'''Birbhum''' is a district in the western Rarh region of West Bengal. Birhum is famous for its folk culture, especially the itinerant singers known as bauls. The district is also known as "Ranga Matir desh" because of its reddish soil.
Regions
The western part of the district bordering on Jharkhand state is hilly. The eastern part of the district is alluvial plain, often flooded during the monsoons.
Cities & Towns
Siuri
Bolpur
Rampurhat
Other destinations
Santiniketan (????????????)
Kendubillo - birthplace of Joydeb, 12th century Sanskrit poet, also famous for the old temple and fair held during Makara Sankranti (mid January).
Nanoor - birthplace of Chandidas Rami, Sanskrit poet, possibly of the 14th century.
Pathar Chapuri - Location is near Suri. This place contains a tomb of Sufi Mehboob Shah. The pilgrims from adjoining districts visit throughout the year.
Labhpur - birth place of Tarashankar Bandopadhyay
Shakti Peethas
Tarapith
Bakreshwar
Kankalitala
Fullara
Sainthia
Nalhati
Understand
It is basically an agricultural district. The people in and around Santiniketan and the temple towns and shakti peethas are used to the inflow of large number of tourists.
Talk
Bengali is the local language. There are Santhalis and other tribals in the area. Hindi and a little bit of English is understood in the towns.
Get in
By rail - It is well-connected with Kolkata.
By road - The Panagarh-Moregram Expressway linking Grand Trunk Road (NH 2) with NH 5 cuts across the district. There are several other entry points for the district.
By bus - the neighbouring districts are well connected with Birbhum by bus.
Get around
The towns of Birbhum ditrict are well connected by roads.
See
Tagore's university at Santiniketan
Shakti Peethas - temple towns
Hot spring at Bakreshwar
Do
Go to Data Mahbub Shah (Rahmatullahe Alaihe) Majar (Tomb) at Pathor Chapuri
.
Eat
Siuri is famous for a sweetmeat - '''morabba'''- and for pickles. Morabba is made of various vegetable/fruit items preserved in a sugar base - ''pataler motabba'', ''beler motabba'', ''chal kumror morabba'' (known as ''petha'' in Agra), ''sata mulir morabba'', ''amlokir morabba'' and so on. These are available in the sweetmeat shops.
Drink
If you are the adventurous type try the fresh toddy juice as the tappers bring it down early in the morning beside highways in the rural areas. Warning: Once it is late fermentaion sets in. Avoid country liquor shops.
Stay safe
Get out