Itinerary Part-9: ODISHA & WEST BENGAL
Dear Readers,
At this point of the All India Solo trip, I would have visited fourteen states of India (link to other itineraries at the end of the post). So this would be the mid-point of the journey. And there's no better place then home to be at such a time. If everything goes as per plan, I should be celebrating Christmas or New Year at my home. And I would certainly rest for few days there, contemplating on the journey covered and what is to come. From here on I'll be continuing on the journey by moving to the eastern part of the country, starting from Odisha and further moving on to West Bengal. So in this post I am sharing my itinerary for state of Odisha and West Bengal.
As with all the other Itineraries, I've had help from friends, fellow bloggers, tourism department of Odisha and West Bengal, travel companies and readers, providing me various inputs on availability of local transports, places to visit, places to stay, etcetera, to develop this itinerary. And, as mentioned in previous posts, this itinerary is loosely based on various ideal situations. Thus, following it may not be possible due to reasons out of our hand during the trip.
So here's the itinerary for the ninth leg of my All India Solo Trip in the state of Odisha and West Bengal:
Day 1: Jagdalpur. After ample amount of rest, I'll proceed in this journey by first covering what I consider to be the most surreal natural beauty of the places I have so far seen, the Kanger Valley National Park (Chattisgarh), which has some stunning caves and some beautiful waterfalls. Also, I'll be visiting the Chitrakote Falls, the widest fall of India and so, also known as the Niagara Fall of India.
Check out the Chitrakote falls at its most ferocious state. This can be experienced at peak Monsoon season.
Day 2: Deomali. Next up, is the highest mountain peak in Odisha, Deomali, which is located near Koraput town. From here I'll proceed to Bhubaneshwar.
Day 3: Bhubaneshwar. Next stop, is the capital city of Odisa, Bhubaneshwar , the 'city of temples', named after Tribhuvaneswar, 'Lord of Three Worlds', it still preserves over 500 of India's finest temples, around which the religious life of the city revolves.
Day 4: Konark, Puri. On this day, the first stop will be Konark, famous for the 13th century Sun Temple. Later, I'll be moving on to Puri, home to the famous Jaganath temple, which is one of the Char Dhams (four most holiest places of Hindus). This place also has one of the most scenic beaches in India.
Day 5: Chilika Lake. Next stop, is Asia's largest brackish water lagoon, Chilika lake, recognized as one of the most important wetlands in the world because it is home to a phenomenal variety of birds.
Day 6: Gopalpur. A day just to relax at one of the most pristine beaches, I visit Gopalpur, a town near Berhampur. Later, I return to Bhubaneshwar.
Day 7: Paradeep. The final stop in the state of Odisha will be the port city of Pardaeep. It is the place where Mahanadi meets Bay of Bengal. Later I travel to Cuttack, before moving on to Jaleswar, West Bengal.
Day 8: Digha. The first stop in the state of West Bengal will be Digha, just another day to rest on a serene beach.
Day 9: Kolkata. Next up, is the capital city of West Bengal, Kolkata, known for its grand colonial architecture, art galleries and cultural festivals. It’s also home to Mother House, headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa. Also, I'll be visiting Hoogly, which has numerous architectures, testimonial to the various foreign settlers in the region.
Day 10: Bishnupur. Next stop, is the town famous for terracotta temples and baluchari saris, Bishnupur, the town has a glorious past that is reflected in its rich architecture, music and handicrafts. Overnight travel to Murshidabad.
Day 11: Murshidabad. Next stop, is the city of Murshidabad, which was the last capital of independent Bengal state before the English shifted it to Kolkata, it is a city of splendorous architecture and history.
Day 12: Malda. Next stop, is the gateway to North Bengal, Malda, nestled at the confluence of Mahananda and Kalindi rivers, it has a rich history and was once seat of the very prosperous cotton and silk industries of the British Empire. Overnight travel to New Jalpaiguri.
Day 13: Darjeeling. The final stop of this leg of the journey will be the heavenly Queen of hill stations, Darjeeling. A land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas.
Day 14-20: Singalila Ridge Trek. The first of the many multi-day treks will start from this juncture of the journey, and the first of them would be the Singalila Ridge Trek, the details of which can be found here.
From here on I'll me moving on to Sikkim state starting off on the North east region of India.
So readers, if you feel that I should change the itinerary in some way or other for me to move much better between places, please specify them on the comment section. And ,as I've mentioned in earlier post, if any of you reader wants to join me in any juncture of this journey, I would love to share the journey with you.
You can also write to me at muditacharya28@gmail.com with your valuable suggestions and questions about this trip.
And keep following the blog as I release further details and further itineraries of the trip.
Cheers!
Links to other Itineraries:
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