|
Untamed
Bengal
 Do
Mother Teresa, poetry and rasgollas sound familiar. Well that’s
West Bengal for you. Though less explored than the rest, West
Bengal is known more for Kolkata. It is the only unique Indian
state that stretches from the Himalayas to the sea encompassing
every aspect including wildlife with the famous Sunderbans.
Starting from the better known to the less travelled, Kolkata,
better known as the City of Joy, is known for its trams and
for launching the first underground Metro system in India.
This is a city where artistic endeavour is held in higher
esteem than its political and economic success, home to a
multitude of galleries, theatres and cinema. For a first-timer,
Kolkata presents a colonial experience with the Writers Building,
the chief bastion of imperialism, imposing Victoria Memorial,
gothic St Paul’s Cathedral, the eclectic Indian Museum
and many more. The city is also known for its renowned Durga
Puja.
Coastal Bengal is famous for two distinct reasons - River
Hooghly and the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve. Home to the Royal
Bengal Tiger, the Sunderbans also boasts of varied species
of birds and other wildlife. Central Bengal on the other hand
is subtler with Bishnupur, the tranquil backwaters and Shantiniketan
designed by Tagore.
And, what better way to conclude than with North Bengal, renowned
for its hill stations like Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Siliguri with a thriving tea-auction centre serves as the
gateway to Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Darjeeling, is a major
tea-growing centre with a Victorian setting. The last but
not the least, Kalimpong, a sort of sister to Darjeeling,
has a profusion of flowers and orchids on offer.
Serene Arunachal
The land of the dawn-lit mountains is unknown to many and
has abundant wilderness a rare sight in India. Rugged hills,
chaste forests, pristine rivers pave the way to Tawang, the
entry into this virgin destination. It was only very recently
that foreign tourists were permitted to explore Arunachal.
The biggest draw is the array of flora and fauna, in a habitat
that combines glacial terrain, alpine meadows and sub-tropical
forest. Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal is known for the
Governor’s House and a new Buddhist temple. Consecrated
by Dalai Lama, the temple reflects the extensive Tibetan influence
in this frontier land. West Arunachal on the other hand is
hemmed by Bhutan and Tibet and isolated hills. The great river
Jia Bharali renowned for its fish meanders through dense forest
to emerge at Tipi, house of 500 species of Orchids. Central
and East Arunachal round up this pure state with Ziro, the
picturesque hill station. For a tribal encounter, visit Dibang
and Lohit, inhabited by the Mishmis tribes that descend from
the snow-covered passes to the sub-tropical forest.
Artistic Nagaland
What picture would appear when one thinks of Nagaland; hills,
valleys, tribes and much more. Well, on the right track, Nagaland
is at the very extremity of the Indian subcontinent. Today
this remains the most politically sensitive of the north-eastern
states. Better known for its capital, Kohima, for its bara
basti (large villages) offers visitors a glimpse into the
Naga life.
The Second World War Cemetery dominates the town of Kohima
and its immaculate gardens that are memorials to those allies
who died during the battle of Kohima in 1944. For handicrafts,
one can stroll along the busy markets adorning traditional
shawls, bags, decorative spears and other crafts. Take a walk
down Bara Basti for traditional Naga style settlements with
pitched roofs and crossed ’house-horns’ on the gable.
Dimapur, the industrialised town of Nagaland, is the only
one not situated in the hills. Here one would find the Kachari
tribe, the Tibeto-Burmese people that erected huge carved
fertility symbols. Nagaland though unexplored is worth a visit
once in your lifetime.
Devout Orissa
 Orissa
abounds with the highest concentration of historical and religious
monuments. The state has some of the principal tourist attractions
in India. Puri, site of the famous Jagannath temple and venue
for one of the world’s spectacular devotional processions,
the Rath Yatra, combines the heady intensity of Hindu pilgrimage
centre with the more hedonistic pleasures of the beach. Konark,
boast the ruins of Orissa’s most medieval temple. Hidden
for years under gigantic sand dunes, its surfaces boast exquisitely
preserved sculptures as well as some exotic erotica. The capital
Bhubaneshwar - all too skipped by tourists - harks back to
the era when it ruled a kingdom stretching from the Ganges
to river Godavari.
Though trying to create a mark in the tourist circuit, Orissa
is yet to claim its fame. On the adventurous side, the Simlipal
National Park deep in the sal forest has some spectacular
scenery and wildlife. The Chilka Lake, a huge salt-water lagoon,
is indeed a bird watcher’s paradise while the Bhita Kanika
Sanctuary is a site for a school of giant marine turtles that
migrate every year from the South American coast.
Tranquil Sikkim
Sikkim ranges from deep valleys to lofty snow peaks. It houses
one the third highest mountain in the world - Kanchenjunga.
Culturally, historically and spiritually Sikkim has strong
links with Tibet. Apart from the lure of the mountains, one
can also experience the Buddhist monasteries. There are around
250 monasteries, mostly belonging to the ancient Nyingmapa
sect. Places like Teesta and Rangit, are a botanist’s
dream. These destinations abound in orchids and sprays of
cardamom that carpet the forest floor. The land is also rich
with apple orchards, orange groves and paddy fields. On the
wild side, explorers can find every conceivable species of
rhododendron and giant Mongolia trees. Wilderness and forest
is abundant in Sikkim. If luck is on your side, one can find
tahr (wild ass), bharal (blue sheep) and the endangered red
panda.
|
