Best Places to Visit in West Bengal

Darjeeling

Famous for its tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Kalighat

The Shakti Peetha where Sati's right toe is said to have fallen — the temple that gave Calcutta its name (Kali-kshetra → Calcutta) and remains the most-visited Kali shrine in eastern India, in the heart of South Kolkata.

Victoria Memorial

A large marble building in Kolkata, dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria.

Sundarbans

The world's largest mangrove delta, a UNESCO biosphere of 10,000 sq km shared with Bangladesh, home to the last wild swimming tigers, saltwater crocodiles and over 250 bird species.

Tarapith

A Shakti Peetha 250 km north of Kolkata where Sati's third eye is said to have fallen — famous for its unbroken tantric tradition and as the site where the 19th-century saint Bamakhepa lived, performed sadhana, and is buried.

Shrinkhala Devi (Pandua)

The third peetha in the Ashtadasa Shakti Peetha Stotram — where Sati's stomach is said to have fallen — at Pandua in Hooghly district, 50 km from Kolkata. The original temple is largely a ruin; the local Devi tradition is preserved at the Hangseshwari temple nearby and at the Bandel basilica that grew over part of the medieval site.

Darjeeling: Tea, the Toy Train and the Himalayan Dawn

Sundarbans: Where Tigers Swim and the World's Largest Delta Breathes

The Bengali Shakta Trail: Kalighat, Tarapith and the Goddess of the East

Himalayan Monasteries: Whispers from the Roof of the World

The Tigers of Ranthambore: Tracking Jungle Kings in a Mughal Fort

Cherrapunji: The Wettest Place on Earth and Its Living Root Bridges