Medinipur (East)

Coastal belt of East Midnapore District and Balasore District in the mouth of River Hoogly and Subarnarekha River with their coastal landform diversity, seasonal diversity, rural diversity and heritage diversity offers tremendous potential for tourism in their typical coastlines and rural areas.

For accommodation Click here: https://bengaltourism.wordpress.com/bengal-lodges/private-accommodation/purba-medinipur/

Tamluk

Tamluk Rajbari is on the outskirts of town. The literal translation for “rajbari” is king’s house, once housing one of the many kings in West Bengal. The Mayura-dhwaja ( Peackok ) Dynasty had been named in Mahabharata, Bhagvat, Bramhabaibarto Puran etc as a very rich and wealthest one of that region.

There is a nearly 1150 year old Temple of Kali named here as Devi Barghobhima. This temple is a part of 51 Shakti Peethas. Puranas say that the small finger of left feet of Sati/Parvati fell here when Lord Vishnu cut the sacred Body of Goddess Sati into several pieces to make Lord Shiva quite.

There is an Archeological Museum in Tamluk; it is a must see place of the town. Mr Kamal Kundu is the one of the prominent person who did his best to run this museum. The Tamralipta Museum at Tamluk contains artifacts of tamra or copper. Inscribed copper templates comprise the documents of this museum. The museum has preserved a tamralipta of Greek inscriptions. The Tamralipta Museum preserves the historical heritage of Bengal.

Matangani Sahid Smarak at the side of pond called Banpukur at Abasbari Para near Tamluk Court is another place of tourist interest. During the ‘Ahimsa’ movement of 1942, while a crowd trying to capture Tamluk administrative building, British police open fire in which Smt Matangini Hazara became ‘Sahid’. Later on Mahatma Gandhi appreciated her bravery and titled her as ‘Birangana’. This monument is a homage to her by Ex- prime-minister, Smt Indira Ghandhi. This is about 7Km from Tamluk station and on the way to Tamluk college.

Kolaghat is another town on the bank of Rupnarayan River and famous for Hilsa (Ilish) fishes. Maahishadal and Geonkhali are near by tourist places. At geonkhali river Rupnarayan joins Hooghly river with a beautiful backdrop. Tamluk irrigation Bungalow and its near by areas also famous for its semi-nonurban atmospheres. The River Rupnarayana is just 1 km from the bungalow. Another very popular picnic destination in Tamluk is green fields near the rail station.

Rakhit bati is the another place to visit in Tamluk. In the beginning of 19th century it was famous as a secrete center of the then revolutionary party ‘Anusilan Samiti’ & ‘Gupta samiti’. Famous historian Late Shri Tailakyanath Rakhit rebuilt this building.

Digha

Digha’s old beach isn’t as wide as it used to be due to heavy soil erosion. The beach is held together with big stones and concrete steps. Since it is one of very few popular beaches in West Bengal, overcrowding, especially during the cooler winter break, is another problem. A new beach has been developed at New Digha which is about 2 km from the old beach. This new beach is not only bigger than the old one, but might be considered a better one. It is clean and well-maintained and is not surrounded by a congested locality like the older beach. There are new and better hotels a walking distance from the beach at New Digha and the locality itself seems to be better planned. The entire stretch of the Digha seaface from Old Digha to New Digha is filled with casuarina plantations, which looks beautiful. Tourists come here and bath in the sea, stroll by the beach along the casuarina trees and enjoy the sights and scenes offered by this magnificent stretch of sea.

Apart from the sea, there is Asia’s largest marine aquarium, a science museum and a beautiful park all on the main road from Old Digha to New Digha. Another important spot near Digha is the Shiva temple at Chandaneshwar which is 6 km west of Digha. During the Bengali month of Chaitra, an annual fair is organised here which is attended by people from near and far.

Digha is a small beach town located in West Bengal. One of the most famous beaches in this city is the New Digha beach. Lying about 2 kilometers away from the Old Deegha beach, this destination is a man-made attraction. It’s preferred by tourists owing to its easier accessibility, larger expanse, and lesser crowd density.

The soft sands of the New Digha beach make up for a lovely weekend getaway. Tucked away in southern West Bengal, this destination is a quaint holiday spot to spend time in the tranquil lap of nature. The Digha sea starts at about a mile away from the beach area, which is lined with casuarina trees as far as the eyes can see.

This beach is famous for its alluring sunrise and sunsets, which are beautiful beyond words. With the golden rays of the sun reflecting off the sparkling sea, this spectacle will surely last in your memories for a long time!

Mandarmani

Mandarmani is a seaside resort village in the state of West Bengal, India, lies in East Midnapore district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the large and fast developing seaside resort village of West Bengal. It is almost 180 km from Kolkata Airport on the Kolkata – Digha route. red crabs crawling around the 13 km long beach is a special attraction of Mandarmani. It is argued to be the longest driveable (drive in) beach in India.

Geomorphologically, this area has relatively low waves than nearer tourist beach of Digha. However still this beach is deposition with formation of neo dunes in several areas specially around Dadanpatrabar.

Perhaps the longest motorable beach in India, a crazy high speed ride on the beach at Mandarmani can give you the ultimate thrill along with some time to chill at the beach. Mandarmani is a small and upcoming beach resort with great potential to be a top notch destination. The beach town with great scenery, beautiful sand beaches and amazing aura about itself, Mandarmani is a great place to be away from the hustle bustle of daily life.

Some 180 km away from Kolkata on the Kolkata-Digha route is situated a largely unknown beach resort which is slowly making its way gathering popularity amongst travelers. A great place to just lie down on the beach, watch the setting sun against thrashing waves, Mandarmani is quite the experience. The longest motorable beach road in India, the stretch here is about 13 km long, tempting one to romp their car at full speed and have a thrill like no other.

Amarabati Park

Chandaneswar Shiv Temple

Bargabhima temple

Bargabhima Temple is a Hindu temple in Tamluk near Kolkata in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal. It is around 87.2 km from Kolkata, 85 km from Kharagpur. It is well connected by NH-6 and south eastern railway tracks. This temple is major historical spots in Purba Medinipur district. It is old Hindu Kali temple, 1150 years old and built by maharaja of Mayor dynasty. This temple is considered as 51 shakti peth of mother Durga where left ankle of sati fell. The temple has been declared by Heritage Site by West Bengal Govt. The current temple is not very old a it was rebuilt after the Islamic occupation of Bengal in the Middle Ages.In old Bengali literature the temple was mentioned several times. The temple is the mixture of three cultural combinations Hindu, Buddhist and Oriya. The local people makes huge festival on Durga Puja and Bengali new year in this temple. Bargabhima Temple is a Hindu temple in Tamluk near Kolkata in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal.

This temple is major historical spots in Purba Medinipur district. It is old Hindu Kali temple, 1150 years old and built by Maharaja of Mayur dynasty. This temple is considered as 51 Shakti peeth of Mother Shakthi, where the left ankle of goddess Sati Devi fell.The temple has been declared as Heritage Site by West Bengal Government.

The current temple is not very old as it was rebuilt after the Islamic occupation of Bengal in the Middle Ages.In old Bengali literature the temple was mentioned several times.The temple is the mixture of three cultural combinations Hindu, Buddhist and Oriya. The local people makes huge festival on Durga Puja and Bengali new year in this temple.

Bargabhima temple is one of the popular revered shrines which is dedicated to Hindu goddess Kali.The temple was built by Kings of Mayur Dynasty in the Orissan style architecture.

The chief deity of the temple is Goddess Bargabhima who is the manifestation of Shakthi. The temple features an idol of stone with four hands holding a trishul in the upper hand has a human skull and the head of the demon in the lower left hand. The diety standing on Lord Shiva is identical to  Mahishasura Mardini housed in the sanctum.

Bankiput Sea Beach

Bankiput is an unexplored beach bordered by a dense forest of Casuarina trees located very near to Kolkata. You would hardly find any mortal soul on the beach excepting the millions of red crabs popping their heads from their burrows. At Bankiput, it’s only the sea – the sand – and the silence for you. No speeding cars on the beach and no picnicking crowds would spoil your day at Bankiput. But, the “horizon-kissing” beach is not the only attraction in Bankiput – there is a fully operational Lighthouse in nearby Dariapur and an age-old temple of Kapalkundala (as mentioned in Bankim Chandra’s novel) too. If you have always dreamt of spending a day in a completely deserted beach lending your ears to the chirping birds and the crashing waves then Bankiput is the place to be this weekend.

Places to see in Bankiput:

The lonely beach and casuarina groves stretching for miles. Other attractions at Bankiput include the Dariapur Lighthouse, Deshapran Fishing Harbour at Petuaghat and the Temple of Kapalkundala (as referred in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel) all within 7 kilometers of Bankiput.

The Deshapran Fishing Harbour at Petuaghat is located where Rasulpur River meets the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the most picturesque fishing harbours in coastal Bay of Bengal. The 96 feet high Dariapur Lighthouse is another attraction here. It is a beautifully restored fully functional lighthouse and tourists are allowed to the top of the lighthouse too. You can catch an excellent panoramic view of the entire region and the sea from the top of this lighthouse. There is also a temple, which is said to have been referred by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in his famous novel Kapalkundala.

Nearby attractions of Bankiput: 

Bankiput is located quite near to Junput and Contai (Kanthi) so you can reach most of the popular sea beach destinations of coastal Bengal from here within an hour. Starting from the popular beach destinations like Digha, Mandarmani and Shankarpur to lesser known sea beaches of Talsari, Udaypur and Tajpur – all can be reached within an hour or so from Bankiput. The newfound eco-village of Monchasa is also nearby and can be reached via Kalinagar.

Dariapur Light House

Dariapur Light House, located in Contai, is a 20 m high structure that was constructed in 1943. The site of this light house is close to the place where Bankim Chandra Chattaopadhay wrote his famous novel Kapalkundla. Dariapur is 175 km from Howrah by road. The site is close to the spot where legendary Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay got inspiration to write famous Kapalkundla in 1860. The original Lighthouse site is one km East of the present station.

A 20 m mild steel mast was erected in 1943 at that site on which a wick lamp used to be hoisted under the supervision of local port official.  Subsequently DA Gas equipment with sun valve replaced the wick lamp. This light remained in operation till the present Lighthouse came into existence. The work of construction of the present RCC Lighthouse Tower was completed in 1968. The optical equipment earlier installed at old Dwarka Lighthouse in 1881 and dismantled in 1964 has been installed here after certain modifications. It was a P.V. light and was commissioned here on 1st June1968.

Things to do in Bankiput: 

The sunrise and sunset from Bankiput is something to cherish and so are the long walks along the deserted beach. In the moonlight nights, the beach and the sea turns into pure silver and you can witness the changing colour of the sea during the day. A visit to the Dariapur Lighthouse would be a rewarding experience. You can catch a great view of the whole area from this 96 feet high lighthouse. The Dariapur Lighthouse opens to visitors from 3:00 pm everyday.

Rathtala Mahishadal

Although lesser known than its counter part of Mahesh & Guptipara Mahishadal, in East Midnapur, has the distinction of having the tallest wooden Rath in the world. The 70 feet (aprox.) high rath is 13 pinnacled and is richly decorated with colourfull wooden horses and statues.  Started by Rani Janaki Devi in 1776 the chariot has undergone several changes but its main structure have remained the same for the last 236 years.

Gun shots announces the start of the rath yatra and the shots continue through out the entire course of the journey. The local raja (king) Haraprasad Garg accompanies the rath in a palki (palanquin). The rath is pulled by 4 thick ropes out of which one is reserved for women. The rath is pulled through muddy & slushy ground in a wild rampage and it seems a miracle that the event goes on without a stampede. 

Mahishadal in East Midnapore is one such rath yatras of West Bengal. The 75 feet high rath of Mahisdal is said to be highest wooden rath (chariot) in the world.

Mahishadal Rath Yatra was started by Rani Janaki Devi in 1776 the chariot has undergone several changes but its main structure have remained the same for the last 240 years. Originally a 17 pinnacled structure it was reduced to 13 pinnacle in 1860 with the lower four pinnacle being replaced with wooden statues of men holding flags.

The five storied wooden chariot towers to a height of 75 feet and measures 28 feet X 28 feet at the base. The walls of the chariot are brightly painted and decorated with statues. The gigantic chariot runs on 36 wheels.

The Mahishadal Rath Yatra starts at about 3 pm but it is advisable to reach the place early as vehicular traffic closes a couple of hours before the rath yatra starts.

Reaching early provides one with the opportunity of exploring the Mahishadal Rath Yatra Mela (Fair) where wares of all sorts are sold in makeshift stalls.

The rath yatra is inaugurated by the local king Hariprasad Garg. The raja (king) who arrives in a palki (palanquin), starts the rath yatra by giving the first tug on the ropes of the chariot.

The inauguration is marked by gun shoot and the gun shoots continues throughout the entire rath yatra.

The rath is pulled by four thick ropes, out of which one is reserved for women. The rath is pulled through muddy & slushy ground in a wild rampage and it seems a miracle that the event goes on without a stampede.

The chariot puller follow the instruction of a volunteer who stands high up on the chariot with a red and green flags raising them one at a time instructing to stop and pull respectively.

Young bare bodied men, play in the mud to celebrate the event. They also throw mud at each other and play an active role in chariot pulling.

The entire event is monitored by volunteers of local clubs and Bharat Sevashram Sangha along with NCC cadets.

Sahid Matangini Hazra Statue

Matangini Hazra (19 October 1870 ^[1] – 29 September 1942) was an Indian revolutionary who participated in the Indian independence movement until she was shot dead by the British Indian police in front of the Tamluk Police Station (of erstwhile Midnapore District) on 29 September 1942. She was affectionately known as Gandhi buri, Bengali for old lady Gandhi. 

Not much is known of Matangini Hazra’s early life apart from that she was born in the small village of Hogla, near Tamluk in 1869, and that because she was the daughter of a poor peasant, she did not receive a formal education. She was married early and became widowed at the age of eighteen without bearing any offspring.

In 1905, she became actively interested in the Indian independence movement as a Gandhian. A notable feature of the freedom struggle in Midnapore was the participation of women. In 1932, she took part in the Non-Cooperation Movement and was arrested for breaking the Salt Act. She was promptly released, but protested for the abolition of the tax. Arrested again, she was incarcerated for six months at Baharampur. After being released, she became an active member of the Indian National Congress and took to spinning her own Khadi. In 1933, she attended the subdivisional Congress conference at Serampore and was injured in the ensuing baton charge by the police.

Taalsari

Talasari Beach is a beach in the Baleswar district of Odisha, India. It lies on the north-eastern coast of India. The name Talasari is derived from the two words Tala  (meaning Palm) and Sari/Sarani (meaning row). The palm trees surrounding the place gives such a name to it. The word Tala also means rhythm, which is reflected in the sea waves lapping against the shore.

In Odisha, Talasari is 36 km s from Jaleshwar, is the nearest railway station and Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport and is 300 km from Talsari.^[2] It’s also well connected to Baleswar. However, from West Bengal side, Talsari is only 8–10 km away from Digha. Most visitors of Talsari are from Bengal anyway. Recently two trains have been launched from Howrah (Kolkata) to New Digha (check irctc.co.in for timing), it is approximately 4 hours journey . From New Digha railway station, you can hire a cab / other local transport(Motor-van & Bike) to reach Talsari.

Nachinda Temple

This is a famous old holy temple of this region. this temple is on the way to Digha and nearby contai city. It takes 54 minutes to travel from Nachinda Temple to Digha. Approximate driving distance between Nachinda Temple and Digha is 45 kms or 28 miles or 24.3 nautical miles . Travel time refers to the time taken if the distance is covered by a car.

Sankarpur

Shankarpu’r is a beach town located 14 km east of Digha in West Bengal, India. It is also a regular fishing harbour. The mornings are cool, when fishermen can be seen hauling their huge nets out of the sea. The morning sun reflecting on the sea waves in the east, and the local fishing boats on the coast offer excellent photographic opportunities. Shankarpur contains a number of temples.

Sarat Chandra Kuthi

Sarat Chandra Kuthi was the house of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and is located in Samtaber (Samta), Howrah in the Indian state of West Bengal. Sarat Chandra was born into poverty in Debanandapur, Hooghly, West Bengal in India but he spent the early years of his lifetime as a novelist in this house. His house in Samta is known as “Sarat Chandra Kuthi” in the locality.

Sarat Chandra used to live in Samta and stay in his house with the fishermen and washermen. So the villagers separated him from the village – as fishermen and washer men were considered to be of low caste. So he along with the houses where he lived came to be known as a separate village, called “Samtaber“. Now, Samtaber is a part of Samta.

The Rupnarayan River then used to flow near the house and was visible from the window of Sarat Chandra’s ground floor study room. Now, the river has changed its route and has moved far away. The author has written great stories and novels in this study like Abhagir Swarga, Kamal Lata, Shesh Prashna, Palli Samaj, Ramer Sumati, Pather Dabi and Mahesh.

The two storied Burmese style house was also home to Sarat Chandra’s brother, Swami Vedananda, who was a disciple of Belur Math. His and his brother’s samadhi can be seen in the gardens of the house. Swami Vedananda was a disciple in Belur Math. The trees like that of bamboo, galoncho and the guava trees, planted by the renowned author are still tourist attractions.

Sarat Chandra used to live in Samta and stay in his house with the fishermen and washermen. So the villagers separated him from the village – as fishermen and washer men were considered to be of low caste. So he along with the houses where he lived came to be known as a separate village, called “Samtaber”. Now, Samtaber is a part of Samta.

The Rupnarayan River then used to flow near the house and was visible from the window of Sarat Chandra’s ground floor study room. Now, the river has changed its route and has moved far away. The author has written great stories and novels in this study like Abhagir Swarga, Kamal Lata, Shesh Prashna, Palli Samaj, Ramer Sumati, Pather Dabi and Mahesh.

The two storied Burmese style house was also home to Sarat Chandra’s brother, Swami Vedananda, who was a disciple of Belur Math. His and his brother’s samadhi can be seen in the gardens of the house. Swami Vedananda was a disciple in Belur Math. The trees like that of bamboo, galoncho and the guava trees, planted by the renowned author are still tourist attractions.

Parts of the house-like the mud-walled kitchen collapsed and the house was damaged in the 1978 floods. To repair it the Zilla Parishad spent ₹77000. After it was declared as a Heritage or Historical Site by the Clause 2 of the West Bengal Heritage Commission Act 2001 (Act IX of 2001)^[2] [3] in 2009 the whole house was renovated and the belongings of Sarat Chandra were polished and preserved in showcases. The trees which were going to fall down and die were given proper care and support. The house’s boundary was extended until the Samadhis, which earlier used to lie on the road. Except these, trees have been planted around the house which now add to its beauty.

Opposite to the house there is also a pond, which he mentioned in his novel, Palli Samaj; he also mentioned about two fishes of the pond who lived there, as Kartika and Ganesh, in the novel.

MOYNA GARH

Moynagarh has a very rich cultural heritage, and it lies almost obscure now. Mediaeval literature and the oral traditions are eloquent on its past glory & grandeur, that push its antiquity several hundred years back. Situated in the vicinity of the ancient city-port of Tamralipta, the structure of this fort is unique and seems to be unparalleled. The fort proper is encircled by two concentric wide moats with hillock-like huge mounds. There had been crocodiles in the deep water, wild animals in the dense forest and ever-ready cannons in different lofty corners.

This fort is reminiscent of legendary king Lausen (10th Century), and the Bahubalindras of Balisita (1434) who came here in 1561-62 AD. Even today, the Hindu temples (Vaisnavas, Saivas, Shaktas), the Buddhist shrines, Mazhar-sharif of the Muslim saint Manikpir, the Mausoleum of the Mahanta are reverberated with solemn hymns & prayers of thousands of devotees of different religious faiths. Dipped in the lush green with placid water all around this picturesque environment is very much like an attractive dreamland.

Karna Sen, ruler of Moynagarh under the authority of the king of gaurh, lost his six sons in his attempt to put down the rebellion of Ichhai Ghose, the ruler of Dhekurgarh. Karna Sen’s wife and his six daughters-in-law died from broken heart. The shocked and lonely Karna Sen was in great agony. The king of Gaurh took pity on Karna sen and to assuage his anguish the king of Gaurh gave Ranjabati, his sister-in-law in marriage to Karna sen. Ranjabati’s brother and minister Mahamad was dead against this marriage. So he became very angry with his sister and her husband.

Though the famous treatise of Abul Fazal has no mention of Moynagarh, among its list of inaccessible forest-forts there is reference to Balisitagarh. Kalindiram, the feudal lord of Jalauti Dandpat used to rule from Balisitagarh. He was one of the generals of kapilendradeb, the king of Orissa. It was the first half of the 15th Century, 1434 – 35 AD, to be precise. Whether he got his fiefdom by virtue of his being the general or the post of general by virtue of his fiefdom is very difficult to ascertain today. These aristocrats used to be called `Khandaits’. They were neither Brahmins nor Kshatriyas, but of a separate social rank, the warrior class. May be, they attempted to cling on to some sort of peerage by considering themselves as a separate class. Bishnupada Das has discussed this topic in reasonable details referring to some facts mentioned by Abul fazal. We need not to go into the details. Moynagarh, West Bengal, East Midnapore, Tamluk Sub-division, Moyna Block 721629, Garsafat J.L 208. It stands 17 km west of Tamluk town and 13 km from NH 41 Nimtouri piont.
Tamluk Rajbari

Located on the outskirts of Haldia, these ancient ruins of the Tamluk Palace are a brilliant spectacle of architectural brilliance. The temple is believed to be 2500 years old and was inhabited by a West Bengal King.

Tamluk Rajbari is one of popular centres due to its historic and cultural significance. History associated with the site dates back to 2,500 years. The palace at the complex is believed to be established in 5th century BC by the Mayuradha dynasty.

Besides, the site is also linked with the incident of Swayamvar Sabha (marriage ceremony) of Lady Draupadi that occurred in the epic Mahabharata. During colonial rule, freedom leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose also visited the site that hosted chief events for freedom struggle.

Chandpur Beach

Chandpur is the newest beach destination near Kolkata. Still untouched by tourists, Chandpur has the cleanest stretch of beach anywhere near Kolkata. This beach is best for spending your weekend frolicking in the briny waters. But, Chandpur reveals its true mystery during full moon nights when the sea seems to turn into silver and the beach golden. In Chandpur, you enjoy the sunset, the early morning walks on the beach and the lonely evenings with your loved ones on the resort’s terrace watching the twinkling stars of the night sky meeting the endless sea.

A very clean and lonely beach is what you would love to see in Chandpur. There is something about lonely beaches – it gives you the feeling of “owning the horizon.” The eerie looking stumps bordering the beach and the feeling of being “one of the firsts” to reach a virgin beach is just enough to persuade any traveller to pack his bags this weekend. Surely! Visiting Chandpur now, will make you feel like Robinson Crusoe.

 Nearby attractions of Chandpur: The major beach destinations like Digha, Shankarpur, Tajpur, Mandarmani, Talshari are all within 30 kms of this new sea beach destination. You can also take day trips to other nearby deserted beaches like Bankiput and climb the 96-feet high Dariapur Lighthouse to catch a panoramic view of the sea and land. The Deshapran Fishing Harbour located at Petuaghat at the confluence of Rasulpur River and Bay of Bengal can also be a part of your day-trip itinerary.

Things to do in Chandpur: Walk, run, play and chase the mud crabs on the beach. Try building sand castles with your children and take a dip into the waters. The best part! No other tourists to make you feel guilty of your madness. For peace – stay at Chandpur, for some shopping experience – visit nearby Digha and for some excitement – visit nearby Mandarmani to try your hands on some adventure sports like Paragliding, Kayaking and Zorbing.

How to reach Chandpur: If you are going by car, then you have to take the road to Chand pur before entering Shankarpur. If you are coming by train, then come to Digha Station and take a trekker to Chand pur.

 Best time to visit Chandpur: You can visit the place anytime of the year. The monsoons bring the rolling dark clouds over Bay of Bengal and the winters give a sparkling weather just fine for your long walks over the beach collecting sea shells.

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