The property is almost adjacent to Digha railway station
There is a joke among travel-crazy Bengalis – no matter how exotic your travel plans, in the end, it all comes back to Digha. Even while we laugh at ourselves, can we help going back to Digha again and again? No matter how many times you have been there, the beauty of the beach, the calm sea, the spectacular sunrise and sunset, and the charm of the casuarina plantations lining the sea face never grow old.
Located just 187 km from Kolkata in PurbaMedinipur district at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal, Digha is home to the Dighali Tourism Property I & II run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation. Whether your trip spans just one night or the entire weekend, we guarantee a memorable stay at Dighali.
Dighali Tourism Property II is spread across 3.5 acres of land and boasts an expansive green lawn decorated with lovely flowers and seasonal plants. It has 21 standalone AC rooms, all clean, well-furnished, and well-maintained, with all modern amenities including intercom, TV (the super deluxe rooms have two), electric kettle, geyser, and a private balcony.
The property also has a multi-cuisine AC restaurant with a maximum capacity of 30 and complimentary breakfast, and ample parking space for visiting vehicles.
Locationally, Dighali Tourism Property is close to some of Digha’s chief attractions, other than the beach and seaside promenade. So you can take in the beach at New Digha (2 km), and its Science Centre set up by the National Council of Science Museums. Also nearby is the fascinating Marine Aquarium and Research Centre, established in 1989 with the objective of displaying the marine biodiversity of the region as well as conducting research activities.
Yet another popular destination is the Chandaneswar Shiva Temple about 8 km away, close to the border with Odisha, and the JagannathDeul at Dihibahiri about an hour and 15 minutes by road, where you can see the beautiful 16th-century shrine to the deity built by king BhimsenMahapatra of Odisha.
Digha can also be your base for day trips to nearby seaside locations like Shankarpur (15 km), Tajpur (19 km), and Mandarmani (30 km).
Getting there
Dighali Tourism Property II is 182 km southwest of Kolkata by road, with the journey taking about five hours. There are government and private buses leaving at frequent intervals from various points in Kolkata, including the Dharmatala bus terminus. You may also drive down in your own or a hired vehicle.
For those looking to make a train journey, there are several options from Howrah, including the DighaDuronto Express. The journey takes about three hours, and Dighali Tourism Property is literally just five minutes from Digha railway station.
Talk about a perfect weekend rural getaway, and Babur Haat is perhaps not top of the mind recall for most people. Located just about 50 km east of Kolkata on the Basanti Highway in North 24 Parganas district, this quaint village is nonetheless an idyllic retreat known for its village life, innumerable and large fishing lakes, and ‘bheri’ or pisciculture tanks.
The lakes cover extensive areas of the village, and are looked after by local farmers who organically cultivate and breed different species of Bengal fish. You can visit neighbourhood farmlands where the locals grow vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, potato and okra. You can also get a taste of local culture by visiting a typical mud house, the temple, and village market.
Nature walks along village paths and lanes, bird watching, fishing and boating are some of the leisure activities on offer at Babur Haat. You can plan exciting fishing trips with family and friends and enjoy angling all day. You can also go for short picnics to local village grounds and mango orchards. The open fields offer excellent space for outdoor games like cricket and badminton.
For those who love solitude, you can walk along the paths that wind their way through the bheris, surrounded by vast stretches of water. Among other nearby attractions is Malancha village, just about 15 km from Babur Haat. Famous for its huge fish markets, some of the biggest in Bengal, Malancha is located at the confluence of two beautiful rivers, the Icchamati and the Vidyadhari, and offers a great sunset view.
The best time to visit Babur Haat is during winter and early summer, and there are a couple of local resorts where you can stay. However, you could just as easily make a day trip from Kolkata.
How did a man from faraway China build not just a sugar mill, but an entire township in Bengal? What has become of his legacy? Is it still relevant among his modern day descendants?
For answers, you need to drive just about 33 km southwest from Kolkata to the town called Achipur. Though the name may sound vaguely Bengali, its actual origin is far more fascinating.
At the heart of the story lies sugar, called ‘chini’ in Bengali. Considering the root word for sugar is the ancient Sanskrit ‘sharkara’, which the Arabs adopted as ‘shakkar’, which in turn Europeans called ‘zucchero’, ‘sukere’ and ‘sugar’, where does the word ‘chini’ come from?
You see, though the cultivation of sugarcane originated in India and Southeast Asia, and the extraction of sugarcane juice to make coarse sugar is a practice that dates back thousands of years, the Chinese were possibly the first to bring modern refined table sugar to India. And since the Bengali name for China is ‘Chin’, the sugar obtained from them became ‘chini’, which literally means Chinese.
Records show that in 1778, a Chinese man applied to the British East India Company for permission to set up a sugar mill in the area now known as Achipur. He appears to be the first Chinese man to have settled in Bengal, and the British called him Tong Atchew, though the actual Chinese name was probably Yang Dazhao or Daijang.
Local Bengalis called him Achi, and this gave birth to the name for the settlement that grew up around Atchew’s sugar mill – Achipur, or settlement of Achi. Built on roughly 220 acres of land leased to Atchew by Governor-General Warren Hastings, the mill soon employed several Chinese labourers, the ancestors of Kolkata’s large Chinese community.
Following Atchew’s death in 1783, the Chinese settlers moved into what was Calcutta, and all traces of his sugar mill were gradually lost. However, his tomb still stands in Achipur, and attracts thousands of Chinese pilgrims from around the world, particularly during Chinese New Year. Painted bright red and shaped like a horseshoe, the tomb draws offerings that include roast chicken, fish, pig, and wine, and burn symbolic paper money and incense sticks.
So the next time you are in Kolkata, make the 1.5 hour drive to Achipur to see for yourself how a man from distant China added another layer to Bengal’s already diverse history.
‘Kolkata Connect’, your chance to view Kolkata as you have never done before, and this applies just as much to tourists as it does to locals.
For those not in the know, this is a tour of Kolkata’s most prominent and iconic heritage landmarks, courtesy the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (WBTDCL), from 1.30 to 6.00 pm, on board a lovely double-decker bus, itself an integral part of Kolkata’s heritage.
The itinerary for the tour looks like this:
1.30 pm: Reporting at Tourism Centre, Kolkata
2.00 pm: Starting from Tourism Centre, drive past Lalit Great Eastern Hotel, Raj Bhavan, Curzon Park, Red Road Crossing, Akashvani Bhavan
2.15 pm: St John’s Church
2.35 pm: Leave St John’s Church, drive past Currency Bhavan, GPO, Reserve Bank of India, Writer’s Building, Park Street, Maidan, Fort William, Red Road, Babu Ghat
3.05 pm: Eden Gardens
3.20 pm: Leave Eden Gardens, drive past High Court
3.30 pm: Prinsep Ghat
4.00 pm: Leave Prinsep Ghat (toward Victoria Memorial through PTS)
4.15 pm: Victoria Memorial (tea & biscuits will be served)
5.00 pm: Leave Victoria Memorial
Drop off points will be St John’s Church, Eden Gardens, Prinsep Ghat,
Victoria Memorial. Guests may end the tour at Victoria Memorial, or at the Tourism
Centre at 5.30 pm.
Guide fees, bus charges, parking fees and entrance charges are all included in the
Package, which costs Rs 499 per head. No refund is admissible after booking or change of dates, the package is not refundable, no pre/postponement allowed.
A word for tourists booking the first floor (upper deck) of the double decker bus – make sure you take proper protective measures like umbrella and sunscreen protection as per your convenience, since the first floor is roofless.
Ecotourism guarantees that biodiversity and ecological harmony of the environment will not be damaged. The locals will closely collaborate on the growth of the tourism industry and manage businesses that will enable them to profit from it, making it long-term and sustainable. Lamahatta, in West Bengal, has set up an example of being one of the best eco-tourism destinations in India.
The serene hamlet of Lamahatta is located at an altitude of about 5,700 feet. It is only 23 kilometers from Darjeeling and takes over an hour to reach there by car. In late 2012, Lamahatta developed as an eco-tourism place. The word ‘Lama’ stands for Buddist Monk and ‘Hatta’ for a hut, making Lamahatta a monk’s hermitage.
Lamahatta offers beautiful natural attractions enough to lure the minds of tourists. You can see a beautiful garden stretched vastly along the sloppy hill here, known as the ‘Roadside Garden’ or Lamahatta Eco Park. It is shadowed by a forest of tall dhupi and pine trees. Walking by the shrubs of colorful seasonal flowers, you would notice several gazebos made of wood and bamboo. You can sit leisurely or indulge in meditation for a while. The Eco Park is embellished with rows of colorful flags, fluttering in the chilly wind. You will also find a wooden watch tower, offering a clear view of the entire Lamahatta. With a clear sky, you can see the peaks of Mt. Kanchenjunga, Tiger Hill, Namchi, portions of Darjeeling, and the beautiful Rangeet river flowing below.
A short nature trail through the woods would take you to the small lake, which the villagers here consider to be a sacred one. However, you must take the guidance of a local as the forest trail is not well marked at places. Do not forget to catch the breathtaking view of the confluence of rivers Teesta and Rangeet located about 10 kilometers from here.
Visit the Lamahatta Monastery located only 1.5 kilometers from Lamahatta Eco Park. You can trek from Lamahatta to Takdah forest, where you could see the alluring Takdah Orchid Centre. Or, you can trek towards the Gari Danda fort nearby. Passing through the lovely Peshok Tea gardens, you can visit Tinchuley, another wonderful mountain hamlet only 6 kilometers away from Lamahatta.
Lamahatta is 72 kilometers from Siliguri and would take 3.5 hours to reach. Darjeeling and Kalimpong are also not much away from Lamahatta. You can stay at the Darjeeling Tourism property, an initiative by WBTDC, and experience the magic of the hills.
The tiny and cozy town named Raichak lies on the banks of the Hooghly River. Raichak is only 60 kilometers from Kolkata and 15 kilometers from the infamous Diamond harbor. On hiring a cab from Kolkata, it will take a maximum of 2 hours to reach Raichak.
In the 18th century, the Dutch had built a fort on a river bend of Raichak, which has turned into ruins in recent times. Raichak gained back its lost importance with the development of Haldia, as it serves as the link between Haldia and Kolkata.
One should visit Raichak during the period between October to March, as the weather then becomes pleasant and the temperature drops down to a bearable range. The Raichak Fort is the most popular tourist attraction here. It was one of the most beautiful forts in India and continues to be one after its renovation a few years back. After being left ignored for a long time, it was finally taken over by a group of hotels that named it The F Fort. However, one can still spend time appreciating the Anglo-Indian architecture that predominates the edifice.
Once in Raichak, you can quietly savor the spectacular sunset standing on the ghats of the Hooghly River. Or, can board a ferry from Raichak jetty or Nurpur jetty, heading towards Gadiara. You can even reach Diamond harbor from where you can book a daylong river trip on a cruise over Hooghly.
Only 15 kilometers from Raichak, Daimon Harbour once used to be a port bustling with life. You can still notice large water vessels stranded by the port. You will get to see Chingrikhali fort here, the ancient Portuguese fort which once used to be the refuge of Portuguese pirates. Standing here, you can also spot a lighthouse, belonging to the bygone era. A lot of tourists arrive at Raichak to visit the Ashram of Sarisha Ramkrishna Mission.
You can also take a tour of the nearby Joynagar town, where you would find a collection of ancient manuscripts belonging to Kalidas Dutta, terracotta figurines, and idols of Hindu deities carved out of black stone. Adding to it is the local market selling handicrafts made by the artisans of Joynagar.
You can either plan a one-day trip to Raichak or move towards places like Gangasagar, Kakdwip, Namkhana, and Bakkhali from Diamond Harbour.
Free and fast Internet, excellent multi-cuisine restaurant, well-maintained and comfortable AC rooms, laundry service – all in the heart of the Sundarbans. Sounds good? The real experience is even better once you visit Matla Tourism Property (formerly Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge), run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.
The objective is to offer comfortable accommodation at affordable tariffs, but Matla Tourism Property offers you more than value for money when it comes to hospitality. Located entirely within the Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary, the property is constructed largely of wood, and powered by a 24×7 generator. The extremely helpful staff go out of their way to make your stay comfortable, and complimentary pick up and drop is provided by WBTDCL from Gadkhali ferry ghat.
Particularly for those looking for a perfect weekend getaway, Matla Tourism Property is ideal since it is very close to the Sundarban National Park. You can also enjoy a variety of outdoor activities arranged by the property, or simply walk around the fenced-in and absolutely safe, spacious compound in the company of cheerful monkeys. The property has 24 rooms across two floors, and each room is equipped with all basic modern conveniences.
Places of interest near Matla Tourism Property include Sajnekhali Watchtower and Tiger Reserve, Sudhanyakhali, Jhingakhali, Burir Dabri, and Dobanki Watchtower. The sheer thrill of such close proximity to the world’s largest mangrove forests, home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, is hard to describe in words. The silence around the property is punctuated by continuous birdsong and the chattering of monkeys, giving you the feeling that you have walked right into the lap of nature.
The easiest way to get here is to drive to Gadkhali from Kolkata, a distance of about 83 km, and take the complimentary ferry to the property. There is ample parking space at the Gadkhali ferry ghat, so your vehicle is safe. Alternatively, you could travel to Canning by bus or car, about 55 km away, and take the ferry from there.
For booking and other details, do visit the property’s page on the WBTDCL website.
The holy pilgrimage to Gangasagar Mela, also known as Gangasagar Yatra or Ganga Snan, makes up the second largest congregation of Hindu pilgrims in India after the Kumbh Mela. It is an annual holy event held on Makar Sankranti (the last day of the month of Poush, usually corresponding to January 14 or 15), at the point where the river Ganga merges with the Bay of Bengal.
In 2023, for example, Makar Sankranti will be held on January 14. This is the day considered the most auspicious for a dip in the sacred waters of the Ganga. However, plenty of devotees also bathe in the river the next day. Devotees from all over the country, and many other parts of the world, gather in their hundreds of thousands for the early-morning ‘snan’ (bath), while chanting hymns to Lord Surya, the sun god. The carnival is held every year at Sagar Island, situated on the tip of the Ganges delta at the top of the Bay of Bengal. After the sacred dip, the pilgrims offer puja at the Kapil Muni Temple or Ashram.
Should you be among the attendees, we suggest you book your stay at the Gangasagar Tourism Property run by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited (WBTDCL). Accommodation in Gangasagar is always a slightly tricky prospect, since no private accommodation is available in the Gangasagar temple area. But at Gangasagar Tourism Property, you will have:
24-hour generator facility
Full AC
Attached bathroom
Car parking
Colour television
Hot water
Restaurant
Room service
Western style toilet
We will do everything we can to make your Gangasagar experience as memorable as possible. As they say, ‘sab tirath bar bar, Gangasagar ek bar’ (no matter how many pilgrimages you make, they are equal to one visit to Gangasagar).
Gangasagar or Sagar Island is an island in the Ganges delta about 100 km south of Kolkata, covering an area a little over 12 sq km. The island is a popular tourist attraction anyway, even without the annual fair, and offers the charms of an unspoilt beach on the estuary, with acres of silver sand and clear blue sky, and the calm sea stretching as far as the eye can see.
The island is still relatively unknown and thus, unexploited. It also has a lighthouse, offering spectacular views of the beach, and sunrise and sunset.
For booking and other details, do visit the property’s page on the WBTDCL website.
Some of the more interesting facts about Maithon are that it is a town on the West Bengal-Jharkhand border, and that it is literally split in two between the two states, across Dhanbad and Bardhaman districts, to be precise. While the township and reservoir are largely in Jharkhand, the hydel power project is in West Bengal. The other unique aspect of Maithon is that it is one of the rare locations to accommodate a hydel plant, a thermal plant, and a gas plant.
The reservoir created by the Damodar Valley Corporation’s hydel power project is one of the largest in India, and its breath-taking beauty has made Maithon an extremely popular picnic spot and weekend getaway. There are also a couple of Flower Parks nearby, justifiably famed for their magnificent display of numerous floral species.
You can enjoy all this and much more during your stay at the beautiful Muktadhara Tourism Property (formerly Maithon Tourist Lodge) run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (WBTDCL). The view from the lobby and the cottages consists of the reservoir and the islands, while the view from the spacious and well-maintained rooms is magnificent too. Maithon’s famed Kalyaneshwari temple is just about a five-minute drive from the property, while the boating jetty is a few minutes’ walk.
According to one school of thought, Maithon got its name from ‘Maikasthan’ or ‘maayer sthan’ in Bengali, a phrase that translates into mother’s abode, in honour of the Kalyaneshwari temple built by the king of Barakar in the 16th century. The temple is a little over 2 km from the dam, in the West Bengal part of Maithon, and is very crowded at certain times of the year. As a rule, it is best visited very early in the morning or very late at night if you wish to avoid crowds, particularly during weekends.
Of course, there are many other attractions in the area apart from the temple. The good news is that the limited radius within which these attractions are situated makes it possible to view most of them on foot. The slightly less good news is that owing to security reasons, many of these spots prohibit photography, a rule that is fairly strictly enforced.
Once you have had your fill of the dam, take in the Deer Park right on the border of the two states, surrounded by streams flowing from the dam, and the dam itself. Then there is the famous Chammach Pahar or Spoon Island, called Sabuj Dweep in Bengali. Situated on the reservoir itself, the island literally looks like an inverted spoon, and is accessible courtesy government-operated boating services. Completely free of human habitation, the island is home to several animal species, which is why visitors are advised not to go in too deep.
At the end of a day’s sightseeing, come back to Muktadhara for some mouthwatering food, which even the locals who are not staying at the property come in for.
It is best to drive down to Asansol from Kolkata, a distance of roughly 220 km, and from there a further 30 km to Maithon. You could also take a bus from Kolkata to Dhanbad and get off en route at the Maithon bypass, from where you can take an auto to the dam area. There are no major bus stations in Maithon, but there are regular bus services from Asansol, including a minibus service.
You could also, of course, take a train to Asansol from Kolkata. The nearest airport is Bhagwan Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, approximately 190 km from Maithon.
For further details and bookings, kindly visit the WBTDCL website.
Durga Puja outside Kolkata is far older than Durga Puja in Kolkata, simply because the city we now know as Kolkata did not even exist until the last decade of the 1600s. Before that, the area was a collection of villages of which three – Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kolikata – laid the foundation for the British city of ‘Calcutta’. Gradually, more villages came to be included within its radius, but if we talk of the beginnings of Calcutta, we have to go back to those first three villages.
Which brings us to some of the oldest recorded Durga Pujas of Kolkata, all of which are open to the public:
THE SABARNA ROY CHOUDHURY DURGA PUJA: The Puja was initiated in 1610 by Lakshmikanta Ray, brother to the legendary king Pratapaditya Ray who was defeated by the Mughal general Man Singh. Since the general was a disciple of Lakshmikanta’s father, he gifted large amounts of land (parganas) as ‘guru dakshina’ to Lakshmikanta, and also made him a jaigirdar (landholder) in 1608.
The family bore the last name Ray Mazumdar before they were awarded the honorific ‘Choudhury’ and since their ‘gotro’ (clan lineage) was Sabarna, the Puja instituted by Lakshmikanta became known as the ‘Barisha Sabarna Roy Choudhury Durgotsav’. It was from the Sabarna Roy Choudhurys that the British leased Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kolikata in the closing stages of the 1600s.
Settled in the Barisha area of Behala in southwest Kolkata, the family still celebrates Puja in all its pomp and splendour according to traditional Bengali customs, harking back to a time when the region’s wealthy landlords saw Durga Puja as an opportunity to establish their wealth and prestige.
SOVABAZAR RAJBARI DURGA PUJA: This is more of a joint Puja, performed in both the houses belonging to the Deb family, standing adjacent to each other. The smaller of the two is ‘Baghbari’, owned by Gopimohan Deb and constructed after the original residence was made by Raja Nabakrishna Deb, a renowned supporter of Hinduism during the Brahmo Samaj reformist movement of Raja Rammohan Roy. Nabakrishna was also a British sympathiser, and began his Puja the year after the British victory in the Battle of Plassey (1757).
Sovabazar Rajbari commences its Durga Puja festivities on the day of Rath Yatra (end June or early July), when the wooden framework of the idol is worshipped. The idol is crafted in-house, and Bodhan (the ritual infusing of life into the goddess) starts 15 days before Nabami. For the Deb family, Durga is simply the daughter of their household idol, Gopinath Jiu, whereas according to mythology, she is the daughter of Himalaya, king of the mountains.
The ‘ek chala’ (all five figures fused into one entity against a single backdrop) style is embellished with ornaments made of silver foil known as ‘daker saaj’. The idols of Durga and her four children are also adorned with gold ornaments.
An important ritual performed by the family is the release of two nilkantha (bluejay) birds prior to and during the immersion of the idol. The first bird, released before immersion, is supposed to fly to Mt Kailasa to convey the message of Durga’s departure to her husband, Lord Shiva. The second bird is a backup in case the first one fails.
HATKHOLA DUTTA BARI DURGA PUJA: This Puja was started in 1716 by Ramcharan Dutta (born 1630), who gave up his property in Gobindapur village to the British East India Company for construction of the first Fort William in 1696, in exchange for a vast tract of land at Chitpore, which was part of Sutanuti. Ramcharan later settled in the neighbourhood of Hatkhola in Sovabazar, and his descendants came to be known as the Duttas of Hatkhola.
‘Bodhon’, which is usually performed on Saptami (the second day of Durga Puja), lasts for 15 days at this home, as it does in Sovabazar Rajbari. In the month of Aashar (June-July), on the ninth day of the new moon, the framework of the idol is worshipped, and the making begins. During the actual Puja, vegetable and fruit sacrifices are performed as part of the rituals instead of animal sacrifices, and once again like Sovabazar Rajbari, the Hatkhola Dutta Bari also performs the ‘Nilkantha’ ritual, only the second bird is set free once the immersion is over.
CHHATU BABU LATU BABU DURGA PUJA: This Puja goes back to at least 1770, when it was started by Ramdulal Dey (Sarkar), the legendary father of the equally legendary Chhatu Babu (Ashutosh Deb) and Latu Babu (Pramathanath Deb). Ramdulal changed the family name of Dey to Deb to give it more social prestige, while Sarkar (in the sense of business agent) was a sobriquet earned through his various shipping and trading activities.
Though some dispute the exact year when Ramdulal (1752-1825) started Durga Puja at his residence on Beadon Street is not known, he was a multi-millionaire by the 1780s, so one can assume the beginnings lay in the years prior. After his death, his two sons enthusiastically carried the family Puja forward and amplified it several times over, thanks to their generally extravagant spending habits for which they were famous.
Durga Puja is currently held in the huge covered ‘thakur dalan’ (courtyard) of Ramdulal Nibas, the palatial and well-preserved family home. The ‘ek chala’ idol is placed on a raised platform, and Lakshni and Saraswati, Durga’s two daughters, are worshipped as Jaya and Bijaya. The 10-day Puja begins right after Mahalaya (new moon) and continues until Sasthi (sixth day), on a ‘ghot’ (metal or clay urn) without the idol. On Saptami (seventh day), idol worship begins. The wooden framework of the idols is worshipped on Rath Yatra.
PATHURIAGHATA GHOSH FAMILY DURGA PUJA: This Puja, among the oldest in Kolkata, was probably first started by Ramlochan Ghosh, clerk (banian) to Governor-General Warren Hastings. But it was his grandson Khelat Chandra Ghosh (1829-78) who moved out of the family home on 46 Pathuriaghata Street to a new house next door at number 47, and amped up the scale of the family Puja in 1846 in his stunning, newly built Pathuriaghata Palace.
Located in the Jorabagan area, Pathuriaghata is among the oldest neighbourhoods of what used to be Sutanuti, and became home to some of Kolkata’s wealthiest families in the 18th century when they were granted land in the area in lieu of their holdings in Gobindapur, which they ceded to the British for the construction of the new Fort William after 1757.
The most striking aspect of the Ghosh family Durga Puja is its use of silver. From the ‘ek chala’ idols themselves to the backdrop to the throne on which the idols are placed, everything is wrapped in silver foil. Even the rituals are performed using silver utensils. This puja was once attended by the who’s who of Calcutta, but the most notable attendee would have been the mystic saint
Ramakrishna Paramhansa, who was venerated by Khelat Ghosh himself.
NB: Since most traditional homes are located in north Kolkata, it is obvious that the oldest Pujas are to be found there. However, there are several Pujas which go back at least a century scattered all over the city, though most of them are ‘sarbojanin’ (public) Pujas.
Bengal Beckons 