|
|
|
Even without a road map of West Bengal, one would see that the odyssey in West Bengal starts with its three-hundred year old capital, Calcutta.
From mangrove swamps, Calcutta has grown to be one of the largest metropolises in India. Seeing as this is a place dear to the British Raj, edifices of Victorian splendor have found their way here.
Here, one comes across the ornate Raj Bhawan, the opulent residence of the Governor of Bengal, Victoria Memorial, Marble Palace, and similar stunning structures. Also to be found in Calcutta are the Botanical Gardens, prized for the oldest Banyan tree.
England is also transfigured yet again in the extremely famous hill station of Darjeeling, located 2,134 meters above sea level. At Darjeeling, one can sip tea as people in London do, only that he or she gets to behold some of the Himalayas’ highest zeniths. It is bliss in the loftiest sense.
East of Darjeeling is the picturesque town of Kalimpong, set amidst gently rolling hills at the foot of the Himalayas. |
