Culture and heritage are Bengal’s travel destinations this winter

Culture and heritage seem turning out to be primary destinations in West Bengal this winter, with many inveterate travellers exploring their own backyards to find there are places worth a short vacation.

The crowd usually headed to the hills — Darjeeling and around — and the beaches — the few that are located in the State and Puri in Odisha — is now exploring the very essence of Bengal: its history and its architecture and its forests and its rivers.

“If one is to curate a trail combining Bengali culture and heritage, districts such as Birbhum, Bankura, Malda and Murshidabad adorn the front row during the winter months,” said Maitrayee Paul, a public servant who not only travels within Murshidabad on work because she is posted there but who is also exploring its corners as a traveller.

“Murshidabad is chosen as a winter destination for many compelling reasons. The weather, accessibility and affordability apart, it is steeped in history. The region showcases a mix of Mughal, European, and Bengali architectural influences. Visitors also enjoy exploring the local arts, crafts, and traditions, such as the famous Murshidabad silk. Also, the serene banks of the Bhagirathi River, along with lush gardens and historic ruins, provide a tranquil escape from city life,” said Ms. Paul.

Bankura — of which Bishnupur, famous for its terracotta temples, is also a part — has been seeing a large number of tourists during winter and this year is no different. “People choose this place for the picturesque views of mountains, lake, dense forest. About 21% of Bankura’s geographical land is forest, dominated by tribes. People also come here to buy local products such as terracotta and dokra pieces, wooden handicraft, Baluchuri sarees. Of late it is a popular destination for pre-wedding photoshoots,” said Dibyajyoti Bera, a senior official of West Bengal Forest Service posted there.

Ankit Sarkar, an officer with the West Bengal government who, as a seasoned traveller, knows the State like the back of his hand, chose Birbhum this time. “Staring at the ceiling, thinking of hills and beaches, one ended up deciding on Birbhum. If you are an admirer of handcraft, artistic heritage, rustic landscape of red soil, soulful Baul songs and Bengal’s own terracotta temples, then that’s an ideal escape,” Mr. Sarkar said.

“On one hand, it has been the land of Shakti worship, with the Tarapith temple, since time immemorial, on the other hand, it has some of the most magnificent terracotta temples — in Surul, Supur, Ilambazar, Ganpur — showing enthronement of Ram; Shiva playing the tanpura, Parvati nursing Ganesha. The place holds a magical balance between devotion and cultural aspiration,” he said.

Satabdi Chatterjee, a teacher at Loreto Convent, was looking for a place to spend time with friends of 40 years when the group decided on Jhargram, hardly two hours by train from Kolkata but culturally a different world, with different tribes inhabiting the forest villages.

“The full-moon night at a forest village, with reverberating beats of the drum from a distance — that was simply intoxicating. Jhargram kept unravelling itself at every bend; we saw nature beyond our expectations. Among the best experiences was the drive to the art village of Lalbazar: the village itself was a treasure trove, its walls painted aesthetically by locals, every corner worth a picture on Instagram,” Ms. Chatterjee said.

Krishnakoli Ray, headmistress of a Kolkata school, recently made a memorable visit to the former French colony of Chandannagar, barely an hour’s drive from the city. “The moment you land on the promenade by the Hooghly the colonial structures transport you to a time bygone. For example, the Sacred Heart Church, founded in 1691, still bears testimony to Chandannagar’s French past, with plaques and inscriptions in French. It has beautiful glass frescoes inside and it immediately offers a sense of calm. We also saw the museum and the Chandannagar College, but the best part was sitting on one of the benches lining the promenade. We sat in silence, for words have little meaning when silence is so eloquent,” Ms. Ray said.

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