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How to Get There:
Travel into and out of this state is easy, though one can’t help feeling the rush of mankind at its impossibly busy world famous Sealdah and Howrah railway termini. The same is the case with road transportation. The state has poorly developed infrastructure and poor roads are one of the causes.
• By Air: The state's has two international airports, the International Airport at Dum Dum, Kolkata and the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri. There are, otherwise, a large number of smaller airfields usable by smaller aircraft and helicopters. Domestic flights keep Dum Dum busy.
• By Rail: Kolkata is the HQ of two divisions of the Indian Railways—Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) plies in the northern parts of the state. India’s pride, its first ever underground metro came up in Kolkata. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, part of NFR, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The railways are in good shape, even if rather crowded.
• By Road: The total length of surface road in West Bengal is over 92,000 km; national highways comprise just 2,377 km and state highways a niggardly 2,393 km. The entire state is not efficiently cross-connected, as the Communist leaders had other issues on their agenda.
• By Ship: Kolkata is a major river-port in eastern India. The Kolkata Port Trust manages both the Kolkata and the Haldia docks. Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the passenger destination. Cargo is shipped to other ports in India and abroad. Ferry is a principal mode of transport in the southern part of the state, especially in the Diamond Harbour and Sundarbans area.
• By Tram: Kolkata is the last and only city in India to have trams as a mode of transport and these are operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company. Tram fare is impossibly cheap, at ONE HALF of an US cent per km.
• By Hired Vehicles: In most of the state, cycle rickshaws, and in Kolkata, hand-pulled rickshaws are also used for short-distance travel. Taxis and auto rickshaws are also available.
Demographics:
Most people in West Bengal are Bengalis. Biharis are found in groups scattered
throughout the state. Sherpas and ethnic Tibetans can be found close to Sikkim. Darjeeling has a large number of Gurkhas of Nepalese origin. West Bengal is home to indigenous tribal Adivasis as well. Bengali holds pride of place as the official language. English and Hindi are also used freely, particularly the former. The main religion of the state is Hinduism, at 72.5% of total population; Muslims comprise 25.2% as the 2nd largest community; Sikhism, Christianity and other religions make up the total. The literacy rate is 70%.
Other Major Cities: Other major cities and towns in West Bengal are Howrah, Raniganj, Haldia, Kharagpur, Burdwan, Darjeeling, Midnapore, Tamluk, Malda, Asansol, Durgapur, Siliguri and Cooch Behar.
What to See: Kolkata itself will take time, after which you could take in Siliguri, Darjeeling with the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Tiger hill Sunrise and Kanchenjunga peak, Kalimpong, Baghdogra, Kurseong, Tea gardens, the Belur math and the Dakshineshwar temple, Malda, the terracotta temples of Bishnupur and the sea-side resort of Digha.
Where to Stay:
Accommodation is problematic in the state. Plan your trip with the assistance of a tourist guide or agency or book online reservations well in advance. Kolkata has a huge number of hotels, mainly budget class. There are twenty odd 3-star and higher rated hotels.
What to Eat: Fish and rice are the main ingredients typical of West Bengal food. The most popular but expensive dish is ‘Macher Jhol’ with the Hilsa fish caught in the Hooghly. Most food is cooked in mustard oil, which takes time getting used to. Rehu Fish Curry uses trout as its base. Bengalis have a sweet tooth and love Rasagolla, Sandesh and Misti Doi. Again, Bengalis avoid sugar and use date palm jaggery instead.
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