The Northern Plains of West Bengal come at the midway of South Bengal and North-Eastern India. Consisting of the districts of Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Dakshin Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur and the plains of Darjeeling, this region has a distinctiveness in the matter of the dialects spoken, the folk culture and lifestyles. Far away from the madding crowds of the metropolis, it has a quietness of its own.
Cities
- 🌍 Alipurduar — a city in eastern Dooars, close to the foothills of the Himalayas, forests and wildlife preserves
- 🌍 Cooch Behar — the former capital of the Kingdom of Cooch Behar has a glorious late 19th-century palace
- 🌍 Jalpaiguri — a historic city with the picturesque Teesta River
Other destinations
- 🌍 Buxa Tiger Reserve — a forested area in Buxa and Jayanti Hills is a habitat for tigers, Asian elephants and other mammals plus a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles
- 🌍 Chilapata Forest &mdasah; a migration corridor for rhinos and elephants between Jaldapara and Buxa
- 🌍 Dakshin Dinajpur — home to a museum with numerous ancient artefacts and a historical site as old as the Gupta dynasty
- 🌍 Gorumara National Park — rolling grasslands and the forest is rich with herbivores such as the Indian rhinoceros and elephants birds, reptiles and amphibians
- 🌍 Jaldapara National Park — a national park with wildlife including one-horned rhinos
Understand
The Northern Plains consist of two geographic regions, the Dooars (ডুয়ার্স Ḍuẏārs) and the Upper Gangetic Plains.
At the foothills of the Himalayas, the Dooars region is stretched from the Teesta River (তিস্তা Tistā) on the west to the Sankosh River on the east. It is home to the famous one-horned rhino (গণ্ডার gaņḍār) and numerous other species of animals and birds. The region has an undulating span of tea gardens. Its economy is based on the three "T"s — tea, timber and tourism.
Although the Upper Gangetic Plains are less impressive than the Dooars, it consists of major tourist centres like Siliguri, Raiganj and Malda. Siliguri is the gateway to North-Eastern India and Malda is home to Gour and Pandua, the two medieval capitals of Bengal.
Talk
Like other parts of West Bengal, Bengali is the main language in the Dooars. However, the Bengali language spoken in the region is different from Standard Bengali and is known as Rajbanshi or Kamtapuri. The dialect features different pronouns for "I" (মুঁই muĩ) and "we" (হাম hām).
Get in
By plane
Bagdogra (IXB IATA) in Siliguri and Cooch Behar (COH IATA) are the two airports serving the region.
By train
The region is well connected to all regions of India through the wide network of railways. There are many railway stations in the region providing easy mobility. New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station (NJP) in Siliguri is the busiest one. Direct trains from NJP run from Delhi several times daily. From Kolkata's Sealdah station, the best train is the Darjeeling Mail running nightly at 10:05 PM. There is also a train from Howrah station called Paharia Express, departing from Howrah at 9:55 PM and arriving at New Jalpaiguri at 8:45 AM.
By car
Road travel is efficient in this region. There are many highways connecting the region to different parts of the country. Most road networks to North-Eastern India pass through this region. There are state highways that provide easy transport to places within the state of West Bengal. State Highway 12 (SH 12) connects most of the region. All major national highway systems connecting North-Eastern India with mainland India pass through this region.
Get around
The Northern Plains, especially the Dooars region, is served by a network of highways running through the jungles and tea gardens. Getting around the region is an attraction in itself.
By bus
Bus services in this region are offered by North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC), operating daily bus services to all the cities and villages. The prices are very low and for long distances, online booking can also be done.
See and do
The Northern Plains are known for their lush green forests, natural wonders and numerous landmarks of historical significance. This region is also a highly active economic zone. There are many wildlife sanctuaries and forests to visit. Some of the popular ones are Buxa Tiger Reserve, Gorumara National Park, Jaldapara National Park and Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary. Apart from these, there are many historical places to discover in Cooch Behar, Gour and Pandua. Every city has parks that are well equipped with recreational types of equipment.
Itineraries
- New Jalpaiguri–Alipurduar Tourist Special — Run by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), the tourist special train provides awesome sceneries of the Dooars and mesmerising view of the Himalayas. The journey covers Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Sevoke Railway Bridge, Jaldapara National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve and rivers like the Teesta, the Torsa and the Jaldhaka. You will also be entertained by dances performed by locals at some specific stations like Chalsa and Hasimara. There's a selfie point in the Vistadome Coach.
Events
Festival seasons from November-March attract many tourists. The Ras Mela in Cooch Behar is a famous event.
Eat and drink
Stay safe
There is a low crime rate in this area. Thefts in crowded areas can be seen. The weather here is mostly clear. During monsoons, there are heavy isolated thunderstorms.
Go next
- Darjeeling Hills — if the Dooars is not enough, then definitely visit the hilly area at the northern fringes of West Bengal.
- Bhutan — if Bhutan is your actual destination, there is a notable border crossing checkpoint at Jaigon that leads to your destination.