CALCUTTA & THE EAST

Calcutta, three hundred years old, traces its history to the landing ofrobert Clive on the banks of the Hooghly besides three villages. It was from here the monumental British Raj was launched in India. The capital of West Bengal, Calcutta is the major entry point.

If Delhi is the elegant capital of the nation, and Bombay its major industrial city, then Calcutta ranks as the intellectual capital. Poets, thinkers and film directors of international renown hail from this city where avant garde plays and art exhibitions go on practically every day of the year.

Calcutta was the first headquarters of the East India Company, and some of its best known monuments were built by this trading house. However, the city has, within its 300 years history, hosted other communities both from other parts of India as well as abroad – Chinese, Americans, Jews – all of whom haveleft their imprint in pockets of Calcutta.

Sightseeing in this fascinating city includes the Raj Bhavan, the residence of the Governer of Bengal; Victoria Memorial, the city’s landmark; Botanical Gardens, notable for the oldest banyan tree, and the orchid house; Armenian Church, Marble Palace, one family’s collection of memorabilia; and the Birla Planetarium.

Darjeeling, the state’s mostpopular hill resort, is a slice of England 2,134 metres above sea level. Surrounded by tea gardens growing the prized leaf known as Darjeeling, the little town faces some of the Himalaya’s highest peaks. Darjeeling is an abrupt variation from the lowlands of West Bengal. Buddhism, being a major faith here, Darjeeling and the nearby town of Kalimpong have, between them, several Buddhist monasteries, chiefly of the Yellow Hat sect.

Orissa, culture, crafts, fine beaches, bird and wildlife sanctuaries are what this state has in plenty, but it is for its multitude of Hindu stone temples that Orissa is famous.

The capital, Bhubneshwar, once has over a thousand temples, of which a large number remain, many being still in sue. It is these temples that endow the city with character. Today Bhubneshwar, is a popular conference center, with fine hotels and two large conference halls.

60 kms from Bhubneshwar is Puri, one of India’s important places for pilgrimage climaxing in a festival held every year. During this time the presiding deity of the temle is carried in procession on a chariot accompanied by several tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over the country.

The Sun Temple at Konark, close to Puri, dates back to the 13th century, a masterpiece of Orissan temple architecture and one of the very few sun temples in the country.

Chilka Lake is close to Bhubneshwar in the hills of the Eastern Ghats. Chilka is the larges inland lake in the country.

Gopalpur-on-Sea 95 km from Bhubneshwar, is a quiet beach resort with a fine hotel.

The largest of the states in the north-east of India is Assam whose capital, Guwahati, has an inspired location on the banks of the River Brahmaputra. Amidst Assam’s verdant lushness are two important game sanctuaries, Manasb and Kaziranga, both best known for their population of the one-horned Indian rhinoceros, a species that faced extinction. Much of the rest of the state is devoted to tea plantation which yields the strong Assam leaf popular all over the world.

Meghalaya is one of the country’s newest states with its capital at Shillong. For Long a summer retreat of the British, the beautifully kep gold course and several English country cottages testify to another influence besides the local one. Beautiful lakes and falls, hillside cottages, a large university, and the popular Bara Bazar are quaint aspects of this town.

Tripura, quite off the beaten track, is a storehouse of tribal crafts and culture as well as music and dancing. In t he center of this patch of intense greenery is the capital, Agartala, where gracious buildings, were once the palaces of Tripura’s royal family.

Arunachal Pradesh, is a fairly large State which straddles across Assam in the north, and is bound on the other three sides by three countries. To its west is Bhutan.

Arunachal Pradesh means the land of rising sun, ‘Arun’ meaning the sun. It is India’s easternmost State and is as varied in its topography as it is in the races which inhabit the land.

Tucked away in the foothills of the Himalayas, Sikkim, is a Himalayan wonderland with its lovely views and exotic orchids, and its forest-trails. A virtual Shangri-la watched over by Mt. Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak, Sikkim is attractive equally for the tourist, the adventure sports enthusiast and those interested in Buddhism and Tibetology.

In Gangtok, the delightfully quaint capital, are pagoda-like roofs of many buildings and the presence of crimson robed monks in the bazaars, and the Institute of Tibetology, the only one of its kind in the world. Lower down the hills is the famed orchid sanctuary where 500 species of orchids indigenous to Sikkim are cultivated.

Sikkim offers several treks that lead through pine forest, through picturesque valleys, monasteries and to mountain lakes. It is also the base for mountaineering expeditions and the rivers Teesta and Rangeet offer excellent river rafting.

Prior permission must be sought from the Ministry of home Affaris, Government of India, by all foreigners wishing to visit Sikkim – though travel formalities are being relaxed gradually. Permission may, therefore, be sought from Indian Missions overseas, or from offices of Sikkim Tourism. A number of good hotels and lodging houses exist in Gangtok. Entry to Sikkim is most convenient by coach, taxi of helicopter.

Of all India’s states, Bihar is the one most intimately linked to the Buddha’s life, resulting in a trail of pilgrimages which have come to be known as the Buddhist circuit. The very name bihar is derived from the word ‘vihara’ which means Buddhist monastery.

The Buddhist trail beings at the capital city, Patna, where a noteworthy museum contains a collection of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures. The Khuda Baksh Oriental Library has rare Muslim manuscripts including some from the University of Cordoba in Spain. 40 kms away, Vaishali was the site for the second Buddhist Council as the presence of ruins testify.

90 km south of patna is Nalanda which translates as ‘the place that confers the lotus’ (of spiritual knowledge). A monastic university flourished here from the 5th to the 11th century. It is said to have contained nine million books, with 2,000 teachers to impart knowledge to 10,000 students who came from all over the Buddhist world. Lord Buddha himself taught here and Hieun Tsang, the 7th century Chinese traveler, was a student. Ongoing excavations have uncovered temples, monasteries and lecture halls.

Rajgir, ‘the royal palace’, 12 kms south, was the venue for the first Buddhist Council. The Buddha spent five years at Rajgir after having attained enlightenment.

Bodhgaya, is the spot where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, with the Mahabodhi Temple marking the precise location.

Bihar’s Buddhist circuit has modest back-up facilities by way of accommodation, international dining and surface transport.

A short flight from Calcutta by air (it is also connected by flights from Delhi and Chennai) is Port Blair, capital of the Andaman Islands. Though travel is restricted here, those islands open to tourism, with their lovely beaches and coral bed, area traveller’s delight. On Port Blair, the Cellular Jail and the Anthropological Museum merit a visit.

Excursions can be taken by motor launch to the islands of Wandoor and Jolly Buoy and to the bird sanctuary at Chiriyatapoo.

Patna the capital of present day Bihar, has also been the capital of earlier civilizations in the land. Patna lies on the southern back of the river Ganga which plays an important role in the city’s economic, social and religious life.