.

Area	88,752  sq km
Capital	Kolkata
Language	Bengali, English, Hindi

MAJOR CITIES

Darjeeling	Gaur	Malda	Mirik
Kalimpong	Murshidabad	Kolkata	Siliguri
Kurseong	Pandua	Shantiniketan