GLIMPSES OF
BHARAT...
BHARAT KI
...JHALAK
WEST BENGAL- Hub of all Cultural traits
The earliest mention of Bengal is the participation of its king Vangaraja in the epic battle of Mahabharata. In the 3rd century B.C., it was part of the Mauryan empire and between 4th and 6th century A.D., came under the Guptas. By about 800 A.D., the Pala dynasty ruled Bengal, then known as Vanga. The Sena dynasty took over from Palas at the turn of 11th century, but were defeated by Qutb-Din-Ibaq, the Sultan of Delhi. After the death of Aurangjeb (1707), Bengal became independent with the Muslim governors running the administration. Siraj-ud-daul the last independent ruler of Bengal was defeated by the British at the battle of Plassey in 1757. After seven years of political instability under Mir Jafar, the British annexed Bengal in 1764, in what was to be the first sign of British colonization of India.
When India became independent in 1947, Bengal was partitioned between India and Pakistan into East and West Bengals. India added the princely state of Cooch Bihar in 1950 to West Bengal State. It also seized the French enclave of Chandranagore in 1954 and added to West Bengal (see present day West Bengal).
* GEOGRAPHY-
MOUNTAINS
Singalila Ridge (Darjeeling) - 3636 metres
Darjeeling-Kurseong Range (Darjeeling)
Sinchula Range (Alipurduar) - 1924 metres
Chola Range (Darjeeling) - 1704 metres
FOREST
Mountain Temperate Forest
Tropical Mixed Evergreen Forest
RIVERS
FLORA
FAUNA
MAJOR CROPS
* TOURIST PLACES-
BEACHES
Mandarmani(East Medinipur)
Shankarpur(Paschim Bardhaman)
Diamond Harbour(South 24 Parganas)
WATERFALLS
Changey Waterfall (Khasmahal)
Chunnu Waterfall (Darjeeling)
Paglajhora Waterfall (Kurseong)
Turga Waterfall (Purulia)
Rainbow Waterfall (Darjeeling)
MUSEUMS
The Indian Museum (Kolkata)
Victoria Memorial (Kolkata)
Birla Industrial & Technological Museum(Kolkata)
Mother's Wax Museum (Kolkata)
Hazarduari Palace (Kolkata)
HILL STATIONS
Darjeeling - 'Summer Capital of British India'
GARDENS
Sugandha The Rose Garden (Salboni)
Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden (Howrah)
The Agri-Horticultural Society Of India (Kolkata)
Kathgola Garden (Murshidabad)
AMUSEMENT PARK-
Aquatica Banquet Resort & Water Park (South 24 Parganas)
Anand Amusement Park (Durgapur)
WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary (Sittong Khasmahal)
The Buxa Tiger Reserve (Buxa)
Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary (Sajnekhali)
Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary (Bardhhaman)
Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary (Darjeeling)
RELIGIOUS PLACES
Dakshineswar Kali Temple (Kolkata)
Hanseswari Temple (Hooghly)
NATIONAL PARKS
Gorumara National Park (Jalpaiguri)
Neora Valley National Park (Kalimpong)
Sundarban National Park (South 24 Parganas)
Singalila National Park (Darjeeling)
VALLEYS
Jaldhaka River Valley (Kalimpong)
Damodar Valley (Hooghly and Bardhaman)
FORTS
Kurumbera Fort (Paschim Midnapore)
Fort Radisson (South 24 Parganas)
* LANGUAGES SPOKEN-
1)Bengali
2)English
*TRADITIONAL ATTIRE-
2) In many places, you will also get men wearing Pajama and Punjabi. The Pajamas are white in color. The Punjabis are well decorated with embroideries. They enhance the look of the men. Most time, Bengali men wear short kurtas with pants or pajamas. It is a comfortable wear that the men can easily wear. The kurtas are found in various colors and materials. You can choose the suitable one for your purpose.
* CUISINE-
* FAMOUS FESTIVAL-
Durga Puja
Durga Puja major festival of Hinduism, traditionally held for 10 days in the month of Ashvina (September–October), the seventh month of the Hindu calendar, and particularly celebrated in Bengal, Assam, and other eastern Indian states.
The puja involves crowds of people visiting the pandals, with smaller groups visiting family pujas, to witness the celebrations. On the last day, the sculpture-idols are carried out in immersion processions across Bengal, following which they are ritually immersed into rivers or other waterbodies.
* TRADITIONAL SPORT-
Boli khela
Boli Khela is a full-contact combat sport in which the fighters use techniques like clinching, throwing, joint locking, pinning holds, and several other grappling holds.
A match is conducted on a circular or square field with a dirt surface. Players only wear a pair of shorts and no shoes or any other gear for competitions. The objective of the sport is same as most other forms of wrestling, which is to force any part of the opponents body, except the feet, to touch the ground.
* FOLK DANCE-
Brita Dance
Brita dance is an important part of the rural Bengali culture and is commonly completed throughout the festive season, especially at some point during the Bengali New Year. The dance is characterized by complex footwork and hand gestures synchronized with the track. The performers wore traditional apparel, including a purple-bordered white saree embellished with bangles and necklaces.
Brita dance is more than just a form of enjoyment; it is an essential part of West Bengal’s cultural identity and serves to retain the place’s historical past. Through the performance of Brita dance, younger generations are added to the customs and traditions of their ancestors, ensuring that the lifestyle is preserved with time.
