Bankura is among the best tourist spots in West Bengal. This place will offer you an ultimate relaxation from the chaos of city life. Bankura is the land of red soil which is full of virgin forests, hills and rivers. The city is carrying the heritage of Bengal. The rich history, ancient architecture and amazing artworks are photograph worthy. The essence of Bengal is lying here, among the green fields. The greenery of nature will soothe your eyes. Many trains and buses are available from Kolkata to reach here. Buses to Bankura can be found from several bus depots. People travelling from Kolkata can also easily avail of trains from Howrah, Santragachi or Shalimar stations. Though, according to me the Aranyak express from the Shalimar station is the best choice. It leaves around 6:30 in the morning and takes almost 3.5 hours to reach Bishnupur. The other train options are good but can make delays sometimes.
The Bishnupur station is a quiet place. Surrounded by flowers and rural beauty. From here several transportation options are available, like – bus, four wheelers, totos etc.
Bishnupur
Bishnupur is a very old urban settlement. The city is quite busy yet runs at a slow pace. The narrow lanes with ancient architecture on the sides are full of interesting stories.
Prominent tourist attractions of the city are, Rasmancha, Shyamrai Temple, Jorebangla Temple, Madan Mohan Temple, Dalmadan Canon, Maa Chinnamasta Temple etc.
There are lots of temples in Bishnupur. That’s the reason it is also called the “City of temples”. There are few ruins of buildings from the time of the king. A park named ‘Laal Garh’, which has a mysterious well, where you can take a walk inside. A beautiful lake is here, with a boating facility. An ancient church is also here in Bishnupur. The city had a vivid and glorious history. Bishnupur has a lot of staying and eating options according to your budget.
The city is also very famous for Bishnupuri silks, Baluchuri and Swarnachuri silks. The Baluchuris have beautiful colours and stitches, all over them. The most interesting thing about it is that the stitches tell stories. Mostly, the tales of Ramayana and Mahabharata are portrayed over these silks. The average price of original Baluchuri silk is 5000 rupees.
Joypur forest
The most wonderful place to visit in Bankura is the Joypur forest. The forest is deep and full of mystery. The road that has gone through the woods is amazing for a long drive. Just put on your headphones and enjoy the view. Every season the jungle changes its colours. One can just get lost here both physically and mentally. ‘Banalata Resort’ is the most popular place in Joypur. It’s a beautiful resort with a full village vibe. The place is huge with all the necessary amenities. They offer almost every kind of Indian and Chinese food with mocktails and a bar facility. The resort has its gardens full of seasonal flowers and vegetables. A beautiful lake is here with gorgeous swans swimming over it. The rooms here have the village cottage looks but with a modern touch. It serves a special kind of ‘Rosogolla’ which is the size of at least five Rosogollas. By staying here one can also book a safari through the jungle. The special store in this place provides vegetables, fish, fruits, ghee, sarees and many more interesting products. Overall it’s a beautiful place to witness the culture of Bankura.
Several hidden gems of nature are inside the Joypur forest. In the depth of the forest beautiful ponds, highlands and fields are found. These places have nature in raw form. A village named ‘Toshoar’ near these woods has an ancient temple of Goddess Kali. Locals say it is almost 200 years old. After being barren for several years, recently local people have restored the temple. For the last three years, Maa Kali is again being worshipped here every day. This village has the Adivasi community of Bankura. During the festivals, the Adivasi women perform their traditional dance forms.
Mukut Manipur
The next destination is the village ‘Mukutmanipur’. It’s located in the conjunction of Kangsabati and Kumari rivers, near the Jharkhand border. The place is famous for being the second largest dam in India, situated here. The dam is surrounded by charming hillocks that look like a ‘Mukut’ ( crown ). The dam is shaped like a necklace. The place is very clean and calm with an abundance of natural beauty. There is a trail here, headed towards the forest on the hills nearby. You can trek or hire a Toto to reach there. While taking this journey there are chances to have an encounter with deer. One can cross the dam by boat. On the other side of the dam, there is a deer park and Pareshnath temple. The atmosphere here is so serene that it will soothe the souls. There are numerous hotels or lodges around the dam. These places are very close to nature and provide great rooms and food. Amalaki and Haritaki lodges have the best views of the dam. Antamul, Satamul, Sal and Pial are some other lodges near the dam. Being situated on the hillocks it’s a little tough for the senior citizens to reach.
Susunia and Biharinath Hills
The next spots are the most popular ones in Bankura. They are Susunia and Biharinath Hills. Mukutmanipur and Susunia hill can be covered in one day. As the spots are 1 hour and 45 minutes away from each other. Susunia is known for its holy spring and medicinal plants. This ruggedly beautiful hill is great to spend some alone time with. The best time is winter to spend here. It looks like an elephant from distance. Many people visit here to trek. The deep forest and stony path are challenging. People also come here for picnics during the winter afternoon. Some nice places are near to stay, like – Hotel Rajmahal, Murut Baha Eco Park etc.
Another hill that has the highest point in Bankura is Biharinath Hill. It's only 1 hour away from Susunia Hill. The hill is full of greenness and the twittering of birds. There is a shrine of Lord Shiva at the foothills of Biharinath with the adjoining Shivganga pond. The main gate of the temple opens at 6 am. Though the sanctum opens between 9 to 10 am. Several stalls are around the temple with puja ingredients, run by the local villagers. The Biharinath Hill has a heavenly ambience.
It is quite easy to reach here from Kolkata over the Damodar bridge at Burnpur. Biharinath Tourist Point, Spangle Wings Resort and Hotel Evergreen are among the best places to stay near Biharinath Hill.
Bankura is a beautiful place to visit with friends and family. It gives the much-needed refreshment from our busy life. The temples will give a spiritual float to the mind. 3 to 4 days are enough to explore Bankura. Witness the beauty of nature and hear the tales of the lanes. While returning home take some ‘Bankura Horse’ and ‘Dashabatar Tash’ as a souvenir. ‘Bankura Horse’ is a terracotta-crafted horse and ‘Dashabatar Tash’ are historical painting. The city is very famous for these. In every temple, you will get to see the terracotta horses. Local people believe it to be holy.
Debjani Dasgupta
Debjani is a writer and travel blogger. She loves to explore relatively unexplored destinations, and share those stories with people. She cares for animals and spend her time with books.
