The East
The largest city in India and hub of the east is Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Established as a British trading post in the 17th century, it grew rapidly into a vibrant centre. Its colonial heritage is reflected in the buildings of Chowringhee Street and Clive Street, now Jawaharlal Nehru Road and Netaji Subhash Road. The city is filled with life and energy. It is a major business centre and offers fine markets and bazaars. It is also the centre of much of the country’s creative and intellectual activity, including the subcontinent’s best film-makers. Central Kolkata (Calcutta) is best viewed from the Maidan, the central area of parkland where early morning yoga sessions take place. The city’s Indian Museum is one of the finest in Asia. Other attractions include the white marble Victoria Memorial, the Ochterlony Monument (Sahid Minar) and the headquarters of the Rama Krishna movement. Across the river are the Kali Temple of Dakshineshwasar (Belur Math headquarters of Ramakrishna Movement) and the Botanical Gardens.
To the west is the state of Bihar, with the religious centre of Bodhgaya, a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists. To the south, in the state of Orissa, are three temple cities. Foremost is Bhubaneswar, a town in which there once stood no less than 7000 temples, 500 of which have survived. Largest of these is the great Lingaraja Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. A short journey away to the south of Bhubaneswar lies Puri, one of the four holiest cities in India, now being developed as a beach resort. In June and July, Puri stages one of India’s most spectacular festivals, the Rath Yatra or ‘Car Festival’, at which pilgrims pay homage to images of gods drawn on massive wooden chariots. A short distance along the coast to the north is Konarak, known for its ‘Black Pagoda’ – a huge solitary temple to the sun god in the form of a chariot drawn by horses. The sculpture has a sensuous nature similar to that of Khajuraho, and is counted amongst the finest in India.
To the north of Kolkata (Calcutta) is one of the great railway journeys of the world, the ‘Toy Train’ to Darjeeling. The last part of the line runs through jungle, tea gardens and pine forests. Darjeeling straddles a mountain slope which drops steeply to the valley below, and commands fine views of Kanchenjunga (8586m/28,169ft), the third-highest mountain in the world. It is the headquarters of the Indian Mountaineering Institute, as well as the birthplace of Sherpa Tenzing. It is also a world-renowned tea-growing centre.
A bus journey of two-and-a-half hours takes one to Kalimpong, a bazaar town at the foot of the Himalayas. From here a number of treks can be made to places offering fine panoramas of the mountains.
Further north is the mountain state of Sikkim. The capital, Gangtok, lies in the southwest. The main activity for visitors is trekking, although it is still in its infancy and facilities are minimal. At the moment, travel for non-Indian residents is limited. Trekking is allowed only in groups, while individuals may only visit Gangtok, Rumtek and Phodom. The nearest railheads are Darjeeling and Siliguri, on the slow but spectacular line of India’s northeast frontier railway.
Even further to the east are the states of Assam and Meghalaya. Assam is famous for tea and wildlife reserves, and can be reached from the state capital of Guwahati. The tiger reserve of Manas is also rich in other varieties of wildlife, while in Kaziranga it is possible to see the one-horned rhinoceros of India.
Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is the home of the Khasi people. The region is filled with pine groves, waterfalls and brooks and is described as the ‘Scotland of the East’.
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