Going To Kolkata? Explore These Places Near The City As Well

There are a number of places that can be explored around Kolkata be it a sanctuary for the royal tiger, a park for the snakes or a majestic artistic world for artists. We have listed a few of these places whichyou must take out time for.

Taki

Located on the banks of River Ichamati (in Hasnabad), within a distance of 80 Km from the city, Taki is what we would call a home to natural beauty. This village gives solace to people who long for a break from the hustle bustle of the everyday working life. To reach this well-connected place, you can either drive down via outskirts for 2 and a half hours or opt for trains till Hasnabad from Sealdah.

Sundarbans

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Explore the fascinating terrain of swamp forests and jungles here. The Sunderbans is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The national park is spread over 54 tiny islands and is home to a variety of flora and fauna. The mangroves are home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, spotted deer, jungle fowl and Siberian ducks, with all being endangered species. The place is a win-win for fish lovers as you can get the freshest catch of fish, lobsters and prawn. To reach the sanctuary, board a local train from Sealdah to Canning, which is 48km away from Sunderbans.

Santiniketan

Once popular for being a peaceful abode of Bengal’s famed poet Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan exudes a peaceful calm and culture. It is a Mecca for artists and is also known for its celebration of festivals like Poush Mela in December and Basanta Utsav. This place boasts of Tagore’s Ashram, Rabindra Bhavan museum and the Visva Bharati University which is one of the finest universities of Bengal. To reach here, you can catch a train from Howrah or Sealdah that connects to the railway station in Santiniketan, Bolpur.

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Dakshineshwar Kali Temple

Kali Temple at Dakshineshwar not only boasts of heart-warming spirituality but is also an architectural wonder. Constructed in the 1850s, the temple is dedicated to Bhavatarini, a form of Goddess Kali. Another must-see wonder here is that the idol of Kali, along with that of Lord Shiva, has been placed in the middle of a thousand-petal silver lotus.

Kolkata Snake Park

Established as Calcutta Snake Park in 1977, it is on the bucket list of many wildlife lovers. Apart from a dozen snake pits, you will also see pythons and king cobras on display. Other snakes of the park include Russell’s viper, banded krait, green vine snake, common wolf snake, red sand boa and Indian cat snake. The bonus attraction of this park is the amazing population of birds like a sulphur-crested cockatoo, silver pheasant, masked lovebird and Java sparrow.

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