Forget The City Chaos — These 5 Villages Near Kolkata Are Where Magic Happens
Sheltered by its status as the cultural capital of India, Kolkata embodies both rich heritage and vibrant festivals together with bustling city activities. People who need respite from metropolitan stress can find calming villages next to Kolkata where they can relax. These peaceful settlements display indigenous local culture together with relaxing surroundings throughout West Bengal. The following list comprises seven essential villages within proximity to Kolkata which provide relaxation alongside nature exploration.
1. Sundarbans
The Sundarbans acts as a top attraction near Kolkata at its position 100 kilometers in the southern direction from the city. A majestic mangrove ecosystem extends from India to Bangladesh where association with the Royal Bengal Tiger makes its residence. People visiting Gosaba and Bali Island can really understand the rare environmental system that defines the Sundarbans village areas. People who visit this destination can experience the dense forest through boat safaris while they search for wildlife species and interact with residents who maintain their income through fishing and honey collection. Sundarbans presents a perfect opportunity for naturalists due to its untouched environmental abundance and wide range of biodiversity.
2. Bishnupur
Bishnupur exists approximately 150 kilometers from Kolkata while earning its reputation because of its remarkable terracotta temples and fine artistry. Visitors find that artistic charm throughout the entire region since Bishnupur functions as both a town and its neighboring communities Joypur and Sonamukhi share the same characteristic beauty. The working environment of traditional potters creating beautiful terracotta artworks is accessible in these villages. Bishnupur together with its neighboring settlements creates a respectful environment which invites visitors fascinated by art history to enjoy their visit.
3. Mandarmani
The coastal village of Mandarmani rests at 180 kilometers distance from Kolkata where the Bay of Bengal meets the Ganges River locally named Hooghly near its coastline. The relaxed environment of Mandarmani Beach differs from crowded Digha so families with couples prefer this destination for its peaceful ambiance. Along the beachstand fresh huts provide visitors with regional fish dishes to taste. Visitors can never forget the mesmerizing view of sunrise at the horizon while they feel the soft sea breeze at this location.
4. Bakkhali
Bakkhali positions itself as a nice coastal destination that rests approximately 130 kilometers beyond Kolkata along the Bay of Bengal shoreline. Visitors seeking peace from urban interference discover relaxation in Bakkhali through its full stretch of golden coasts with their casuarina groves. Visitors of this place can enjoy multiple attractions such as Henry's Island and Betu Migratory Bird Sanctuary alongside its main draw. One can experience authentic Bengali sweets like rasgulla and sandesh while exploring traditional markets during their time in the area.
5. Tajpur
Tajpur stands as an unseen seaside village which lies approximately 190 kilometers away from Kolkata. Tourists are especially drawn to this destination because its untouched shoreline blends with a peaceful environment that attracts photographers and single travelers. Migratory birds seek the wetlands surrounding the area in winter because these areas provide excellent conditions for bird watching activities. Rural life simplicity and seaside views of Tajpur create a hidden treasure for anyone who wants to explore this peaceful destination.
Final Thoughts
Residents of Kolkata can find peaceful villages throughout the metropolitan outskirts that provide a welcome shift from urban life. These West Bengal locations welcome visitors with singular attractions such as Sundarbans nature sites and historical Bishnupur or peaceful Mandarmani and Bakkhali beaches. Every West Bengal village possesses its own unique heritage along with traditional cultural aspects and exceptional natural beauty throughout each community. You should book your vacation in these essential towns around Kolkata to have unforgettable calm experiences.
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India.com
13 hours ago
- India.com
Forget The City Chaos — These 5 Villages Near Kolkata Are Where Magic Happens
Sheltered by its status as the cultural capital of India, Kolkata embodies both rich heritage and vibrant festivals together with bustling city activities. People who need respite from metropolitan stress can find calming villages next to Kolkata where they can relax. These peaceful settlements display indigenous local culture together with relaxing surroundings throughout West Bengal. The following list comprises seven essential villages within proximity to Kolkata which provide relaxation alongside nature exploration. 1. Sundarbans The Sundarbans acts as a top attraction near Kolkata at its position 100 kilometers in the southern direction from the city. A majestic mangrove ecosystem extends from India to Bangladesh where association with the Royal Bengal Tiger makes its residence. People visiting Gosaba and Bali Island can really understand the rare environmental system that defines the Sundarbans village areas. People who visit this destination can experience the dense forest through boat safaris while they search for wildlife species and interact with residents who maintain their income through fishing and honey collection. Sundarbans presents a perfect opportunity for naturalists due to its untouched environmental abundance and wide range of biodiversity. 2. Bishnupur Bishnupur exists approximately 150 kilometers from Kolkata while earning its reputation because of its remarkable terracotta temples and fine artistry. Visitors find that artistic charm throughout the entire region since Bishnupur functions as both a town and its neighboring communities Joypur and Sonamukhi share the same characteristic beauty. The working environment of traditional potters creating beautiful terracotta artworks is accessible in these villages. Bishnupur together with its neighboring settlements creates a respectful environment which invites visitors fascinated by art history to enjoy their visit. 3. Mandarmani The coastal village of Mandarmani rests at 180 kilometers distance from Kolkata where the Bay of Bengal meets the Ganges River locally named Hooghly near its coastline. The relaxed environment of Mandarmani Beach differs from crowded Digha so families with couples prefer this destination for its peaceful ambiance. Along the beachstand fresh huts provide visitors with regional fish dishes to taste. Visitors can never forget the mesmerizing view of sunrise at the horizon while they feel the soft sea breeze at this location. 4. Bakkhali Bakkhali positions itself as a nice coastal destination that rests approximately 130 kilometers beyond Kolkata along the Bay of Bengal shoreline. Visitors seeking peace from urban interference discover relaxation in Bakkhali through its full stretch of golden coasts with their casuarina groves. Visitors of this place can enjoy multiple attractions such as Henry's Island and Betu Migratory Bird Sanctuary alongside its main draw. One can experience authentic Bengali sweets like rasgulla and sandesh while exploring traditional markets during their time in the area. 5. Tajpur Tajpur stands as an unseen seaside village which lies approximately 190 kilometers away from Kolkata. Tourists are especially drawn to this destination because its untouched shoreline blends with a peaceful environment that attracts photographers and single travelers. Migratory birds seek the wetlands surrounding the area in winter because these areas provide excellent conditions for bird watching activities. Rural life simplicity and seaside views of Tajpur create a hidden treasure for anyone who wants to explore this peaceful destination. Final Thoughts Residents of Kolkata can find peaceful villages throughout the metropolitan outskirts that provide a welcome shift from urban life. These West Bengal locations welcome visitors with singular attractions such as Sundarbans nature sites and historical Bishnupur or peaceful Mandarmani and Bakkhali beaches. Every West Bengal village possesses its own unique heritage along with traditional cultural aspects and exceptional natural beauty throughout each community. You should book your vacation in these essential towns around Kolkata to have unforgettable calm experiences.
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
From trotters to tripe, offal gets an upscale makeover
Rituparna Roy Borne out of necessity, nose-to-tail eating as a culinary practice traces its roots to ancient civilisations. The dishes and their fascinating stories are inspiring chefs to reinterpret them for the modern diner, be it from personal memories or research trips across the country 'Dohjem' liver pâté by Tanisha Phanbuh; (right) 'Golda chingri ghilu' hollandaise at Sienna. Gift this article Bengali mothers are adept at coaxing their children into eating every part of the fish. 'Chew the heads, they're good for you", 'eat the tel (innards), they are delicious", 'don't discard the skins, they have good fats", and so on. 'My mother cooks macher tel like a mishmash with vegetables, and it's something I cannot have enough of even today," says head chef Avinandan Kundu, who reimagines his mother's recipe in the form of dolma, the stuffed leaf parcels believed to have originated during the Ottoman times, at Sienna in Kolkata. The restaurant, known for its playful approach to Bengal's diverse food culture, offers small plates and bar bites featuring fish and meat offal. Bengali mothers are adept at coaxing their children into eating every part of the fish. 'Chew the heads, they're good for you", 'eat the tel (innards), they are delicious", 'don't discard the skins, they have good fats", and so on. 'My mother cooks macher tel like a mishmash with vegetables, and it's something I cannot have enough of even today," says head chef Avinandan Kundu, who reimagines his mother's recipe in the form of dolma, the stuffed leaf parcels believed to have originated during the Ottoman times, at Sienna in Kolkata. The restaurant, known for its playful approach to Bengal's diverse food culture, offers small plates and bar bites featuring fish and meat offal. Borne out of necessity, nose-to-tail eating as a culinary practice traces its roots to ancient civilisations. In India, it is prevalent across various communities with home cooks displaying their ingenuity via recipes passed down through generations. While offal is treated as a delicacy among many cultures, it often gets a bad rap here, primarily because of taste, texture and cultural stigma. The dishes and their fascinating stories are now inspiring chefs to reinterpret them for the modern diner, be it from memory or research trips across the country. Also Read | Hearts and guts In Mumbai, chef Varun Totlani makes a bone marrow dish spiced with fiery thecha at the cocktail bar Paradox. The theatrics involve guests scooping the marrow out of a buff shank bone that has been cut length-wise. 'While bheja is more acceptable because of its creamy texture, offal or organ meats as a category require a fair amount of work in fine dining," he says. 'Thecha' spiced bone marrow at Paradox, Kundu believes in making his food accessible, but not appropriating it. 'The idea is to showcase the nose-to-tail eating culture in Bengal, but also respect the base ingredient. Although Bengalis in Kolkata are not that experimental, the perception is slowly changing," he says. The team also brings in personal stories of eating offal. 'We all have that one memory of standing with our plates at weddings, contemplating whether to suck out the ghilu (brain matter) from the golda chingri (large freshwater prawns)," he says. At the restaurant, they turn it into a hollandaise, put it back into the prawn heads, grill and serve it with chimichurri. It's a favourite, so are the charred chicken gizzards, and chilli garlic bheja. At Naar, chef Prateek Sadhu's 16-seater restaurant near Kasauli, the menu is built on four pillars that define Himalayan cuisine, and nose-to-tail eating is one of them (apart from foraging, migration and preservation). He serves a dish featuring Ladakhi gyurma or blood sausages in a silken broth along with sunderkala, a type of hand-rolled millet noodles from Uttarakhand. While in the National Capital Region, Khasi pop-up chef Tanisha Phanbuh reimagines Meghalaya's classic pork brain salad doh khlieh in the form of crostinis and dohjem, traditionally made of pork intestines and belly, as pâté. 'Working with offal can be a task in Delhi given sourcing off-cuts can be a challenge," says Phanbuh, who has hosted pop-ups at Fig & Maple restaurant and Pullman Hotel in the past under her brand 'Tribal Gourmet'. Liver from the tapas menu at Ekaa. What excites chefs about offal is the ability to work with various forms and textures. 'Every offal behaves differently at a given temperature. Some can be paste-y, or crunchy like pork ears, and then there is brain, which are like these orbs of buttery ooziness," says chef-partner Niyati Rao of Ekaa in Mumbai. The restaurant has a dish of pork mince using the heart and liver to go with the Sikkimese tingmo bread. 'We take a lot of care to process the offal, with the right kind of spices and techniques, which people finally end up enjoying," she says. At Bombay Daak, her team does a version of Hyderabadi chakna, which is locally prepared with goat tripe, and a bheja dish cooked with anishi, the prized fermented taro leaf cakes from Nagaland. Inspiration also comes from the comfort and familiarity associated with the ingredient. 'If you have grown up eating offal, you instinctively understand the appeal. For me, it was never considered unusual or exotic," says chef Hussain Shahzad, who believes in highlighting its potential with thoughtful technique. On the Papa's Mumbai menu, he combines lamb tongue, brain, as well as shoulder, neck, and belly to make a French-style terrine, and plates it up with nihari sauce made from lamb trotters and neck bones. 'Some come seeking these dishes, others need a little nudge." Lamb terrine with 'nihari' sauce at Papa's. In Himalayan households, harvesting an animal means letting go of a valuable farm asset. 'This nose-to-tail approach is deeply rooted in both necessity and respect," says chef Prakriti Lama, who runs the Himalayan-inspired restaurant Across with her husband chef Viraf Patel in Mumbai. The menu has tripe, slow braised with mountain spices such as timur or Himalayan peppercorns, chillies, and foraged herbs like jimbu, but plated with finesse, and pork trotters, 'which have unexpectedly become a guest favourite for their gelatinous texture and deep flavour." The couple consults with restaurants and hosts pop-ups across India, and are proud to have introduced offal into menus, be it as bar snacks or elaborate mains. While chefs believe technique and storytelling can shift diners' reactions, it is exciting to find offal being appreciated for its place in India's food heritage, and that it is no longer disguised but celebrated for its complexity. Also Read | Guts, hearts and lungs in Sicily Topics You May Be Interested In
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Whenever we say Jagannath, we first think of Puri: Bengali devotees
1 2 3 4 5 6 Puri: The Jagannath Temple in Puri has drawn massive a crowd of Bengali devotees for this year's Rath Yatra, effectively dismissing concerns in certain quarters about the impact of the newly constructed Jagannath shrine in Digha, West Bengal, on the festival in Puri. Hotel industry data reveals that Bengali pilgrims currently occupy approximately 50% of Puri's hotel accommodation. "Bengalis make up half of our current occupancy, with 30% being Odia tourists and the remaining 20% comprising foreigners and visitors from other states," Raj Kishore Patra, vice-president of Puri Hotel Association, said. West Bengal contributes significantly to Odisha's tourist influx. Bengali visitors increased from 5.34 lakh in 2021 to 13.59 lakh in 2023, consistently maintaining around 14% of total domestic arrivals. There is no decline in the last two years, though official data is yet to be available, Patra said. "Jagannath Temple in Puri is not just any temple, it holds distinct historical, religious and mythological significance," emphasized Subhojit Rakshit (37), a businessman from Kolkata, adding, "Whenever people mention Jagannath, they first remember Puri." Ganesh Chandra (70), a retired govt servant from Paschim Medinipur who is a regular visitor to Puri, reinforced this sentiment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 새로 나온 '실비보험' 최적가 가입인기! "月 보험료 낮추고, 보장은 실속있게"... 굿리치 보험대리점 (등록번호:제2006038313호) 가입하기 Undo "No matter how many temples are built elsewhere, we will continue to visit Jagannath Temple in Puri," Chandra said. Sabita Bakshi (60), a housewife from Bengal highlighted the uniqueness of Puri's Rath Yatra. "Rath Yatras take place across the world, but none can match the spiritual experience of Puri," she said. "The original always remains original," said Ankita Pal (30), a devotee from Kolkata. "Many temples may replicate Puri's Jagannath Temple, but Puri remains the real one," she added. While the Digha temple has provided an alternative to a section of devotees, industry observers note that Bengali pilgrims maintain their traditional connection with Puri, ensuring the ancient shrine's continued prominence in religious tourism. The shrine in Digha can be an additional option, not a substitute, the devotees said.
