A town in the state of West Bengal in the country’s eastern region, Bardhaman also known as Burdwan is the administrative headquarters of the districts of Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, Hooghly and Bardhaman. It is situated at a distance of about 100 km from the state capital Kolkata and is connected by the National highway NH2 also called the Grand Trunk Road. The town of Bardhaman was a district capital during the reign of the Mughals and continued to remain as the district headquarters even during the British rule. Bardhaman is known as the 'rice plate' of Bengal due to its plentiful rice production. The eastern part of Bardhaman is essentially agrarian while the western part is mainly industrialised. Damodar and the Banka are the main rivers flowing through Bardhaman making the land fertile and ideal for cultivation.
Bardhaman has a few tourist places in and around. The temples here which are known as 'deuls' are fine examples of Bengali Hindu architecture and most of them are temples belonging to the Sakta and Vaishnava communities. There are also many Shiva temples here. The renowned Shrine of Sarvamangala, which is believed to house the remains of Sati's body, is situated in Bardhaman. The Meghnad Saha Planetarium named after the famous scientist, the Burdwan Science Centre and the Krishna Sayer Ecological Park are places which are popular and frequently visited. The Maithon dam and the Kon Kaleswari Kali Mandir are also well known landmarks in Bardhaman. The Botanical and Zoological garden called the Golap Bag, or the Garden of Rose was set up by King Bijoy Chand Mahatab and is a site which is popular as a place to spend a day out. The Curzon Gate also known as Vijay Toran, the beautiful Hawa Mahal in Golapbag, and the Tomb of Sher Afgan are popular sites which attract tourists with their history.
The culture in Bardhaman is a mix of a different customs and traditions. The Bardhaman Utsav is an annual festival, which is held in the month of January. Organised by the Bardhaman Municipal Corporation, the 13th edition of the festival will be held from 21st – 29th January, 2012. Cultural programmes including, dance, recitals and music will be performed everyday by local artists as well as others from different regions of the state from 5:00 pm at the Utsav Maidan in Shankhari Pukur. Dance and drawing competitions are also organised on 22nd January for children and school students.
The place is known for its festivities and fairs and the Durga Puja is celebrated with much enthusiasm and furore. Being a rice producing part of the country, the staple food here is rice and a variety of sweets, like sitabhog and mihidana, which the state of West Bengal is famous for.
Best Time to Visit Bardhaman
The best time to visit Bardhaman is during the month of October to February.
How to Reach Bardhaman?
By Air : Bardhaman is served by Kolkata’s Netaji Subhashchandra International airport with connections to the rest of the country and the world.
By Rail : Kolkata railway station (Howrah) is 102 kilometers from Bardhaman and connects to the rest of the state and the country.
By Road : AH1 connects Bardhaman to the state capital Kolkata and is approximately 102 kilometers from it.