Holidays are meant for peace and rejuvenation of the soul, for a refreshing start to life again. They act as an escape from reality and allow our minds to experience life slowly without the gruelling demands of work. They are a sweet distractor to ease our minds and to help us restart our lives with better vision.
West Bengal is an Indian state which is well known for its rich culture. It welcomes a diverse group of people but it is the state where majorities of people speak a very sweet language called as Bangla which is like nectar to the ears. These people identify themselves as Bengalis and cherish eating ‘roshogollas’ which is a most popular delicacy of Bengal.
The capital of Bengal, Kolkata, is known as the ‘Land of Joy’ or the ‘Land of Sweets’. West Bengal has a lavish number of districts and villages such Shiliguri district, Jairambati, Kamarpukur and Shyamnagar which have an abundance of green fields which are decked with rice crops, wheat and sugarcane crops.
Kamarpukur is the birthplace of Sri Ramakrishna who was a great saint and priest. He was so loved by his people throughout his lifetime that he achieved the names of both Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. People from all over Bengal came to listen to his sermons about being a selfless server of God when he worked as a priest in Dakhineshwar temple.
On the other hand, Jairambati is the birthplace of his wife, Sarada Ma who said strikingly true things such as, “If you want peace in life, learn to see your own faults rather than seeing the faults of others.” She practised kindness and was like a mother to everyone who came to her home. She never discriminated amongst people from different religions, who was common practice at that time. Bengalis believe that if one keeps a picture of Sarada ma in their dining room, they will never have to face any problems in life with regard to hunger.
The moment a person sets foot in Kamarpukur and Jairambati, there is an aura of peace, good values and humanity surrounding that place. It is almost as if the person will always feel accepted in this place, no matter from which part of the world he is or what he has done in life.
There is a rustic sense of the place with golden fields stretching out endlessly on either side of the road with marvellously green trees looming above them and small lovers of nature playing on top of them. There are tiny mud huts which people have made their homes and shops selling colourful cloth purses with intricate embroidery, jute bags big enough to carry the entire vegetable market, tiny idols of various hindu gods and whatnot.
The temple in Kamarpukur has a beautiful idol of Sri Ramakrishna and it is decked with flowers and sweets are laden in front of them. The rooms where he actually lived and the thatched cottage are present for viewing. It is simple yet magical. On every new year, thousands of devotees come to bow their head in front of Ramakrishna and that devotion is indeed a sight to see with huge crowds of people looming in front of one tiny statue which has infinite impact. The temple in Jairambati has a pond beside it where lotus flowers float, ducks swim and flap around happily and everything is purely blissful.
The city side of West Bengal is extremely different from the rustic part of the state and yet it is greatly magical as well! The New Market is one of the biggest markets of Kolkata, it is decorated heavily as if there is a wedding which is about to take place and the second a person enters this place, it is as if they are lost in the lights.
There is nothing which is not available in this amazing market, it has everything from the shiniest led bulbs to the most creatively made porcelain toys. Everything is available at an affordable price range and New Market is definitely worth shopping in.
The Victoria Memorial is a historic masterpiece with paintings, statues and artwork of regal England. The courtyard is blooming with flowers. It has a black statue of Queen Victoria. It will make you feel as if you are back in 1950’s. Every single painting has a note board attached below it which provides additional information about the portrait which can be very informative for people who are interested in the history of Modern India.
The Birla planetarium is extremely systematic in its working and focusses on stars and zodiac signs. The walls of the garden of the planetarium have star symbols carved on them in deep black. It is an extremely huge planetarium and it has over four hundred seats which can be stretched comfortably. It has very good shows about the depth of stars, planets and the amount of research which can completely change our world.
The show is available in Hindi, Bengali and English and the tickets are not at all expensive for the precious knowledge that they provide with excellent presentation. There is a museum outside the planetarium which has attractive paintings of symbolic representations of zodiac signs.
The Science City is so explorative that visiting it is a must for all young scientists that wish to create good change in this world through discoveries and inventions. The Science City is divided in many parts such as the Science mall, the Science park etc.
The Science park has many interesting designs such as it has a seesaw that works on the principle of beam balance and there is a swing which goes higher the more a person stretches their feet. There are a great number of food stalls selling deliciously scrumptious food on the borders of the Science park. There is a ropeway that works without electricity when we enter and leave the Science park.
These are some of the best places of West Bengal which can fill a person with joy and creativity. This state is definitely worth your time! It can create everlasting memories for you 😊
By: SHREEJA MUKHERJEE
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