Weekend Destinations Near Kolkata, Bhagabatipur

Day 01: Kolkata to Bhagabatipur
Transfer from Kolkata to Bhagabatipur (200 kms / 4.5 hrs). Bhagabatipur is a small village located in the Nalhati Tehsil of Birbhum District of West Bengal. Check-in into your homestay. After freshen up proceed for local sightseeing. Visit the Tilpara Barrage constructed over River Mayurakshi. The same came into being in 1985 and is a 309 meters long barrage covering irrigational land area of 250860 hectares which constitutes districts located in Burdwan, Birbhum & Murshidabad. Labpur has been made famous by the eminent litterateur “Tarashankar Bandopadhyay” who hails from the Birbhum district. Belonging to a zamindar family they boast of an old Kachhari or rather a Court House. The home and the museum house the writer’s prolific life in snippets from his pictures, unseen sculptures and paintings to spectacles & pens etc.  Further visit Hansuli Baank which is located at a distance of 14kms from Bhagabatipur. Tarashankar Bandopadhyay’s acclaimed novel “Hansuli Banker Upokotha” has immortalised this meandering river and its network. One that finds origination through the mainstream rivers of Bakreshwar and Kopai. Often regarded as resembling a piece of jewellery “Hansuli Necklaces” adorned by the women. If time permits also visit the Maluti temple village. The temple complex boasts of 72 terracotta temples that dates back to the 17^th Century. The temples have intricate carvings in terracotta that boasts of mythical scenes playing in the facades standing tall since millennia. There are five separate clusters of the temples that includes Sikir Taraf, Madhya Bari, Mauliksha Temple Complex, Rajar Bari and Chhoi Taraf most of them dedicated to Lord Shiva. Later return back to resort / homestay. Overnight at Bhagabatipur.

Day 02: Bhagabatipur Local Sightseeing
Visit the five Shaktipeeths that are all located within a radius of 50 kms in Bhagabatipur. Bakreshwar is famed for the Shiva Linga Temple that comes along with cold water and hot water springs merging in a rivulet close by. Shiva is known here as “Bakranath”. The hot water springs are of varying temperatures and is regarded to be having miraculous healing power. The hottest of the hot water spring is regarded as the “Agni Kundu”. Proceed to visit Kankalitala that is located in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district. The temple is home to goddess Parvati who is considered as the residing deity but not worshipped in any statuette form. Here the bones or the “Kankal” (Bengali term for bones) of goddess Parvati or Sati fell. Further visit Nandikeshwari or Nandikeshari temple. Here the neck-bone of Goddess Parvati fell. One that is believed to have been transpired by Lord Vishnu who had mutilated Goddess Sati’s corpse with a Sudarshan Chakra. The term Nandikeshari has been derived from “Nandi” and “Ishwari”. While the former term means the follower or disciple of Lord Shiva while Ishwari represents Goddess. Also visit Nalateshwari and Fullora Shaktipeeths. Fullora temple boasts of no idol and has been existing since 1302 of the Bengali calendar year with just a huge stone smothered in vermillion. One of the 51 Shaktipeeths that is believed to house the dismembered lips of Goddess Sati. One can also visit during the Bengali month of “Magh” that sees a full-fledged fair being organized at the premises on the first full moon day of the month. If time permits visit the Zamindar Bari of Hetampur and Wood Fossil Park. Later return back to resort / homestay. Overnight at Bhagabatipur.

Day 03: Departure / Transfer
Morning after breakfast transfer back to Kolkata. Tour Ends.